Eryon crouched behind a thick bush, utterly silent. The scent of human sweat still lingered in the air—fresh, strong, and drawing closer. He adjusted his position, peering through the dense leaves.
Four men passed by, walking casually and chatting without the slightest caution. They all looked to be in their early twenties, except for one who might not have even reached twenty.
"...We're dead if we charge that creature head-on. But either way, we need to get our share," said one of them, his voice tense and frustrated.
"You saw it, right? What exactly was that creature guarding?" asked another.
"I forgot the details... But that hologram definitely mentioned treasure and some kind of video game-style quest."
"Hah. Then we've got a target. We just need to tell Eric and a few hand-picked people. If everyone finds out, it'll turn into chaos."
"I agree. But... are we sure the place is safe? What if someone finds it first?"
"No way. Who the hell would think to look for treasure behind a waterfall? Even Einstein probably wouldn't figure that out, hahaha!"
"Fair point."
They chuckled softly, their voices fading into the distance. It seemed they were heading back to the village. But from behind the bush, Eryon allowed a thin smile to form on his lips.
'Treasure… behind a waterfall, huh?'
A new objective had been planted in his mind.
He remained still, waiting until the four passed directly in front of him—still lost in conversation, now drifting into gossip about Eric, who appeared to be their leader. Their tone was bitter and full of dissatisfaction.
Once their footsteps disappeared into the distance, Eryon finally stood up. He brushed the dust from his clothes and looked in the direction the men had come from.
A faint smile tugged at his lips—cold and determined.
"Better I get there first."
Without hesitation, he moved, slipping quietly in the direction they had discussed.
———
Eryon moved slowly through the dense forest. There was no visible trail—just wild grass and thick shrubs that reached his knees, hiding whatever might lie beneath.
He was still wearing the same pair of Nike sneakers from yesterday—unchanged since the moment his old world collapsed behind his office door. Now they were caked in mud and damp leaves. But he kept walking. There was no time to trade comfort for cleanliness.
All around him were natural walls: tall trees with tightly knit canopies, filtering sunlight into flickering waves of dim gold across the underbrush.
Minutes passed.
Unknowingly, the landscape began to shift. The forest started to open up. The trees spaced out, giving way to open areas dotted with wildflowers and soft grass. The air turned cooler, a refreshing breeze brushing sweat from his brow.
Then he heard it.
A low rumble, rhythmic, like the breath of nature itself—the sound of flowing water nearby. Eryon's heart skipped, and his pace quickened, his body somehow knowing that he was drawing close to something important.
He stopped.
Before him lay a tranquil river, flowing gently, crystal clear. Its bed was visible, lined with smooth stones, and tiny fish swam through the delicate current. Sunlight pierced the leaves above, casting golden reflections across the water's surface.
A wide smile stretched across his face. Without hesitation, he knelt and splashed the water on his face. The coldness seeped into his skin, washing away the fatigue and heat, bringing a peace he hadn't felt in ages.
He cupped his hands and drank without thinking twice. No metallic taste, no strange smell—just pure, natural water. This world hadn't been poisoned by pollution and waste; his instincts told him that.
But as his hands touched the water again, something happened.
A soft blue light shimmered from the surface, like a glowing mist curling around his palms before being absorbed into his body.
[Essence Reap Active: You have gained 'Vital Clarity' essence from the natural spring]
[Effect: Restores 10% energy | Increases mental focus and stamina recovery for 1 hour]
Eryon closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a lightness spread from his spine to his fingertips. His awareness sharpened, his breath steadied, and his mind... felt clearer.
"Even water can be reaped…" he murmured, a bit in awe of the limitless potential of his talent.
He stood slowly and scanned his surroundings. In the distance, following the opposite direction of the river's flow, he saw it—a towering cliff shrouded in mist, touched by sunlight. And from hundreds of meters above, a powerful waterfall surged downward, casting a faint rainbow into the air.
But that wasn't what caught his eye.
To the side of the cliff was a narrow incline, partially hidden by trees and tall shrubs—a natural path upward. The terrain would be tough, but it was passable.
A grin crept onto his face. His fingers tightened around his spear, eyes gleaming.
"If the treasure really is there… then I'll be the first to find it."
Without further delay, Eryon moved. His steps were light, his breath steady, his focus unwavering. There was no time to waste.
In a world like this, being the first always meant one thing—advantage. Whether you earned it through hard work, trickery, or blood, no one cared. There were no rules demanding fairness, no systems enforcing honorable competition.
And Eryon knew that all too well.
He knew that, at first, humanity might still cling to the remnants of morality. They'd help each other, form groups, try to uphold the values they brought from the old world. But over time, that would all crumble.
Because in the end, power changed everything.
When each person began to realize they had the potential to be more—stronger, faster, greater than others—something ancient would awaken inside them. A primal instinct, long buried by civilization: the will to dominate.
It would no longer be about survival. It would be about supremacy.
Justice would lose meaning. Empathy would be seen as weakness. And faith—if it still existed—would be tested not by suffering, but by the very power one could wield.
Eryon didn't rely on concepts of right and wrong. To him, this world was natural selection in its purest form—and only those who could surpass old morals would survive and rise to the top.
Now, he stood not far from the waterfall.
From afar, it had looked beautiful—but up close, the roar was deafening. The water crashed against rocks with such force that the spray formed thick, swirling mist. It looked like a living wall, separating the outer world from whatever secrets lay beyond.
Eryon scanned the cliffside, and there he saw it—a narrow crevice behind the cascading water, the shadow of a hidden chamber. A smirk tugged at his lips. He had found it.
Without a second thought, he leapt through the thundering curtain of water.
Cold drenched him instantly. His clothes clung to his skin, his hair flattened to his face, but his footing held firm on the slick stone. He was inside—a large cavern, damp and deep, filled with the earthy scent of moss and ancient rock.
His eyes adjusted to the dim light. Then he saw it.
A cheetah—sleeping at the center of the chamber, but this was no ordinary beast. It was twice the size of a normal cheetah, its muscles taut even in slumber, its coat gleaming faintly in the cavern's glow. Its breath was deep and slow—calm, yet menacing.
'Of course,' Eryon thought. 'This world doesn't know ordinary.'
But his gaze wasn't fixed solely on the creature.
Behind it, something stood out from the gloom—a small plant, like a miniature tree with a single golden fruit hanging from its branch. It emitted a soft glow, vibrating the very air around it. Its energy was palpable—warm, inviting, alive.
Then, a system window materialized before him:
[Special Quest Activated: Fruit of Venom]
[Objective: Slay the Ancient Cheetah and claim the Fruit of Venom]
Eryon raised an eyebrow. Even the quest notification sounded like something ripped straight from a nightmare of a video game.
But reality wasted no time asserting itself. The cheetah growled low, its eyes snapping open—sharp, intelligent, wild. Its shoulders tensed as it rose slowly, baring its fangs at him.
There was no time left to relax.
Eryon raised his spear, heart pounding faster.
He could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him.
There was no time for doubt.
Hesitation is defeat.