Monster.

Okay, we have to turn back right now. Let's get out while we can," Kyle said, his voice quivering with fear.

"Come on, don't be such a scaredy-cat. Let's explore a bit more. Besides, you agreed to come here, remember?" Jake replied, a mischievous smirk playing on his face.

The forest was a world unto itself—magical, alluring, and breathtakingly beautiful, yet it carried an eerie, unsettling aura that made one's skin crawl.

Mustered with a sliver of courage, Kyle followed Jake deeper into the forest. Despite his bravado, Kyle couldn't shake the dread creeping up his spine. "Darn it, if only I'd seen this coming. I never would've agreed to this insane idea of sneaking into the forest. Is this even real, or am I dreaming?" he wondered silently.

As they ventured further, the crunch of footsteps echoed from behind. They spun around, but nothing was there.

"No, this is it—we're going to die, I'm serious, Jake. This forest is haunted; it's downright creepy," Kyle stammered, his fear palpable.

Minutes later, the footsteps grew louder, closer. They whipped around again—still nothing.

"Okay, what the heck?!" Kyle exclaimed.

"You know what... Kyle, let's run for our lives!" Jake said, panic lacing his words.

"I couldn't agree more," Kyle replied shakily.

They bolted, screaming for help, not realizing they were plunging deeper into the forest's heart. It was strange—they didn't notice they were running in circles.

"Jake, wait... something's off. This tree... I've seen it over nine times, the one with the blue mark. It was over there!" Kyle cried out, terror-stricken.

"You're right. I think we've been running in circles!" Jake shouted.

They glanced back and saw a shadowy figure, something between an animal and a monster, charging towards them at breakneck speed.

"Ah! It's a monster!" Kyle screamed.

"No, no, no—run!" Jake yelled.

They sprinted as fast as their legs could carry them, the creature hot on their heels. It halted, emitting a sound like a call to arms, and soon, more beasts emerged from the shadows.

"Oh no, we're going to die today. I should've written my will," Jake said, despair in his voice.

"Yeah, me too. This is all your fault, you maniac!" Kyle shouted back as they ran.

"Let's split up, Kyle," Jake gasped, his breaths coming in hard pants as they hid behind a colossal tree, its girth twice that of a house.

"Yeah, great plan, genius," Kyle retorted, sarcasm laced with fear. "The monster's too fast. If we split, how will we regroup without becoming its next meal?"

As Kyle's eyes darted around, they landed on a potential sanctuary—a cave directly ahead. He nudged Jake. "Look, a cave! We can hide there until the monster leaves," he said, a glimmer of hope in his voice.

"Yeah, let's go," Jake whispered back.

They began to crawl, silent as shadows, towards the cave. Inside, the walls were studded with shiny jades, casting a luminous glow throughout the cavern. "Wow, it's beautiful," Jake murmured in awe.

Kyle, however, was too consumed by dread to appreciate the sight. He feared the monster would burst in at any moment, ready to devour them.

"What's that, Kyle? Look!" Jake's voice broke through his thoughts.

Kyle's gaze followed Jake's pointing finger to an altar where a square stone sat. It began to glow a deep, fiery red. They stood opposite it, transfixed.

"Okay, Jake, we've had our fun. Time to wake up from this nightmare. Pinch me," Kyle said, his eyes squeezed shut.

Jake obliged, pinching him hard.

"Ouch! Wait, so it's not a dream? Noooooo! It has to be a dream!" Kyle's voice rose in panic.

Jake looked at him, an amused thought crossing his mind. *He's such an idiot.*

"Why don't we see what the stone does?" Jake suggested, his smirk widening.

"Yeah, I might as well. I was gearing up for a suicide mission anyway," Kyle replied grimly.

Approaching the stone, Kyle closed his eyes and placed his hands upon it. A shock wave surged through him, and the stone's glow faded. A message appeared in his mind:

**[System Notification]**

**[Congratulations, you have successfully Leveled Up...]**

Before he could process the notification, darkness claimed him. "Whoa, Kyle, no!" Jake cried out.