Culinary System: Transmigrated to Game World

"We're finished," Kai said quietly, his voice full of fear. His body tensed up as he prepared for the worst. This thing was stronger than anything he'd faced before. He was beginning to regret coming here.

"It's too late now," the girl said. Her voice didn't sound as sure as usual. She looked around, trying to figure out where the creature was paying the most attention. "There aren't many places left to run. We've wasted too much time." Her voice was calm, but her face kept getting paler. She was really tired, and it showed with dark circles under her eyes. Even so, she kept holding her sword, pointing it at the monsters in front of her. She didn't look scared—she looked determined, like this was just another practice session. It felt like they had been stuck in the dark for hours, waiting for the monster to go away.

"I'll find a way out!" Kai said stubbornly, not wanting to believe she was right. They might get stuck here, trapped in a dark, suffocating place, unable to help each other.

Suddenly, the air started to shake, and for a moment, the world seemed to glitch. The trees flickered, their shapes blinking in and out like broken code. Shadows twisted in strange ways, stretching and shrinking in impossible patterns, and the ground beneath them rippled like water disturbed by a stone. A weird buzzing sound filled the air, getting louder with each second. Then, without warning, everything stopped.

The flickering stopped. The shadows, the shaking trees, and the bodies of the Mythenors—everything froze, locked in an unnatural stillness. The air felt heavy, thick, like time itself had stopped, trapped in a strange pause. The usual sounds of the forest disappeared, replaced by a creepy silence that seemed to close in around them.

Even the sky above flickered, changing quickly between night and day, with the stars and moon disappearing and reappearing. It was like reality itself was falling apart, unable to stay together.

Then, suddenly, a screen appeared in front of Kai, showing a list of stats as his HUD updated.

Mythenor - Creature Stats

Height: 8 feet tall

Weight: 600-700 lbs

Movement Speed: Silent and quick

Appearance: Wolf-like with glowing silver fur, long ears, and curved horns forming a crown. Eyes like molten gold.

Tail: Whip-like, with sharp spikes capable of piercing armor.

Claws: Polished metal, able to slice through solid rock.

Abilities:

Enhanced Vision: Can see in total darkness, perceives deeper truths and emotions.

Aura of Fear: Instills fear, paralyzing weaker minds.

Silent Movement: Moves without detection, nearly invisible in the wild.

Healing Fur: The glowing silver markings heal minor injuries over time.

Pack Coordination: Communicates telepathically with its pack, attacking with perfect coordination.

Additional Information:

Although Mythenors are said to be solitary creatures, the truth is much different. These legendary guardians are part of a pack of five, each guarding a different aspect of Elyndral's protection. They stay hidden in the shadows, watching over different parts of the forest, and only come together when Elyndral's balance is in danger. Each Mythenor represents one of the following: strength, wisdom, courage, stealth, and healing. The one in front of Kai is only a small part of the whole.

"Damn," Kai muttered, reading the full stats.

Then, everything went back to normal. The stillness shattered. The air buzzed with life, and in an instant, the world sprang back into motion. The trees swayed and creaked, their leaves rustling with fresh energy, their forms becoming solid and real again. Shadows stretched and shifted, flowing smoothly across the ground in fluid patterns. The earth beneath them shifted and settled like it was waking from a long sleep… and the world came alive once more.

Kai's heart was pounding in his chest, each beat a loud reminder of how far they were from safety. The girl's calm look was just a mask—he could see the hint of desperation in her eyes as she looked at the creatures surrounding them. They were outnumbered, outmatched, and running purely on instinct and adrenaline.

One of the Mythenors, a massive beast with fur as black as night, stepped forward, its eyes glowing like embers. It snarled, a deep and menacing sound, then its gaze shifted from the girl to Kai. The others followed, slowly circling them, their claws scraping against the cracked earth with every deliberate step, radiating pure malice.

The girl's breath stayed steady, but her grip on her dagger was tight, her knuckles white. She glanced quickly at Kai, her lips pressed together. "You can't fight them like you've fought the others," she said, her voice low but clear. "They're different. They don't just attack—they feed on fear, on confusion. You need to keep your head."

"Right," Kai muttered, trying to push down the lump of terror in his throat. "I'll just… not die then."

"Not helpful," she snapped. "Listen. When they attack, don't try to dodge—take the hit. The less you move, the less they can predict. And don't look them in the eye. Whatever you do, don't look them in the eye."

Kai nodded, though his mind screamed in disbelief. Take the hit? That didn't sound like a plan that would work. But there was no other choice. The Mythenors were closing in, their heavy footsteps shaking the ground beneath them.

