“Haunted?” I repeated. “You’re serious?”
He shrugged. “Yep. Multiple folks backed out, Trevyn. They swear the house has some, I don’t know, spooky presence lurking around. Nobody’s brave enough to stay for long. That’s why I’m giving it to you so cheap.”
Josh wasn’t just a friend, he was my cousin. Our grandfather used to own this place, and at one point, his father – my uncle – inherited it. My father had always been salty on that and told me we were fated to receive this. So he was happy that we finally did.
Although it was maddening that he dared to claim this as ‘our property’ when I bought it with my saved money? That senile old bastard.
After my brief time in the military, or rather, when I chose to leave before it could take a toll on my mind. All I truly sought was a sense of peace. Yet, there were moments when life tossed unexpected challenges, leaving one to sigh and take it all in stride.
‘Son, I’m getting married,’ my father had said when I returned, and I’d nearly choked on my coffee.
I admit that Mom’s death had taken the wind out of his sails. Seeing him so depressed for years made me root for him to find happiness. So I was elated for a minute hearing that. But… marrying a woman younger than me? I could only curse out loud when I heard that.
The cynic in me suspected she was after his money. But after some pointless arguments with him, I decided to stop talking about it. He needed some companionship in his final decades—someone who wouldn’t disagree with his questionable life decisions. Even if that companionship was a product of his wealth.
Old bastard. At least he should have given me some money to move into a good house, I sighed. He didn’t want me to move, so he didn’t give me a penny. That didn’t stop me from packing up and getting out, though. How could I live in that awkward place? Maybe I was running away. Or maybe I was simply turning the page.
As the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “All is flux. Nothing stays still.” If that was true, it made sense to keep moving. Away from that part of the family.
Josh was all too happy to help me escape reality. He sold me the old family property at a bargain, even if that cost me all my savings. But as we drove toward my new place, he revealed something bothersome. “No way you scammed me?”
“Oh, come on, dude. You don’t believe in ghosts, do you?”
“....”
“Look, if a ghost does live in this place… maybe it’s time you put that philosophy degree to some use. It didn’t get you a job, but maybe it’ll help you win debates with ghosts,” he joked while I shook my head with a sigh.
Whatever. Ghosts aren’t real.
The sun was setting now, casting long, orange streaks through the sky. We approached the main gates of the house. Even in this barren town, the house was isolated, located somewhere that had no neighboring houses, which was troubling.
The house itself had seen better days, with chipped paint, a sagging porch, and a door that looked like it might fall off if you sneezed it too hard. The rusted and bent iron gate creaked as I pushed it open. Stone pillars were cracked and covered in vines, which flanked the entrance. A narrow dirt path, overgrown with weeds, led to the house.
The front yard was a mess of dead grass, scattered leaves and broken stones. The porch steps sagged, and some panels were missing. Grimy windows barely reflected the setting sun. Even the roof, with missing shingles, showed years of neglect.
I sighed, gripping my bag tighter. Home sweet home, huh?
“Well, I just can’t wait to unpack and eat- Hm?” I blinked. “Josh, what is that?”
“What’s what?”
“That axe,” I pointed at the large obsidian ax in the middle of the yard, on the grass.
“Axe? What are you talking about, dude?”
I snorted. "Really? You can do better than that if you want to spook me.” I moved past the gates and toward the axe. Crouching, I lifted it up. It was heavy, but my strength training had paid off. “This weapon," I stood back up and turned to Josh. “You—"
[Mana Signature Confirmed.]
[Transmigration Granted.]
The world had already changed by the time I’d stood up. There was no flash of light, no sudden darkness, or anything of that sort. One moment, I was in the old yard outside my newly bought house, and the other… I was in the middle of a forest.
Odd, glowing blue text was floating in front of me.
“....?”
“Thorvyn, stop looking at air!” a loud, grumpy voice yelled as a hand slammed me on the back of my head. It hurt.
What's wrong with Josh? Damn bastard, that hurt. He kept talking, but he sounded a bit different.
“We in Netherwood. Do what I say. Go get wood!”
I forced myself to focus. The man who hit me was too big. He wasn't Josh. He looked strong enough to rip a bear in two, and his voice was too rough, too real. My mind scrambled to process everything—the oppressive heat, the thick scent of blood in the air, the weight on my shoulders I hadn’t even noticed.
This wasn’t the yard. It wasn’t my house. I… wasn’t supposed to be here.
The others around me, who’d turned to take a look at the commotion, were just as massive. They looked built for a world where raw power meant everything.
“What the hell?”
What the fuck was going on? Did the text say transmigration, or am I tripping?
The man turned to me. "Haah, look at cursed bastard. Disgrace. Cannot trust white-hair. Waste of food. And you ask for food last night? Get no food today. Just go! Get wood for fire, weakling!"
