Chapter 1 : I became a Crow

'Heuk-' My breathing was heavy. I blinked my eyes as I took a deep breath to calm my rapid breathing.

“Uh, so……”

I'm sure… that I went to the zoo in the morning and cleaned the cages. I was temporarily in charge of the tigers because sunbae (senior) was on break. I was happy about it since I really like them.

After that, I felt something struck my throat then my vision blurred.

Reflexively, I raised my hand to stroke my neck, but I halted. *Flap*, it wasn’t my arm that goes up---

"Caww?!!! (What’s this?!)"

Feathers?! No, it's wings!! Why did my arms become wings?! No way, did my brain move into a bird's head?! That's not it!! There can't be a bird with that head size!! What is this?!! Reincarnation? Possession?! That kind of thing is... There's no way something ridiculous like that could happen to me!

My eyes were spinning in confusion. Then, I realized... that I'm not inside the tiger’s cage anymore.

I’m inside a forest full of green.

I calmed my mind that was about to explode and checked out my body. There were black feathers with purple and green lusters depending on the angle on my arms, or wings.

My body was also covered with feathers of the same color.

Furthermore, my legs were as thin as branches and had three front toes. There was one new and distinctive hind toe.

The tail feathers of a suitable length on my backside also had the same black color.

"--- Caw? (Ah-----)"

I was going to make a sound, but the "sound" that came out was "Caw".

Am I a crow?!! I don't know if it's possession or reincarnation, but I'm not a human, I became a crow?!

No, nnooo!

Talking about reincarnation or possession, won't you usually come into a novel or stumble into a game and became a beautiful woman? I was thinking that it would be something like that!!

But why?! Why?! Why did I become a bird?!! On top of that, I’m a crow! The animal that competes with black cat for the number one place of the most unlucky animal!!

What is this?! I’m a bird?!! Doctor!!!

***

The place I was in is a forest. Specifically, I'm on a branch. Earlier, I was so distracted that I didn't look properly, but there were so many thick and large trees that I wondered if they really existed in Korea.

The biggest problem is about my (crow’s) food. I can eat nuts and fruits, but as for bugs, corpses, and half-rotting animal carcasses---.

--Fxck. If I see the god who made me like this in front of me, I want to punch him.

No, I don't have hands, so I'll peck his eyes with my beak!

I realized about something as I imagined pecking the god all over.

--I can fly...right?

No, I used to be a human with no wings at all. Can I fly? But what if I fall?

I bowed my head and looked down below the tree I’m currently on.

Hi- High! It’s so high!! If I fall, my bones will break!

Birds are frail because their bones are fragile!

I stomped my feet multiple times while having that thought, but… something was a bit strange. Huh? What’s going on?

I thought it was an illusion, so I looked down at the ground again. Below me-- huh? That’s weird. I'm supposed to have acrophobia. Why am I okay with this?

Strangely, I wasn't scared of this high place. My heart is pounding, but it wasn't like before where I was sweating profusely and lost my legs strength.

Is it because I became a crow? Well, it would be funny if a flying bird has a phobia of height.

Arms - No, I spread my wings. my feathers swayed by gentle breeze blowing through the branches, it felt like my body would float. Whoa, whoa...

I was almost blown away. No, wait. Don't I have to fly?

Whether I am looking for food, figuring out where I am, or looking for people, I have to figure out how to fly first. The wind seems to be blowing just right. But it was scary to fly right away. I looked around. Ah, there's a tree branch nearby! Oh yeah!

Baby birds practice by flying from branch to branch when they just leave the nest, right? OK, I'll try that.

I swallowed my saliva when I saw that one branch below the branch where I was at. Okay, it'll be fine! C’mon me! If you really think you're going to fall, your arms--no, if you flap your wings rapidly, you won't fall!

I put strength on my legs and jumped towards that branch. I was afraid to fall, so I flap my wings really hard.

"Caww! Caw! Caw! Kkak! (Come on, fly! Go to that branch!)"

I flapped my wings and moved my legs in the air. Perhaps it was worthwhile to move so desperately, because I could barely set my foot on the branch.

Haaaaaa! I'm alive!

I sat on the branch to caught my breath.

Is- isn't this pretty good? I thought it would be a problem, but I think it'll be okay if I practice a little bit--?

Once again, I spread my wings and flap them lightly. With that simple act alone, my body felt like it was floating, and my heart was racing.

Let’s- let’s do it again!

My heart felt like it was being squeezed while chills spread faintly all over my body.

But what's greater was that whenever I move my wings, my body floats as I set my mind to it.

The wind that brushed my cheeks and tickled my feathers was refreshing. The air that gathered under my wings and supported me was also refreshing.

Wow- Did all the flying birds live like this? It's so free!

Still, I think I learned it quickly because my body is that of a crow's.

I'm definitely not a genius, and this is also not a hundred million won worth body.

Well, I'm lucky. It's much better than being stuck here and starved to death or being eaten. *Rumble-

Ugh, I'm hungry. Come to think of it, I overslept this morning and couldn't grab a bite.

I looked around and saw nothing but green.

It would be nice if there are fruits. But I'm not the main character, and there's no way that rice cakes will appear in front of my eyes when I need them, right? If I'm the main character, I wouldn't even become a crow!

Let's see---. Obviously, crows were omnivores, aren't they? Whew, that's a relief.

If I am a bird that only eats bugs, I would have seriously thought about whether I should die and start a third life. How can I put a gross wriggling thing in my mouth? No, in my beak!

I touched my hungry stomach while making a firm resolution not to eat bugs even if I saw them.

