I emerged from the sewer, blinking in the sudden brightness, and found myself in what looked like a back alley. It was a narrow space between two buildings, hemmed in on three sides by structures that seemed to loom over me. I assumed they were houses because they were low and made of what looked like mud and stone, their walls rough and uneven. The third side of the alley was also closed off by a similar building, creating a claustrophobic feeling that wasn't much better than the sewers I'd just escaped.

It wasn't a long alley, maybe ten feet at most. Waste littered the alley. Puddles of stagnant water reflected the sunlight, leftover food attracted flies, and spoiled vegetables added their own pungent aroma to the mix. It smelled of piss and crap, probably from stray animals. Maybe humans, who knows? The stench was overwhelming to my sensitive cat nose, making me wrinkle my face in disgust.

The open end of the alley ended in what looked like a street, as it was a hubbub of activity. People-humans- moved across the open alley mouth. I felt glee seeing that I was among cultured species, no matter how unhygienic my surroundings seemed. But freedom was still out of reach, as two rats blocked my way out of the alley.

They were nibbling away at a rotting cabbage, their sharp teeth tearing into the soft, decomposing leaves. One of them was bigger than all the rats I had seen so far by a couple of inches. They hadn't noticed my arrival yet. There was enough space around them that if I was to make a dash for it, I would easily get out of the alley without confronting them. They would sometimes try to stop the other from eating by hitting or pushing with their little paws. Rats, I mean. They are dumb enough to not realize that they have enough to eat around for both of them. Their squabbling was almost comical, a miniature turf war over scraps. Seeing them eat made my hunger intensify. My stomach grumbled.

The ears of the slightly bigger rat twitched, and it turned to stare straight at me, its beady eyes locking onto mine. Whatever hopes I had of getting away without a fight were gone in that instant. The rat's whiskers quivered, and I could almost see the calculations running through its tiny brain—friend or foe? Food or threat?

"Meow," I said, trying to sound friendly.

I even attempted a smile, though I wasn't sure how that translated on my feline face. But I guess they didn't believe in friendships between stray cats and rats. They growled, a low, menacing sound that sent shivers down my spine. These bastards' growling was getting on my nerves now. I mean, I being a superior species couldn't even growl yet, but these rat-like bastards were growling? The unfairness of it all made me want to hiss in frustration.

So I did. I hissed, the sound coming out more forcefully than I expected, and they backed off a little. Guess I was good at something, at least. A small victory, but I'd take what I could get in this strange new world.

Our hissing and growling contest went on for a few seconds, a standoff that felt like it lasted an eternity. I hoped they might back off if I frightened them a little, but it didn't work. They were getting impatient, their bodies tense and ready to spring. A fight seemed inevitable, the air thick with tension. I eyed my surroundings, searching for any advantage I could find in this sudden battlefield.

That's when I spotted it—a rusted nail lying among some wood shavings. It wasn't much, but in this situation, it might as well have been Excalibur. I quickly jumped and grabbed the nail between my paws, the metal cool against my paw pads. Seeing me move, the rats also attacked me at the same time, their coordination surprising me.

Using one paw to keep the smaller rat at bay, I tried to stab the bigger one with the nail. My movements were clumsy, unused to wielding weapons in this new body. I barely missed its head, but the nail went into its left cheek. It worked better than I could have hoped. The bastard cried in pain and fell down on the ground, using its paws to get rid of the nail. I left it to worry about its mouth and focused on the smaller rat.

It was the same size as me and was trying to bite my paws. Thankfully, all it got for its efforts was a tuft of fur. As I saw it attack again, I swiped my claw on its face. I think I got its eye as it squealed and tried to run. Rats are fast at running, but I quickly grabbed its face, forcing it to the ground, and used my claws to swipe its neck. Its movements stopped soon enough.

Chime. I ignored the blue window floating in front of my eyes and focused on the second rat. It was already crying in pain on the ground, not even able to open its mouth, which was pierced by the nail. I attacked its neck, helping it out of its misery. Chime. As the adrenaline of the fight began to fade, I finally allowed myself to look at the notifications.

You have killed a Level 1 Venomous Rat. Earned 1 XP.

You have killed a Level 1 Venomous Rat. Earned 1 XP.

Congratulations! You have reached Level 1.

You have earned 5 Free Points.

You can choose a new Skill.

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My breathing was heavy, my body aching from the exertion, but the sound of the chimes filled me with an odd sense of accomplishment. Level 1. I did it. I was no longer that helpless kitten in the sewers, at least not entirely. I had progressed. The concept of 'leveling up' in real life was still bizarre to me, a reminder of how strange this new world was. But I couldn't deny the rush of excitement that came with it. I meowed to call up the Status, curious to see how my stats had changed.

