"What kind of dogshit luck is this?"
I found myself in a dungeon barely lit and reeking of dread. An uneasy feeling settled over me, and I had no idea where I was or how I had gotten there.
Just seconds ago, I'd been relaxing in a bath. Suddenly, I was transported to this mysterious location without warning or explanation.
As for the only saving grace? There was a sword lying next to me. But there was one problem. I had absolutely no idea how to use it.
The sounds echoing through the vast darkness made this place genuinely unnerving. The source had to be far away, yet the sheer volume made it feel disturbingly close.
"Is that... a monster?"
The noise resembled a deep, rumbling snore. Coming from a world where physical fights were rare, I couldn't help but wonder what kind of absurd situation I had landed myself in at this time.
"Fuck..."
I reached a dead end. The only way forward was toward the source of that ominous sound.
What kind of cruel, sadistic being would throw an innocent man into a situation like this? And worse, the one with the power to do so?
"Calm down..." I whispered to myself, bracing for the inevitable.
Step by step, I moved toward the source of the noise. Each thunderous snore sent vibrations through the ground, making it harder to keep my balance. As I ventured further, the massive silhouette of a behemoth came into view.
"..."
Its sheer size completely blocked the corridor, and there was no way around it. My only option was to climb over it.
But as I observed the beast, I realized luck might actually be on my side. Despite its monstrous bulk, it was somehow trapped between the dungeon walls.
Even if it woke up, the monster shouldn't be able to move. With its back turned toward me and the walls holding it in place, it couldn't even see me unless it somehow broke through the stone.
Still, I couldn't help but be in awe of this dungeon. The walls hadn't budged despite holding back such a massive creature. They almost seemed... indestructible.
Now, what should I do?
Climbing over was an option, but if it woke up, there was a good chance it would use magic, which would be the end of me.
Or... should I kill it?
This was a dungeon, after all. And with a monster lying helpless before me, wasn't this also an opportunity?
Either way, both options were risky. But if I managed to kill it, wouldn't that guarantee my passage?
Without hesitation, I gripped the sword and aimed for the only vulnerable spot I could think of, its ass.
I drove the blade in, expecting a reaction, but... nothing. The behemoth didn't even flinch. Blood seeped from the wound, yet the massive creature remained entirely still.
"???"
"So that's why..."
I hadn't realized something crucial with the poor lighting obscuring my vision. The behemoth's body was already at its limit.
Even before I arrived, this monster had been teetering on the edge of death. Malnourished, its sagging skin barely clung to its massive frame. Age and exhaustion had reduced it to this miserable state.
The thought was almost pitiful. It was probably awake, fully aware of its suffering, yet too weak to resist, perhaps even welcoming death.
Well, who was I to deny its wish?
Happily obliging, I drove my sword into the same wound repeatedly. As gruesome as it was, this was the only way I could ensure its end.
Who knows how many times I repeated that gruesome motion? Eventually, as the behemoth let out its final breath, I felt my vision begin to warp.
[Calamity Monster Malabourne was killed]
[Sword Saint Qualifications Achieved!]
[Initiating Metamorphosis!]
I stared at the messages in disbelief. From a complete nobody to slaying a high-level boss, maybe my luck was finally turning around.
[Body Shutting Down in Five Seconds!]
"!!!"
"Wait!"
[Five!]
[Four!]
"I can't pass out here!"
[Three!]
[Two!]
"Isn't this way too dangerous?!"
[One!]
[Metamorphosis In Progress…]
Before I could even finish panicking, my entire body went limp. Every nerve, every thought, every breath... shut down.
~
"Shit..."
"How long was I out?"
Waking up, I felt... invigorated was an understatement.
My transformation was unreal, like a mortal shedding their limits and ascending into godhood. My body felt light yet powerful. My thoughts flowed clearer, sharper. Every one of my senses had reached a whole new level.
I had never felt this good in my entire life.
"What the fuck!?"
Catching a glimpse of myself, I nearly lost it. My hair had grown absurdly long, trailing down to the ground. Pure white now, I looked like some immortal from a Chinese cultivation novel.
Even my skin had changed. It was flawless, unnaturally smooth like it had been purified. I didn't have a mirror to check my reflection, but I could only hope that my appearance wouldn't be inconvenient to me in some way.
As for the behemoth? Its massive corpse had vanished entirely. Not a trace remained.
I couldn't help but feel uneasy. Where did it go? Did something move it or fade away as part of this dungeon's bizarre rules?
Still, with the changes in my body, I was eager to test my strength.
The sword I had used to kill the monster was still by my side, now covered in dried blood, its blade rusted and dulled with time.
"Just how long was I out?" I muttered again, knowing full well that no answer would come.
Even so, as I gripped the worn-down weapon and gave it a swing, something felt... right.
The movement was smooth. Efficient. Every slash flowed like second nature without any wasted effort.
Dull as the blade was, I did not doubt if I swung this at any person, they'd be decapitated before they even realized they were in danger.
"..."
After a few more swings, the sword finally gave out. With a snap, the tip broke off and clattered to the floor.
I sighed, staring at the ruined weapon. Figures.
Taking that as my cue, I turned toward the path the behemoth had once blocked and began moving forward, this time with a confidence I hadn't known before.
Despite the dungeon's oppressive silence and suffocating darkness, I felt… calm. Almost at peace.
It was strange. As if the transformation I'd undergone had attuned me to this eerie place. It's like the dungeon wasn't threatening anymore. It felt like home.
At the end of the path, a staircase rose ahead.
Even though it led upward, I knew better than to expect freedom. The Calamity Monster might've been a boss, but this wasn't the end.
Anyone who's sunk hours into games knows the pattern of this place, which was probably a high-tier dungeon. At least twenty floors, minimum. Otherwise, more people would have been here with corpses filling up the room.
"Here we go..." I muttered, steeling myself.
But the moment I reached the top, I stopped in place.
"..."
"So this is a secret room..."
No wonder that corridor had nothing else. This was never meant to be a regular path.
Before me lay a dead end... except for a single magic circle etched into the floor.
From its looks, this was a teleportation ritual. Probably. Hopefully.
Then again, it might be something entirely different or even worse. And if I was wrong? I'd be stuck here. Forever.
"Please let this work."
With a deep breath, I stepped into the magic circle.
A soft hum filled the air as the circle lit beneath my feet. In an instant, the world shifted.
There was no pain, and there was no pulling sensation. It was just a seamless transition, clean and smooth.
One second, I was in the dungeon's dead-end room. Next, I stood in the middle of a glowing forest.
Crystals embedded in the cavern ceiling bathed everything in a soft, ethereal light, casting shimmering hues across the trees and grass.
"This place is... amazing."
Gone was the claustrophobic, dim dungeon. A sprawling underground forest stood in its place, easily hundreds of times larger than the space I'd just left.
The real question now was, where should I go?
Thanks to my new body, my senses had sharpened to the point where I could feel the presence of creatures nearby. They weren't subtle, either. Each aura pulsed like a heartbeat through the forest, larger and more imposing than any humanoid I'd faced before, since no human ever gave me such a feeling.
Most likely monsters. I wasn't afraid. If anything, I was curious.
I hadn't truly tested the limits of my transformation. Swinging around a broken sword in a dungeon didn't exactly give me a benchmark.
Now? That could change. I adjusted my stance slightly, eyes narrowing as I locked onto one of the closer presences.
"Let's see what I can really do."