As the light of dawn broke, settling on Noah’s face through the canopies above, he was awakened by the sound of Emberfang dropping fruits beside him. Rolling over as he sat up, he noticed a faint smile on Emberfang’s face.

“Did you know you snore like a bear?” Emberfang asked, holding back his laughter.

“I do? Good morning to you, too,” Noah said with a smile as he glanced at the fruit Emberfang had gathered.

Picking up one of the fruits, he examined it. The outside looked like a melon, but it was covered in fuzz like a kiwi.

“It’s called a Mistberry. It has a slightly tangy yet sweet taste to it. Give it a try Noah,” Emberfang said.

Noah tasted the fruit. He smiled as he took another bite.

“It’s like a watermelon but has a tangy taste like that of a mandarin orange,” he said as he finished the rest.

“These foods of yours that you mention sound interesting, Noah,” Emberfang said.

Noah smiled as he grabbed another fruit to eat.

“They are. You’ll probably hear me talk about the things from my old world quite a bit,” Noah said.

“I have no problem learning about your old world and your past Noah,” Emberfang said, curling up as they conversed.

“What was your old world like? Could you explain a bit of it? I’m curious,” Emberfang asked.

“Well, we had tall buildings as tall as the clouds. They were called skyscrapers. And hard roads paved with hard stone-like material. We all rode in things called vehicles. They were made of metal. The place I lived in was called Chicago. It was a big, populated city. Basically, like a jungle of buildings and people living together, all going about their daily lives,” Noah explained.

“This Chicago sounds amazing, and the things you call vehicles sound intriguing,” Emberfang said

“They were pretty interesting,” Noah said, chuckling.

“Can you tell me more about this Chicago Noah?” Emberfang asked.

“There were stores people would go to for things like tools and food. Everyone would go to their place of work, which was called a job, to earn money. We used our money to buy food and pay our bills."

“Jobs sound like slavery to me,” Emberfang said. “And what are bills?”

“Jobs pretty much are slaving for someone else,” Noah said, smiling. “And bills are things you’re charged for that you pay to have regularly. Like Water, Light, Heat, and trash removal."

“You had to pay for water and light?” How do you get charged for light and water? Isn’t there plenty of water to get for yourself? And why are you charged for light? It’s everywhere. It sounds like absolute slavery to me,” Emberfang said, looking puzzled.

Noah Laughed as he retook a bite of the fruit.

“Water is introduced to each household in the city. Households are where the people live. It’s not an open forest or wild land like this world. We can buy bottled water in a store that sells it. But gathering it for yourself in my world, especially where I lived, is hard,” Noah explained.

“That is indeed interesting; it sounds like a horrible way to live,” Emberfang said.

“It was pretty boring, especially being alone and having no friends,” Noah said.

“Alone? You did not have a family?” Emberfang questioned.

“I did, but my parents died in a car accident when I was six. I had no other siblings, so I was raised in foster care until I became old enough to get by on my own,” Noah explained.

“I’m sorry to hear about your parents, Noah. It must have been hard for you,” Emberfang said.

“It was at first. Faint memories of them are all I have because of how young I was at the time. I pretty much got by feeling like I had no purpose in life. I was always bullied and picked on. So honestly, when I was reborn here, I felt a sense of relief and excitement for once. I feel like I can enjoy living and create a meaningful life in this place. Almost like a second chance,” Noah said.

“That’s a good thing. I’m glad you’re here, Noah. Who knows what could have happened to me if you hadn't saved me? You’re already a hero in your own right, Noah and I can’t wait to follow you and see where our journey will take us!” Emberfang exclaimed, smiling.

“Same here Emberfang. So as for family. What about yours? Where are they?” Noah asked.

“My whole family was hunted and killed when I was a young pup. The humans living here then grew scared of us and tried to dispose of us. I’ve lived in fear ever since as the sole survivor. My older brother was with me for a bit until he grew ill and passed from a wound he got fighting with a Monster,” Emberfang explained.

“That would explain why you hate humans. I’m sorry for your loss, Emberfang. It seems we’ve led similar lives,” Noah said

“It does indeed seem that way,” Emberfang agreed.

“So, Emberfang, I was wondering if you could change your form?” Noah asked.

“Change my form? As in how?” he questioned.

“Maybe you could turn into a smaller-looking pup so as not to attract much attention when we go into cities and towns,” Noah explained.

“No, I don’t believe I can do a thing like that,” Emberfang said, puzzled. “But it would definitely come in handy, that’s for sure,” he agreed.

Noah sat finishing his meal while he thought of a solution.

“Hmm, I guess I overthought like this was a typical manga. I read too much of it back on Earth,” he said, chuckling. “But I wonder if he could be transformed using an alteration skill?” Noah questioned silently.

“Emberfang, I want to head back to town and see something. I might have a way to help disguise you from the other people in town,” Noah explained.

