Forest of evil fruits

I don't know why it's called the Forest of Evil Fruits or why there are ogres serving as gatekeepers. Perhaps they were killed in my past life. Do we really need gatekeepers for this forest?

"Why can't I go in?" I asked the ogres.

"Grrr, lad, if you can defeat one of us, then maybe we'll let you in," one of the ogres said.

"Okay, so who's going to fight first?"

"You want to fight us one by one, but we're twins, so we'll fight together," the second ogre said.

"That's unfair! How could you do this to me?" I protested.

"How is it unfair? We're giving you a chance to use your sword, and we told you that if you can defeat even one of us, we'll let you in," the first ogre replied.

"Zion, do you think it's okay to do this?"

"Don't worry, rely on me. I won't disappoint you," Zion assured me.

My worry grew as they appeared incredibly strong compared to my own abilities.

The first ogre brother charged toward me, swinging his fists, but I somehow managed to avoid his attacks.

{Agility Level: 12 -> 13} {Level: 10 -> 11}

The system notification popped up, indicating that I had leveled up.

"I didn't even get hit, yet I leveled up. It didn't show this when I was fighting monsters before," I muttered to myself.

As I spoke, the second ogre attacked me from behind, but I managed to sense his presence. The second ogre lost control of his fist and accidentally hit the first ogre. Both of them grew even angrier, their faces red with fury.

"Let's see how you'll avoid it when we both attack at the same time," the second ogre sneered. They both lunged at me simultaneously, making it impossible to dodge. I knew it wasn't fair to use my sword while they used their fists, but I wasn't strong enough, so I grabbed a nearby stone and struck one of the brothers.

To my misfortune, the stone was not enough; it shattered into pieces, just like my luck. Taking advantage of the situation, the second ogre swung his fist at me with full force, hitting me hard. I was thrown far away from the impact, coughing up blood. It seemed he had struck my vital points.

[Healing in 3, 2, 1 seconds]

My healing power was astounding. I quickly recovered, standing back on my feet. This time, I tried to retaliate by throwing a punch at the first ogre. Filled with anger, my strike was so powerful that one of the second ogre's teeth fell out.

{Strength Level: 11 -> 15}

Once again, I leveled up. The first ogre became even angrier upon witnessing this, as I had wagered his brother. He hit me with such force that I thought my bones might break. If I hadn't had the stone, I might not have survived. Although I healed quickly, the pain remained.

My vision blurred momentarily when he struck my head so hard it felt as if it had exploded. He left me there, thinking I was dead. However, within three seconds, I was as good as a healthy man again, albeit with my clothes soaked in blood and a nauseating stench.

[Strength: 15 -> 25] [Agility: 13 -> 20]

Both my strength and agility levels increased. I believed the pain was worth it.

"Now it's my turn to strike back," I declared.

The first ogre sneered, "Weren't you dead? Your skull was cracked. I thought you were finished, but it seems you hadn't had enough."

The second ogre added, "We're not humans, so don't expect us to sympathize with you."

"That was just a warm-up. The real show begins now," I confidently stated.

My words provoked the ogres, and they attempted to attack me together. This time, I gave it my all and landed a powerful blow on the first ogre's chest, followed by another strike to the second ogre's face.

I managed to land my blows, and though I stood still, they didn't wake up.

I lightly poked their faces. "Hello, are you there?"

After thirty seconds, they finally woke up.

"What happened? Why are we on the ground?" the second ogre asked, being the first to regain consciousness.

"Did you forget your promise? You said you would let me pass," I reminded them.

The first ogre woke up and said, "It seems you were really just warming up. You defeated us with a single blow. You could have beaten us with one punch, so why did you let us hit you?"

As if I knew the reason. I thought I needed to take a few rounds of beating to gain strength, as if their attacks were a threat to my body, allowing me to grow stronger. But now, back to the current situation.

"Do you think I have time to chitchat with you? Are we friends or colleagues to have a chat? As you said, if I lose, I can go. So, I'm going, and you don't have the right to stop me."

I immediately made my way towards the entrance of the forest.

The forest was brimming with lush greenery, beautifully maintained by an unknown caretaker. As I entered, a sign caught my attention, urging visitors not to pluck the fruits. However, if one were to disobey, they were encouraged to eat what they plucked.

Though I couldn't discern any connection between the forest and the second floor, I continued walking, devoid of any noticeable sensations due to the stone embedded within me, suppressing both fatigue and hunger.

After a two-hour trek, something peculiar caught my eye—a tree that stood barren of fruit, unlike the others surrounding it. Approaching the tree, I noticed a solitary purple fruit lying on the ground. Curiosity piqued, I reached down to pick it up. As soon as I touched it, the plant sprang to life, attempting to ensnare me with its tenacious tendrils.

"Where did this come from?" I managed to sever one of the tentacles with my sword, but it persistently sought to capture me. In the chaos, the fruit slipped from my grasp, and the plant abruptly ceased its attack.

"All of a sudden, silence. What is happening here?"

Suddenly, I heard the sound of heavy footsteps approaching me.

"Grrr!" A ferocious growl echoed through the air, and before me stood a dog-faced monster, standing on two feet, drooling with hunger.

"Lycanthrope!" I shouted upon recognizing the creature, quickly seeking refuge behind a nearby tree.

The creature advanced toward me, sniffing the air to catch my scent. Anticipating its approach, I scaled the tree and covered my mouth, ensuring I made no noise.

It neared the tree, guided by the scent of my presence.

Contemplating my escape, I noticed the fruit from the barren tree and hatched a plan. Plucking the fruit, I hurled it into the surrounding bushes.

However, my plan did not go as anticipated, as the lycanthrope detected me.

"Oh, shit! He found me," I muttered under my breath.

The creature began shaking the tree vigorously, while I clung to its branches for dear life.

"It seems the lycanthrope doesn't know how to climb trees."

It continued its relentless assault, shaking the tree without respite. My head spun from the violent motion.

"Oh God, just give up already!" I exclaimed, but the creature remained stubborn, refusing to relent.

In a desperate attempt to defend myself, I brandished my sword and sliced off a branch from the tree. The branch crashed down upon the creature's head.

However, instead of quelling its fury, it only seemed to further incite it.

"It appears I've only provoked it further."