The atmosphere has a pleasant stillness in the air as the moon's light reflects its beauty upon the crystal sparkling water. The sight could hold anyone captive with waiting breaths. Truly a view worth hundreds of gold coins that many merchants could only dream of gathering in a single lifetime.
The night breeze was soft as it gently caressed the water surface of the riverbank, administering a small, steady wave across the shallower parts striking the nearby land. The half-demon, half-feline beast boy slowly stirred awake from the air bringing the damp, moist scent of old moss and algae that scrunched up his new overly sensitive nose in disgust.
The fishy musky scent overwhelms him now that he can take his time breathing in his surroundings. Which was all too much for a city boy like himself to be so immersed in nature.
His young body leaning into a slender build laid lazily against prickly grass. His brown-tanned skin perfectly blends in the darker shade away from the moonlight under the great tree's branches.
Several unfortunate rabbits surrounded the sleeping beast boy in his deep slumber, even with the great danger emanating from the would-be predator. The wild rabbits were lured toward Victor like moths drawn to a flame. They encircled him, fueled by a powerful unknown force like they were caught in a spell.
[Ding!]
[Dark captivation is in Full Effect!]
The sudden high-pitch sound resonating from his head woke the beast boy, and a pair of eyes as bright as the golden sun shot open. A singular sharp black slit at each center was like a thinly sliced black hole pulling at the golden outer iris, signifying the dark figure's alertness.
[Grand Hunt is activated, selecting target...]
The demon beast boy's eyes instantaneously adjusted to the darkness with a vicious, almost feral-like glare appearing on his face caused by the sudden loud sound. Victor's tail subconsciously puffs out its fur in preparation for trouble that may come. His claws had extended further out in their curved glory and dug deep into the soil as long sharp fangs bared out of his mouth in a nasty snarl.
Without a second to spare any longer, Victor masterfully twisted his body in a beautiful yet haunting display of flexibility and quickness. It was all in a single blink of an eye, where a body lay on the ground facing the stars, now suddenly facing the dozen wild rabbits who all shared a blank look.
He pressed his body lower on the ground imitating a great predator ready to pounce at its delusional prey. He let out a growl so primal it snapped the entrance faces of the rabbits.
Victor's powerful growl frightens the wild rabbits that gathered unwillingly around the sleeping beast boy. Little terrified cries came from the critters as they desperately fled from the awakened predator. They ran from all directions due to their confusion and panic. Victor tilted his head at the escaping rabbits that had urged an internal desire to chase after them, flay them and then devour them. A delighted glimmer sparkled in his eyes as one of the larger rabbits stumbled in its way. His stomach grumbled in approval at the prey item.
[Grand hunt is in full effect]
What seemed like the most adrenaline-inducing encounter with a dangerous predator for the rabbit. Felt nothing more than a world frozen in time for Victor. His inquisitive mind slowed the moment to a crawl as his eyes could outline every little detail on the rabbit's dusty brown fur. He could see the fine muscles working as it ran, and each step the prey took pounded hard on the ground like a war drum on his ears. The rabbit's erratically beating heart stirred a strange sense of pleasure, like if he listened long enough, he would dance to the lovely beat.
Perhaps it was the knowledge of his prey being afraid of him. Or, it was because of the feeling of superiority over it. Whatever the reason behind this odd feeling, it was good. It felt fucking diabolical.
An unintelligible noise bellowed from his chest as his eyes of gold filled with a promise of terrors to come followed the unfortunate thing. There was no time to think, nor could it have reacted. There was only the painful sensation constricting its throat that did register to the rabbit. In less than half a second, Victor appeared in front of his prey before plummeting a hand down and holding up the rabbit by its neck with a satisfied grin.
His sharp fangs made his appearance sinister as the rabbit's brain finally registered what had just happened. It squirmed and cried at his grip. That sense of euphoria from watching his desperate prey trying to fight back exploded inside him. For the first time in his life, he smiled so happily. Not of relief for work done well. Not of contentment for when he was finally promoted in his job. Not of satisfaction when someone finally noticed him. But from pure happiness drawn from the suffering of others.
