The city was dead.

  Not abandoned—dead. As if life itself had fled decades ago, leaving behind an urban corpse that nature was slowly reclaiming. Vines climbed the stone facades, twisting around shattered windows. Trees grew through collapsed roofs. Moss carpeted the cobblestone streets like a green, spongy blanket.

  And it was night. A deep night, lit only by the two moons—yes, two—hanging in the sky like twin eyes watching the world.

  Cassian stood in the middle of a narrow street, an ice spear glowing faintly in her right hand. Her breath formed clouds of vapor in the cold air. Every muscle in her body was tense, ready.

  The monkey circled her.

  It's HUGE.

  Twice her size. Long, gaunt arms that nearly touched the ground when it walked. A massive body covered in filthy brown-black fur. And its face...

  Those fangs. Holy shit, those FANGS.

  Every time it opened its maw—which it did often, emitting high-pitched shrieks that echoed between the ruined buildings—Cassian saw teeth as long as her hands. Sharp. Made for tearing.

  "Get lost," she hissed, pointing the spear at it. "I swear, if you come closer, I'll shove this thing right through your skull."

  The monkey probably didn't understand her words. But it understood the threat. It stopped, swaying on its long legs, yellow eyes gleaming as they fixed on her.

  Then it started circling again. Looking for an angle. An opening. Waiting.

  It's smart. Too smart.

  Cassian pivoted to keep it in sight, bare feet slipping slightly on the damp moss. "Come on, asshole. What are you waiting for?"

  The monkey let out another shriek—louder this time, laced with frustration.

  That's when Cassian heard it.

  A rumble. Distant. Continuous. Like... like thunder rolling far away. Except it was getting closer.

  What the...

  The monkey leaped.

  "SHIT!"

  Cassian raised the spear just in time. The monkey halted inches from the ice tip, landing nimbly to the side. It hissed, baring all its teeth, and Cassian's heart skipped a beat.

  Focus. Ignore the noise. If you get distracted for a second, this thing will...

  The rumble was louder now. Much louder. The ground began vibrating under her feet.

  The monkey felt it too. Its head snapped toward the source, ears perking up.

  And then they saw them.

  Emerging from the darkness of the adjacent street—a herd.

  No. Not a herd. A tide.

  Hundreds—maybe thousands—of massive herbivorous creatures. Each the size of a bull, some larger. Their hooves pounded the cobblestones in a deafening roar. Their cries—pure panicked bellows—filled the air.

  They were fleeing. Something was chasing them.

  "Oh no."

  Cassian didn't hesitate. She dove toward the nearest house—a two-story stone structure with a rotted wooden door hanging loose. She vaulted through it in one leap, stumbling into the interior darkness.

  The monkey, meanwhile, froze in the street. Staring at the approaching herd, seemingly unable to process what was happening.

  An idea flashed through Cassian's mind. Terrible. Opportunistic.

  Perfect.

  She extended her hand, channeling mana. The ground under the monkey's feet frosted over, then solidified into ice. Blocks formed around its ankles, chaining it in place.

  The monkey looked down, confused. Yanked at its legs. The ice held.

  Its eyes widened. It looked at Cassian, then at the oncoming herd, then back at Cassian.

  And in its eyes, she saw understanding. And terror.

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  It let out a cry—not rage this time. Fear.

  The first beast slammed into the monkey full force.

  The sound of the impact—flesh against flesh, bones shattering—was nearly drowned out by the herd's thunder. The monkey crumpled under the blow.

  Then the rest came.

  Cassian looked away, but she couldn't block the sounds. The trampling. The crunching. The cries fading gradually.

  The herd filled the street like a living flood. They poured between the buildings, toppling everything in their path. Some crashed into walls, their massive bodies cracking ancient stone.

  It lasted minutes that felt like hours.

  Then, as suddenly as it had come, the herd passed. The last stragglers vanished into the darkness, their cries fading in the distance.

  Silence fell. Broken only by the drip of water somewhere and the occasional crack of a damaged building.