Name: Unnamed

Species: Feline

Level: 1

XP: 0/20

Class: None

Job: None

Health 18/24 Stamina 10/34 Mana 0/20

Strength 2 Dexterity 4 Constitution 2 Wisdom 1 Charisma 5

Free Points: 5

Skills: [Choose New Skill]

It wasn’t much, but it was progress. And more importantly, I had five free points to spend. I also got the option to choose a skill. I saw that my stamina had decreased from earlier because of the exertion during the fight.

Spending these points and choosing a new skill will definitely help me in my survival. But since my entire future depends on how I use these points, I should hold on to them for now and choose my build once I know what kind of world this is.

My stomach grumbled again.

And I have more important things to take care of.

Now that the immediate danger had passed, I could finally see myself clearly in the sunlight. In the sewers, I only saw black and blue around me, but now, being in the open, I saw that I was an orange kitten. I had patches of white fur scattered across my chest and paws, giving me a scrappy but oddly endearing appearance. My tail was a bit fluffier than I'd imagined, twitching with energy even when I tried to keep still.

My fur had become matted and dirty in places, likely from the sewers and my recent scuffle with the rats. I looked like a typical stray. But below the fur, I was a pitiful sight—ribs jutting out beneath my skin, and my tiny frame looked fragile as if a stiff breeze might blow me over. My stomach growled loudly, a reminder that I hadn’t eaten anything since I woke up in this strange new world.

The chimes, while encouraging, weren’t going to fill my empty stomach. I glanced at the two dead rats. They didn’t look appetizing, not in the least. I had the urge to eat the rat I killed down in the sewers, but being a civilized soul, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. My instincts as a cat wanted to just bite down on the rats right then and there, but my human soul kept it in control somehow.

And they are venomous rats. Who knows, I might accidentally eat their venom glands or something and die again. I assume this kitty died after getting poisoned by their venom.

The bite marks on my leg were proof.

But the only other things to eat in the alley were the rotting fruits and vegetables. I might have eaten them as a human if I was desperate enough. But my cat's body felt repulsed at the sight of them. And I had no idea about which of these things a cat can even eat. Didn't want to suffer from indigestion on top of everything else.

Having no other option, I focused on the street in front of me. I cautiously moved toward the alley's mouth, peering out at the bustling street beyond. The cacophony of sounds hit me like a wave—humans talking in a language I didn't understand, carts creaking as they rolled over uneven cobblestones, the occasional bark of a dog that made me instinctively want to hide. I flattened my ears at the thought of running into another predator, but staying here wasn't an option. I had to find food, and more importantly, figure out where exactly I was.

The street was wide but filthy, its cobblestones uneven and cracked in places, with muddy puddles filling the gaps. The air was thick with the smell of unwashed bodies, animal dung, and rotting food. It was a far cry from the clean, orderly cities I was used to in my previous life. This place seemed medieval, or at least pre-industrial.

The street was lined with shabby buildings, their walls crumbling and streaked with grime. Many had thatched roofs that looked like they'd seen better days, with patches missing here and there. Laundry hung from windows, adding splashes of color to the otherwise drab scene.

This was clearly a poorer part of town. The stalls weren't much more than makeshift stands cobbled together from broken wood and scrap metal. Vendors didn't shout about their wares with enthusiasm, but muttered to pedestrians, their voices rough and weary. Their wares weren't much better—wilted vegetables, small, shriveled fish, and bread that looked more like rocks than anything edible. A few hunks of tough-looking meat hung from hooks, covered in flies, more brown than red at this point.

Humans—dirty and disheveled—moved back and forth, carrying baskets, pushing carts, and shouting at each other in a language I didn't recognize. Their clothes were simple and often patched, mostly earth tones that had faded with wear and washing. Children ran barefoot through the street, playing games and dodging around the legs of adults. It was a rough neighborhood through and through, the kind of place where life was hard and every day was a struggle to survive.

But it also meant that everyone ignored the small, scruffy kitten that had just joined the moving crowd. Getting ignored was good, but that also meant that everyone bigger than you could kill you if they stepped on you. I was anxious, looking at the looming shapes of humans and animals alike. So, I kept low, my belly almost brushing the ground as I moved.

I darted between shadows and hid behind crates and barrels as I moved closer to the market stalls. My new feline body was surprisingly agile, able to squeeze into tight spaces and move silently across the uneven ground.

Then a stall caught my eye - piles of relatively fresh fish lay glistening in the sunlight, their scales shimmering like tiny mirrors. The smell hit me like a physical force, making my mouth water instantly. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me of its emptiness. Finally, something to cure my hunger.