Ryu had survived plenty of oddball situations in his life. He’d faced off against a charging goose at a petting zoo, nearly choked on a chili pepper in front of his entire college class, and almost got hit by a runaway shopping cart in a grocery store parking lot. But nothing—not even his notorious luck—had prepared him for what would be his final battle: a one-sided fight against a vending machine.
It had been a long day at the office, filled with endless paperwork, a faulty coffee maker, and meetings where people loved to hear themselves talk. By 3 PM, he was exhausted, frustrated, and desperately hungry. As he passed the vending machine in the break room, he saw it glimmering like an oasis in the desert, filled with the promise of salty, carb-loaded relief. There it was: his prize. A neatly wrapped bag of chili-lime chips, his absolute favorite, sitting right at the edge of the shelf, just waiting for him.
After punching in the code and watching the machine hum to life, Ryu stood back, practically salivating as the bag slid forward—almost—almost… But the chips snagged at the very last second, dangling just out of reach.
He stared, dumbfounded, at the bag that had betrayed him, hanging there as if mocking his hunger and bad luck. He looked around, hoping no one was watching, and gave the machine a little nudge. When that failed, he gave it a slightly harder shove, using both hands. Then he threw himself into a full l body effort, gripping the sides of the machine and shaking it like his life depended on it.
“Come on, come on,” he grunted, teeth clenched. “I paid for you!”
The vending machine creaked ominously. The bag of chips shifted, teasing him with a millimeter of movement before stopping. He gave it one last, mighty heave, and the machine tipped forward. For a moment, he thought he’d done it. The bag was loosening, victory was within his grasp—
And that’s when the machine decided it had had enough.
With a terrifyingly slow lurch, it tipped further forward, the whole weight of it suddenly pressing down on him. Ryu’s life flashed before his eyes. He could see himself as a little kid, his first soccer game, his high school graduation, and that one time he sang Bohemian Rhapsody at karaoke while way too drunk. He even remembered that girl he’d had a crush on back in college, wondering for a split second if she’d attend his funeral. And then… darkness.
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When Ryu opened his eyes, he thought he was in some kind of limbo. Everything was hazy, and he felt like he was floating—weightless and detached. His last memory, clear as day, was the vending machine toppling forward, his doomed expression reflected in its glass, a silent witness to his ridiculous end.
Is this… the afterlife? he thought, a strange mixture of curiosity and mild embarrassment washing over him.
But something was wrong. The air felt thick, heavy, and damp. There was a scent too—an earthy, raw smell that filled his senses, so much more vivid than anything he’d experienced before. The smell of the forest, a damp undercurent, mixed with the sharp tang of—was that blood? The scents overwhelmed him, foreign yet somehow right, as though his brain had been rewired to process these smells in a way he’d never been able to before.
Blinking against the dim light, Ryu tried to sit up, only to flop onto his side. That was when he noticed… paws. Clawed, furry paws. Attached to his own body.
For a full ten seconds, he stared, utterly baffled. He flexed one of the paws experimentally, watching with growing horror as the claws extended and retracted at his will. His heart began pounding, but his heartbeat felt wrong—too heavy, like it was booming through his chest, shaking him to his very bones.
Slowly, he looked down and saw the rest of his body—short, stocky, covered in coarse, dark fur. He lifted a paw to his face, only to find a long, narrow snout with sharp teeth, whiskers twitching. He turned, trying to catch a glimpse of himself, and spotted his reflection in a murky puddle nearby.
Staring back at him was the face of a beast. A creature that looked half-wolf, half-something else entirely, with pointed ears and intense golden eyes. His reflection growled back at him, and he realized, belatedly, that the growl was coming from him.
“This can’t be happening,” he thought, panic lacing through his mind. He tried to speak aloud, but all that came out was a low rumble, something guttural and wild. And yet, as he focused, words still formed in his head, coherent thoughts struggling to break through the haze of instincts that kept flaring up—urges to run, hunt, and stay hidden.
He shifted, trying to move backward, but instead his back legs flailed, pawing uselessly at the ground. He jerked one way, then the other, realizing with frustration that his back half wasn’t quite listening to his brain.
"Alright, left leg... now the right," he thought, trying to cordinate his movements. But the result was more of an awkward hop, his paws stumbling over each other as he struggled to find his footing. He tripped over his own claws and tumbled face-first into the dirt.
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Scrambling up, Ryu felt something brush his side—a tail. He twisted, trying to look at it, which made him lose his balance again, sending him rolling over in a flurry of dust and limbs. Finally, he managed to stand, panting slightly from the effort, his new body humming with unfamiliar energy, strength, and a strange instinct to crouch low.
He was just about to attempt another shaky step when something flickered in his vision:
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STATUS SCREEN
* Name: Ryu
* Species: Lesser Dire Beast (Juvenile)
* Level: 1
* Health: 10/10
* Stamina: 8/8
* Skills: None
* Experience: 0 / 10
* Evolution Potential: Locked
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Ryu blinked, watching the strange, translucent text hovering before him. What is this… a video game?