  Cassian cautiously approached the door, peering out.

  The street was devastated. Cobblestones uprooted. Buildings collapsed. And there, about ten meters away...

  The monkey was... well, calling it a "body" was generous. It was more a smear. A shapeless mass of fur, blood, and crushed flesh. Flattened beyond recognition.

  Even its mother wouldn't recognize it, Cassian thought, and a hysterical laugh threatened to escape.

  "Skill issue," she murmured.

  She turned, surveying the house's interior. It was dark, damp, full of debris. But it was shelter.

  I'm staying here tonight. Because whatever was chasing those creatures...

  ...I do NOT want to meet it.

  ---

  She'd settled upstairs, in what might have once been a bedroom. The roof was partially intact, shielding from the night wind. She'd curled up in her oversized robe, back against a wall, trying to find a comfortable position.

  Sleep came slowly, in irregular waves.

  Then the roar woke her.

  GRAAAAAAAAAAGH!

  Cassian bolted upright, heart pounding. "What the..."

  The roar came again. Guttural. Short. Repeated like vocal machine-gun fire. And between each roar...

  TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!

  A sound like automatic gunfire. Rapid. Regular. Terrifying.

  It's not gunfire. It's... something else.

  The creature—because it could only be a creature—was far away. Maybe a kilometer. But even at that distance, the sound carried, echoing between the ruined buildings.

  That's it. That's what was chasing the herd.

  Cassian huddled against the wall, every sense on alert.

  The roars continued for what felt like eternity. Then, gradually, they faded. Moving away.

  Cassian exhaled slowly.

  She didn't sleep again that night.

  ---

  Morning came with the suns rising on the horizon, painting the sky in pinks and golds. Cassian stepped out of the house, blinking in the light.

  The city looked different by day. Less threatening. Almost... picturesque, in a strange way. The overgrown ruins had a melancholic beauty.

  Too bad everything here tries to kill me.

  She spotted a bell tower in the distance—the tallest building in the city. Overview. That's what I need.

  The climb was tough. The stone stairs were cracked, some completely collapsed. At one point, she had to scale the walls themselves. But eventually, she reached the top.

  And the view...

  "Woah."

  The city spread below her like a giant map. It was bigger than she'd thought—easily the size of a small modern town. Streets wound between buildings. A river cut through it, gleaming under the suns. And beyond...

  Plains. Forests. Distant mountains.

  No civilization. Anywhere. Just... this dead city.

  Something caught her eye. A glint. Something shiny in a building about a hundred meters away.

  What the hell is that?

  ---

  The building was large—perhaps an old inn or mansion. Cassian entered cautiously, half-expecting a creature to leap out.

  Nothing moved.

  She followed the glint she'd seen, climbing stairs, crossing hallways.

  And arrived at a door.

  She opened it.

  And her brain momentarily refused to process what she saw.

  A bathroom. Ultra-modern. Pristine white tiles. Gleaming chrome faucets. Shelves stocked with products—shampoos, soaps, lotions, everything you could want. A huge bathtub already filled with steaming water, foam floating on the surface.

  The scent—lavender and vanilla—was divine.

  "This... this isn't possible."

  Cassian stepped forward slowly, as if the bathroom might vanish if she moved too fast. Her feet touched polished marble—so clean she could see her reflection in it.

  This makes NO sense.

  Outside: a ruined city, overgrown by nature, abandoned for decades maybe.

  Here: a bathroom that could be from a modern luxury magazine.

  The contrast was jarring.

  She approached a window. Direct view of the bell tower where she'd stood minutes ago.

  How... why...

  Then a thought hit her.

  The food. The table with all that Earth food, appearing out of nowhere.

  And now this. A bathroom. Exactly when I desperately wanted one.

  Her heart raced. "It can't be... it can't be..."

  My cheat?

  Isekai stories always had cheats. Special powers. Systems. Something.

  What if mine was... wish fulfillment? My desires become reality?

  "Okay. Okay, let's test this." She closed her eyes, focusing hard. I want... gear. Legendary weapons. Indestructible armor. Cheaty magical items that make me the strongest person in this world.