He smiled maliciously at the yelping rabbit. "Look how plump you are-... So squishy..." He tightens his hold little by little, almost as if teasing the rabbit's inevitable death. Sensing its nearing end, the brown rabbit screamed its loudest cry as it looked Victor in the eyes. The black orb eyes stared into Victor's and triggered a flash of broken memories flooding the inside of Victor's head.
Amidst his struggle against the surge of memories, Victor spotted himself in those tiny terrified eyes. A heavy tug pulled at his heartstring, seeing the little thing's suffering and the dark aura seething out of him dissipate. He tentatively let the grip go as the sharp black slit on his eyes returned to its normal ovals.
[Grand hunt canceled. Cooldown in progress...]
The rabbit falls to the ground unceremoniously and dashes away from Victor without a second to spare. He wondered what had happened during his sleep because holding a rabbit by its neck without prior knowledge was a cause for concern.
"What am I doing here? Was I sleepwalking? How long was I out?" He asked no one in particular as a series of questions and overly dramatic scenarios built up inside his panicking head.
He remembered the sun was going down before passing out from exhaustion. So he expected it to be morning by now, but everything was almost as bright as midday! The only weird part to him was as if he was seeing everything through a pair of shades on a bright sunny day.
"Great, did I oversleep too?" Victor continued his aimless questions before a loud ring echoed in his head suddenly.
[Notice!]
[Greetings, Victor gray. You have been asleep for approximately 3 hours. Your bodily conditions had improved from exhausted to well-rested. However, the hunger status is in effect. Taking necessary sustenance is recommended.]
The system's sudden answer spooked the devil out of him. After his mysterious and worrying encounter with a rabbit in his hand, he had wholly forgotten the system's existence for a solid moment. For Victor, Surprises do not work well with him, and hunger always makes him grumpy. Adding it together brought the other side of himself out.
"AHH!!! DON'T!! Surprise me like that!! Are you trying to kill me or something? I have a weak heart, you know!! Sheesh..." He placed a hand on his chest, trying to steady his erratically beating heart. But the sharp ends of his claws punctured his skin and quickly pulled it away. He shook his hands as something unpleasant was stuck on them. He watched as his claws slowly retracted back and returned to their ordinary looks. Or as normal as it looks from before.
"This new body and this system in my head would take some time to get used to," Victor concluded with a sigh. By this time, he understood what the system had told him.
"Pardon? Did you say I only slept for 3 hours!? That must be wrong! It's so bright out here!! Are you really going to tell me that it is still nighttime?? ." He argued with the system giving him the wrong information but after a couple of minutes of meaningless arguments.
"Arrghh!! Then what is happening to me?? Why the heck is it so bright out here? I haven't run like that in years, that I should be in a coma after that much activity. But why do I feel so alive right now?" Victor whispered worriedly, then confusion, and then in awed.
"So, is this like the work... of my body right now?" His voice resonated with the same pattern of anxiety and panic attacks that the system had to intervene in his head.
[Notice!]
[The Streamer, Victor Gray's assumption is correct. Your current beast folk lineage as a feline prevents you from sleeping 8 hours continuously as an instinctual and survival tactic. Naturally, dividing your sleep requirements into intervals allows for complete time management in the wild..]
"O-okay, but that doesn't mean I'll suddenly fall asleep at any given time, right? You made it sound like I have no choice in the matter." Victor asked shakingly.
[.....]
[...]
"I don't like how quiet you got there..." Victor's anxiety spiked up again, and the system picked up a rise in blood pressure.
[Notice!]
[Yes, that is correct. You will need sleep regardless of time and place to compensate for the lack of required sleep. However, your bodily function will not completely shut down. As stated earlier, you will instinctively seek refuge to lay rest. Additionally, your constitution level also aids in reducing the duration of rest required to regain your energy overall. More constitution points to less need for sleep.]
Victor's head throbbed as the system reassured him of his troubles. It eased up his worries just a little, and he accepted the reasoning, some relief that there was an explanation for this new development. Assuming there were no hospitals available in this world, having health complications before he could even start a new life would be the kind of luck he always has.
Victor had always been careful with his health; given his previous working situation, getting sent to the hospital would put him in deeper debt. Even in high school, he juggled his studies and part-time jobs.
The irony is that he believed that working harder than anyone else in his situation to the point of overworking himself would come with significant benefits in the future. He thought being diligent and attentive would make a difference now that he was an adult and was surrounded by such. He could find some common ground with someone and be acquainted with them. Being friends would be too ambitious for someone like himself.
