Chapter 1: Waking Up

I opened my eyes and squinted at my surroundings. This definitely wasn't the plush room of my Marriott hotel. This was... well, not where I should be right now.

Let's try this again. Slowly, I pried my eyes open, half-expecting to see the tan walls and furniture of my suite. Instead, I was met with dim light, filtered through the trees and fog. Nope, still not where I'm supposed to be.

My gaze darted around. This wasn't a dream, right? The notion seemed absurd, but the scenario was equally outlandish. My mind must be playing tricks on me. Closing my eyes, I tried to regain my bearings. Maybe if I opened them again, things would make sense. 

As my eyelids lifted, the forest was still there, murky fog and all. I could see perfectly through it though, almost as if it were invisible... The trees stood out in sharp relief, the grooves and patterns on their bark as clear as day. My breath hitched at this newfound clarity. It was eerie, and I couldn't help but inhale sharply.

Speaking of inhaling, the smell of rain-soaked leaves and wet dirt wafted in the air. There was something else too... was that the faint scent of steak, and… Is that shrimp? Oh, and there’s even- No! Focus, Hammond. Get a grip.

With my eyes closed, I took in the sensation of the dirt beneath me. It made me shiver, not from its temperature or texture, but from the realization that my cozy bed was miles away. This was reality. A forest that was cold. And I was naked, huh, I wonder where my clothes went, I don’t recall being an exhibitionist…

Confusion was still spinning in my head. I shifted onto my back and stared at the towering trees, half-expecting them to spill the beans about how I ended up here. Silly, I know. But right now, I have more questions than answers.

A sigh escaped my lips. This was far from my usual morning routine. But hey, deep breaths, right? I inhaled, exhaled, and tried to shake off the weirdness. Whatever was happening, staying dazed wouldn't help.

So, I focused on my breaths, the rhythm grounding me. This was real, and I needed to deal with it. But man, my vision seemed to have had a major upgrade. My body felt lighter too, like I'd shed a ton of weight.

Pushing myself up, I brushed dirt off me. My own body felt different, and I couldn't shake the idea that maybe some mad scientist had experimented on me. That could explain the improved vision and the strange lightness.

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But here's the thing: I wasn't scared. Most people would be losing it right now, but me? I was oddly okay with it. The old routine, getting up, heading to work, pretending to be social, it was getting boring. So, this unexpected twist? Oddly enough, I was okay with it. In fact it was quite exciting!

I grinned to myself. I was naked in a forest, my body possibly tweaked by a mad scientist. It almost reminded me of the superhero origin stories from the comics I used to read. Ah, the good old days. I was young and—

BUZZZZZZZZ!

A jarring, ear-splitting buzz made me cringe. It felt like it was carving into my brain. When it finally stopped, a rush of memories swarmed me, like a storm of open doors in my mind. I staggered and clutched a tree for support.

Suddenly, I knew why I was different. I was a Skinwalker. I muttered, my lips moving fast to get it all out.

"Innate Skills: Immortality. Shapeshifting. Soul Devouring. Mental Immunity. Presence Control. Body Control. Blessings: Emotional Balance. Essence Control. Vulnerabilities: Soul Disruption. Insatiable Hunger."

It felt like I'd known these things my whole life. Being a Skinwalker, it was like playing a video game with the cheat codes on. Shapeshifting, immortality, and eating souls to get stronger? Yeah, that was some next-level stuff. 

But then, there was this presence, invisible but heavy. It seemed ready to swallow me whole, yet that felt oddly comfortable. The presence whispered in my head, a deep voice echoing around me.

-You are the last of our kin. Reproduction is impossible for our kind, unless you reach the stage of Arch-Walker. To do so, you must devour the soul of anything you can. And cycle its energy within yourself, as you instinctively know how.-

-Do as your purpose commands. But be smart. For you are the last, and the most important. Do not perish, for the future of our kin rests upon your soul.-

And just like that, the presence was gone, replaced by the cold of the forest. The cold breeze, brushing against my bare ass. The idea of it all, adventure and revenge, set my heart racing. 

But as that voice had said, I needed to be smart about it. So, how about a little manipulation? Humans were easy to fool, after all. I did it alot even on earth as a human.

Oh yeah, I’m not on earth anymore, huh. And I’m not a human… Wait, so that means, I don’t have to give a shit about what humans think. Hehehe…

In this life, human’s are my prey. What does the opinion of livestock have on the farmer? 

Human morals don’t apply to me… Nor does their normalcy, their reservations about certain topics, or their fear… Oh yeah, this is gonna be fun!

Hm. And now that I think about it, those smell’s earlier were [ Soul Scents ], right? I wonder… Will the one that smells like steak taste like steak…?

My stomach began to grumble. My pale and hairless skin broke out into goosebumps, and my fingers and toes morphed into claws. Even my teeth turned into fangs.

Oh? Is this my hunting form? It’s pretty efficient… 

With a single push, I shot forward into the trees like an arrow. My speed was pretty fast, but only because I had the nimbleness of a deer, while having the speedy quick acceleration of a cheetah.

Hm, though I need to practice, so that I don’t die. I may come back to life, but I don’t wanna risk anything.

Ah, well that can be done later. For now, It’s time for breakfast!