The other barbarians chuckled. I clenched my fists. Weakling?
“Cursed bastard. Expect nothing else from him,” he muttered.
My blood suddenly ran hot. A cursed one? The word felt wrong, bothersome. Like it had been hurled at me before. And yet, I knew… somehow… exactly what it meant. White hair. Seen as a sign of weakness. An outsider’s blood.
But that wasn’t me. Was it?
He got a few approving grunts from the others. Except for two people.
“Venir, why you hit him? What if he drop loot?” one of them spoke up. For a moment, I thought the red-haired girl was standing up for me, but she was just worried about the loot. I recalled her name was Ragna but couldn’t remember much else.
Recall? Remember…
Loot…
Huh?
That aside, her words made me realize something else. The weight on my shoulders. My strength left me immediately, and the weight dropped. Only then did I realize what it was.
It was three massive boars. How was I carrying them on my shoulders? While at the same time, I’d been holding a massive ax with one hand…?
The sound of the boars falling made their heads turn to me, and I quickly cleared my throat and turned away. Military instincts told me to leave this space first before I got attacked again. Since they’d done so once already, no matter how light, they might again.
I wanted to punch that fucker in the face, but it was better not to show aggression in this strange circumstances. This was all too confusing, all too sudden, but it was also all too vivid. I had to be careful.
I swiftly left, and nobody followed me.
They probably thought I was going to gather wood as ordered. ‘Order…’ The word lingered in my head. Just what was this situation?
I was with Josh, and then I….
I tried telling myself it was a dream. Lucid dreams could feel real sometimes, right? Yet the crunch of dead leaves under my feet and the painful knot in my stomach made it hard to believe I was asleep. Still… there had to be an explanation.
I pressed a hand against my ribs, feeling the dull throb of pain. Dream pain never felt this sharp. But was I going to trust my senses here? I shook my head, feeling a cold unease in my gut. If this was real, then… what the hell was going on?
The others around me, who'd turned to take a look at the commotion, were just as massive. I immediately scanned their positioning, weapons, and body language, my military training kicking in.
Seven individuals, four potential threats based on stance alone. The man who'd struck me seemed like the leader, but the woman with red hair stood slightly apart – one of the only ones who seemed dissatisfied with the leader’s actions. I cataloged escape routes and potential improvised weapons before consciously forcing myself to appear unthreatening. No sudden movements until I understood the situation better.
Let’s take a step back. Is this the amazon rainforest, maybe? My instincts made sure I wasn’t heading into some beast’s territory. Could this be some advanced prank or VR simulation? Perhaps… my ex-military buddies had gone too far this time… Or did the government start some secret super-soldier project?
The reason why I thought the last part was because of how the people I saw earlier were built. There had been seven of them as far as I’d managed to see. Four had black hair; two had red. All were built in ways that’d make Arnold Schwarzenegger take a second look.
Red… Red hair?
“Red is… a sign of strength.” I paused as I muttered to myself. Somehow, it felt like that to me. Why did it feel like that to me? I didn’t recall redheads being revered this much in the world. Quite the contrary, actually.
My stomach growled loudly.
I jumped back as something flashed in front of me.
[You’ve endured hunger for a long period, achievement unlocked.]
[Skill ‘Endure - (D)’ has leveled up to ‘Endure - (C)’!]
I stared at the box that popped up in front of my eyes.
[Your body has recovered enough to unload the memory package.]
Before I could make sense of it, a searing pain shot through my skull.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Ah–!” I fell to my knees and clutched my head. The world around me spun violently.
The pain behind my eyes was blinding—a white-hot flood of images crashing into my skull. I gasped, clutching at my head. Voices that weren’t mine whispered in my ears. Names. Places. Feelings. My father’s name was… Dragan? No, that wasn’t right. My dad was… was…?
The thought slipped away, replaced by another—one that didn’t belong to me. I suddenly knew how to track beasts and how to navigate the Netherwood. But I’d never stepped foot in this weird place before. The memories weren’t mine. And yet, they were inside my head, whispering as if they’d always been there. What the hell was happening to me?
The thoughts weren’t just information; they felt like memories. But they weren’t mine. It felt like I'd just woken from a vivid dream—or had my brain been stuffed with someone else's life.
I tried to recall the details. A father named Dragan. A tribe called the Valtherians. Red hair was revered? None of it felt real, like I’d read it all in a novel I barely remembered, perhaps seen in a movie decades ago. Were these memories truly mine? Or was I losing my grip on what was real?
When I returned to my senses, nothing much had changed.
I didn’t suddenly know everything about what was going on, but I had a slightly clearer picture. I knew what that barbarian Venir meant when he mentioned Netherwood. Knowledge about the said forest was in my head now.
