The moment I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the heavy, unfamiliar scent of the air. It was thick with the tang of something...wild. A sharp contrast to the sterile, metallic scent of the hospital room where I had taken my last breath in my previous life.
"Where am I?" I muttered to myself, sitting up on the cold, hard ground.
My vision was blurry, and it took a few moments for my surroundings to come into focus. The trees around me loomed tall and ancient, their trunks thick with bark, their branches intertwining high above to create a canopy that blocked out most of the light. The air was thick with moisture, and the sound of distant roars and rustling leaves filled the atmosphere, making it feel alive, as though the entire forest was aware of my presence.
I had no idea how I got here. One moment, I was struggling to breathe, my body succumbing to a fatal illness, and the next, I was in a place that looked like it belonged in a fantasy novel. Or rather, a nightmare. The roars I heard in the distance weren't from harmless animals—no, they were too deep, too primal.
But... something was different. Something felt right.
I shook my head, trying to make sense of the situation. My body felt… strong, energized, unlike the weak, sickly form I had before. My muscles didn't ache, my joints didn't creak. It was as if I had been reborn into a healthier, more powerful body.
"What's going on?" I mumbled, standing up slowly.
I brushed dirt and leaves off my clothes—no, not clothes, it was more like a rugged outfit, tailored for something far more dangerous than anything I'd worn back in my old life. A black tunic made of some flexible, durable material, and a set of dark pants. My hands were bare, but the texture of the skin felt different—tougher, more resilient. I flexed my fingers, and they felt stronger than I remembered.
Suddenly, a notification flashed in my vision, written in glowing letters that seemed to come from nowhere.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
Congratulations, Host. You have been reborn into the world of "Viraelon."
You have been granted the title "SSS-Rated Beast Hunter."
Infinite Mana has been unlocked.
The words hung in the air like a joke, mocking me for a brief moment. I stared at them, blinking, trying to understand what I was reading.
"SSS-Rated Beast Hunter?" I said aloud, the absurdity of the title making me scoff. "Infinite mana? Is this some kind of joke?"
It wasn't. The system's words felt... real. But they also felt like something out of a video game, like a cheat code. The kind you hear about in stories—unlimited power, no consequences.
The "infinite mana" part was particularly intriguing. Mana. It wasn't a term I was unfamiliar with, but I had never really believed in it. Back in my old world, magic had been a fantasy, a mere story told to children. Yet, here it was, staring me in the face as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
I closed my eyes, trying to focus on what was happening inside me. And then, it came to me. A soft, endless flow of energy, like a river running deep within my chest, filling every fiber of my being. I could feel the raw power, surging through me, making me feel invincible. And the best part? It wasn't running out.
Infinite mana. As crazy as it sounded, it was real.
My hand instinctively reached for the ground, and a small pulse of mana flowed from me, sinking into the earth. I could feel it. The mana connected with the ground, flowing deeper, like roots spreading through soil. I didn't need to cast a spell, didn't need any incantation. The mana simply responded to my will, as if it had always been there, waiting for me to notice it.
"Okay, this is… insane." I muttered, testing the flow of mana again, this time directing it towards a nearby rock. A quick pulse of energy, and the rock cracked open, shards flying in every direction.
I stared at the broken stone, my mind racing. Was I dreaming? Was this some kind of elaborate illusion? I pinched myself—hard—but there was no escape from the truth. I was no longer in my old world. I was in Viraelon, a world where beasts roamed free and humans fought them, tamed them, and used them as weapons.
I turned around, noticing a faint, distant noise. The sound of a growl—low, primal, and close. Too close.
A chill ran down my spine as I scanned my surroundings, my senses heightened by the strange new powers coursing through my veins. I could feel it now—the presence of something, lurking in the shadows. And it wasn't alone.
"Great, this is how I die?" I muttered, taking a cautious step back.
I had no weapon, no armor, no experience in this world. Yet, the only thing I had was mana—and the strange feeling that I could tame whatever beast was coming for me.
The growling grew louder, and I saw movement at the edge of my vision. A creature emerged from the thicket, its eyes glowing an eerie shade of yellow. It was massive—at least eight feet tall, covered in dark, matted fur. Its body was hunched over, like a monstrous wolf, its fangs long and sharp, dripping with saliva. The beast's muscular frame rippled with power as it padded toward me, its claws scraping against the dirt.
I froze.
Fear crept up my spine, but something in my gut told me that I had to act. That I had to do something.
Without thinking, I reached into the mana pool inside me, willing it to obey. I raised my hands, and a pulse of energy erupted from my palms, a sharp beam of light that collided with the beast's chest.
The creature yelped in pain, stumbling back. Its fur singed, the smell of burning flesh mixing with the sharp scent of the forest. It howled, a sound that sent a jolt of fear through my body, but I wasn't done. I didn't stop. I didn't give it a chance to retaliate.
"Come on, come on," I muttered, pushing more mana into the attack. It felt like an extension of myself, as if the mana were a natural part of me. The beam of energy grew stronger, more focused, until it cut through the beast's side, leaving a deep wound.
The creature fell to the ground with a thud, twitching and gasping for air, its body still sizzling from the blast.
I breathed heavily, staring at the fallen beast. I had no idea what just happened. No idea how I managed to kill that thing with a single strike. But one thing was for sure: this world was going to be a lot different from anything I had ever known.
Then, another notification appeared before me.
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
Beast has been defeated.
You have unlocked "Taming Skill."
Taming skill? I wasn't sure what that meant, but I felt something stir deep within me, a new sensation—like the urge to control, to command the creature, even in its dying state.
Curiosity took over, and I knelt beside the beast, placing my hand on its body. I didn't know why, but I felt a strange connection to it. My mana surged again, this time flowing into the beast.
To my surprise, the creature's body twitched once more, its wound healing at a rapid pace. Its eyes flickered open, but this time, they were no longer filled with hostility. There was something... docile in them.
I could feel it. I had done something to it—something that allowed me to tame it, to bond with it.
"Okay," I said, looking down at the creature, now fully healed and sitting at my feet like a loyal dog. "This is insane."
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:
Beast has been tamed.
You have unlocked the Beast Mastery Skill.
"Beast Mastery?" I murmured, stunned. The creature—my creature—looked up at me, waiting for my next move.
I smiled. This was just the beginning.
"Alright," I said to the beast, feeling a newfound confidence surge within me. "Let's see where this new life takes us."