Have you ever wondered if reincarnation is real or if being isekai'd is possible? Well, clear that doubt away, because it is, and it happened to me...
I've always been a law-abiding citizen of my country—well, at least a patriot... cough. Fine, fine, you caught me. I'm a lazy guy who wants nothing more than to play my games. Heck, who wants to socialize when I can hack monsters to death and see my name on the leaderboard?
Through gaming, I made just enough to survive every day, and today was the day a new game came out. I saw the potential and knew this would be my breakthrough... erm, so I forced myself to leave the house and head to the store.
My worst mistake—or is it my best? Yeah, along the way, in my excitement to buy the game, I was hit. I was looking at the road, but my excitement overtook me, and well, you know—bam I was hit by the legendary truck kun.
A body fell to the ground... sigh. My only regret in my last life was that I didn't get to play that game. Oh, I forgot to mention—I'm also an orphan.
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"System, am I talking to myself? Have I gone insane? When will I get out of this dark, sticky, uncomfortable spherical room?" Joren said, his voice laced with fear.
(Host, you will soon break out of the shell.)
"What the hell? You put me in a shell? I'm a grown-ass man. Why would you do this? How long have I been in here... a year? More? I'm going insane!" Joren shouted, frustration in his voice.
(Host will soon break through.)
"F*ck you, system. I dare you to let me reincarnate as a lowly beast. I'd rather die than be that. All I want is to be the top... A dragon would be nice. Or a Phoenix... What about a star beast? Hmm... a..."
("..")
Joren blabbered on. First, he was talking in his mind, unable to feel a body, unable to move. He felt nothing but the slimy roundness surrounding him. Joren had been in this situation for a year and a half—falling asleep for days or more.
With no one to talk to, a social creature like him, especially just a soul or a mind, would find something to do. In this case, Joren had been chatting with the robotic system for a year, explaining his life situation, talking about his gaming experience, and fantasizing about what world he'd reincarnate in—and as what creature.
******
(Host, the breakthrough has officially begun. The legendary Astraxion beast is breaking out of its shell. Host will fall asleep now.)
"Wait, what now?" Joren stopped mid-blabber, shock taking over. But it was too late—dizziness hit him, and he fell asleep.
******
At a mountain perched thousands of meters in the sky, a large cave could be seen illuminated by a soft white glow. The mountain was surrounded by a forest with a wide path leading to the edge.
Below, there were clouds, and a large forest filled with dangerous beasts that could rip a man to shreds with a wave of their claws and destroy cities with an attack.
Yet, currently, humans were rushing in, all because of what happened yesterday. Suddenly, an intense white aura light was seen, shooting into the sky.
A solemn expression spread across their faces as the powerhouses of the humans released news: An Astraxion beast cub has broken through its shell.
This was news so intense and shocking that all beast tamers, young and old, rushed to the dangerous forest.
But above all, those above C-rank were not allowed in by the Beast Emperors of this forest, or else a stage 9 beast tide would occur.
This was a decision made by the Beast Emperors to protect their forest from humans.
Alas, beast tamers below C-rank entered the forest, destined to die. The Beast Emperors had clearly stated that they would be hunted and killed by the beasts inside. But human greed knows no bounds.
*******
"System... what is this? I'm a wolf... a wolf is an Astraxion?" Joren said, unconvinced, staring at his paws.
(Host hasn't even seen his reflection.)
"Fck you, system. You're a btch. Tell me, what's your name again?" Joren cursed angrily.
(Supreme Beast System.)
"Supreme my ass. Get out of here. I want no system. Where's my dragon body? Or even a star beast or something? Even a titan is manageable," Joren said, tears flowing from his eyes.
(Host...) "Shut up. Other protagonists are reincarnated as gods or dragons—even those reincarnated as humans have some sort of talent, but I'm reborn as a wolf. Really? An ordinary wolf?" Joren lamented.
(Host, you are an SSS-ranked beast.)
"Enough... okay, okay, fine. Show me my stats at least let's see how good this —wolf thing is ." Joren said angrily.
(Host must survive for a month first.)
"Huh? Why?" Joren asked, surprised. What kind of godforsaken system was this?