I frowned at my surroundings, getting up from where I’d fallen. I dusted off my body, muttering, “Thankfully, no snake bit me.” This was a dangerous place. A few mere seconds of carelessness could cost a life.
Towering trees crowded the Netherwood, their ancient trunks clenched tight by strange vines. Almost no sunlight punched through the thick canopy of leaves, leaving only shifting shadows to creep across the damp earth.
The air was odd to breathe in, thanks to the aroma of moss, damp bark, and a faint metallic scent—probably blood from the monsters fighting among themselves.
As I looked at the leaves, I recognized them. It was as if I were unlocking memories as I wondered about that subject—memories of… this body.
Memories were still hazy, but I felt like they’d clear up over time. From what I could recall, we were a hunting party that the tribe’s Chieftain sent out to kill monsters and bring back food. The party leader was Venir.
One wouldn’t need a degree in philosophy to know Venir didn’t like me, nor did he respect me. The others were the same. The reason behind that was my hair color.
The Red Haired Ones were seen as the prime specimen of the Valtherian tribe, while the black-haired ones were less so. As for white-haired people like me…
Only elders had white hair in the Valtherian tribe—a sign of wisdom but also frailty. A young man like me? Unnatural. A bad omen. They gossiped about curses, of my father’s mistake in taking an outsider as his mate. Proof my father had broken tradition, and people blamed him for having children with a woman of strange origin.
I wonder what happened to his soul, the thought prodded me. This couldn’t be a dream. The pain earlier was intense, and I knew pain. That was the real deal. So had I devoured this “Thorvyn’s” soul? Did I merge with it? Or did we perhaps exchange bodies?
I forced myself to breathe, forcing the panic down. Could I truly be on another planet? Another dimension? The memory said “Planet Aurelia, the Volcanic Islands,” but was that just a name these barbarians gave some hidden Amazonian-like region on Earth?
I clenched my fists. This was insane. But the more I looked around, the more it all defied any logic I knew. If I were anywhere on Earth, I'd have heard of a place like this. Or at least recognized the climate, the animals… Something.
But I didn't. And that terrified me.
“Okay, just to make sure,” I muttered to myself, staying on the move. I suddenly remembered something this ‘Thorvyn’ did often in his memories, so I should be fine doing the same. I shouldn’t feel embarrassed. “Um. Status?”
Heaving out a breath, I waited. For a moment, nothing happened. Then-
A blinding white glow filled my vision, forming into crisp, floating letters. The text was familiar, yet wrong. The letters shimmered, shifting slightly as if written by something struggling to understand language.
“No way… It’s a Game System!” I nearly shouted. Wasn’t this crazy?!
Finally, things started to seem a bit more real. My rushing adrenaline calmed, and I let out a breath. There was no point in panicking. I should process these new memories and ponder about…
It was then I heard the howl. A dangerous, beastly roar.
It came from where my group was earlier. Adrenaline returned to my system, and my feet instinctively moved toward the sound. I waved off the Status page and rushed through leaves and branches, going as fast as possible, but by the time I returned, things had gone weird.
The forest had been alive with rustling leaves, distant howls, and the occasional chirp of hidden creatures just moments earlier. Now? There was just silence—silence that didn’t last long as a howl shattered the moment. Birds screeched off, and louder howls surrounded me.
I couldn’t have returned at a worse time.
“Everyone, dodge!” Venir shouted from somewhere, and my senses went bright.
Chaos erupted before I could react. Blasts of [Wind Blade] rushed at us from all around the place, and then a pack of Direwolves charged out of the undergrowth. Their snarls were loud, their eyes wild with hunger. I noticed Venir and Ragna scattering with the others, weapons raised.
I tried to scramble back. But the beasts were already upon me.
A direwolf sprang forward, maw gaping wide. Instinct took over.
I gripped the heavy axe at my waist. My- Thorvyn’s father’s axe. I didn’t stupidly clash with it head-on just because I had an axe; I pivoted to the side in a classic Lateral Step Evade, something they'd drilled into everyone during basic training. I'd never been good at it back then, my body too weak to make the movements natural, but this barbarian body moved like it was born for violence.
The wolf overshot, and in that split second, I went on the offensive.
“W-wait, Thorvyn’s back. He’s in trouble!” I heard Ragna shout.
“Focus in front of you!” a voice bellowed in return. “He’s a Barbarian just like the rest of us, he has to fight his way out! We have a bunch more wolves to contend with!”
My stomach twisted, but there was no time to dwell on it. Another direwolf lunged at me. I swung the axe in a wild arc. The blade bit into thick fur, and a hot spray of blood stained my hands. The wolf yelped and stumbled back.