He tried waving a paw through it, but the text stayed firmly in place. After a moment, it faded, leaving him staring in bewilderment. Lesser Dire Beast? That didn’t sound promising.
A low rumbling in his stomach reminded him of his predicament. He was starving, and apparently, his body was more than ready to take action. He sniffed the air, catching a faint trace of something small and skittish nearby. His body lowered instinctively, his claws digging into the soil as his senses locked onto the target.
He crept closer, fighting to keep his limbs coordinated. Every movement was a calculated risk of tipping over or stumbling, but finally, he spotted his prey: a plump, brown rabbit nibbling at some grass. His mouth watered as he imagined pouncing.
Wait, is this really happening? Do I have to… eat it raw?
Despite his hesitation, his instincts were too strong to resist. The rabbit darted away at the sound of a misplaced paw step, and Ryu leapt forward, his claws raking into the ground where the rabbit had been a split second ago. With a burst of speed, he managed to cut the rabbit off, and in a quick, instinct-fueled bite, it was over.
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LEVEL UP!
* Name: Ryu
* Species: Lesser Dire Beast (Juvenile)
* Level: 2
* Health: 12/12
* Stamina: 10/10
* Experience: 0 / 20
* Skill Gained: Sharp Sense I – Your senses are heightened, allowing you to detect nearby creatures and track faint scents with greater accuracy.
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As the notification blinked into existence, he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body. His vision sharpened, and the sounds and scents of the forest intensified. It was like someone had turned up the volume on every sensation, making him acutely aware of every rustling leaf and heartbeat in the vicinity. He took a deep breath, picking up scents he hadn’t noticed before: the musty underbrush, the lingering trail of other creatures, and the fresh blood on his muzzle.
So I get stronger by killing things… he realized. And eating them gives me skills?
He licked his snout, both disturbed and intrigued. The rabbit hadn’t exactly been a five-star meal, but the effects were undeniable. The experience had not only leveled him up but also granted him a skill, boosting his senses. He realized with a mix of curiosity and dread that he was going to need a lot more experience—and a lot more meals—if he wanted to survive.
Just as he was taking this all in, a new sound caught his ear—a faint growl coming from somewhere behind him. Ryu tensed, every sense heightened thanks to his recent level-up. He turned slowly, heart pounding, as he spotted the source: a large, bear-like beast prowling just outside the edge of the trees, its eyes fixed on him with predatory intent.
Alright, so what do I do now? His instincts screamed to run, but his legs still felt unsteady, barely able to keep him upright.
The beast’s nostrils flared as it sniffed the air, clearly sizing him up. With a low snarl, it stepped closer, its massive paws crushing the undergrowth beneath it. Ryu took a hesitant step back, his body moving clumsily, making him stumble again. The bear-creature growled louder, seeming to recognize his weakness.
A split second later, it charged.
Ryu’s body reacted before he could think, his limbs scrambling in a desperate attempt to dodge. He managed to throw himself sideways, narrowly avoiding a swipe from the creature's enormous claws. Instinct took over, and he tried to flee, darting through the underbrush as his heart hammered in his chest.
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SYSTEM ALERT: “Escape Mechanism” Initiated
* Skill Unlocked: Sprint Burst I – A temporary surge of speed allowing rapid escape for short distances.
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Ryu barely had time to process the notification before he felt his legs surge forward with unnatural speed. He shot through the forest, dodging trees and leaping over roots. But the burst of energy faded as quickly as it had come, leaving him panting and slowing down, still painfully aware of the growling beast thundering behind him.
Frantic, he scanned his surroundings and spotted a cluster of large boulders just ahead. Summoning the last of his strength, he dashed forward and squeezed himself into a narrow gap between the rocks, pressing his body close to the ground. The bear-creature skidded to a halt, sniffing around, growling in frustration as it searched for its lost prey.
After a tense few minutes, the creature eventually wandered off, apparently deciding Ryu wasn’t worth the effort.
Ryu let out a shaky breath, his heart pounding as the realization sank in: I could have died.
A wry, ironic tought bubbled up in his mind: he’d survived a vending machine but nearly been taken out by a giant bear in a world he didn’t understand.
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STATUS SCREEN
* Name: Ryu
* Species: Lesser Dire Beast (Juvenile)
* Level: 2
* Health: 12/12
* Stamina: 5/10
* Skills:
* Sharp Sense I – Enhanced senses for detecting nearby creatures.
* Sprint Burst I – Brief surge of speed for rapid escape.
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The screen’s updates confirmed his fears. He was a fledgling in a brutal, merciless world that wouldn’t hesitate to crush him if he let his guard down. With a groan, he pressed his back against the cool rock, catching his breath and vowing silently that he’d grow strong enough to survive—even thrive—in this wilderness.
And maybe, just maybe, he’d figure out a way to stop tripping over his own feet in the process.