The first thing Zayne felt was pain—a searing, head-splitting ache as though a thousand voices were trying to cram their way into his skull. When he managed to open his eyes, all he could see was… nothing. A void stretched endlessly in every direction, black and featureless.
"Well," Zayne muttered, clutching his throbbing head, "this is either a really bad hangover, or I'm dead. Considering the last thing I remember is getting hit by a truck… yeah, probably dead."
[Initializing Soul Fusion System…]
A calm, feminine voice echoed in the void, startling Zayne. "Who said that? Show yourself!" he demanded, spinning around.
[I am the Soul Fusion System. Congratulations, user. You have been transmigrated to a new world.]
"Wait, what? Transmi-what now?" Zayne blinked. "You're telling me I've been isekai'd? Like one of those web novels? Oh, for crying out loud…"
[Correct. In this world, you will have the unique ability to absorb the souls of defeated beings and gain their skills, memories, and traits.]
"That… actually sounds kind of cool," Zayne admitted. "But what's the catch?"
[Each soul absorbed will leave fragments behind. Prolonged use of the system may result in personality conflicts, memory interference, or—]
"Yeah, yeah, got it. Side effects include insanity. Typical," Zayne interrupted, waving his hand. "Let's just get this over with. Beam me down, Scotty."
The void vanished, replaced by a dazzling blue sky and the scent of fresh earth. Zayne found himself standing in the middle of a dense forest, surrounded by towering trees and chirping birds.
"Well, this doesn't look so bad," he said, stretching his arms. "No immediate death traps in sight. That's a plus."
*Snap.*
A twig broke behind him. Zayne turned just in time to see a massive boar-like creature charging at him, tusks gleaming. "I take it back! I take it back!"
[Commencing tutorial. Defeat the Forest Boar to unlock your first Soul Fusion.]
"You've got to be kidding me!" Zayne shouted, scrambling to dodge the creature's charge. The boar barreled past, crashing into a tree and shaking the ground. Zayne grabbed a broken branch, wielding it like a spear.
"Alright, you overgrown pork chop, let's dance!"
The fight was clumsy and desperate, with Zayne barely managing to avoid becoming boar food. After what felt like an eternity, he managed to lodge the branch into the boar's throat. The creature let out a final, pitiful squeal before collapsing.
[Congratulations. You have defeated the Forest Boar. Initiating Soul Fusion.]
A swirl of golden light enveloped the boar's body, flowing into Zayne. He felt a rush of power—and a strange urge to root around in the dirt with his nose.
"Well, that's… weird," he muttered. "Eve, what did I just absorb?"
[You have gained the Boar's Traits: Enhanced Smell and Improved Stamina. Warning: Residual instincts may temporarily influence behavior.]
As if on cue, Zayne found himself sniffing the air like a bloodhound. "Great. My first step to becoming a legendary hero, and I'm half-pig. Just my luck."