The hunger kept rising as I made my way back, yet there was still nothing edible in sight.“What is this place? Why isn’t there a single edible fruit?” I muttered. “Do I really have to slay a monster and eat it?”The frustration deepened with every step. Hunger gnawed at me relentlessly, but the thought of eating a monster after killing it, especially when I myself was a monster now, felt disgusting to the core.Still, the longer time passed, the stronger the urge became. My moral restraint began to crack.I could feel it in my muscles, in my veins… an overwhelming desire to devour.I continued searching, refusing to give in. Tall trees loomed overhead as the moon slowly rose, but not a single fruit hung from their branches. Eventually, I reached the foot of the mountain where I had hatched from the egg.The broken eggshells scattered around me suddenly looked… appetizing.My beastly urge slipped past my control for just a moment.I grabbed a piece of the shell and bit into it.But th

I moved toward the scream without thinking twice.This was the first time since waking up in this world that I had heard a human voice. And not just a voice. A scream.My legs carried me forward as fast as they could. My breathing turned ragged, each step hammering against my chest until my heart felt like it might tear itself apart. Fear and urgency mixed into something raw, something instinctive.Finally, I reached the source.I stopped behind a thick tree and peered ahead.What stood before me made my blood run cold.A colossal leopard loomed in the clearing. Its massive body was wrapped in fur that crackled with faint yellow currents, sparks crawling across its muscles like living lightning. Its eyes burned emerald green, filled with uncontrollable rage, staring downward.I followed its gaze.Cold sweat slid down my spine.My claws dug into the bark of the tree without me realizing it.Beneath the beast’s front leg lay a man.Dead.His body was twisted at an unnatural angle, crush

The mountain blocked most of the early light, leaving the jungle in a cold, grey haze until the sun finally cleared the peak. The rays of the early sun touched my fur like warm needles, welcoming me to a new beginning.A melodic chirping from an unfamiliar bird reached my ears as I opened my eyes, stretching lazily along the tree branch.“Yesterday was… heavy,” I muttered, yawning as I rolled my shoulders.Below me, the shattered clearing still bore the scars of yesterday’s struggle.The broken tree, the scorched ground, and Leonia’s bow before she vanished.“That was recognition,” I murmured. “From a colossal monster of this world.”I took a long and steady breath. For the first time since I hatched, my heart was not trying to hammer its way out of my ribs. I felt…Solid.First things first, food.“Predator’s Eyes,” I whispered.The world bled into red as my vision sharpened. Scanning the forest below, I quickly found my target.A baby fire wolf.I stepped to the edge of the branch.B

Sierra knelt down, examining the charred ground.“Just like last time… there’s no elemental scent left in the soil.”She straightened slowly and looked around, her eyes widening.“The mana density is heavier here…” she murmured to herself.She swung her staff in a smooth circular arc. Several small magic circles formed around her body.“Presence Theft.”The chant was barely audible. The circles hummed with a low, annoying vibration. It made her feel like a ghost.Her presence vanished from the flow of nature as she moved forward.Trees and leaves began to glow faintly as she advanced, slipping past the hordes of monsters lurking in the darkness.None of them reacted. None even turned their heads as she moved like a smudge in the corners of their eyes that they couldn’t focus on.She stopped and raised her hand.“…Look at that.”

The rider stopped before a building that looked ancient even under the cover of night.Two tall towers rose on either side, their shadows cutting across the full moon and drowning the structure in darkness. Between them stood the main hall, its center carved with temple-like patterns worn smooth by time. Dim light glowed from within, filtering through dust-settled stained glass of many colors.A high boundary wall surrounded the complex. The entrance gate, grand once but now aged, stood half-open; its iron hinges groaning with age as it moved.The soldier dismounted and crossed the damp cobblestone path toward the gate. Each step echoed too loudly in the stillness as the doors creaked wider, surrendering to age.He reached the main building and struck the wooden door with his fist.Knock. Knock.The door cracked open, candlelight spilling out through the narrow gap as the smell of old paper leaked out.A whit