In the hallowed halls of Xavier's School and College, Jamie's life took an unexpected and tragic turn. What began as an ordinary day transformed into a nightmare as terrorists seized control, plunging the students into a state of terrifying confinement.
Amid the chaos, Jamie's eyes found Leina, his secret crush. Her azure hair and crimson eyes, usually so captivating, were now wide with fear. As panic engulfed the room, Leina's screams pierced the air. A terrorist, irritated by her outburst, struck her across the face. In a surge of adrenaline-fueled defiance, Leina lunged at her attacker.
Time seemed to slow as the terrorist raised his weapon, aiming at Leina's heart. Without hesitation, Jamie threw himself between them, his body becoming a living shield. The gunshot echoed through the room, and Jamie felt a searing pain spread through his chest. Warm blood seeped from the wound, pooling on the cold floor beneath him.
As his vision blurred and darkened, Jamie's gaze locked with Leina's one last time. Her eyes, filled with shock and anguish, were the last thing he saw before darkness claimed him.
Jamie found himself adrift in an endless void, untethered from his mortal form. A melodious voice cut through the darkness, "Welcome, Jamie. I congratulate you on your reincarnation."
Startled and disoriented, Jamie called out, "Who's there? What's happening?"
"Fear not," the voice replied, a hint of amusement in its tone. "I am your friendly neighborhood goddess, here to guide you to your next life."
Skepticism coursed through Jamie. Surely this was some sort of hallucination, a last firing of neurons as his brain shut down. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to wake up. But when he opened them, the vast darkness remained.
"I assure you, this is no dream," the goddess said, her voice tinged with mild disappointment. "You have indeed passed from your mortal life. But fear not, for I offer you a second chance – a new life where you will have control over your destiny."
Jamie's mind reeled. "But... why me? Who will I live for in this new life?"
The goddess's response was cryptic: "That, dear Jamie, is for you to discover."
Before Jamie could protest further, the goddess began to chant in an otherworldly language. The sound reverberated through Jamie's entire being, growing in intensity until it became almost unbearable.
When the divine chorus faded, Jamie's eyes fluttered open to a world of vivid sensations. He found himself in a vast, opulent chamber that could only belong to a royal palace. But something was amiss. As he tried to take in his surroundings, he realized his perspective was much lower to the ground than it should be.
With growing alarm, Jamie discovered that he was no longer human. His body was covered in soft, pitch-black fur that seemed to absorb the light in the opulent chamber. When he tried to speak, only high-pitched yips emerged. Somehow, inexplicably, he had been reborn as a wolf pup. As he examined his new form, he marveled at the depth of his ebony coat, so dark it appeared almost blue in certain lights. His eyes, now keen and predatory, gleamed with an otherworldly intelligence against his midnight-black fur.
Around him stood ten figures in flowing black and blue robes, each clutching an ornate wand. Their faces were a mix of awe and skepticism as they gazed down at the tiny wolf before them.
A booming voice cut through the murmurs: "Is this truly the hero we've been waiting for?"
"Yes, my liege," one of the robed figures responded, his voice trembling slightly. "This is the one prophesied to save us all."
The king's voice dripped with disdain. "Are you mad? This is no human child—it's a mere beast!"
Jamie's mind raced. Why hadn't the goddess reincarnated him as a human? What cruel twist of fate was this?
Before he could process the gravity of his situation, the king's voice thundered once more: "I refuse to believe this wolf pup is our destined hero. Remove this creature from my sight at once!"
Despite the protests of the robed figures, Jamie felt himself being lifted and carried towards an open window. In a heartbeat, he was airborne, plummeting towards the ground below.
As Jamie fell, he caught a glimpse of water below. The impact knocked the breath from his tiny lungs, and he found himself struggling to stay afloat. Just as he thought all hope was lost, a pair of strong hands plucked him from the water.
Jamie's savior, a kind-faced man, quickly hid the wolf pup in his satchel and fled the palace grounds. Exhausted and overwhelmed, Jamie slipped into unconsciousness.