But alas, it was foolish of him to think that he could escape humanity's disgusting side. Cruelty and pettiness. As he rose amongst his colleague, so was their hatred towards him. He had never thought he would still experience such childish behavior from his colleagues at work. A surge of dissonant voices filled his head. The bits and pieces of dark old memories.
"Why can't you mind your own damn business, suck ass!! Do you actually think you're better than us? What? Are you crying to the teacher again, huh?" An uncomfortable feeling ghosted over his face, like a sting from something striking him, aching up over on the socket of his left eye.
"Hahahaha! What a kiss ass! Say, nerd, you and the teacher are something behind the class, are you? No way the teacher treats you this well without getting something in return!! Hahahaha!!!" Now a feeling almost nostalgic if it wasn't so unpleasant, an invisible set of hands pushing around. He remembers this moment with him falling to the ground, head and back aching in pain.
"Are you a dog or something? Why don't you bark for us, huh? Here you go, doggy. A dog should be on all fours, idiot." The feeling of a hand pulling his at the hair before shoving his face down while ghostly hollering of laughter surrounded him as he kissed the cold floors.
"Oi! Address your seniors properly, shitty four-eyes! You do what you're seniors told you to do without question! Do you understand!? You better know your place here, you shitty four-eyes!! Didn't I tell you I wanted a caffè latte with chocolate and whipped cream!? I don't need your damn excuses! Do better!! God!! You are useless!!" A splash of hot liquid ghosted on his chest, and he remembered himself sweeping in front of a mirror as he cleaned himself.
"Y-You!!! It's You!! You did it!! You ruined everything!! You ruined my life!! E-everything... T-they're all... H-how could you? W-why?? WHY!!??? YOU GODDAMN MONSTER!!!! I KILL YOU!! YOU BASTARD!!!" Victor gasped. A chill ran down his spine at the fierce eyes glaring at him. Eyes dilated sharp, claws at the ready. The furs of his tail puffed upward, sensing danger as his instinct dictates.
Victor checked his body, vigorously palming over the multiple sharp points of pain that littered his entire body. Down from his thighs up in his face, sharp irritations ache from all those places. Victor's heart raced yet again at an alarming rate. His entire body shooked as if he was electrocuted. He couldn't gain control of his body then; his vision blurred before rolling up at the back of his skull.
"Wa-whhatt i-is... I-i,..I-i'm not━" The face of the man was so angry. Glaring at him as if he was the scum of the earth. Who is this man? "W-who... are you?.... N-no don't-.." The last of his mind whispered before a loud mechanical sound cleared up the fog, darkening his mind.
[NOTICE!]
[EMERGENCY!!]
[Initiating Emotion Suppression System!]
[Employing cardiac arrest suppression!]
[Censoring Pre-existing memories....]
Victor felt the suffocating, crushing sensation clamping at his chest slowly drift away. For a moment, he was relieved by the gradual release of his torment, feeling safer as the seconds passed. And then, there was nothing. Not a speck of sensation lingered inside him. Not the coldness of the night that kissed his skin. Or the horror of his past almost sent him into the next life. Again. Everything falls dull and unimportant matter. Nothing matter. It is an absolute absence of remorse within Victo-
[Notice!]
[Disconnecting Emotion Suppression System!]
"Huh?" He stood there, unknowing what had occurred, and reached for his face attempting to wipe the tears clogging his eyes. "W-what... Did I get dirt in my ey- arghh!! Claws!!" He hissed, walking in circles until the pain subsided.
[Notice!]
[Censorship Complete!]
"H-hey, what does that mean? Censorship? Complete?" Victor's relaxed eyes went ballistic again at the realization of his full naked glory exposed to the supposed viewers. Hands moved faster than a blink of an eye, covering the hidden dragon and its jewels.
"H-hey? System.. do these viewers see me.." Victor, struggling to complete his sentence, was interrupted by a loud echo in his head.
[Yes.]
"Oh...." Heat began to fill his face, completely overlooking the fact that the viewers were viewing him now. A window reappeared with multiple comments, mainly on his.... physique. The
[Notice!]
[The Dark Mother of Harvest asked how you are feeling?]