There is still hope, though.

I still don't know what kind of world this is, right? If it has a cultivation background, there's a way to train for tens or hundreds of years to become a mystical creature. The fact that it takes decades is a ditch, but since there's a possibility... Hah-- why am I crying?

*Rumble-

Even in this situation, my stomach’s rumbling was not much different from when I was a human. I was somewhat annoyed.

Phew, let's find something to eat first. I’m hungry…

What should I do?

I flew through the forest while muttering to myself. I looked around carefully, listened to the sound of birds chirping in my ears. There’s also the rustling of leaves and something that moved in the bushes.

Maybe it was not the season of fruits. The leaves were abundant, but nothing that looked delicious could be seen. Of course, there will be no seeds.

Then,

- Do I have to eat bugs? Do I have to eat worms?! Oh no! I hate that!! Um, let's find water! I'll catch fish too! I like sashimi, so I'll just close my eyes and eat it!

Not bugs, absolutely!

I sat on a nearby branch and rested for a while, vowing not to eat them.

To be frank, the safest way is to find a flock of crows, but I didn't choose this because I remembered that the crows formed flocks only during the mating season. They’re smart, but it's hard to find a flock which was really outside of the mating season. Being in a flock, there’s also the possibility of being chased, beaten, or killed.

--Give up, I give up. I'd prefer a human. If possible, a male protagonist of any novel or other story. No, I don't care whether it's male or female!

For now, I need to find humans and act as cute as I can to gain their favor, because if I don't, I’ll either be stoned to death, shot down with an arrow, beheaded, or killed because I, a bird that symbolized unluckiness, came close to them.

Why am I in a ditch this early? I take over a body, but why is there no buff? How is that possible?

A sigh came out naturally as I imagined the future, which looked as black as my black feathers. N-no, no!! Calm down! I don't know anything yet!

All I've done so far is that I became a crow, panicked, practiced, and flew around for a bit to look for food! Where is it though? I still don't know. Let's have hope! I can still hold onto the strings of hope that this is a cultivation world!! Don't throw away the possibility that I can be a mystical creature!

For now, I have to find water...

The rustling sound got louder. Huh? Is something there?

I put strength on my arms, or wings, so that I could fly away. I also looked down.

After becoming a crow, thanks to my improved eyesight, I could see the rustling bushes from afar. What is it? What's there?

My heart was pounding, I slowly approached it with caution.

Is it a man? Um, a noble or royalty who went hunting as a hobby in the forest? Although a bit cliché, maybe it’s a member of a hero party? No, if it's a cultivation world, it could be a qi (life energy) master---!

Whatever it is, I just wanted a person to be there. I looked at the rustling bushes with that desperate wish.

O-hoh. Something came out from the bushes!

'Fxck, dreams or hopes doesn't exist in this world.'

I feel betrayed when pig heads pop out from the bushes. Those pig heads with bulging flesh came out while holding crude-looking weapons.

Hey-- hey! What do I do when the things that come out are mountain orcs from a fantasy?! You pigs really don't know how to read the mood!

A handsome guy should be the one who appeared from there! Aaahh! Fxck! This life is ruined!

I feel hopeless about my life, then I stole a glance at the orcs. Really, they're not lying about orcs being dirty and snorts. Originally, pigs are neat animals that are choosy about bathroom, but why are these orcs with pig head so messy?

The sight of the orcs that looked like flies were flying around made me nauseous.

Good grief. Let's not get close- No, wait, think about it.

If the orcs are here, it means the village where the orcs live is nearby, right? When there's a village, it should be easy to get food and water. If nothing else, the water should be nearby!

Ooh, I heard that people gain strength that they didn't have in crisis situations. My head's gears are spinning!

I slowly followed the orcs, praising my brain for its nice thought in this situation.

I don't know if it's because they don't know that I'm following them by flying between branches or if they don't care about crows, but I can hear the orcs' conversation.

"Chiek! We need to find him quickly. Chiek!"

"How dare he kill our comrade, chiek! Let's catch that human and eat soft meat, chiekkk!"

"Since there's only one left, how about the one who catches it gets to eat all of him? Chiek!"

"That's good, chiek! It's such a waste to share when it's just one person!"

Listening to their conversation, I learned two things, one was that, surprisingly, I could understand their words.

Wow, I thought there was no buff, but you made me understand their words? You have at least some conscience!

I don't know if it's God or the will of the world, but I suppose that he has a minimum conscience. Yeah, literally just the bare minimum. Damn it!

Oh, and one more. These orcs are chasing after someone. A person with the skills powerful enough to kill orcs.

But honestly speaking, I don't expect that much.

‘It's probably a mercenary or something like that.’

Just after I became a crow, I had high hopes, and ended up being shattered. You thought I'd look forward to it? I'm not making expectation - I'm not - I'm only going to check out this person.

I'll expect this person to be a mercenary or hunter – please let me meet a human this time. Come, hunter, come out, mercenary-

I prayed in my heart and flew after the orcs. But I chased away that wish.

No, what if I really meet a mercenary or hunter this time? Guess I'll look for this person! Little ****..., if it's like last time, I'll let you know that if a crow is angry, it'll be XXX!

As the orcs march forward, I started searching from up high.

Orcs need to explore on feet for the search, but I'm a crow! I can fly, so I can find that person from above!

I smiled in my heart and looked around eagerly. It hasn't been long since I was able to fly, but it felt so good to be able to fly freely as if I was walking.

Hmhmhm~ Where are you? Where? Please come out!

"Caww! (Found him!)"

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