MTLNOVEL Chapter 4: Chapter 4 – The First Hunt
The cold air of the Norse wilderness brushed against Athenor's skin as he stepped carefully between the towering pines. It was early morning, the sky painted in soft hues of purple and orange, yet the forest remained eerily silent. He had ventured beyond the usual trails, past where Kratos would allow them to hunt. Athenor was not supposed to be here.
But he had a purpose.
A disturbance had caught his attention the day before—a patch of blackened earth, the scent of something unnatural lingering in the air. It wasn't the usual decay of the wild, nor was it the mark of a passing predator. It felt… wrong. And so, against all better judgment, he returned alone.
Moving carefully, he scanned the trees ahead. His breath came in steady exhales, his small yet growing frame tense with anticipation. Atreus was the one meant to be a hunter, the one trained in the bow, but Athenor? He knew that raw strength alone would not help him survive. He needed to be smarter. He needed to be precise.
Athenor knelt, brushing his fingers over the disturbed ground. Tracks—heavy, uneven steps, dragging like something half-dead. He traced their direction with his eyes and followed.
Minutes passed before he saw it.
A figure hunched among the ruins of fallen trees—a Draugr, its decayed form twitching with unnatural spasms, its hollow eyes lifeless yet filled with malice. The stench of rot made Athenor's stomach turn, but he didn't retreat. He exhaled slowly, forcing his body to remain still.
You cannot fight it head-on. You are not ready.
Athenor scanned the terrain. The Draugr stood between two broken stumps, with a large rock formation to its left. If he could lure it into a trap, he might stand a chance.
He reached down, gripping a heavy stone. With a swift motion, he hurled it past the Draugr, letting it crash against the trees. The creature jerked toward the sound, its deep, guttural snarl breaking the silence. It shambled forward, distracted.
Athenor moved. Fast.
He lunged from the shadows, gripping a sharpened branch he had prepared earlier. With all his strength, he drove the tip toward the back of the Draugr's knee—a weak point. The sharpened wood sank in, and the creature roared, its leg buckling under the sudden attack.
But it did not fall.
The Draugr twisted unnaturally, swinging its rusted axe wildly. Athenor barely dodged in time, rolling across the dirt as the blade smashed into the ground where he had just stood. Too slow. You are too slow!
His heart pounded. He was not Kratos. He was not even Atreus. He had never truly fought before—not like this. His body trembled from the surge of fear and adrenaline, but he couldn't freeze.
The Draugr snarled, dragging itself toward him. Its movement was sluggish, but relentless.
Think. Use your surroundings.
Athenor's eyes darted toward a fallen log nearby. He sprinted, climbing onto it as the Draugr lunged, its rotting hand swiping toward him. The extra height gave him just enough time—just enough of an opening.
As the Draugr reached for him, Athenor leapt.
Using his momentum, he drove his knee straight into its skull, slamming its head into the dirt with all the weight his young body could manage. The impact sent a sickening crunch through the air.
The Draugr spasmed, its body twitching violently.
But it was still alive.
Athenor grabbed a nearby rock—large, heavy, unyielding—and with a final, desperate cry, he smashed it down onto the creature's skull.
Once.
Twice.
Silence.
Athenor collapsed beside the now-motionless corpse, his breath ragged, his limbs aching. The weight of the moment settled on him—he had done it. He had killed something with his own hands.
The system's familiar presence stirred.
[System Update: Template Integration +2%]
[Current Integration: 10%]
Athenor barely had time to process the increase when another notification followed.
[Template Growth Restriction Applied]
New Requirement: Defeat five Draugr to gain +2% integration.
Stronger opponents will grant an appropriate percentage increase.
His exhausted mind struggled to process the information.
"What?" he muttered under his breath, staring at the floating text only he could see.
So far, the system had been consistent—train hard, complete tasks, and integration would increase. But now, after reaching 10%, the rules had suddenly changed. Why?
Was it because his body needed to adapt before gaining more power? Was it a way to ensure he didn't grow too strong, too fast?
The restriction wasn't impossible, but it meant he had a long road ahead. Slaying five Draugr alone… it wouldn't be easy.
Athenor clenched his fists.
"This just means I'll have to push myself harder."
He slowly got to his feet, wiping the sweat from his brow. His first real battle had tested him, pushed him to his limits—but he survived. And he won.
If the system demanded more, then he would give more.
Because no matter what, he refused to be weak.