[The Primordial Darkness Questioned your modesty after the atrocities of your sleeping positions for the previous hours]
[The Goddess of The Wild Hunt says there is nothing to be ashamed about. And urges you to be proud of what you possess.]
[The Keeper of the Eternal Flame offers a proposition.]
[He who dwells deep liked your stream.]
[The Mistress of temptation recommends you to consider her job offer~]
[The God of Mischief and Trickery tagged 89 other comments with a wacky emoticon saying, You lots need help!]
Victor didn't have the heart to check the comments below and close the window. His hands tucked shyly between his legs. "I. NEED. CLOTHES.'' He
[Notice!]
[Memory Cache Detected!]
[Would you like to delete the cache data memories?]
[Y/N]
"Clear it? W-what is it? Did something happen?" Victor asked worriedly.
[An emotional distress has developed in your psyche from prior trauma in your previous life resulting in a seizure. These phenomena aren't uncommon for streamers like yourself, heroes, and villains. It would have appeared that a trigger word associated with your past traumatic experience had initiated an intense psychological breakdown and induced a seizure.]
"W-WHAT!!? I had a seizure??? When!? H-How!?? I d-don't remember anything like that earlier??" Victor exclaimed. The thought of having a life-threatening thing happen to him without his knowledge frightens him. No one could predict this, and it could happen to anyone, even in his previous world. He had seen it in the news and all over health advocacy on social media. It can kill anyone if left unaided within a few hours.
He might be just taking a guess here, but hospitals and medical cares aren't available here or aren't as efficient in his own world. If he truly is sent to another world, the possibilities are that medical advancements haven't properly taken place yet. And, even if he is totally wrong about it. Being alone and isolated in a forest would surely kill him anyway.
"Then...How am I, okay? I don't feel any different. Nothing's hurting. I'm still breathing fine. I ain't spazzing out like an earthworm sprinkled with salt either." Victor said, searching himself as if visual proof would help get his point across to a disembodied voice inside his head.
[Notice!]
[As your guide and support system in this new world, I am obligated to ensure your survival by any means within my parameter. Eliminating an internal affair that would otherwise result in physical harm or death, such as the resurgence of your past memories, is one of my system priorities. To ensure your safe streaming. However, it is also part of my duty to report to you those censored memories. Your Privacy is taken very seriously by the Grand Association of Multiversal Viewing platform.]
Victor raised his arm before asking a question. "If preventing inside interference like my memories, you say. Wouldn't like flat-out deleting them would be best? I mean, you already sent me to another world. I'm sure wiping my memories clean would be easier." His newfound inquisitive mind couldn't question the choices made by the... company? About dealing with traumatic memories, and this being a common occurrence, was a bit worrying.
[Notice!]
[Memories that are retained within your mind are not dictated by the Grand Association of Multiversal Viewing platform. These occurring experiences and knowledge are based on the wishes of the streamer themselves.]
"What?" Victor's eyes widen. If someone tells him that snow is yellow, the ocean tastes like Pepsi, and The Queen of England is still alive, he would believe them. No. He will believe them. Because there was no way in hell that he would keep the worst memories of his past life in this new life.
"How!?? I don't want these memories!! I don't know anything about that at all! There must have been a mistake!!" Victor exclaimed. Knots twisted inside his guts as his complexion paled because there was simply no way he would have wished this for himself. He had no memory of making such a wish.
[Notice!]
[The contract sighing with the Grand Association of Multiversal Viewing platform will always be in favor of the streamer as long as the promised content is delivered. Rest assured that the agreement is met with a 100% satisfaction rate on your part, from the memories and knowledge of your past life to the role and bodily customization in this world. That being said, a member of the board will always personally sign your contract as closure. As such, a protocol is installed to protect the identity of the member of the board from the public. The initial memory of the contract signing is erased completely for the streamers. Therefore, recollection of the said agreement with not be available for you, Victor Gray.]
Victor absorbed the explanation of the system, and the more he listened, the less he understood. "Did I really want this? B-but-....W-why?? What the hell was I thinking??" He whispered. His thoughts of rationalizing his mysterious decision were interrupted by the system.
[Would you like to delete the cache data memories?]
[Y/N]
Victor stared heatedly at the window box. Fingers twitching to click at the "Yes" button. But then again, he had wanted to keep these damn memories. So he must have had a plan. The problem is he doesn't understand it.
