[["May she who found happiness never seek love,
And may he who dwells in shadows never see the light.
May those who wander never find rest,
May the light forever banish the darkness.
May the sacred tree never wither,
Its radiance is a beacon of hope for all.
Grant us the strength to endure and the wisdom to thrive,
For in your light, we find our true path.
Amen."{ A prayer from a priest of Light }]]
My name was Arthur, a 30-year-old man who never left his hometown and died from heart cancer.
I never had a family or friends and was always alone.
After dying, I found myself inside some sort of sac filled with water, with a window made of light in front of me.
[{Name: None} {Age: 0} {Class: None}]
Looks like my new life will be something else entirely.
[Your race is Beast Man... scanning DNA]
{20% Moth Man} {40% Ox Man} {19% Human} {21% Orc} detected in host.
[Beginning body formation]
[Time needed: 1 year]
It looks like I will be here for a long time.
Curious, I clicked on the 'Class' option, and suddenly several choices appeared before me.
[[Shadow Assassin: Masters of stealth and subterfuge, Shadow Assassins excel at slipping unnoticed through the shadows and striking swiftly from the darkness with lethal precision. [Locked]
Arcane Sorcerer: Harnessing the power of arcane energies, Arcane Sorcerers command a vast array of spells and incantations, manipulating reality itself to unleash devastating magical attacks upon their foes. [Locked]
Holy Paladin: Devoted champions of light and righteousness, Holy Paladins wield divine powers to heal the wounded, protect the innocent, and smite the forces of darkness with righteous fury. [Locked]
Elemental Shaman: Attuned to the primal forces of nature, Elemental Shamans commune with the spirits of earth, air, fire, and water, channeling their elemental energies to unleash devastating attacks and bolster their allies in battle. [Locked]
Cybernetic Engineer: Masters of technology and innovation, Cybernetic Engineers specialize in crafting advanced gadgets, drones, and robotic companions to aid them in combat and overcome any obstacle with technological prowess. [Locked]
Necromancer: Masters of death and decay, Necromancers command legions of undead minions to do their bidding, raising the dead to fight by their side and harnessing dark magic to drain the life force from their enemies. [Locked]
Ranger: Skilled hunters and trackers, Rangers excel at navigating the wilderness and unleashing deadly attacks from afar with their bows and arrows, while also forging bonds with the creatures of the wild to aid them in their adventures. [Locked]
Chronomancer: Manipulators of time and space, Chronomancers possess the ability to bend the fabric of reality, slowing down time, teleporting short distances, and even rewinding the flow of time to undo past mistakes. [Locked]
Berserker: Fueled by rage and fury, Berserkers charge headlong into battle, wielding massive weapons with brute strength and unleashing devastating melee attacks upon their enemies, shrugging off damage with their berserker rage. [Locked]
Illusionist: Masters of deception and illusion, Illusionists confound their foes with a myriad of tricks and illusions, creating dazzling displays of light and shadow to confuse and disorient their enemies while striking from unexpected angles. [Locked]]]
I stared at the array of classes,
And there were more, but all of them were locked except for two classes:
[[Shadow Master: Embodying the essence of darkness itself, Shadow Masters are sinister sorcerers who command the shadows to do their bidding. Cloaked in dark robes and adorned with arcane symbols, they manipulate the very fabric of reality, summoning shadowy minions to overwhelm their enemies and unleashing potent curses to sap the strength of their foes. With their mastery over darkness, Shadow Masters instill fear and despair in all who dare to stand against them, leaving nothing but darkness and destruction in their wake.
Beast of Slaughter: Born from the depths of nightmare, Beasts of Slaughter are twisted monstrosities fueled by bloodlust and carnage. With razor-sharp claws and fangs dripping with venom, they tear through their enemies with savage ferocity, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Clad in tattered flesh and surrounded by an aura of malevolence, these monstrous creatures revel in the chaos and suffering they unleash, their howls of primal rage echoing through the darkness as they hunt their prey with relentless determination.]]
I pondered my options, feeling a sense of both excitement and trepidation. These two unlocked classes were potent and terrifying, each offering a path of darkness and power. Perhaps I would choose a class after a good one gets unlocked. For now, I would wait, allowing my new body to form, and see what other possibilities might present themselves in this strange, new world.
{Note: Does the host want to sleep until being born?} [Yes/No]
I clicked "Yes," and suddenly it went dark for a second. The next moment, I woke up to the sound of a scream.
Looking toward the source of the noise, I saw a man and a woman fighting. The man had two ox horns and was incredibly tall, standing at around 2.5 meters. His massive muscles were accentuated by armor with a strange glow, resembling copper. His black hair suggested he was in his 50s.
As for the woman, she was strikingly beautiful and appeared younger than the man. She had long silver hair and piercing blue eyes, contrasting sharply with the fierce expression on her face.
