Run First, Plan Next

The half-moon persistently pursued the clouds, attempting to conceal itself behind their fluffy forms. However, the nimble clouds evaded capture, allowing bits of silver rays to cascade down onto the forest below.

Under the dim light of the darkened moon, the desolate area within the forest revealed its devastation, with only a solitary tree standing amidst the ruins. 

The Basilisk took a moment to gather its thoughts, reflecting on what just happened. 

The last time it saw, there was still a significant distance separating it from the leaping three-eyed panther.

Much to the horror of the basilisk, it seemed certain that the sleeping boy would soon meet his demise.

But in a sudden twist of tale, not even a second had passed since then but the three-eyed panther just vanished, or ceased to exist more accurately, as it disintegrated into dust mixing with the air leaving behind no trace of evidence of its presence.

It slowly inched its magnificent body closer to the slumbering boy. Amidst the rapid sequence of events that transpired, it sensed something incredibly peculiar emanated from the boy, even if it was only for a fleeting moment. 

The Basilisk, known for its unwavering pride, ego, and predatory prowess, found itself drawn into an unexpected bond from the moment it encountered the boy. 

And as the recent incident unfolded, just before the three-eyed panther dispersed into mere whispers of dust, the Basilisk experienced a surge of awareness from within itself. 

It perceived an immense aura radiating from the boy, accompanied by a riveting crimson luminescence emanating from his eyes. 

Although the Basilisk couldn't decipher the exact essence of this aura, it resonated with an inexplicably familiar yet deeply intense feeling. In that suspended moment, it felt an almost primal urge to lower its head in deference to the boy, as if recognizing him as a deity beyond it's comprehension. 

However, this impulse dissipated as swiftly as it arose, leaving behind a sense of intrigue and bewilderment.

The Basilisk reached the tree finally and brought its massive head closer to the unconscious Karl. Observing the boy's face closely for a fleeting moment, the Basilisk came to a resolute decision. 

Uncertain of its fate in this unfamiliar realm, it harbored a strong conviction to follow the boy, driven by a sense of loyalty cultivated from its first, although unintended meal provided by him. 

However, what truly solidified its choice was the enigmatic aura the boy emitted, capable of humbling even its own prideful demeanor.

It yearned to unravel the mystery behind this compelling force, propelling it to align its path with Karl's. 

It began to coil around the enormous tree, appearing as if it aimed to crush it.

However, upon closer inspection, its entire massive body was slowly shrinking.

—-----------

[Ding]

[Download Completion: 100%]

Karl winced as the bright sunrays caressed his face, slowly lifting his head with a flicker of hope that everything that transpired last night was all just a dream.

However, the scene before him shattered that illusion, jolting him out of his sluggishness with startling clarity.

Before him lay a scene of devastation, stretching nearly 100 meters, where once towering trees and lush vegetation had stood.

The lone exception to this destruction was the tree in which he sat, seemingly untouched by the chaos that surrounded it. 

Before Karl could make sense of the situation, a sudden surge of pain pierced his head, flooding it with a fair amount of information.

Despite his number of questions, the excruciating pain clouded his thoughts, causing him to forget everything momentarily. 

Fortunately, the agony subsided after a few moments, allowing Karl to grasp the situation.

While not every detail from the previous owner's memories was downloaded, he began to go through the essential information such as the layout of the surrounding areas, the location of his home, and a few other basic details. 

Upon accessing the memories, he discovered that he was no longer Karl but Lander, the son of Patricia, a single mother hailing from Red Hawk Town. 

The expansive forest surrounding him was known as the Red Hawk Forest, its exact size and dimensions unknown, probably to the original owner of the memories.

"System, are you there?" Karl or rather Lander queried, his voice filled with urgency.

[Ding]

[System Online]

"Okay. Good. Now.... Can you please f**ing explain just what the f**k happened here? You promised the download would only take a few hours, but look at this! The sun is already shining, so it clearly took longer than 55 minutes. And why didn't you warn me about the pain after the download was done? Huh?" 