Victor's eyes past the window and saw that he was close to the lake's edge. All his thinking got him walking in circles subconsciously, and he was nearing the water's edge just two steps ahead before falling straight into the water. He sighed.
"Even my old habits stayed, huh?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, not knowing what else to do. He couldn't think of a rational reason why certain bad memories stay, and everything else is gone.
Parents? Nope. Friends? Never had them. Pet? Tumtum, the fatty yellow cat. Anyone else? A blurred face appeared in his head, and he could feel the man's heated glare. It gave him a shiver down his spine.
"Okay! Alright!! Haaaa... damn it." He can feel the veins in his head throbbing, feeling the migraine coming up. He stared at his reflection. This new body of his was younger than he expected.
"You. You are a smart ma-boy. You are a smart boy, Victor. You can do this. You are good at this. Solving problem is your thing! And you... You are. You are really good-looking. My god." He gasped, squishing his own face.
His old self.. okay. Nothing to take a second look at but apparently enough to get someone's irk based on his history of bullies. He would consider himself boring-looking, with frizzy black hair, pale skin, sunken dark eyes, a slouched pose, and a skinny body. In short, he was a walking target sign.
However, this body was something else. Brown-tanned skin, silky black hair, gorgeous golden eyes, a straight muscular frame, still young but can definitely see muscle development, which was previously impossible in his old body.
He shook his head clear of further self-body shaming of his old self. Even if everything he possesses now is league better than before.
Victor returns his sight to the window box in front of him. "In my years of being alone, an outcast, there is only one person I completely trust. And sadly, that would be me. So..." He raised his hand, hovering between the "Yes" and "No" Button. He sucks in his breath through his teeth.
"As weird as this sound... I trust you, me. I know I have a plan somewhere. I don't know what that is, but I'm doing it." He pressed the "No" Button, and immediately another replaced it.
[Notice!]
[Would you like to store the cache date memories in the depository log?]
[Y/N]
"What does that do exactly?" Victor asked.
[The Depository Log stores any and all memories you wish to keep safe. However, it completely removes it from your mind. But do not worry. You may freely withdraw them back at any given time.]
Victor smiled. "Oh, thank god that exists! Yes, please, store it away!" He chimed, pressing the "Yes" button happily.
[Notice!]
[Storing Cache Date Memories...]
Victor staggered back, feeling lightheaded. A sensation of something sucking his brain out like a smoothie on a hot summer day. He huffed, feeling the awful faces and painful history slowly disappear.
[Notice!]
[Cache Data Memories Store complete!!]
His head cleared up, the heaviness was gone, and everything seemed to be sunnier. Well, metaphorically, that is.
"I can start a new life here. I can make things better. I-i just need to find a way to stay low and out of reach of those heroes. I can live a normal and happy life here!! No one can tell me otherwise." He braves himself with his simple plan in mind. His main priority now was having a peaceful, quiet place where he could fit in and live a decent, honest life.
With a clear vision in mind, Victor then stretches the stiff joints in his body on the grassy field after dealing with his existential crisis. His slender body arching in a graceful display of flexibility. His spine curved mesmerizingly from his upper torso to his tail in a perfect wave. If anyone else could see him right now, they would think he was some kind of a spirit that lured people in with a lecherous body to steal their souls the moment it got the chance.
Or maybe they would think he was some pervert hiding in the woods. Neither was the route appealing to Victor at all.
"Hey, system? Is there any way to make a fabric or something? I prefer to be clothed before I bump into someone here." Victor asked, hoping to get some guidance in preserving his dignity because the possibility of someone spotting him with his bees and berries out in the open wasn't going to be pretty memory. For him and the would-be person.
[Notice!]
[The shopping center is currently unavailable until level 20, however, the Basic survival modules are available for purchase. Would you like to browse the catalog?]
Victor's eyes gleamed delightedly at the news. "Yes, I would love to," He said, grinning, relieved that there was at least some good news. After his confirmation, the system rang another sound, and he was given five different set boxes with a price tag of 300 points in front of him.
The first box was a Basic item creation module that instructed step-by-step procedures and tips and tricks in crafting survival items that he often saw on television shows.
"Huh, neat." He eyed the catalog with a smile seeing this was what he needed.
