A voice echoed through the void—calm, yet commanding.

“You will be transported to a new world filled with magic. You will be given powers.”

The words struck like lightning.

A young man—Nate Williams—felt his mind spin in confusion.

“Wait, what?” he stammered, trying to grasp what was happening.

But the voice didn’t answer. It continued, as if time itself was running out.

“Go forth and live a new life, young boy...”

Before Nate could respond, a blinding light consumed him, and everything disappeared.

When his eyes snapped open, Nate found himself lying on cold, damp earth. The scent of moss and soil filled his nose, and the ambient hum of distant wildlife echoed all around.

He pushed himself up slowly.

Towering trees stretched overhead, their glowing leaves casting a soft light through the mist. Surrounding him were animals—lions, cheetahs, wolves, and even birds perched in the branches above. They stared silently at him, unmoving. Watching.

"Where... am I?" he whispered, his voice lost in the rustling leaves.

Suddenly, a glowing screen appeared before him, floating midair, shimmering with faint golden light.

SYSTEM

Name:

Last Name:

Age:

Gender:

Nate blinked, stunned. Was this... a game?

After a moment’s hesitation, he answered aloud, “Nate Williams. Age 18. Male.”

His words appeared on the screen as text. Instantly, a new prompt flashed.

SYSTEM

“Confirm Info?”

Yes / No

He nodded instinctively. The screen blinked, and a strange sensation coursed through his body.

His limbs felt weightless—like gravity itself had loosened. Slowly, he rose a few inches off the ground. Golden light coiled around his arms and legs, disintegrating his clothes into glowing ash. In their place, sleek leather armor materialized, wrapping around him as if tailored for his form.

“What’s happening to me…?” he muttered, staring at his new gear.

Around him, the beasts bowed—the lions, the cheetahs, even the birds lowered their heads—as if recognizing a king.

His vision flickered. For a brief moment, the world inverted into negative colors. Then, it snapped back.

Nate landed softly on the ground.

He reached up and pulled a strand of his hair into view. It was no longer bright blue—it now gleamed silver, catching the dim forest light. His skin had also changed, paler, almost ethereal.

Then the screen returned.

SYSTEM

“You have gained a Hero Class: Beast Change. (Level 1)”

“Beast Change?” he echoed.

More text unfolded. The ability allowed him to transform into beasts he had defeated or bonded with. Each transformation would last 30 seconds, followed by a 2-minute cooldown.

He looked around. The animals were still there—but fewer now. Hadn’t there been more?

The system answered the question he hadn’t asked.

SYSTEM

“95% of the beasts were used to complete your update.”

His eyes widened. “Update?” He looked down at his armor, piecing it together. “So… they became this?”

A new window opened—his inventory.

INVENTORY

Eagle’s Crest Helmet

Wolf’s Fang Gauntlets

Alligator’s Blade

The equipment looked fierce—primal, designed for a warrior attuned to nature. Despite their rugged appearance, they felt light, built for speed and strength.

Then another message blinked across the screen.

SYSTEM

“Title Unlocked: King of the Jungle”

Nate chuckled softly. “King of the Jungle, huh?” It sounded ridiculous, but he couldn’t deny how right it felt.

The title granted him the ability to command the remaining beasts, and he would now gain 50% of the experience they earned in battle.

Another prompt appeared.

SYSTEM

“Would you like to see the names and levels of your beasts?”

Yes / No

“Yes,” he said.

Nameplates lit up above each creature’s head.

Flame Lion (Level 2)

Lightning Cheetah (Level 2)

Shadow Panther (Level 2)

Cursed Crow (Level 4)

Nate nodded in approval. “All under level 5. Not bad. A solid starting team.”

This world was already shaping up to be one hell of an adventure.

Emily – Age 19

Elsewhere, deep within the same forest, Emily cautiously led her adventurer party through the thick underbrush.

Their mission was simple: an E-rank goblin extermination. Five targets. Nothing too serious.

Yet, something felt... wrong.

“We haven’t seen a single goblin,” the armored knight murmured.

“Yeah. It’s strange,” added the archer, her bow slung casually over her shoulder.

