Darkness swallowed the jungle whole. The only light came from the pale moon, scattered stars, and the faint translucent glow of the slime.

  The night was too quiet.

  Chirag tightened his grip around his sword and lowered himself into a steady stance. His breathing slowed. His ears strained to capture even the slightest disturbance.

  A blue screen flickered into existence before him.

  Notification: Neural Damage 20%. Please relax your brain.

  A faint headache pulsed behind his eyes.

  “Protect them, Slime,” he said calmly.

  The slime gave a small wobble and hopped toward the unconscious girl, positioning itself defensively near her head.

  So this is how it starts…

  My first battle in another world.

  His fingers trembled slightly.

  Ever since the summoning ritual, his body had felt different. Stronger. Sharper. Faster. The magicians had mentioned it briefly—every summoned student had been enhanced to peak human condition as a blessing from the ritual.

  Peak human.

  But peak human still felt fragile against the sounds creeping through the forest.

  A low growl echoed.

  Then another.

  Five black wolves burst from the darkness.

  They moved like shadows—fast, coordinated, merciless.

  Chirag reacted instantly. His enhanced body moved before his fear could catch up. He swung his blade in a wide circular arc.

  Steel met flesh.

  The wolves were thrown back with wounded yelps.

  “…Sorry,” he muttered.

  “Status open.”

  The familiar blue interface appeared.

  Status

  Name: Chirag

  Level: 1

  Class: Summoned Hero

  EXP: 10

  Strength: 5

  Mana: 100 / 100

  Speed: 4

  Skill: Appraisal

  Intelligence: 20 (Max)

  Magic: [Locked], Thunder, Barrier, [Locked]

  “Appraise.”

  The display shifted.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  His pupils shrank.

  Red markers flooded the screen.

  Not five.

  Not ten.

  Hundreds.

  They were everywhere—closing in from every direction.

  His heart began pounding violently against his ribs.

  Without hesitation, he distributed half of his EXP into Strength and the rest into Speed.

  The numbers rose.

  His muscles tightened.

  Adrenaline surged into his bloodstream like fire. Fear dulled. Pain faded. Thoughts sharpened unnaturally.

  His intelligence was maxed—but right now, logic was being drowned by instinct.

  “Let the fury begin.”

  The forest erupted.

  The wolves charged together, their synchronized movement sending chills down his spine.

  Chirag stepped forward instead of back.

  His blade flashed again and again, cutting through fur and bone. The impact vibrated through his arms. Blood splattered across the forest floor.

  His enhanced body moved at its limit—precise, efficient.

  But something inside his head felt wrong.

  A burning sensation crawled through his skull.

  Neural strain increasing.

  He ignored it.

  More wolves leapt.

  His breathing became ragged.

  “Release!”

  Mana surged from within him.

  Lightning exploded outward in a violent arc.

  Thunder devoured the front ranks. The night sky flashed white. The crack of electricity split the air apart.

  Dozens of wolves were incinerated instantly.

  The smell of scorched fur filled his lungs.

  His mana dropped sharply.

  Mana: 32 / 100

  His vision flickered.

  The remaining wolves adapted quickly. They split into smaller squads—one attacking directly, others circling wide to flank him.

  They weren’t mindless.

  They were hunting him.

  A wolf lunged from behind.

  Claws tore across his back.

  Agony exploded through his spine.

  He screamed—but he did not fall.

  Another wolf snapped at his leg. He twisted, barely avoiding the bite, and drove his blade through its throat.

  His movements were becoming heavier.

  His brain felt like it was overheating.

  A massive wolf—larger than the others—charged forward.

  Chirag exhaled sharply and hurled his sword with everything he had left.

  The blade pierced through the creature’s skull and pinned it to a tree trunk with a sickening thud.

  Now unarmed.

  Now surrounded.

  He clenched his fists.

  Adrenaline consumed him completely.

  He grabbed one wolf mid-leap and slammed it into another. He crushed one’s snout with a brutal punch. He kicked another hard enough to send it crashing into a tree.

  His knuckles split open.

  Blood covered his hands.

  He didn’t feel it.

  His world narrowed.

  Just movement.

  Just survival.

  One wolf bit deeply into his forearm.

  Its fangs pierced skin.

  With a roar, he forced its jaws apart with sheer strength and flung it away.

  But more replaced it instantly.

  They kept coming.

  Relentless.

  Unending.

  His breathing turned shallow.

  His hearing dulled.

  His body moved on pure instinct now—no longer thinking, only reacting.

  Then—

  The ground shook.

  A deep tremor rolled through the jungle like a distant roar of something ancient.

  The air itself felt heavier.

  A crushing pressure descended upon the battlefield.

  Every wolf froze.

  Whimpers replaced growls.

  One by one, tails lowered, ears flattened—they retreated into the darkness.

  Not from him.

  From something else.

  Chirag remained standing in the center of the clearing.

  Barely.

  One eye swollen nearly shut. His left hand shredded with claw marks. His right arm soaked in blood. Deep wounds covered his body.

  He looked less like a human and more like something dragged from a nightmare.

  His legs trembled violently.

  His vision blurred.

  A final screen appeared.

  Neural Damage: 40%

  Physical Damage: 80%

  Warning: Adrenaline State Collapsing. Immediate Shutdown Imminent.

  So this is… the cost.

  He tried to speak.

  No sound came out.

  Instead, he looked toward Slime.

  And smiled faintly.

  Then—

  He felt it.

  A presence behind him.

  Calm.

  Overwhelming.

  Watching.

  His consciousness faded.

  Darkness consumed him.

  Present Day

  The recording ended.

  Silence filled the chamber.

  No one moved.

  The sound of slow breathing was the only thing breaking the stillness.

  That was… Chirag?

  He fought alone… against that many?

  Anush suddenly slammed his fist against the stone wall.

  “Why are we just watching this?!” he shouted. “He was dying—and we’re standing here like spectators?!”

  No one answered.

  Rehan sat quietly beside the bed where Chirag lay unconscious.

  Bandages wrapped around his torso. Both arms immobilized. One eye covered.

  Machines hummed softly beside him.

  The magician spoke in a solemn tone.

  “He has fallen into a deep slumber. His body shut down to preserve itself.”

  Class 9 exchanged confused glances.

  “Deep slumber…?”

  Rehan’s jaw tightened.

  “…A coma.”

  The word felt heavy in the air.

  Anush clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.

  “Then we’ll become stronger,” he said quietly. “So next time… no on

  e fights alone.”

  One by one, the others nodded.

  The atmosphere shifted.

  Fear turned into resolve.

  And beside them—

  Chirag slept in silence.

  — To Be Continued —