The forest was no place for the faint of heart. It was alive, constantly shifting, brimming with creatures that only existed in nightmares. Aris had heard tales of the monsters that roamed these lands, but nothing could have prepared him for the sheer ferocity of what he encountered. In this treacherous land, monsters were not mere beasts—they were a reflection of the harsh, unforgiving nature of the world around them.
The creatures here were divided into seven distinct levels. Each level represented not only a sharp increase in strength but also a reflection of the passage of time. The monsters of the forest had long lives, and to transcend to the next level, they needed time, energy, and strength. For a creature to move from one level to the next, it would take decades, sometimes centuries, to gather enough energy. The first level monsters were nothing more than hungry, vicious beasts that roamed aimlessly in search of prey. They were often solitary, but their numbers swelled in the forest's dense underbrush.
The second and third levels were where things began to get dangerous. Monsters at these levels were faster, smarter, and far more aggressive. Their powers and intellect allowed them to hunt in packs, using coordinated strategies to take down their prey. Only the bravest, or the most foolish, ventured this far into the forest, as most were no match for the creatures at these levels.
But the deeper you went, the worse it got. The fourth level monsters were titans of strength and fury, their bodies towering over trees, their roars shaking the very ground. These were the creatures that legends spoke of, whose mere presence could send an entire village into a panic. The fifth level was reserved for the oldest, most battle-hardened monsters, creatures who had transcended to an almost godlike existence, their powers so vast they could level entire forests with a single strike.
The sixth and seventh levels? No one knew for sure. They were nothing more than stories, whispered in fear by those who had ventured into the depths of the forest and returned with broken minds. Some said that the creatures at these levels were not even monsters anymore—they were something else entirely, beings whose power and knowledge surpassed anything the world had ever known.
Aris had only encountered monsters of levels one through three. He had barely scraped the surface of this forest, but the deeper he ventured, the stronger the monsters became. And with each encounter, Aris could feel himself growing stronger too, his body slowly adapting to the ferocity of the beasts he fought. But for now, he remained on the outskirts, battling the smaller monsters at the edge of the forest, where the danger was still manageable. Little did he know, his journey into the heart of the forest was just beginning.
Hours passed after Aris's battle with the monstrous wolf-like creature. His body lay limp on the forest floor, drenched in sweat, bruised, and battered from the ferocious clash. The pain was unbearable, but it was the exhaustion that had taken its toll. His vision blurred, and his limbs felt as though they had been crushed under a mountain of weight. He had fought like a man possessed, pushing his body beyond its limits in an attempt to survive. But now, in the aftermath, all he could do was drift into unconsciousness, his body unable to keep up with the relentless demands of the battle.
Time passed. How long? Hours, perhaps days, Aris could not say. When he finally came to, the first thing he noticed was the eerie silence around him. The usual sounds of the forest—the rustling of leaves, the distant calls of birds, the howls of monsters—were absent. In their place was an unsettling stillness. He struggled to sit up, the world spinning as he did so. His body screamed in protest, every muscle aching, every bone feeling as though it had been crushed under the weight of the universe.
But as he rose, he felt something strange. A pulsating energy coursed through him, radiating from his core like a furnace. He could feel it, this dark, reddish aura that enveloped his body. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was as though he had absorbed the very essence of the monster he had just slain—its power, its ferocity, its life force now merged with his own.
The realization hit him like a ton of bricks. This was it. This was the power the unknown deity had spoken of. The very power he had been searching for. He had heard whispers of the gods' abilities, of the ability to transcend mortality, to become something more. And now, he could feel it coursing through his veins, transforming him from the inside out.
His body had changed—drastically. Where once he had been a lanky, unremarkable 15-year-old, he was now a towering figure, standing at an imposing 180 cm. His jet-black hair flowed like a river of ink down his back, and his crimson eyes glowed with a fierce intensity. His facial features, once considered plain, now appeared symmetrical and sharp, radiating a haunting beauty that could only be described as divine. Every inch of his body seemed to pulse with unimaginable power.
