Yuji, surprised at the system notification, quickly understood what had happened to him. He was Rebron, and he knew it. Yuji stared at his small, clawed hands, still in a haze of shock. A monkey? He flexed his fingers, feeling the strange tension in the tiny muscles. The reality was sinking in, but not fast enough to feel real. This couldn't be happening, could it?
"System?" he muttered—or tried to. Only a high-pitched chattering sound escaped his mouth, a noise so foreign it made him freeze. He listened, hoping for a response, but all he got was the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze.
Great, he thought, so I'm reincarnated as a monkey with a system that doesn't respond. Just perfect.
He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself. Think, Yuji, he reasoned, if this is anything like those reincarnation system novels... maybe there's a way to check my stats.
With a renewed sense of determination, he did his best to call up the system. "System, show me my stats!" he shouted—or tried to shout. More chatter and squeaking. Yuji cringed, realizing the absurdity of his situation.
Fine, he thought. I'll try it mentally.
He focused hard. System, show stats!
A cool yellow rectangle screen popped up in his mind's eye, and for the first time in his life he felt that he had hope...hope of becoming something he couldn't before.
Name: Tian Yuji
Race: Red Monkey
Age: 2 days
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Rank: Stage 1 – Infant
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Attributes:
STR (Strength): 3
AGI (Agility): 7
DEX (Dexterity): 4
Spirit Power: 0
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Abilities:
Basic Agility Boost -
Slightly enhances
natural agility
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Innate Abilities: None
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Race Description:
Red monkeys are a rare type of low-grade spirit beast. Known for their heightened agility, they are faster than other beast
of similar rank but physically fragile. They are elusive and often overlooked within the beast hierarchy.
Yuji's eyes scanned each line. Strength: 3, Agility: 7, Dexterity: 4... Spirit Power, zero. A bitter silence left. This is what I became. I wasn't much as a human but at least I could match a stage 7 infant. A fragile spirit beast with decent agility and not much else.
He sighed, dismissing the stats screen with a mental command. "Elusive and overlooked." The words lingered in his mind, heavy with irony. Just what I need for revenge—no strength, no power, just a fragile monkey.
But then his thoughts shifted, the bitter disappointment fading as memories flooded back. The fire. His mother's and sister's burnt faces seared in his mind as they lay lifeless, taken from him by that monstrous dragon. Rage flared, fierce and hot, igniting a determination he hadn't felt since his last moments in his human life.
A cold resolve settled over him, and he clenched his tiny hands. Don't worry, you two, he thought, almost feeling their presence with him. I don't care how long it takes or how hard it will be. I won't waste this second chance. Even if it's the last thing I do... that bastard dragon will die.
The vow burned within him, steadying his heartbeat and focusing his mind. With that, he mentally closed the stat screen, pushing himself up, ready to face whatever came next.
Except, standing wasn't as simple as he'd expected. His limbs, short and unfamiliar, seemed to wobble at even the slightest movement. He tried to steady himself, leaning forward, but the weight tipped him onto his side, sending him crashing down onto the soft pile of sleeping monkey siblings next to him. His brothers shifted, muttering small, sleepy sounds but thankfully didn't wake.
"Come on..." he muttered to himself—or rather, squeaked, sounding like nothing more than a pitiful, high-pitched chatter. With a frustrated breath, he steadied himself again, this time moving his weight slowly and keeping his center of balance low, trying to mimic how he'd seen animals move in nature documentaries.
After a few more failed attempts—and several more flops onto his siblings' furry backs—he managed to get his legs beneath him, standing upright at last, albeit shakily.