"Where... am I?"
"Damn it... my head..."
A sharp, numbing pain throbbed in my skull as I tried to take in my surroundings. Chaos. Everywhere.
Monsters, creatures with terrifying forms you would never see, appeared before me. The air was thick with the sounds of despair and agony as destruction and death consumed everything around me.
My initial confusion and headache faded, replaced by the chilling reality.
"Help me!!!" A desperate scream rang out.
The massive, two-headed mutt—easily the size of a car—stood over a fallen man, its hungry growl rumbling through the air. Its eyes locked onto him, ready to devour him as if he were a delicious piece of meat.
"Please! Please save me!!!"
Desperation filled his voice as he called out to me, clinging to the last shred of hope that I might save him.
But what could I possibly do? I was weak—helpless. Against a monster that size, I stood no chance. No matter how I looked at it, stepping in would only mean my own death.
Before the creature could tear into him, I ran. I wasted too much time in my confusion—any later, and I would have been the next victim.
As I sprinted away, I ignored the man's desperate cries. Guilt twisted in my gut, but my survival instinct drowned it out.
With nearly every path teeming with danger, running mindlessly without a plan was a death sentence.
I found myself at a crossroads—two paths, both dangerous. The logical choice was to take the lesser risk. But which one was safer?
"Why should I limit myself to just these two options?"
Thinking more clearly, wouldn't taking shelter inside a building be safer? Sure, a monster could still find its way in and kill me, but their intelligence didn't seem exceptionally high.
From what little I had observed, they leaned toward sadistic tendencies, toying with their prey rather than killing them immediately. That explained why some people were still alive.
Looking around, I realized I was in the shopping district. Directly ahead stood a small clothing store. The entrance must be opened manually, which means a monster shouldn't randomly come in unless it finds an opening or knows how a door works.
Inside the clothing store, I spotted the counter and racks of clothes. Without much thought, I made my way to the changing rooms—they seemed like the safest hiding spot.
"Who goes there?"
As I stepped into one of the stalls, I froze. Two people were already inside—two female employees, huddled together, their eyes filled with fear. They had been hiding, hoping not to be found.
"I'm here to take refuge. Should I leave? I could hide in the next stall instead."
The store was small, with only four changing rooms. My options were limited.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed something unusual—one of the employees had animal-like features.
Perched atop her head were a pair of rodent-like ears. It was my first time seeing anything like it, and the sight felt almost... magical.
"Please leave."
Her words were sharp and immediate, cutting deeper than I expected—no hesitation—just an explicit rejection.
I didn't argue. Without a second thought, I moved to the next stall. Finally, out of immediate danger, I sighed heavily, letting the tension drain from my body.
"Just what is going on..."
Slouched over, I tried to make sense of everything.
Had I been transmigrated? Teleported? Either way, this wasn't my world.
Catching my reflection in a nearby mirror, I noticed something strange—my features had changed. My once brown hair and hazel eyes were now pitch black, and my skin had grown noticeably paler. I was still wearing a simple blue T-shirt and black sweatpants, but there was no doubt about it—I had completely transmigrated.
Yet, where were my predecessor's memories? Navigating this world would be much easier if I had them.
From what I'd observed so far, this world's technology seemed similar to Earth's. Even so, I had nothing on me—no phone, no wallet. No identity.
Should I be grateful for the chaos that kept me from dealing with these problems?
"Hahaha..."
A hollow, self-deprecating laugh escaped my lips.
Now, not only was I dirt poor, but without any memories of this modern world, earning money would be an entirely new struggle. This apocalypse was dangerous but offered a new opportunity for someone like me.
Sure, I could go to the police to figure out my identity—but what if I turned out to be a criminal? Or worse, someone without any legal records? I didn't know the rules of this world, but being endlessly questioned sounded like a hassle I wanted to avoid.
"..."
Lost in thought, I suddenly heard footsteps approaching the changing rooms.
"AHHHHH!!!"
A piercing scream shattered the silence. Even from a mile away, I would have heard it.
Dread crept up my spine. There were only two possibilities—either a monster had found the two employees or something just as dangerous had.
"Ahh..."
Then came a sickening crunch.
The air grew heavy with despair. I didn't need to see it to find out what had happened.
All I could do was sit there, frozen, praying I wouldn't be next.
One of the girls was being eaten alive. The other was still there—whimpering, trapped in a nightmare far worse than death. The horror she must have endured was unimaginable. If fate were merciful, her suffering would end soon.
"!!!"
Suddenly, the whimpering stopped.
Then came the sound of footsteps, steady and deliberate.
Sweat beaded on my forehead as anxiety clawed at my chest.
"Hehehe."
The door creaked open, followed by a chilling, inhuman laugh.
My breath hitched. My heart felt like it had stopped.
A grotesque beast stood there—staring directly at me.
Standing nearly two meters tall, the cyclops stepped in, laughing with a twisted, sadistic grin. Its brown skin was caked with grime, and its bloodshot eye gleamed with cruel amusement. Bloodstained teeth completed its monstrous visage.
Was this how it ended?
What had I done to deserve this? I wasn't the kindest person, sure—but I wasn't evil enough to warrant such a cruel death.
Before I could process that thought further, the cyclops gripped my neck with a crushing force. Effortlessly, it lifted me off the ground, bringing me face-to-face with death itself.
Just as the monster opened its jaws to attempt to eat me alive, a noise suddenly appeared.
[Fated One Detected!]
[Awakening Complete!]
[First Trial Initiated: Eliminate All Hostile Forces]