“You think it’s a trap?” asked the mage, gripping his staff tightly.

“Possibly,” the knight replied. “What do you think, Emily?”

Emily hesitated, eyes scanning the trees. “Maybe... we just don’t know what to expect. First E-rank mission and all.”

The others nodded, though tension lingered in their eyes.

They continued forward—unaware of the nightmare waiting ahead.

Nate

For the past thirty minutes, Nate had been training with his beasts.

They had already taken down several goblins. His clothes were soaked in sweat and dust. Beneath the shade of a tree, he took a short break, reviewing his progress.

All his beasts had reached Level 9, except for the Cursed Crow, now Level 13.

Nate himself had risen to Level 12. His Beast Change had evolved—now lasting 30 minutes with only a 3-second cooldown.

Then, a desperate cry cut through the trees.

“Help!”

Nate froze.

“Help!” Louder now.

He sighed, pushing to his feet. “Looks like break time’s over.”

Emily

This was a nightmare.

They were surrounded.

A horde of goblins—at least a hundred—closed in from every direction. Their jagged blades gleamed with menace.

At the back, a towering goblin general watched with a twisted grin.

Emily and her team fought with everything they had, but it wasn’t enough. She raised her staff to cast a healing spell—only to see a goblin lunging toward her.

Blade raised. Too fast to dodge.

And in that instant, only one thought crossed her mind:

This is how I die.

The goblin’s knife gleamed as it plunged toward her. Emily couldn’t move. Her magic had fizzled out. This was it.

Then—

Boom!

A fireball ripped through the air, colliding with the goblin mid-leap. Flames erupted, engulfing the creature in a blinding blaze. Nearby goblins shrieked in agony as the fire spread like a living thing, devouring everything in its path.

Gasping, Emily turned toward the source.

From the shadows, a pair of burning eyes emerged—amber and alive with power. A massive lion stepped into view, its mane a living inferno. The creature radiated heat and dominance with every step.

“A... a flame lion?” she whispered, stunned. “No way…”

The goblin general snarled, bellowing commands in its guttural tongue. In an instant, the goblins charged.

The flame lion roared—a deafening, primal sound that shook the trees. From the darkness, other beasts answered its call.

A panther cloaked in shadows flickered into view, its body pulsing with void energy.

A cheetah, crackling with blue lightning, darted forward.

Overhead, a massive crow circled, its eyes glowing crimson.

The panther leapt—silent and deadly—swallowing the first wave of goblins in a swirl of darkness. Their bodies vanished without a sound.

Then twenty more collapsed, their forms twisted in unnatural shapes.

Emily’s allies stood frozen.

“A lion commanding other beasts… What is this?” one knight whispered, tightening his grip on his sword.

Before anyone could answer, the crow beat its wings, releasing a silver dust. Goblins beneath it stopped mid-motion, paralyzed in place.

Then came another lion—this one wreathed in darker, more chaotic flames. It burst through the smoke, its claws cleaving through the immobilized goblins in a single burning arc.

The horde was crumbling.

The cheetah became a blur, its strikes so fast they left afterimages. Goblins fell where they stood, reduced to smoking heaps.

Emily stood frozen, wide-eyed. “What… are they?”

Nate

At the center of it all, Nate stood in his beast form—the flame lion.

Power coursed through him. His body blazed with heat, every heartbeat synced with the rhythm of fire and fury.

[System Alert: Defeat the Goblin General to unlock its power.]

That meant transformation. Command. New abilities. The system was evolving again.

The goblin general roared and charged, its massive axe raised high.

Lightning flashed. The cheetah intercepted, slamming into the general with thunderous speed. The impact cracked the goblin's armor and sent it reeling.

But it wasn’t over.

With a snarl, the goblin smashed its axe into the dirt, raising a cloud of dust. A blind strike followed—a desperate, powerful blow.

The fist connected.

The cheetah flew backward, rolling before skidding to a stop.

Nate growled. That was enough.

Skill Activated: Blazing Body

A second surge of heat rippled outward. Flames intensified, wrapping his body in molten light. The very air shimmered with pressure. The ground beneath him cracked and steamed.