“Okay, Noah, but be careful. Allies of those men we defeated may be out there looking around,” he warned.

“I’ll be on the lookout. You have my word,” Noah said, climbing to his feet.

“I’ll be back soon. Stay safe, Emberfang,” Noah said as he packed a few more fruits into his satchel.

Heading to the hot spring, he leaned over, filled his water skin, and headed off through the forest toward the city. He made his way past the open area where their battle had occurred. An eerie feeling set in when he thought about the battle and the sorcerer when he mentioned a master of immense power. Looking over, he noticed the bodies were gone.

“I wonder if their allies found them?”

Shrugging it off, he made his way out of the forest and across the field. Noah remembered he hadn’t checked his player info after defeating the sorcerer. Stopping, he opened his player information menu and examined the changes.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Level 26, finally. It seems like the experience-gaining process is getting slower but not too bad,” he laughed.

“Oh, a new item drop? Let’s check that out,” he said, selecting the item drop menu. Scrolling down to the new drop, he read the contents.

“[Amulet of Resilience]. Description: An enchanted Sapphire Amulet that grants the wearer +7% dark magic resistance and +5 MDEF.”

“Interesting,” Noah said as he equipped the Amulet. “I could have used this when I took that blast head-on,” he muttered.

After he set his stats on STR and DEX, he closed the interface and started back toward the city. The wind blew through Noah’s hair with a cool refreshing breeze. Looking up, he noticed a few birds flying by and a few clouds surrounded by a beautiful blue sky.

“Such a beautiful day,” he said, walking past the fork in the road, his eyes landing at the city's front gate. Approaching the gate, he informed the guard he wanted to sell some items and visit the market district.

After a quick inspection, he was cleared to enter the city. As the gate opened, he was again greeted by the sounds of children playing and the busy sounds of people chatting up the atmosphere in the town center. Horses trotted by, and carriages squeaked past as the faint sound of the blacksmith pounding away on an anvil came in and out.

Returning to the merchant, he approached as Fin greeted him.

“Ah, welcome back, young adventurer. Any special items today?” he asked.

“Well, I do have a few items, but as for special, I’m not sure,” he said, taking out the silver ring with two open slots and the two healing potions he received as a gift from the interface. He presented them to Fin.

“What will you give for these?” Noah asked.

“Hmm, two healing potions and a nice, uncommon silver ring that is UN-imbued. Would you accept forty five crowns?” Fin offered.

“What about fifty?” Noah questioned as he gave Fin a sincere expression.

“You drive a hard bargain adventurer, but you’ve got a deal,” he agreed.

“Thanks so much, Fin.”

“No. Thank you, sir, for your business,” he said as he smiled at Noah. “Feel free to come by anytime. See you soon.”

“Bye Fin. Take care,” Noah said as he returned to the magic shop Runes and Relics. Making his way through the door, the bells chimed as he closed the door behind him. The slender grey-haired woman who ran the shop suddenly greeted him from across the room.

“Welcome back, adventurer. Are you seeking anything in particular?” she questioned.

“Well, do you have any tomes on Alteration magic?” Noah asked

“I believe I do,” the woman said as she turned to the tomes on the shelf behind her. Walking along as she inspected the tomes, she slid one off the shelf and dusted it off.

“Alteration tome of Poly-morph,” she read aloud. “Sound like something you’d be interested in?” she asked.

“May I examine it for a moment?” he questioned.

“You may,” she said as she sat the tome on the counter.

Opening the cover, Noah read the [Description]: “Poly-morph is a powerful and versatile magical Alteration skill that allows the caster to alter a target's physical form and appearance, transforming it into a different creature or object. This spell can be used on oneself, allies, or enemies, providing various strategic and creative possibilities.”

[Duration]: The effects of Poly-morph typically last for a limited time, often based on the caster's skill level and concentration. More experienced casters or mages with higher magic power can maintain the transformation for extended periods or make the change permanent until dispelled.”

“Perfect! I’ll take it!” he exclaimed.

“The tome’s cost comes to forty crowns,” she stated.

Noah took out forty of the fifty crowns he’d just received from Fin. Stacking them on the counter, he slid them over to the woman.

“Thank you, young adventurer, for your business,” she said, smiling.

“Thank you, ma’am. Take care,” Noah said as he made his way out of the shop.

Walking down the street, he made his way back through the front gate as he overheard one of the guards talking about a dungeon that had appeared near the city.

“A new C-rank dungeon appeared to the north of the city. Apparently, the adventurer’s guild is having trouble dealing with it. The city council is getting worried. I heard they’re calling in a team of B-rank adventurers from a nearby kingdom to deal with it. I hope it doesn’t evolve into a B-rank dungeon before they arrive. I remember when the A-rank dungeon appeared, and it went so long without being cleared that the monsters escaped and attacked the city. The boss could have escaped and killed everyone if it had reached S-rank.”