The girl shifted slightly, lifting her dagger, her body coiled like a spring, ready to strike. "Get ready," she whispered.

Kai tightened his grip on his knife, heart racing, and prepared for what came next. He wasn't going to die here.

The Mythenor's tail snapped like a whip, aiming directly at him. Kai darted to the side, barely avoiding the spiked end. He countered quickly, slashing at the creature's side. His blade scraped off the tough fur, but the Mythenor barely reacted. It roared in pain and swiped at him again, its claws cutting through the air with deadly accuracy.

Kai had no time to think. The Mythenor's strength was overwhelming; he couldn't fight it head-on. He needed to outsmart it, find a way to weaken it before it struck again.

Suddenly, the creature's glowing markings shifted, and a flash of silver light surged from its body. Kai's HUD updated once more.

Mythenor - Healing Fur Activated

Healing in Progress: Minor injuries healed. Be cautious.

Kai's eyes grew wide as he saw the creature's wounds start to heal. He clenched his teeth, knowing this fight wouldn't be easy. He had to find a way to stop the Mythenor from healing itself.

Before Kai could do anything, the main Mythenor attacked, its jaws snapping open with scary speed. Kai barely dodged, but the creature's teeth brushed his arm. Pain shot through him, but he held back a scream. He couldn't show any weakness—not now. The creature let out an angry howl, and before Kai could recover, the second Mythenor was on him, slashing his chest with its claws. Kai stumbled but managed to stay on his feet.

The girl moved quickly, stabbing her dagger into one of the Mythenor's stomachs. The beast growled loudly but didn't back down. Instead, it got even angrier, snapping its sharp teeth.

Kai stepped back, his heart racing. He felt overwhelmed. His movements were too slow, too awkward. He was in over his head. He thought, I'm going to die here.

"Focus!" the girl shouted, her voice cutting through the panic rising in his chest. "I said, *Focus!*"

She was back-to-back with him now, her body a silent shield as she fought off the Mythenors surrounding them. Her movements were precise, calculated—each strike a deadly dance that made the creatures hesitate, just for a moment.

"Don't look them in the eye," she had said. But how could he not? Their eyes were burning, dark pools, filled with something ancient and primal. No matter how hard he tried to look away, it was impossible not to meet their gaze.

In that instant, everything around him seemed to slow down. Time stretched like elastic, pulling out every heartbeat, every breath. The Mythenor's eyes seared into his soul, and he felt something twist deep inside—something ancient, something terrifying. It was like the creature was burrowing into his very being. His chest tightened, his vision blurred. His thoughts jumbled, disconnected. He couldn't think, couldn't breathe.

A low, eerie whisper crawled into his mind, speaking in a language that sent chills down his spine. The shadows around him thickened, reaching, closing in. The air tasted like ash. His thoughts fractured, and for a moment, he could barely remember who he was, where he was… or what was real.

Then, with a sudden jolt, the world snapped back into focus. Kai blinked hard, trying to clear his foggy mind. The Mythenor still stood in front of him, but now its eyes were filled with confusion, as if it hadn't expected him to survive the mental assault.

But it didn't stop.

The girl's voice cut through the air like a sharp blade. "Move now!"

Kai didn't have time to think. His body moved on pure instinct. He sidestepped the creature's massive paw just as it swiped at his face, feeling the sharp wind of its claws brush past. Without thinking, he grabbed the knife at his belt and lunged, thrusting it deep into the creature's side.

The Mythenor howled, its blood dark and thick, but it didn't fall. It turned toward him with fury in its eyes, its jaws opening wide, ready to crush him.

The girl's dagger flashed, cutting through the air. In a smooth motion, she drove the blade into the creature's throat. It gurgled once, a wet and desperate sound, before collapsing with a heavy thud, its body twitching as it died.

The girl didn't pause. She was already moving, her eyes scanning the remaining beasts. But Kai's body was trembling, his pulse racing. That thing… whatever it was… it had almost broken him.

"You're alive," she said, her voice steady but distant. "Focus."

He nodded, though it was barely a movement. The remaining Mythenors were still closing in, the circle growing tighter. He could feel the tension in the air, a suffocating weight that pressed down on his chest, threatening to crush him.

But he wasn't done yet. They weren't done yet.

"We're not finished," the girl said, catching his eye. "We've still got one last chance. Don't lose it now."

For the first time, Kai let out a breath. He gripped his knife tighter, feeling its weight in his hand. The fight wasn't over. Not by a long shot.

They just had to survive a little longer.

And for the first time, he was starting to think—maybe, just maybe—they could do it.

"The Mythenors were here for a reason. And now that we've killed them…"