The second was a Basic fighting instruction module. At first glance, Victor thought it would teach him the basic jabs and punches, but the module seems to focus on an unorthodox fighting style, utilizing claws and excessive bodily movement.
"This feels like a dancing instruction if anything else." He mouthed off and produced to check the other catalogs.
The third was a Basic magic instruction module. It teaches how to detect, harness, and regulate mana core with the tag "Best recommended for beginners." Victor's eyes shined like Christmas lights like he had found what he wanted for... Christmas.
"Mpphhh!!-" Victor quickly inhaled for air before continuing.
"It also instructs the primary fundamental magic spells for beginners!! HOLY HECK!!! This is AMAZING!!!!!" Victor danced as his tail wagged aggressively after shouting out the rest of the description.
The other two catalogs seemed to disappear for him, and he continued being fixated on the third. His eyes lits up with golden sparkles like it was the most precious thing in the world to him. "I'll take this one!" Victor said with both hands, ready to rip off the icon box in front of him.
[Notice!]
[Understood. Processing Transaction.]
[Error! Insufficient Points.]
[Current Celestial Point Balance: 0]
[Would you like to browse a different item?]
Victor's previous excitement and childlike wonder melted away instantly. He questioned what funds he was missing and how to acquire them. Now that the system mentioned the lacking of funds, he wondered what kind it was and why he didn't think of it in the first place. He was part of his company's audit team and a senior auditor for a year. His experience with handling, budgeting, and consulting anything regarding money along his way to his promotion into a senior auditor should have made him aware of the universal rule in life. Nothing is free in the world, even in this new one.
"Okay. So how do I earn these Celestial Points anyway? Also, do you take loans? How about credits?" Victor wondered if these points worked like the currency back on earth and attempted to bargain with the system.
[Notice!]
[Celestial points are obtained by completing quests given by deities. Accepting a contract quest from a diety allows you to complete these quests in return for Celestial Points and other rewards. Your points and rewards can change depending on the difficulty level.]
"I see. So how do I get this quest? Is there a special requirement I have to meet? I remember needing to talk to some NPC in a game to do a quest. Is that how it goes?" It worries him that it might force him to go into a town in his naked glory to get this much-needed quest for the points.
[Negative. Contract quests are only available at the Quest bar in your Villain streamer access menu. Would you like to open it?]
Victor sighed, relieved. "Please do," he said.
[Understood.]
After the ringing noise sounded in Victor's head, A large icon box appeared in front of him. His eyes scanned the countless quest posted on the labor bulletin board, and each box had a highlighted color theme over its display title. It was Green, yellow, red, and purple. However, yellow and red were dominant on the page he was currently on.
"What do these colors mean?" Victor pointed at the highlighted colors that seemed to have an important role. The system immediately answered as if pleased with Victor's curiosity.
[Notice!]
[The colors suggest the difficulty of the quest. The Green quest is the lowest rank difficulty with a high succession rate. The yellow-colored ones require a cautious approach, posing a moderate danger to the streamer. Red-highlighted ones are naturally difficult to handle but not necessarily dangerous. The complexity of the ordered quest often complicates the job most of the time. The purple-highlighted quests have the highest failure count and are considered SS difficulty-level quests. This quest poses numerous dangers for the streamer, and the delicate requirements the quest needs affect the success rate.]
[Under the circumstances of your level, accepting a yellow-leveled quest is normal. But I highly recommend the streamer, Victor Gray, to take green-leveled quests instead. Acquiring experience first will aid you in adjusting to future tasks, as records have shown that you have not participated in any rigorous physical activity in your previous life for the last twelve years. Although this body can physically labor, your current mentality will be susceptible to demoralization.]
Victor felt a sharp object puncture his chest at the underlying insult thrown at him. "Hey, what are you implying here?" He said pointedly, refusing to be insulted by a machine.
[Notice!]
[Yellow-marked quests are often harsh physical labor to most deities. Will you be willing to sow fields of crops in an hour? Build a monastery within a week? How about mining materials deep inside mountains? Will you be able to do any task in a harsh environment?]
An exhausted and pale expression appeared on Victor's face, grimacing at the mere thought of lifting anything heavier than a carton of milk for longer than a minute.