The goblin swung its axe—

It melted before impact.

Nate lunged.

Claws ignited, he tore through the goblin’s chest. Flesh, bone, armor—none stood a chance. The general choked, then collapsed into a heap of scorched flesh.

[System Alert: Goblin General Defeated]

Level Up: 13

Title Unlocked: Goblin Slayer

New Beast: Goblin Knight

Skin Unlocked: Goblin General

Nate stood over the body for a moment, flames still dancing across his mane.

Only the beginning, he thought. There’s more to uncover. More to become.

He turned—then stopped.

The adventurers.

Weapons drawn. Faces pale. They had witnessed everything—and they were terrified.

To them, he wasn’t a hero. He was something unnatural.

Nate sighed, letting the fire dissolve from his body. The transformation faded, revealing his human form. Pale skin. Silver hair. Eyes glowing faintly with power.

Gasps broke the silence.

“He’s… human?”

The young woman in pink robes stepped forward. Unlike the others, she didn’t shake. Her gaze wasn’t filled with fear, but curiosity.

“You saved us,” she said quietly. “Thank you.”

Nate nodded once and turned to leave.

“Wait,” she called. “Don’t you want the spoils?”

He shook his head. “I don’t need them.”

“Then… at least tell us your name.”

He paused, glanced over his shoulder.

“…Nate Williams.”

Before another word could be said, his form shimmered again. This time, he became the cursed crow. Wings spread wide, and with a single beat, he took to the skies.

The other beasts slipped into the shadows, fading one by one.

Only the crow remained, soaring high, its crimson eyes watching the world below.

Athena

Magic cracked through the training grounds like thunder.

Athena stood alone, sweat beading her brow. She raised her staff again—

Nothing. The spell fizzled out.

“Damn it…”

No matter how hard she tried, the power slipped from her fingers. Every failure dug deeper. She was supposed to be strong—royal blood, noble lineage, blessed by the stars.

Then why couldn’t she control her own magic?

A figure approached behind her. She turned.

A knight in radiant gold armor knelt, eyes cast low.

“Your Majesty, the king has summoned you.”

She exhaled sharply, brushing sweat from her face. “Very well. Tell him I’m on my way.”

As she walked past, she felt the knight’s eyes linger.

They all knew what she was trying to do.

They all knew she had something to prove.

For hours, Nate had carved through ogres, each swing of his blade methodical, precise. Now, only one remained—the Ogre Lord.

Despite standing in his human form, Nate didn’t feel at a disadvantage. With his newly unlocked skill, Part Change, he could selectively morph parts of his body into beast forms—gaining raw power without sacrificing agility.

Beside him, his Goblin Knight, now Level 11, stood tall with glowing eyes and sword at the ready.

The goblin charged first. Its blade clashed with the ogre’s massive hammer in a thunderous crash that echoed across the clearing. The force sent the goblin skidding back, but it had done its job.

Nate was already moving.

A burst of speed—he flashed behind the ogre, Crocodile Blade raised for the kill.

But the Ogre Lord was no fool. Twisting with surprising agility, it swung its hammer up, blocking Nate’s strike with a deafening clang. Nate was thrown back mid-air but landed with fluid grace.

“Not bad,” Nate muttered, eyes gleaming. “I really want that hammer now.”

The Goblin Knight didn’t wait. It surged forward, this time reading the ogre’s motion. As the hammer dropped defensively, the goblin shifted mid-swing, sliding its blade along the haft—and revealed a hidden dagger. A swift slash opened a deep wound along the ogre’s leg, forcing the beast to one knee.

Nate grinned. “Nice one!”

He leaped, blade aimed for the skull. The ogre raised its hammer in a final desperate block—but left its chest exposed.

The Goblin Knight struck true.

Its sword plunged deep into the Ogre Lord’s chest. The monster roared, staggered—and fell with a shuddering thud.

Silence.

Nate exhaled, brushing blood from his brow, and gave the goblin a light pat on the helmet. “Not bad for a sidekick.”

A familiar chime rang in his mind.