When he awoke, he found himself in unfamiliar surroundings. The man who had saved him was nowhere to be seen, but Jamie's keen new senses picked up the metallic scent of blood nearby. With a sinking feeling, he realized his rescuer had likely paid the ultimate price for his act of kindness.
Before Jamie could fully process this new tragedy, he was scooped up by another pair of hands. This time, it was one of the robed men from the palace. Despite Jamie's weak attempts to struggle, he was too famished and drained to put up much of a fight.
The man carried Jamie to a waiting wagon, and as they set off, the wolf pup's world once again faded to black.
Jamie's next conscious moment found him confined in a small cage. A gruff-looking man approached, offering a bowl of milk. Ravenous, Jamie lapped it up, feeling strength slowly return to his limbs.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Jamie grew quickly, his body adapting to its new lupine form. He learned to stand, to walk, and eventually to run with the grace of a true wolf. But his surroundings remained unchanged—a cramped cage in what he now realized was some sort of underground fighting arena.
A year passed, marked by meager meals and the constant presence of other caged creatures—both human and beast. The man who had brought him here occasionally visited, his face always twisted in a cruel, anticipatory grin. Jamie could never forgive that man as long as he lived.
As Jamie reached his full size as a wolf, his captors fitted him with a mysterious collar. Despite his resistance, they managed to subdue him long enough to secure the device around his neck.
One fateful day, Jamie's cage was moved. As it was carried through winding tunnels, he caught glimpses of light—his first in over a year. Hope swelled within him, only to be cruelly dashed as he emerged into a massive colosseum.
Crowds roared from towering stands, their bloodthirsty cheers echoing off stone walls. In the center of the arena stood a hulking man, muscles rippling as he brandished a gleaming sword.
Jamie's cage door swung open, and he hesitated, unsure of what to do. As he tried to retreat, the collar around his neck began to constrict, sending waves of agony through his body. The message was clear: fight or die.
With no other choice, Jamie charged towards his opponent. The man's sword whistled through the air, but Jamie's newfound agility allowed him to dodge the deadly blade. In one swift motion, he lunged for the man's throat, his powerful jaws closing around soft flesh.
Before Jamie fully realized what had happened, the man's lifeless body crumpled to the ground, his severed head rolling away. The crowd's cheers reached a deafening crescendo. However, Jamie was utterly traumatised as he, for the first time in his life, killed a fellow human but felt no guilty emotion or whatsoever.
As Jamie was led back to his cage, his mind reeled. He had never wanted to hurt anyone, but the primal instincts of his new form had taken over. Was this to be his new life? A gladiator, fighting for the amusement of others?
Jamie thought back to his former life, to Leina and the moment he'd sacrificed himself to save her. Had it been love? Devotion? Or just a reflex? He couldn't find a clear answer, but he knew that the same instinct to protect had driven him to fight in the arena.
That night, as he savored a rare meal of cooked meat—his reward for every victory—a shimmering mirror materialized before him.
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[System]
[Welcome to Fenrir System]
[The Goddess has blessed you in this life]
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Jamie couldn't help but laugh bitterly at the irony. "Some blessing," he thought.
The goddess's voice echoed in his mind: "What's so funny? It is the truth."
"If you call this a blessing, then grant me one wish," Jamie growled. "Free me from this place."
"It shall be done as I made a mistake on my part, oopsie!" the goddess replied. "Tomorrow, you will find your freedom."
As the mirror faded away, Jamie allowed himself a glimmer of hope. Whatever challenges lay ahead, he would face them—not as the human he once was, but as the wolf he had become. His journey of survival and self-discovery in this strange new world was only just beginning.
In the quiet of his cage, Jamie's thoughts turned to the future. He vowed to uncover the truth behind his reincarnation, to understand the purpose of the Fenrir System, and perhaps, one day, to seek justice against the king who had cast him aside. As sleep claimed him, Jamie dreamed of open fields, of running free under a starlit sky, and of a destiny yet to be revealed.