"Urgh, I think I'll pass on that," Victor's shrinking voice prompted a mechanical huff that was a kindly to, "I thought so" by the system.
Victor continued to browse the countless quest demands further down and ignored most yellow and above-tagged quests. After several minutes of not finding anything worth his time and effort, he asked the system to recommend one that would fit his needs.
[Notice!]
[Quest# 3,440(Green)]
[Dionysus's Commission: Seize of the Slimes]
[Type: Capture and Transport]
[The God of Wine and Celebration requires new slaves in his ever-expanding work in the godly realm, and what better being to fill in the job than a slime? Cleaning, serving, and taste testing for poisonous substances? They can do it all without complaining! Deliver as many as possible to Dionysus's private cellar before the completion date of the quest expires.]
[Reward: Celestial Points will be proportional to the number of slimes delivered and their value.]
[Completion time: Seven days]
[Failure Penalty: None]
[Do you accept? Y/N]
The quest was appropriate to Victor's first experience of the new world. It was non-lethal, and the condition of the contract serves no pressure on the beast boy, given that there was no failure penalty. Simply a perfect quest for a total greenhorn like himself.
"Wow! This is perfect!" Victor felt a rush of adrenaline in him. The knowledge of meeting something he had only previously read about in books excites him, and the violent lashing of his tail from side to side was a testament to it.
"Oh...but how would I find them? Can you direct me to them like in the games? Like a tracking system?" Victor asked. He knew slimes were one of the weakest creatures in a fantasy world, but he knew little to nothing about slimes other than them being soft and liquid.
[Noticed!]
[Negative. I cannot lock on another individual's location aside from streamer Victor Gray. Alternatively, I have a complete monsterology of E'lireo installed in my system. Would you like to access it?]
"Show me." The system recognized his command, quickly displaying a delicately made box with an old leathery style. At its center was a skull from an unknown creature and, lastly, the lettering of a foreign language that he assumed to be the title of the box page.
Victor flicks through the floating monster handbook with fascination, but his suspicion of the book being written in another language is quickly confirmed after just the first few pages. The lettering is connected so elegantly that it almost looks like it was there for aesthetics only.
It was far too complicated and intricate for him to make out of anything, even if there was visual assistance on each page of the handbook. "Is it possible to translate the inscription to English?" Victor asked.
[Notice!]
[Translation is possible. However, I do not possess the module to do so.]
"...what do you mean you don't have the module? Aren't we speaking in English right now? Surely you can translate it."
[Notice!]
[The villain streaming platform uses a multiversal translator to establish communication between the streamers and the system without using the streamer's previous language. The platform uses a link that freely receives and translates the transmission into a singular language for all streamers. It is an effective way to communicate without needing to learn different dialects.]
"So what you're saying is that we may be speaking in English, but in reality, we are speaking in a totally different dialect? And you are just translating our conversation? Then why can't you do the same with the monster handbook?"
[Notice!]
[The language dialect used within this world is vast and would require a language module to fully translate the inscription. Additionally, this system can only translate the official language that all streamers share on the platform.]
"Are you serious?" Victor rechecked the buyable catalogs, and sure enough, he saw them. The last panel—The Language Learning Module—shined as if it was mocking him.
"Do I seriously have to buy this? It makes sense but still!!! Shouldn't this kind of thing be a given!? Having to learn the basics of communication is important! I wouldn't even function properly as a new citizen in this world if I couldn't understand anyone here!! It's a scam!!" A brewing migraine steadily grew at the unseen hurdle thrown at him. The magic module would have to wait for a while; he needs to buy that language module first.
"Fine. I'll need to grind up some points first, though." Victor accepted the contract quest without knowing how to accomplish it.
"I have a lot of time to figure out how to satisfy this quest. Right now, I should find something to eat first." Victor was reminded for a second time by his stomach as he walked along the river's edge.
"Maybe I could go fishing?" He considered as he watched the water splashes that disturbed the still surface of the river, indicating that something could be caught beneath. The problem is Victor was never a good swimmer, and it was still nighttime, which meant the water would be at freezing temperature. If he dives right into the river, he dies by drowning or hyperthermia afterward. He sighed miserably.
"I would kill for a bucket of fried chicken right now." He moaned, remembering the delicious juicy chicken tenders from the food joint near his apartment. It was the only thing he looked forward to after a hellish week of work. The savory memory served only to make his stomach growl even louder, which made him even grumpier.
