⟐ Chapter 2
Upon hearing the sound of gushing water, I suspected a stream or a river nearby, and I began to follow the sound. After a few moments, I reached the source of the sound and was indeed correct. It was a river.
The water is crystal clear and has a slight bluish hue emanating from it, so I used my skill to inspect it.
[Kulvian River: This river is located in the Kulvian forest. It is a long river connecting from the west of the Kulvian forest all the way to the center of it. This body of water is rich in mana and can improve plants and the stats of nearby inhabitants. This river flows above a natural mana vein and is a rare natural occurrence.]
Out of all the rivers I’ve seen in my life, this is the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in person, aside from the ones in movies. But even then, this beats them by a landslide. I went closer to the body of water and stared down at the flowing water. There I saw for the first time my reflection.
White, pure celestial white. It was as if I was a polished concrete statue untainted by anything. My defining facial features that I had on earth were gone; instead, it was replaced by something artificial looking, trying to look humanoid. I still have lips, nose, and even eyes, but even they are white and barely noticeable with only the shadow showing the outline of my facial anatomy. I opened my mouth, and it was the same; it was all white inside except for the darkness leading down my throat.
I felt my head as my hair was now gone, and as I touched my skin from top to my arms and to my feet. It felt smooth yet artificial, like smooth rubbery skin. I was naked and saw myself clearly still humanoid in shape except I was taller. I just noticed that I am around three meters tall. It didn’t dawn on me yet as the forest trees were quite enormous making them inadequate to be referenced to my height.
I was incredibly surprised, and I can’t really explain what I’m feeling right now. Alienation? Even though I knew my appearance would change when I changed races, but actually seeing myself in person like this still feels extremely strange.
I decided to douse my face with the water from the river, and the feeling of water touching my skin was the final proof that the body I'm looking at is mine and that I can’t change that fact. As my body back on earth had degraded to the degree that it was, I couldn't help but actually feel happy to be in what one could call a perfect body—a pure and untainted healthy body. And as I stared into the water contemplating my new me and the new circumstance I was in, I heard a loud growl across the river.
As if by instinct, I quickly inspected the one that made the sound.
[Enhanced Elite Wild Forest Bear (Tier 1 Rare): This species of beast-type monster is prominent in all lush forest biomes. Generally, these bears could be found near food source areas, and they are extremely territorial. This bear is unnamed and is quite strong for its variant. Status: Angered. Stats: Strength: 52, Constitution: 48, Agility: 45, Dexterity: 40, Intelligence: 37, Wisdom: 38, Willpower: 35 . Skills: Enhanced Beastial Rage (E), Enhanced Beastial Claw (E)...]
There was quite a lot of information given, and by the looks of it, it wanted me out of its territory as it kept on making threatening noises and gestures. I was surprised by this event, not because of the bear but instead because of something else. I don’t feel even an ounce of fear. The normal reaction might be to feel even a single hint of threat from such a beast, but instead, I feel nothing more than curiosity and contempt from such a mere beast. Why do I feel offended? I don’t quite understand, but I know for sure that something isn’t aligning. This feeling doesn’t quite feel like me nor does it feel unnatural. It feels like something I need to feel. A threat from a mere beast? Unacceptable. The feeling I'm having is telling me to make the beast know its place.
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
And so the beast charged forward, maybe it had enough of its invader not heeding its threats or maybe it just wanted to show what it means for others to defy its authority. But one thing is certain, it was out for blood.
As the beast charged, its figure kept getting bigger. I knew it had quite the size from afar, but seeing it come close in person is entirely different. I’m approximately three meters tall, yet this one would likely tower over me if faced too faced.
It soon traversed the river, making thunderous splashes in the river water. Each roar louder than the last as it closed in the distance between me and it. And finally feeling like it was close enough, the claws and eyes of the beast lightened with a red hue.
I was just standing still, feeling as calm as before. I don’t feel like this is nothing more than a mere annoyance, and I want to get rid of it as soon as possible. And when its eyes and claws glowed red, I instinctually inspected them.
[Enhanced Elite Wild Forest Bear has used [Beastial Rage (E)]: Its strength has increased by 15%, and its constitution decreased by 5%. This skill is currently active and is working with 100% efficiency.]
[Enhanced Elite Wild Forest Bear has used [Beastial Claw (E)]: Its next on-hit attack will deal an additional 30% physical damage and physical penetration. This skill is aimed at a target.]
It seems like the beast used two of its skills, and yet it felt like nothing changed whatsoever. But now that it's closer, I felt something different. Like the world slowed, and my senses heightened by quite a margin. The bear’s movements were now much clumsier than before. Not wanting to waste more time, I walked closer to the bear, and a thought came to my mind.
Should I block it? It doesn’t feel powerful at all. It’s more like seeing a small child trying to hit a grown adult. And so I raised my left hand to block its clawed strike.
Thud! The strike stopped at contact. I didn't move as much as a millimeter, but the bear’s paw rebounded from my arm and it roared loudly.
The bear looked at me with its beady eyes with confusion, but soon it regained its composure and attacked me again. Yet the same thing happened.
Thud after thud, roar after roar. I stood still as a flurry of thunderous attacks rained upon me. I sustained not even a minor bruise. Though I don’t know if I can even bruise with my new body, but I didn’t feel a single hint of pain.
After a few more strikes that felt more desperate than the last, I grew bored and decided to finally retaliate against my so-called opponent.
I readied my right arm for a right hook, and instantly the bear felt alarmed and backed off a bit. But before it could even process what just happened, I let my right hook go and punched the bear in front. Instantly like a direct mortar fire, a quick thunder clap soon followed a final great thud as the bear fell with a big hole in its chest.
The bear laid dead as blood from its giant wound tainted the waters. Not soon after it died, a notification popped up in front of me.
[You have killed [Enhanced Elite Wild Forest Bear]! You received 300 [Gold] 6 [Souls]!]
That was my very first-ever violent kill.
I haven’t even killed a chicken back on earth, much less a bear of that size. Yet I feel comfort and satisfaction. It felt like I had given something to the bear. It felt like I had given it a gift—a gift of complete release from suffering. A great mercy to the one in pain. Violence isn’t pretty, but the sight of peace after death and knowing that I had given it salvation from this unsightly world gave me a sense of self-righteousness.
I sat down next to the bear. And as I stared at the river being painted red by each passing moment, and I began to caress its furry head, like a mother would to its sleeping child.
“This world is full of unpretty things and unfortunately you are one of those suffering from life as your very being is trapped by your natural instinct.”
I stood up from the river side and began to walk back to my [King’s Core], leaving the river red and body alone.