Ethan slumped against the cold wall of the cave, his chest heaving. Blood trickled down his arm, pooling beneath him. His vision blurred, but one image remained seared into his mind: Mark’s lifeless body, felled in an instant by a figure who moved like a phantom.


    It wasn’t that time had stopped. It was that the newcomer, a swordsman wielding a gleaming katana, was simply too fast for the eye to follow.


    The moment came rushing back.


    The swordsman—Jack Hawkfire, Ethan recalled—had walked into the room, his steps deliberate, almost casual. Mark had turned, his eyes wide with terror as Jack unsheathed his katana. The blade gleamed once, and in the same instant, Mark’s neck opened in a spray of crimson. By the time the katana was sheathed, it was over.


    Ethan, pinned against the wall by his injuries, had stared in disbelief. “What the fuck just happened? Who... who are you?”


    Jack had glanced at him with a faint smirk, his presence as imposing as his weapon.


    Ethan, ever the strategist, activated his Inspect skill. The information flooded his vision:


    Name: Jack Hawkfire                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Level: 23


    Character Rank: S


    Class: None


    Weapon: A-Rank Enchantable Monohoshizao (Katana of Sasaki Kojiro) (Named Katana)


    Unique Skills:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Tsubame Gaeshi [S] Lv1: Allows the user to perform a vertical cut from up to down and then instantly from down to up.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Weakness Detection [A] Lv3: Highlights vulnerabilities of targets.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lie Detection [A] Lv5: Can detect lies three times per day.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Fast Switch [B] Lv3: Enables swift weapon switching for seamless combat flow.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mental Barrier [S] Lv4: Grants resistance to mental and illusionary attacks.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Medium Sword Proficiency [D] Lv5: Enhances sword combat dexterity.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Combat Reflexes [A] Lv4: Accelerates reaction time to incoming attacks.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Battle Clarity [B] Lv3: Reduces combat stress, improving decision-making under pressure.</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">...</li>


    </ul>


    Ethan’s fists clenched. “The RNG carried guy. Of course he’d have a legendary katana and skills stacked to the heavens.” Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    In that moment Ethan’s body gave up and ended up fainting.


    Ethan woke two days later, his body still sore but his wounds bandaged. As he sat up, memories of Jack’s intervention returned. His jaw tightened, frustration bubbling up.


    “Fucking RNG guy,” he muttered. “Why did he have to save me? Of all people...”


    A quest notification drew his attention, and he opened his menu:


    <Farming Quest: Find the Lost Animals>


    Status: Completed


    Reward: 100 Gold, blank pages of a mysterious skill book.


    Ethan’s brow furrowed. “At least that’s done.”


    As he pocketed the reward, another thought crossed his mind. The gacha machine.


    The café was dimly lit, a faint hum emanating from the gacha machine tucked in the corner. Ethan approached it with purpose, carrying several small items he had specifically purchased to exploit an old bug he remembered from his gaming days.


    He smirked as he adjusted the settings. If this still works, I’ll walk away with an accessory worth ten times what I paid.


    He placed the items in a specific sequence, following the steps that once guaranteed a high-tier accessory. Finally, he inserted the 100 gold and pulled the lever.


    The machine whirred and clicked erratically, its lights flickering. Ethan watched expectantly as it began to shake.


    “Yes, yes, come on...”


    Suddenly, the machine sparked violently, shaking as if it were about to explode. Ethan stepped back, a sinking feeling in his gut. With one final jolt, the machine spat out... an egg.


    An egg.


    Ethan froze, staring at the object as it rolled to a stop at his feet. Picking it up, he inspected it, his brow furrowing.


    <Item Information: Hatchable Egg>


    Race will depend on chance. Potential races:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Human (50%)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Dwarf (40%)</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Elf (10%)</li>


    </ul>


    Ethan let out a frustrated groan. “What the hell? Did they patch the bug? Damn developers. Well... what even is this?”


    The egg shimmered faintly, its surface covered in runes he couldn’t decipher. He stuffed it into his pack, muttering, “Figures. RNG again.”


    Back at the farm, Ethan continued grinding until the final hidden quest appeared.


    <Hidden Quest: Kill the Keeper of the Labyrinth>


    Reward: Blank pages of a mysterious book, 1000 gold, and 5 levels in a skill of your choice.


    Ethan read the notification twice, a shiver running down his spine. “The Keeper,” he muttered. “This is it.”


    He glanced at the egg tucked safely in his pack. “Looks like it’ll hatch during the labyrinth.”


    As he prepared for the journey ahead, a faint smile tugged at his lips. No more RNG. It’s time to carve my own path.