The truck hit him like a freight train. There was no time for pain, only a brief, sharp flash of lights as his body was tossed like a ragdoll across the road. Grisha Merlin had barely enough time to process the blaring horn and the screech of tires before everything went dark. His last thought, oddly enough, was one of confusion. How did this happen?
But the darkness wasn't the end. No, it was only the beginning.
When Grisha awoke, he wasn't sure what had happened. His surroundings were a void—no light, no sound, no sensation. He floated in the emptiness, disoriented but not afraid. He had died, after all. What else was there to fear?
Then, a voice, lighthearted and somewhat amused, echoed through the void.
"Well, that was certainly an… interesting end," the voice mused. It was neither male nor female, but somehow both. "Ran over by a truck, huh? Not bad for a first death. Though I've seen some more creative ones. Still, a clean death is always a bonus."
Grisha blinked—or at least, he thought he did. "Who the hell are you?"
"Oh, right! My manners. I'm the one responsible for your… shall we say, new life. You see, I'm in charge of this whole reincarnation process. I'm sure you've heard of it, right? The classic 'reincarnation to another world' thing?" The voice chuckled, clearly enjoying the situation. "Don't worry; we've got it all figured out for you."
Grisha couldn't help but feel a bitter edge creep into his thoughts. "Let me get this straight. I die, and you just… pick me for this reincarnation thing? Randomly?"
"Well, it's not really random," the voice corrected with a light chuckle. "It's more like a lottery, but with less of the whole winning money part and more of the, you know, 'being reborn as something really cool' part. And in your case, it's not bad at all. I've got a fun little package for you, Grisha Merlin."
"Great," Grisha said dryly, his sarcasm dripping. "So, what am I going to be? A slime? A goblin? Or maybe a rock—rocks seem pretty popular these days."
The voice seemed to laugh harder at his deadpan delivery. "Oh, no, no. You're going to be something… special. In fact, you're going to be a vampire-Phoenix hybrid."
Grisha blinked. "What?"
"You heard me right. A vampire-Phoenix hybrid. It's quite the combination, don't you think? A powerful, fiery bird with a bit of vampiric charm. Should be fun! You'll have both a fiery rage and the ability to suck blood—what more could you ask for?"
Grisha groaned inwardly. "And where exactly am I going? Some hellhole or paradise?"
"Oh, definitely not a paradise. It's a world filled with dungeons, creatures, and endless opportunities for power. I mean, you're the new boss of one of these dungeons, actually," the voice added, almost casually. "You'll get your own little domain to rule, and you're going to have a blast. Trust me."
Before Grisha could respond, he felt a strange pull—a weightless sensation, as though he was being sucked through an invisible tunnel. In the blink of an eye, everything shifted, and he found himself… somewhere else.
---
Grisha woke up with a gasp, but his first instinct wasn't panic. It was confusion. The sky above him was dark, lit by strange, glowing stars that didn't seem to belong to any familiar constellation. The air around him felt thick, filled with the faint hum of some otherworldly energy.
He looked around, his surroundings a vast, cavernous space. The ground was rocky, uneven, and stretched for miles, but it was the center of the cavern that caught his attention—a massive altar sat in the middle, surrounded by stone pillars and faint, glowing runes.
His body felt different. His senses were heightened, sharper, more alive than before. But the oddest part? He was… huge. At least, that's what he thought until he looked down at his new body. Standing at two meters tall, he was a towering figure even in this vast, cavernous room. But what really stood out was the form he had taken.
He was no longer human.
A dark-red bird, towering and imposing, with six glowing purple eyes and three pairs of wings—each shimmering in the dim light. His body was covered in fiery feathers that flickered as though embers were caught in the breeze. Horns curved from his head, giving him an almost demonic appearance. But it wasn't just the size or the feathers—it was the power radiating from him, crackling beneath the surface. This was the body of a Phoenix. But a Phoenix, clearly, with a twist.
"Interesting," Grisha muttered, flexing his wings, testing their weight. "I guess this is it. This is what I get for being picked randomly."
A soft chuckle echoed in the air again. "Oh, you're looking good! Nice fiery look, don't you think? And the horns? Very stylish."
Grisha looked around, but there was no sign of the voice. It was gone. He was truly alone now.
Despite the eerie silence, he began to assess his situation. In the back of his mind, the words of the voice lingered, and soon enough, a strange screen materialized in front of him.
[Grisha Merlin
Race: Vampire-Phoenix Hybrid
Level: 1
HP: 2000/200
MP: 500/500
Traits:immortal,hybrid,new species
Titles:symbol of life,rencarnator,dungeon master,
Affinity:fire, blood and life
Stats:
Strength: 40
Agility: 40
Intelligence: 50
Endurance: 45
Vitality:200
Luck:14
Free status points:0
---
Abilities:
1. Blood Manipulation (Vampire): Allows the user to control and manipulate blood. Can be used for offense, defense, and healing.
2. Mind Control (Vampire): The ability to influence the thoughts and actions of others, making them susceptible to the user's commands.
3. Restriction (Phoenix): A defensive ability that allows the user to place restrictions on other entities, limiting their abilities.
4. Fire Manipulation (Phoenix): Mastery over fire. The ability to create, control, and manipulate flames.
5. Regeneration (Phoenix): Rapid healing ability. The user can recover from injuries at an accelerated rate healing bones,organs and severed limbs.
6. Resurrection (Phoenix): The ability to return from death . The body will regenerate fully, but this ability can only be used once per month]
A second screen appeared, detailing the status of his dungeon.
[Dungeon Status:
Dungeon Name: none
Dungeon Level: 1
Resources: none
Units: none
Shop: unavailable(Level 3 needed)
Inventory: 5 Low-Grade Essence Stones]
Grisha's mouth twisted into a wry smile as he scanned the screens. "Of course, I start with nothing. Classic."
He took a moment to examine the dungeon's layout. A massive cave, lit by ethereal, glowing runes and centered around the altar. It seemed ancient, as if it had been here for centuries, waiting for someone to take control.
"Well, guess I'm the boss now. Not sure how I feel about that."
He glanced at the five essence stones in his inventory. "Guess I can start with these. Let's see what I can summon."
Without hesitation, Grisha approached the altar, holding the stones in his Tallon. He tossed one in, and the altar began to glow. A deep rumble filled the air, the ground shaking beneath him. He quickly threw in another essence stone, then another. Four, then five—each stone illuminating the cavern as the altar hummed louder, a mysterious force building up.
Something was coming. What, exactly, though, Grisha had no idea.
The energy in the air was thick, and the tension was palpable.
What would be summoned?
The cavern shook as a final pulse of energy erupted from the altar.
[Congratulations you have summoned...]
Ened of chapter