The scene was chaotic, and I could feel the tension in the air. The man's imposing figure and the woman's determined stance indicated that this was no ordinary quarrel. I watched,
[The Man]: "How can this thing be my child? Look at his hair and his single horn. This thing even opened its eyes a day after it was born!"
[The Woman]: "Ilona, I have been with you for ten years and have given birth to our six children. I have never looked at another man!"
The man, who introduced himself as Ilona, was enraged, his voice booming with frustration. It was evident that he was struggling to accept my existence, marked by my unusual features. The woman, who seemed to be my mother, was defending her honor and fidelity, her voice filled with anguish and defiance.
Ilona suddenly drew his sword and beheaded the woman, my mother. His rage was palpable as he then walked over to the crib where I lay. With a cold, merciless motion, he pressed the blade into one of my eyes, blinding me in a brutal attempt to end my life.
Just as he was about to deliver the fatal blow, he paused and glanced at his wife's lifeless body. His face contorted with a mix of rage and despair, he screamed in anguish.
[Ilona]: "Guards, take this body away from here and throw this thing into a dark forest far from the city. Dispose of both the body and the child!"
He spat on both me and the corpse, his contempt evident in every action.
The enormity of the situation hit me with a wave of despair. My father, driven by narrow-minded prejudice and anger, had killed my mother because of my appearance. Now, I was to be discarded like an unwanted object.
I blacked out again and woke up inside a wagon with two men who were dressed similarly to Ilona. Their conversation was filled with disdain and frustration.
[Man 1]: "Did the master really have to kill the madam like that? Wouldn't he get in trouble if the Duke found out?"
[Man 2]: "The master is a raging bull who never cares. His uncle is a Light Bishop. The idiot had the best wife in the world and a great mother, and he just threw it all away."
[Man 1]: "And we just tossed her body into a dark forest away from the holy tree so the Shadows can feast on her remains."
[Man 2]: "The worst part is that we still have to kill the child when we arrive. Damn it, if not for this torch, Shadows would be swarming us by now."
The conversation revealed a disturbing reality. My mother's body was abandoned, and the men were planning to end my life as well. The mention of Shadows and the holy tree added a layer of unease to the already dire situation.
The wagon came to a halt, and one of the men lifted me from the wagon with one hand, holding a strange torch in the other. The torch was a stick with glowing fruits tied to it, casting an eerie light in the otherwise pitch-black surroundings. He began to walk into the forest.
The forest was unlike anything I had ever imagined—giant mushrooms towered overhead, and the sky was a dark, unnatural void with no stars or other sources of light. The only illumination came from the torch, creating an unsettling contrast between light and darkness. Strange noises emanated from the bushes, but they ceased as the men approached.
After a while, the men stopped and scanned the area. One of them placed the torch on the ground, its dim glow casting long shadows among the mushrooms. He set me down and drew his sword with one hand, placing the other hand on his chest.
[Man 1]: "May SHE who found happiness never find love."
The man began to pray, providing me with a brief moment of respite. I seized the opportunity to open my status window.
[{Name: Adds Don Marry} {Age: Day 1} {Race: Half Moth-Ox Beast Man} {Class: None}]
[Man 1]: "May he who lives in shadows never see the light."
The man's prayers were ominous, and the gravity of the situation weighed heavily.
As I opened my class window, the details of the Shadow Master class appeared before me:
[Shadow Master: Embodying the essence of darkness itself, Shadow Masters are sinister sorcerers who command the shadows to do their bidding. Cloaked in dark robes and adorned with arcane symbols, they manipulate the very fabric of reality, summoning shadowy minions to overwhelm their enemies and unleashing potent curses to sap the strength of their foes. With their mastery over darkness, Shadow Masters instill fear and despair in all who dare to stand against them, leaving nothing but darkness and destruction in their wake]
I chose the Shadow Master class and decided to use a skill to protect myself. The moment I activated it, the forest was engulfed in a deep, unsettling darkness.
[Man 1]: "May they who wander never rest, may the light divorce the darkness, and may—AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
A black hand, formed from the very shadows around us, emerged from behind the man and pierced through his chest. His expression twisted into one of sheer terror as the hand dragged him into the darkness. From the depths of the shadows, hundreds of mouths emerged, biting and tearing at the man. He was consumed completely, even his bones disappearing into the ravenous darkness.
The scene was both horrifying and surreal, and the forest fell silent once more, save for the echoes of the man's screams. I stood there, stunned by the sheer power of my new abilities and the brutal reality of the world I had been thrust into.
As the darkness receded, a shadowy figure emerged from the abyss.
I looked at the beast that stood on two legs, its form bizarre and unsettling. It had three tails and seven arms, and its body was covered with numerous defects and irregularities. The creature's presence was an amalgamation of shadows and darkness, creating an aura of malevolence.
The beast opened what could be considered its mouth, though it was more of a void in its shifting form. It spoke in a deep, resonant voice that seemed to echo from the depths of the darkness.
[Beast]: "This nameless Shadow greets the Master."
[Chapter end]