Another guard chimed in, commenting.

“Calm down. It’s got a long way to go to reach A-rank, or even S-rank, for that matter,” he said.

Noah continued walking down the road, reaching the field as he stopped thinking about what the guards had just discussed.

“There are dungeons then. I want to ask Emberfang what he knows of them. They’re ranked by power level and apparently appear randomly in different places. I want to register at the adventurer’s guild tomorrow,” he said as he continued to pass through the field and eventually headed through the forest.

Returning to the hot spring, he locked eyes with Emberfang. He was sitting next to the spring, surrounded by water sprites playing and flying around in a merry manner.

“Welcome back, Noah!” Emberfang yelled.

“I want to try something with you, Emberfang. Can you come over here a moment?” Noah asked.

“Of course,” he said, making his way to Noah.

“What is it you wish to try?” he questioned.

“Well, I found an alteration skill that can change your appearance. I just need to test it out,” Noah explained.

“This sounds interesting. I trust you, Noah. Let’s do it,” Emberfang said confidently.

“Okay, let me prep a moment,” Noah said, opening his item menu.

Scrolling to the new tome, he activated it.

“New Alteration Magic Skill: Poly-morph acquired. Magic skill: Poly-morph added to the skills menu,” the voice said as it disappeared.

“Alright. Now, Emberfang, I must be the one to change your appearance, and the duration lasts until you’re attacked or until I can't hold it anymore. The description stated if a mage with high magic power casts it, they’re more likely to keep a permanent appearance. With our unity ability, Mana Convergence, I thought the skill would be permanent until you, myself, or an enemy broke it,” Noah explained.

“Sounds pretty straightforward,” Emberfang said.

“Okay, Ready?” Noah asked.

“Ready as ever,” Emberfang said.

“Here it goes then,” Noah declared as he thought of an image of a small red wolf pup looking at him in his thoughts. “Got it.”

-[ Alteration Magic Skill: Poly-Morph ]-

Description: A powerful and versatile magical skill that allows the caster to alter the physical form and appearance of a target, transforming it into a different creature or object. This spell can be used on oneself, allies, or enemies, providing a wide range of strategic and creative possibilities.

Cost: -20 MP. Duration: unknown.

“Poly-Morph!” Noah chanted as a green aura came from his palms and swirled around Emberfang, slowly Altering his form.

The aura enveloped Emberfang, shrinking his large, imposing figure. His fur softened, becoming a vibrant, rich red, and his fierce eyes turned into large, innocent orbs. The transformation was completed, leaving a small, cute red wolf pup standing where Emberfang had been.

Emberfang looked up at Noah with wide, curious eyes, his tail wagging gently. He was now a tiny version of his former self, exuding an endearing cuteness.

Noah knelt, reaching out to gently pet the now-puppy version of Emberfang. “Well, how do you feel?”

Emberfang barked softly, his voice higher pitched and playful. “This is... different. But I feel fine. Quite agile.”

Noah chuckled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. “You look adorable. I think this will be a great advantage for us. Now, let's see how long we can maintain this form.”

Emberfang nodded, still adjusting to his new, smaller body. “Agreed,” he said as he ran for the water sprites causing mischief amongst them.

Dispersing the sprites, Ember Fang let out a high-pitched howl as he laughed. “I feel pretty good in this form,” he stated.

“You're so adorable in that form, too!” Noah exclaimed as he picked Emberfang up and nuzzled his cheek against his soft red fur.

“Hey, watch it. There’s a thing called personal space,” Emberfang muttered as he blushed from the sudden affection.

Noah laughed as he put Emberfang down. Noah sat beside him as he broke some sticks to lay on the fire.

“So, I overheard the guards talking about a dungeon that appeared north of the city. They say the adventurer’s guild in town can’t defeat it and that many of them lost their lives trying. Also, they mentioned a ranking system for the dungeons. Do you know anything about them?” Noah asked.

“Yes, they’re ranked E-rank through S-rank. Your power level and mine are currently measured as C-rank. And yes, the dungeons appear in random locations all the time. They are more low-ranked than higher-ranked ones, but the occasional high-ranked dungeons do pop up from time to time,” he explained.

“I see. I was thinking of applying to join the adventurer’s guild tomorrow. Wanna come with me and check out the city?” Noah asked.

“I will go anywhere you go. We are partners now, after all,” Emberfang said.

“Good, it’s settled. Tomorrow, we join the adventurer’s guild!” Noah exclaimed.

As the two conversed and played, getting used to Emberfang’s new form, they grew tired as dusk's light played through the canopies above.

Laying down, stretching by the fire, Noah sprawled out as Emberfang came closer and curled up next to him with a smile. He yawned with his new high-pitched voice. Upon hearing it, Noah chuckled slightly.

“Good night, partner,” Noah said softly.

“Goodnight,” Emberfang said as they fell asleep for the night…