Lander's question after question echoed with a mix of frustration, panic, confusion, and anger, each emotion crashing into him simultaneously. 

[The Host's life was in imminent danger] 

[The emergency protocol was activated and successfully neutralized the threat]

[The download processing time is extended due to the increased mental energy consumption required for activating a new ability and a skill to neutralize the threat]

[The Host never specifically inquired if the download process would have any painful reactions]

[The System can only respond to the questions the Host asks]

"I'm sorry, what? Was I under imminent threat? What kind of threat was it? What happened exactly? Please, explain," 

[A predatory being was about to harm the Host's life. The system recognized the threat and neutralized it immediately.]

"Oh, I knew it... I knew I sensed something was off in this goddamn forest. Thank goodness... Wait, system you had a defensive measure to protect me? That's fantastic!"

[The System doesn't have any defensive measures to protect the Host.]

[The System could neutralize the threat because the Host had accumulated enough EXP points to unlock a skill that could potentially neutralize the situation.]

[Without enough EXP points, the host would have ceased to exist.]

"...."

"Re..really..!!? And how did I get these EXP points?"

[Yes]

[The host can earn EXP points through various achievements] 

[The current EXP points were accumulated by the host defeating an enemy and actively using the skill 'Ultimate Appraisal']

"So I guess at least something good came out of my foolishness. Anyway thanks for saving me."

[...]

"Also you said you unlocked a new ability and a skill?"

[Yes] 

[Because of the imminent threat to the host's life, the system temporarily gained Administrative Authority to consume EXP points and search for a suitable ability and skill to neutralize the threat.]

[The host can access the information about the available Abilities by opening the status menu]

[The host is advised to check the Status Menu for more information.]

"Yeah, I got that when you mentioned earlier. This place still gives me the creeps. So I'll check the status once I reach a safe place. But what I really want to know is, based on what you've said, can you just take control of my body whenever you want?"

Lander's voice carried a hint of caution and distrust. Having immersed himself in fantasy books, he was well-versed in stories where systems installed within individuals malfunctioned, seizing control of their hosts' bodies.

The probability of such a scenario was the last thing he wished for at that moment.

[The System cannot gain Administrative Authority unless the Emergency protocol is activated.]

[The Emergency protocol is activated only when the host's life is in danger.]

"Oh...Really?"

[Yes]

"Ahhh…forget it... I've got a ton of questions about these emergency protocols, administrative authority, and other things, but we can save that for later. By accessing the boy's memories, I've learned the location of his home. I need to go there first to download the rest of his memories and plan for my future."

As he prepared to descend from the tree, his attention once again turned to his surroundings. He then directed his query to the system.

"I suppose the state of this area is due to the predator you mentioned earlier. Care to explain what exactly happened here?"

[The System cannot provide any details unless specifically commanded to do so by the host.]

[The System was able to provide details about the predator because it directly impacts the Host's existence.]

[The Host is advised to level up both himself and the system in order to activate the automation command] 

"Of course, it is... such a clichéd response, isn't it? 'Cannot answer because your level is low. Cannot do this because your level is low. Cannot do that because your level is low.' Hmmm, I'm really in a fantasy world, alright!! I hope it's at least a cultivation world, so I can become immortal or something,"

He muttered to himself as he descended from the tree, employing the same method he had used to climb up.

"Now, let's head to the so-called Red Hawk Town and see what fate this universe has in store for us."

And with that, he started sprinting toward the direction of Red Hawk Town from Lander's memories. 

Since he was in a hurried state, he was completely unaware that the direction he was heading was entirely different from the path he had followed by tracing the glimmering light last night.

But that is a mystery for him to remember and solve in the future. 

Also If one were to focus very carefully on his back, one would notice a snake-like tattoo etched at the nape of his neck.

What made the tattoo more unusual was that, despite being inked in a dark obsidian color, both of its eyes gleamed with two red dots.