As Victor walked around the river, he picked up a sound far ahead of him that made him squint his eyes. Something about the noise made his ear twitch irritably like that of a screech from a sharp metallic object scratching at a solid surface.
"If I don't like how it sounded. I probably wouldn't like how it looks." Victor turned the opposite way and decided to avoid the source of the sound as much as possible. Whatever the thing causing such a disturbing sound was always moving, and he had no choice but to actively distance himself from it.
An hour had passed since the horrible sound was nowhere within his earshot as Victor walked along the empty forest floor. Funnily enough, he was enjoying this night strolling around the forest with the occasional deep-pitched hoots coming from the owls up in the trees, the crickets matching their song, and the howling wind tunneling in his ear. The nightlife in the forest wasn't so bad after all.
His aimlessly walking eventually led him to a strange structure that emanated a peculiar aura. Upon closer inspection, he regarded it as a tunnel or cave system leading nowhere. This statement was further solidified since it was in the middle of the forest, and no mountain ranges within sight could support such phenomena.
"Any idea what this is?" He asked, hoping the system would register his inquiry.
[Ding!]
[This occurrence is known to be a "Dungeon Emergence," an artificial subspace created by the deity in charge of this world, and within this artificial environment, monsters are abundant. Defending the dungeon's rank determines the type and level of the monster that roamed inside. A dungeon such as this often holds plentiful treasure and an artifact and is defended by a designated floor guardian.]
Victor's eyes glowed golden as his excitement spiked up again. "So this is a dungeon! This is so cool!!" The giggle in his voice was evident as he circled the cocoon-like structure at a lightning-fast pace. "Can we take a look inside?" The politeness in his voice was almost childlike as he pointed at the entrance.
[Notice!]
[The dungeon transfers a certain amount of individuals into its subspace, and escape is only possible if the floor guardian is defeated. Or, an escaped orb is used.]
"You mean I'll be trapped inside if I don't defeat the floor guardian or use this orb thingy?"
[Ding!]
[That is correct, Streamer Victor Gray.]
The system gave Victor a red flag about the dungeon's complicated clearance requirement, but he could not contain his excitement and fascination with it. It was undoubtedly the most exciting moment in this new world for him. A dungeon was a dangerous yet rewarding place depicted in every fantasy novel he had ever read. It was filled with monsters, magic, adventures, and tragedies. The stuff that filled him with happiness and anxiety at the same time.
Now that it was in front of him, he could not wait for the day he could enter a dungeon and experience it all for himself. His cheerful naivety would surely cost him someday. But for now, he revels in his childhood fantasy that came true.
"I'm so going to come back here for you, so don't you go anywhere, alright? Mr. Dungeon." He patted the stone structure gently with such affection that it was akin to a mother's loving touch. But before he could delve further into insanity, much to the system's relief, Victor was interrupted by the same screeching sound that tormented his ears.
"Oh, for the love of—" Victor pauses midway through his exhausted outcry when an unsettling sound reverberates in his head. He gulped the lump that instantly clogged his throat as bullets of sweat fell down his face. The cold night wind that previously did nothing to his naked promiscuity has finally bitten at his skin. His tail, along with his legs, quivered as great fear gripped Victor's heart.
He would have reasoned it as a trick of the sound that his ears have picked up along with the detestable screech. But the sound— No, the words that accompanied the horrifying sound were far too human-like for Victor to ignore. Although the exception of it being a foreign language that Victor could not understand can be excusable for him being paranoid. But the universal sound that every living being could muster did not elude his senses.
Victor has never heard a more gut-wrenching, blood-curdling scream in his life from a distance. Nothing in any horror movie he had watched could topple over what he had just heard. To make it even worse, the scream was near the screech's original location.
"W-What the fuck w-was that just now!??" His voice was small and uneasy. The underlying dread behind the realization of the scream made his stomach drop and tighten into a knot that threatened to empty itself up.
All his excitement was drained from his guts and replaced with fear and horror at the thought of someone dying not too far from him.
As the night sky twinkled with stars and the wind blew constantly, Victor's overreactive senses made every twist and twirl in his surroundings unbearable. The longest night of his life was about to begin.