(System isn't sure if host is worthy yet.)
"Your whole family isn't worthy. The question is, are you worthy of me?" Joren spat angrily, trying to adapt to the feeling of working on four legs. At first he felt a bit like in a body that is his but he can't control but that feeling disappeared soon as it appeared.
(...) "System..." Joren called out, but all he received was silence.
"Quiet again... I see." Joren rolled his eyes, sighing. He looked around the cave he was in. It was large, with white stones releasing a calm, soothing aura. Red insects glowed softly along the walls.
Joren admired it for a while before stepping outside. The bright sunlight hit him, and he squinted his eyes.
"Why is it so bright? Or is it because I've been in the dark too long?" Joren wondered aloud.
"And hey... walking on four legs feels like walking on two. Not so bad." Joren thought, surprised by how easily he adapted to his new body.
A five-meter-tall wolf with white fur stood, its sharp claws glinting in the sunlight. With a slightly better expression, Joren looked around at the forest and took his first breath of fresh air.
"Feels great." Joren said.
(Host should try to survive this one month to gain access to the system.)
"Hmm, I don't want to access this system, you b*tch. Look at what you've done to me," Joren complained as he walked toward the edge of the cave.
"I hope I don't develop a fear of heights because of this," he muttered, gazing at the scenery below.
(Host, you—)
"Enough! This scenery is amazing," Joren said, his annoyance replaced by awe as he admired the waterfall shrouded in mist. Birds, both enormous and terrifying, clashed in mid-air, their vibrant feathers shedding like confetti, while animals roared and growled in pain below.
Soon, the beautiful view morphed into a dark, bloodthirsty ecosystem.
"System, where exactly am I?" Joren asked with a groan.
(...)
"System! System! System!!! You f*cker!" Joren shouted. His cries were interrupted by a deafening roar that echoed through the forest, accompanied by the sounds of beasts growing even more bloodthirsty.
(I advise the host to keep quiet. Attracting more monsters could be a quick way to end your life.)
"Heh, I've figured you out! If I die, you die too," Joren said, smirking as he imagined the system calling him "Daddy" in the future. His thoughts, however, were doused with cold reality.
(No, host. Your death would only prove you're unworthy. Frankly, it would save me the trouble of enduring your idiocy for an entire month. So, go on—roar.)
"Motherfcker! What kind of bullsht system is this? Hey, reincarnation space, reincarnators—sob, sob," Joren whimpered, his ears drooping in despair.
"I want a refund. This system is garbage," Joren muttered, glancing at the forest. Suddenly, the faint cries of humans reached his ears.
"Damn it, they're here again," he growled, lifting his head to glare at the bright sky.
"I should get an award for being the reincarnator who's suffered the most," Joren lamented, shaking his head.
(...)
"What? Do you want to say something?" Joren sneered, addressing the system.
(Nothing, host. Nothing at all. Just enjoy your reincarnation.)
"Yeah, yeah… I can't stay in this cave forever. Tomorrow, I'll march out and show them the power of an SSS-ranked beast," Joren declared, a small smile forming on his wolfish face as he turned back into the cave.
He wasn't hungry, but a wave of weakness washed over him. His body still hadn't fully developed—he needed rest.
(Host will die.)
"Are you with me or against me? Do you want me to stay in this cave forever and get harassed every day?" Joren asked angrily.
(Host—)
"That's what I thought," Joren said smugly, relishing his small victory over the system.
Inside the cave, Joren admired the glowing white stones and nodded. Today marked the first day of his life—and the last time he'd return to this cave. Tomorrow, he'd leave to carve his own legacy, destiny, and story in this new world.
"Now that the system is quiet, it's time to get serious," Joren thought as he lay down, his wolf body settling comfortably. "First, I know nothing about this world. From fighting humans, I know I'm strong—but how strong, I have no idea."
"An SSS-ranked beast… I know I'm powerful. SSS must be the highest rank. But the system never said I was the strongest, so there must be higher levels. Hmm… I'm probably rare. Humans will keep chasing me, and if I leave this forest, survival will only get harder… Do I have to submit to a human?" Joren's expression darkened as he considered the thought.
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