  She opened her eyes, looking around.

  Nothing changed.

  "Or... not?" Her excitement deflated. "Fuck. So it was just coincidence?"

  She approached the large mirror on the wall, bracing to see her reflection.

  And stopped dead.

  Oh.

  Oh wow.

  The girl in the mirror was...

  "I'm..." The words died in her throat.

  Gorgeous. The word felt inadequate. She was stunning.

  Blonde hair cascading to her lower back, shining like spun gold. Eyes blue—not just blue, but a vivid, almost luminous blue. Pale, flawless skin without a blemish. Delicate, elven features, with those pointed ears peeking through her hair. A textbook fantasy elf.

  And her body...

  "Waifu tier," she murmured, a bit stunned. "I'm literally waifu tier."

  Guys back on Earth would kill to be with someone who looks like this. And now it's me. I AM this.

  It was... weird. Disorienting. She'd been used to seeing herself as a guy—tall, red-haired, imposing. Now...

  Now I'm someone else's fantasy.

  She touched her face, watching her reflection do the same. "Could've been worse. Just sucks that it's me."

  Her eyes drifted to the bathtub. Steaming water. Foam. Heavenly scent.

  Fuck it. I deserve this.

  ---

  "Ahhhhhhh..."

  A sigh of pure contentment escaped Cassian's lips as she sank into the hot water. Every muscle in her body—tense for days—began to relax.

  This is HEAVEN.

  She'd forgotten how amazing a bath could be. The water enveloping her body, warmth seeping into her bones, the soothing scent...

  Back on Earth, I took this for granted. Never again.

  She lingered for what felt like hours, washing carefully, trying different products. At one point, she realized she was smiling—a real smile, not the cynical smirk she usually wore.

  This feels good. Fuck, it feels SO good.

  And her body... well. She'd adjusted. Theory was one thing—intellectually understanding she had a female body. But practice...

  Yeah. I definitely know every part now. Field-tested and approved.

  A small laugh escaped her, echoing in the empty bathroom.

  ---

  The building's roof offered a stunning view of the river. Cassian had settled there, her hair still damp drying under the suns. She felt clean for the first time since arriving in this world.

  Okay. Next step: explore the other side of the city.

  The river cut straight through it. There was a bridge—ancient, stone, partially collapsed. A section in the middle had given way, creating a gap of about two meters.

  I can jump that. Easy.

  She descended from the roof, crossed the streets to the bridge. The gap looked... a bit wider up close. Maybe two and a half meters. Three?

  No. It's doable. I can make it.

  She backed up, getting a run-up. "Okay. One. Two. THREE!"

  She sprinted, feet pounding the stone, and jumped.

  For a brief glorious moment, she soared through the air.

  Then her lead foot slipped on a wet stone.

  "OH SHIT!"

  Her trajectory shifted. Instead of landing cleanly on the other side, she slammed into the bridge's edge full force.

  THUNK.

  Her head hit the stone with force that exploded stars in her vision.

  Then she fell.

  Cold river water swallowed her, the current seizing her immediately. She tried to swim, but her body wouldn't respond. Everything spun. Black. Cold.

  No... not like this...

  Darkness took her.

  ---

  Warm.

  That was the first sensation. A wave of warmth brushing her lips.

  Strange.

  A breath pressed against her mouth. The warm, steady rhythm of living respiration.

  Cassian's eyes snapped open.

  A face. Too close. Inches from hers. Wet black hair falling in disarray. Eyes closed. And his lips...

  HIS LIPS ARE A BREATH FROM MINE.

  Panic exploded in Cassian's mind.

  Her hand shot out in a perfect arc.

  SLAP!

  The smack echoed like a gunshot.

  The stranger was hurled sideways. His eyes opened—surprised, confused, slightly hurt.

  And Cassian could finally see him properly.

  A guy. Young—her age, maybe a bit older. Soaked black hair, strands partially hiding his gaze. Ordinary features, drenched clothes clinging to his skin.