He had been stuck in that godforsaken dungeon for weeks, constantly grinding, honing his skills. In his quest for power, he stumbled upon the dungeon that led to the Gates of Hell—a place no one else in the game had even heard of, much less dared to explore. He battled demons and fallen angels, plundered castles, conquered mountains, and looted treasures. Though his character didn’t need food (obviously, they were in Hell), he still grew weary, sometimes so overwhelmed by negative energy that he felt like he might lose his mind.

Yet none of that proved enough to stand in his way. He conquered the dungeon, leaving no stone unturned, no enemy spared, all to gain the *Ultimate Champion* Personal Attribute (PA), or so the quest reward stated. As he floated in the blank space, he reached out to touch the system notification, summoning Astrid.

Astrid, known as the *Guardian Angel*, was the tutorial guide who helped players navigate the basics in this very white space. She taught them how to defend themselves, use their abilities, and understand the three fundamental energies: *Ki*, *Aura*, and *Mana*.  

- **Ki** represented the will of the body.  

- **Aura** represented the will of the heart.  

- **Mana** represented the will of the soul.  

As Astrid spoke to him, Valeri’s excitement grew uncontrollable when she mentioned Personal Attributes. Unlike innate attributes, Personal Attributes had to be earned. Some fought for them, others inherited them, but they were regarded as the pinnacle of power. A person with a Personal Attribute held a significant advantage over someone who didn’t. Personal Attributes kept the strong, strong. Those without access to one often honed their skills to the point of perfection, simply to stand a chance against those who possessed them.

That was what had driven Valeri into such a deep frenzy, keeping him trapped in *Hell* all this time. He no longer wanted to be weak. He eagerly awaited Astrid's introduction to his new Personal Attribute: Ultimate Champion. He had no idea what it entailed, but like anything worth having, he knew it would come with high risks—and equally high rewards. His thirst for strength blinded him to the other crucial information Astrid had mentioned, like his innate element or the fact that he Thehad lost all his stats.

Glossing over those details, he chose the Wind element, and for his class, he once again selected the Warrior class. He wasn’t particularly skilled with weapons, and they only felt like extra baggage. Fortunately, the Warrior class required minimal skill to utilize, making it a perfect match for his new Personal Attribute. Astrid wished him luck on his journey, bidding him farewell.

Valeri could barely contain his excitement, eager to test out his new abilities before logging off to return to the real world—though he doubted it would be any better. As he teleported away, brief images of his sisters flashed in his mind. He wondered how they were doing, how much time had passed in the real world.  

*It’s probably only been a few hours. They might already be by my side,* he thought.  

But the thrill of testing his new skills seemed far more enticing than listening to his sisters rant about things he never fully understood.

As he opened his eyes, the glistening sun pierced through the canopy of trees. Raising his head, a splitting headache struck, making him squint.  

*Did I hit my head?* he wondered as he slowly tried to stand and assess his surroundings. 

He wasn’t in the beginner’s village as he had expected but in a vast forest filled with towering trees and an odd, unfamiliar scent. Everything felt off, but more importantly, his sudden, overwhelming need for food and water consumed him. Knowing forests usually had streams downhill, he pressed his ear to the ground, listening intently. Despite his pounding headache, he managed to detect the faint sound of rushing water. Without hesitation, he rushed toward it, surprised by how light his body felt. Perhaps it was because he had grown accustomed to the heaviness of the dungeon.

The more he ran, the less his headache bothered him. As the sound of flowing water grew clearer, he was suddenly struck by a hard object, sending him crashing into a nearby tree. 

Thankfully, his reflexes had improved, allowing him to block the attack just in time. But his body felt numb, each movement weighed down by pain. Standing up proved difficult, and his headache worsened. In front of him stood a Null Wolf, a beast larger and faster than an ordinary wolf. Null Wolves had no ears or fangs, making them easily recognizable. However, their hardened bones made them heavy, and their speed allowed them to tear victims apart with their claws rather than biting through them. Their paws functioned like sonar radars, rendering ears unnecessary.

The wolf dashed toward him, swiping its massive claw at Valeri’s head. He barely dodged the attack, forcing himself to his feet and taking off again, this time uphill. Null Wolves inhabited the Endless Forest, a place teeming with strange beasts that never left their domain. Fortunately, the wolves’ greatest weakness was their need for water, forcing them to stay near streams. They also had weak lungs, thriving in areas with low air density. Heading uphill would give him an advantage.

But before Valeri could make much progress, a sharp sting shot through his ankle, and another wolf sent him crashing to the ground. He was surrounded. The Null Wolves growled lowly, circling him, and just as one lunged, Valeri grabbed a stone and drove it into the beast’s eye. The injured wolf whimpered, causing the others to gather protectively around it. Null Wolves were fiercely loyal to their kin, and even a minor injury would cause them to shield the wounded from further harm.

This was Valeri’s chance to escape.

He hadn’t paid attention to anything Astrid had said and now had to learn the hard way that he no longer had any stats or skills. Desperation gnawed at him as he limped toward the highlands, hoping no more wolves were nearby. He was no stranger to injury, but he knew he needed a way to defend himself. Null Wolves weren’t good climbers, but neither was he. Attempting to scale the cliffs would waste too much time, especially since the wolves had likely summoned more of their kin.

His thoughts were abruptly cut short as his body collapsed. His headache had worsened, and with his body shutting down, he fell face-first into the dirt, his nose bleeding. He no longer had the strength to continue.  

*Maybe I should’ve listened to Astrid,* he thought, realizing how accustomed he’d become to tuning out nagging voices. Now, his whole body ached, and every movement seemed impossible. He tried to log out of the game, but nothing worked. Panic threatened to rise within him, but his throbbing head quelled any fear. All he wanted was to rest.

As he struggled to sit up, sunlight filtered through the trees, signaling that the Null Wolves had found him. Within seconds, he was surrounded. The wolves, enraged by his earlier attack, glared at him with murderous intent. Yet, despite his weakened state, Valeri stood tall, refusing to let fear consume him. He raised his fists as the beasts lunged, meeting each one with a punch. His body, already scarred, began to tear under the strain, but he didn’t relent.

As his vision blurred, blood streaming down his face, he noticed a figure standing in front of him—a man, naked, with a chiseled back and a strange, nauseating aura swirling around him. Valeri felt more fear for this man than for the pack of wolves. With a loud bang, his body gave out. His headache finally caught up with him, and as darkness crept in, his last thought was of the burnt smell that filled the air.