Aris flexed his muscles, and for the first time in his life, he felt the true extent of his strength. It was as though he had become one with the very forces of nature. He was faster, stronger, more powerful than he had ever dreamed possible. He tried to run, and it felt like he was flying. His senses were sharper, his mind clearer.
Without thinking, he swung his fist at a nearby boulder. The impact shattered it into two, the rock splitting apart like soft clay under his touch. Aris stood there, stunned, staring at the remnants of the boulder. "What the hell…?" he muttered to himself, disbelief and awe filling his mind. This was no longer the Aris he had once been. This was something else entirely—something more. He had transcended.
His body had undergone a complete transformation, shedding the impurities that once weighed him down. But there was one thing that bothered him: the stench. As the impurities had been ejected from his body, they had formed a disgusting, light, stinky mess that lingered in the air. "Ugh… I stink," he muttered, wrinkling his nose at the smell.
Yet, as he looked at the carcass of the wolf-like monster that had once haunted his dreams, he felt a surge of pride. He had slain this beast with ease, and now he stood at its corpse, stronger than ever before. The power he had absorbed would fuel his journey forward. With this newfound strength, he could stand his ground against the strange warriors who had raided his village, the ones whose inhuman strength had once terrified him. But Aris was no fool. He knew he had only just begun his journey. These warriors were powerful, but now, so was he.
With this power, he could get stronger. He could break free of this forest, escape the nightmare that had plagued him for so long. He was no longer a helpless boy; he was becoming something more—a force to be reckoned with.
Days passed. Aris continued his journey deeper into the forest, slaying monsters and absorbing their essence. Level one, level two, even level three monsters fell before him, unable to match his newfound strength. He was unstoppable. The energy within him had become violent, so intense that even the level three monsters avoided him, fearing the dark aura that emanated from his body.
But Aris was not content. He knew that he needed more. He needed to push further, to grow stronger, to transcend even beyond what he had already become.
It was on one of his training sessions when he stumbled upon something unexpected. Amidst the dense trees, he found a cave, its entrance hidden behind a veil of vines. The stone door was ancient, its surface etched with strange symbols. But what caught Aris's attention the most was the bold inscription carved into the stone: "I MET MY DEMISE HERE."
Aris stood before the door, his mind racing with possibilities. What could be inside? A treasure? A trap? His curiosity got the better of him, and with a steady breath, he placed his hands on the stone wall. "What could be in here?" he muttered to himself. "Treasure? Or it could be a trap. Anyways, I'll find out once I check."
Resolute, he pulled his hand back, his body pulsing with energy. The reddish-black aura that had become his signature surrounded his arm, crackling with dark power. He extended his palm and struck the stone door with full force. The impact was deafening, the stone shattering into pieces as the door was pulverized. The loud noise echoed through the forest, sending birds flying into the sky, scattering creatures that had been lurking nearby.
A thick fog of dust billowed out from the opening, obscuring the dark tunnel that lay beyond. Aris stood at the threshold, his eyes narrowing as he peered into the unknown. The cave was filled with traps and dangers, he could sense it, but he was not afraid. He had become something more.
With a determined step, he entered the tunnel, the darkness enveloping him like an old friend. The sound of his footsteps echoed as he walked deeper into the cave, his energy illuminating the path ahead. For a moment, he felt as though he were walking in a dream—a dream that had no end, no escape.
He continued, the silence around him thick and oppressive. But something was off. The cave seemed to stretch on, the path winding in impossible ways. He looked around, his sharp senses alert, but saw nothing. No monsters, no traps. Just the same endless darkness.
Twenty minutes passed, but still, nothing. Aris paused, confusion creeping into his mind. He looked back, but there was no sign of the entrance. Had he passed it? His heart raced as he realized what had happened. He had walked in circles.
"Damnn," he muttered, his frustration building. "I've been walking in circles."
A mixture of emotions flooded his mind—confusion, fear, anger. But he did not let it consume him. He took a deep breath, leaning against the wall, trying to clear his thoughts. "I will make it out of here," he whispered to himself, his voice steady. "No matter the traps you throw at me, I will always come out on top."
With newfound resolve, Aris straightened his back and pressed forward. He would find a way out. He had to. And nothing would stand in his way.