[System Notification]

Ogre Lord Defeated

Level Up: 17

New Beast Unlocked: Ogre Chef

New Skin Unlocked: Ogre Lord

He scanned the battlefield. His beasts were resting after the brutal fight, their forms even more impressive than before:

Ignis Lion (Level 16): Its flaming mane now roared with furnace-like intensity.

Thunderstrike Cheetah (Level 17): Arcs of lightning danced through its sleek, electrified form.

Evil Charm (Level 20): Once a cursed crow, now wreathed in dark flames and shadowy menace.

Shadow Panther (Level 17): Silent, unchanged—but deadly as ever.

Leaning against a scorched tree, Nate called up his status.

[Stats]

Level: 17

HP: 5000

MP: 4600

Attack: 2600

Defense: 2200

Abilities: Shadow Strikes, Flame Thrower, Lightning Dash, Dream Ville

He smirked. Even in human form, his arsenal grew stronger with every fight.

“Let’s see what this world throws at me next.”

Athena

The throne room was tense, the silence nearly suffocating. Athena stood at the base of the dais, facing her parents—King Aldred and Queen Elira.

The king rose, his deep voice laced with anger. “What is this foolishness, Athena?”

She met his gaze without flinching. “I’m not being foolish. I’m doing what I want.”

“Do you want to die in some gutter with a sword in your hand? Is that what you want?!”

“Yes,” she snapped, her voice raw. “If it means freedom, then yes.”

The king faltered, momentarily stunned by her conviction.

“The throne will go to my brother,” Athena continued. “So stop pretending I have a duty to it. I’m not a puppet.”

Queen Elira finally spoke, her tone gentler. “We only want what’s best for you.”

“I know what’s best for me,” Athena replied coldly, turning on her heel.

As the doors closed behind her, she muttered, “Royalty won’t rule me.”

Outside, as she approached the capital gates, two guards stepped in her path.

“Lady Athena,” one said, “we can’t allow you to leave the city without an escort. It’s too dangerous.”

A voice cut through the tension. “She won’t be alone.”

The guards turned and stiffened.

A knight in radiant white armor approached, his sword at his side and conviction in his eyes.

“Owen?” Athena blinked in surprise.

The guards stepped aside without protest. Owen fell into step beside her. Neither spoke as they left the capital, the forest rising before them like a challenge.

Owen

The forest was dense, shadowed, and alive with the sounds of hidden creatures. For hours, Owen and Athena traveled in silence. Finally, they came to a clearing where a fallen tree offered brief rest.

“So,” Athena broke the quiet, “how was Holy Knight Academy?”

“Grueling,” Owen admitted. He gave her a side glance. “Looks like you’ve had a rough time, too.”

Athena exhaled sharply. “They still won’t let me become an adventurer.”

“You worry too much,” he said simply. “They’ll understand—eventually.”

She scoffed, but didn’t argue.

Owen suddenly stood and pulled her up with him. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, startled.

He smirked. “To chase the horizon. Or something cooler than sulking.”

For the first time in days, she smiled.

Together, they walked deeper into the woods.

Emily

The guild hall buzzed with noise and motion. Adventurers came and went—until Emily’s party stepped forward at the counter.

The receptionist greeted them warmly. “Back already? Let’s see… one, two, three—”

She froze, fingers stopping at a severed ear. Her eyes widened.

“A Goblin General?!”

Gasps echoed from nearby tables. Adventurers turned, eyebrows raised.

The knight beside Emily shifted uncomfortably. “It wasn’t us,” he muttered.

The party stood silent, burdened by unspoken truths. Beasts had saved them. And that shame clung to their pride.

The receptionist looked up. “Then… who?”

The knight took a breath. “I’d like to accept F-rank missions again.”

She blinked. “You understand that’s a demotion?”

“I do,” he said. “And I accept it.”

One by one, the others stepped forward.

“Count me in,” said the archer.

“Me too,” the mage added.

Then all eyes turned to Emily.

She met their gazes. Once, she would’ve hesitated. Not now.

“I’m with them,” she said. “We’ll grow stronger—together.”

The knight smiled. “So, what’s it going to be?”