The enormous lizard charged towards Aaron, its jaws agape, venomous drool cascading from its fangs, leaving a trail of decaying grass in its wake.
Aaron was frozen in terror; the suddenness of the attack left him paralyzed, unable to comprehend the reality of the situation. With his heart racing, he squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the end, but to his astonishment, nothing happened.
When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself unharmed, standing amidst the ruins of a forgotten world. The beast had vanished! A wave of relief washed over him, but unbeknownst to him, tranquility was a fleeting illusion.
His heart sank as the ground beneath him began to quake. A colossal shadow loomed over the horizon, and he realized he was in the presence of a true behemoth. Its imposing spherical shell stretched hundreds of meters wide, supported by four powerful limbs armed with razor-sharp claws, and a tail that lashed like an iron whip, ready to strike. Its head bore an unmistakable resemblance to that of a dragon.
In an instant, Aaron recognized the creature for what it was: a "Water Dragon Tortoise." How could he not? This apex predator reigned supreme across the continent, the only diamond-ranked beast in a thousand-mile radius—a walking catastrophe.
Luckily, adrenaline surged through him, overriding his fear. He sprinted with all his might into the remnants of humanity's last era. As he scanned his surroundings, he spotted a door, the sign above it tarnished and indecipherable.
With no time to waste, Aaron kicked the door with force, expecting resistance. To his surprise, it swung open easily, sending him tumbling forward—not onto concrete, as he anticipated, but into soft, rich soil.
Quickly regaining his footing, he peered into the darkness before him, where stairs carved into the earth led down into an abyss. The urge to retreat clawed at him, but the tremors reminded him of the colossal beast above, whose acute sense of smell would surely lead it straight to him. Even before the creature's arrival, he risked being crushed by the collapsing debris of the building.
This vivid experience felt far too real to be merely a dream. Aaron's mind raced—if this was a lucid dream, why couldn't he exert control over it? Fear gripped him, the realization sinking in that this might not be an ordinary dream at all.
He descended the stairs, cautiously navigating the enveloping darkness. His eyes fell upon a necklace entwined in a thread of pure metallic fabric—a striking purple gemstone adorned with rib-like bones. Drawn to it, he stepped closer, but at that moment, the ground above him gave way, crashing down upon him.
With a jolt, Aaron awoke in his home, gasping for breath, sweat trickling down his forehead. The experience was surreal, and glancing at the clock, he noted he had only an hour before his first shift.
Determined not to be late on his first day, he quickly prepared himself, the remnants of the dream lingering in his thoughts. After dressing, he ordered a cab and waited patiently until he arrived at the city gate.
The cities had been rebuilt, fortified with towering walls and patrolled by vigilant beastmasters. The gates themselves were heavily guarded by formidable silver-ranked warriors.
As he stepped out of the cab, he noticed various groups of mercenaries, hunters, and professionals operating with disciplined precision. Just as he took in the scene, a familiar voice broke through the bustle.
"Aaron, you bastard! I thought you were going to be late today! Phew! You made it in time!" It was Joe, Aaron's good friend—a cheerful, ordinary guy with an average height and a round belly, his face free of facial hair and his skin a pale hue.
"Yeah, no worries. Let's go! Where's our group?" Aaron replied, walking alongside Joe.
"Right over here!" Joe guided him to join their team as they lined up to receive their equipment. Surrounding them were numerous bronze-ranked beastmasters, standing ready to protect them in the treacherous wilds.
Beyond the city walls lay a perilous landscape filled with deadly flora and vile creatures, even some deadly gold-ranked beasts lurked in the core regions.
Once everyone was seated in a futuristic truck, Aaron marveled at the advancements humanity had made in recent years, attributing it to the enhanced intellect gained through evolution as beastmasters.
The ride was uneventful, and Aaron dozed off. He was jolted awake by Joe's nudge. "Hey! Wake up, we've arrived."
Aaron nodded groggily as they disembarked, strapping on their gear and tools. The group made their way toward the research site, scattering to search for something extraordinary. Aaron, however, felt an uncanny sense of déjà vu. 'Isn't this the same place from my dream?' he pondered as he scanned for the familiar ruined building.
And there it was! He approached the door, recalling his dream, and with a flashlight secured on his shoulder, he ventured inside, descending into the darkness.
His heart raced with delight when he spotted the same necklace lying there. "This should fetch quite a sum," he whispered, reaching out to grasp it.
As he picked it up, a surge of exhilaration coursed through him. But just as he turned to leave, a sudden quake sent a chill of dread through him. The tremors—the very same he had felt in his dream.
Frantically, he stumbled forward, but it was too late. The earth collapsed around him, crushing him beneath its weight. Only the upper half of his body remained intact.
As he coughed up blood onto the necklace, it began to emit a mysterious, dim light. On the border of unconsciousness, Aaron's vision blurred, and a transparent purple screen flickered into existence before him, just as a voice resonated in the void.
*Ding*
[ The Undead Beasts Emperor System is at your service. Dear host, do not fret; with me here, you shall reign over all creatures, ruling as the supreme beastmaster of all ages. ]
Aaron took his last breath as his consciousness waned. Because he was not given enough time, he had no complicated sentiments about dying. Death pursued him more quickly than his thoughts.
'Aren't I meant to be dead?' Aaron opened his eyes again, a thought rapidly returning to his head.
...
Chapter 2 end