“Grrgh…” Two more circled around me. They snarled, hackles raised, and waited for an opening.
I gritted my teeth and tightened my grip. Fighting against beasts like wolves was a stupid idea back on Earth. That had to be truer now when the said wolves were larger than cars. Suddenly remembering that Direwolves were magical beasts. It was stupid to fight a pack single-handedly.
Thankfully, I wasn't completely unfamiliar with violence. Basic training had taught me the fundamentals of CQC, even if I'd never been healthy enough to use them in the field, it was all in my head. I'd spent my military career at a desk, analyzing threat reports while other men fought. Now, in this body, I finally had the strength to make those lessons mean something. Turning my back would guarantee death, so I took a deep breath.
Then, I charged.
“RAHHHH!” A wild, barbaric cry left my throat before I even realized what I was doing. I’d never acted like that in my life, but somehow, it felt natural.
[Skill Activated: Slam!]
Somehow, a skill activated, but my first swing missed the mark, carving a shallow gash in the soil. One wolf darted in and bit down on my arm.
Pain flared through me, and I let out a strangled shout. I wasn’t familiar with pain like this, even if this body was. Panic rushed through me, and my heart pounded as I bashed the beast’s head with the butt of the axe. It yelped and let go.
This body’s strength…! It was hard to believe. Even in this dangerous situation, I couldn’t help but be excited.
A third wolf slammed into my ribs, nearly knocking me off balance. “Shit!” That hurt. I gritted my teeth. Instead of stumbling back, I used its momentum. My left arm hooked around its neck in a Guillotine Choke. The beast thrashed, claws running down my arms, but I dropped my weight, wrenching its head down into a knee strike. Something cracked.
The wolf staggered, dazed.
I used that second to glance around. My group was nowhere in sight.
They had either fled or had been pushed deeper into the forest. First was unlikely, given they were proud barbarians of the Valtherian tribe. All I saw were trees and five snarling direwolves left in front of me. Another rushed at me, and when I swung the ax, it blasted [Wind Blade] at my hand.
[Skill Activated: Leap!]
I barely jumped back in time, but the impact threw away my ax. Blood ran down my side. It hurt. A lot.
I quickly reassessed. The ax was gone, five direwolves remained, each easily three times my size. Standard military doctrine would call for immediate retreat. But turning my back on these beasts would mean death.
So little was accomplished for such a loud battle cry. A little embarrassing, I grimaced while holding my wound. The pure adrenaline made this situation hilarious. As much as I wanted to bet that if I died, I’d wake up in my bed, I wasn’t stupid. If the pain earlier hadn’t cleared it up that this wasn’t a dream, the blood had. I had to figure out a way to survive this.
The wolves were massive, their fangs glinting under the dim light filtering through the forest roof. My breath came in ragged bursts, and my vision swam from the pain in my ribs. I clutched the wound with one hand while the other clutched into a tight fist now that my ax was gone.
I tried to step back, but they inched closer. I could sense their bloodlust. My chest tightened. I needed to find a way out. But how?
“Grrrrr…” A low growl came from the largest wolf. Its lips drew back, revealing rows of sharp teeth. The others followed its lead, stepping in to surround me.
I exhaled shakily. My arms trembled from the adrenaline. I wasn’t used to fighting this intensely. And the pounding in my chest didn't help, it felt like it might tear me apart.
I didn’t even have a weapon.
But I wasn’t about to throw my new life away like this.
[Skill Activated: Endure!]
An energy wrapped around my body, giving me the strength to stand still. I shifted on my stance, ignoring the hot blood dripping down my hip, and waited for the wolves to make the next move. I recalled my military training sessions. I had a medical condition back on earth, so my body wasn't in its best condition. But that didn’t hold me back from learning how to fight.
A voice repeated Socrates’ saying in my head, “It is a shame for a man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.” That was one primary motivation behind why I’d pushed my body to its limits.
Both my short time in the military and my useless philosophy major came to my aid. I couldn’t turn my tail and leave my back to be torn apart now. No… I’d never gotten the chance to test that truth in my old body. I’d been too frail. But now?
I'd spent my whole life feeling powerless. My father's disappointment was always there. "You're my son. Stand straighter, be stronger." Even in the military, I'd been the weakling. They'd assigned me to intelligence analysis after I barely passed basic training. I spent two years reading reports and identifying patterns while healthier men went to the field, until my condition worsened and they discharged me entirely. I did train there, what little my weak body could allow me to, but most of my fighting knowledge was theoretical.
Now, in this barbarian's body, I felt something I'd never experienced before: raw, unbridled strength. I felt... good.
“RAHHHH!” I let out another barbaric cry and rushed toward the wolf. It howled at me, and a [Wind Blade] found its way in front of my face. I slammed it away. The back of my hand bled, but I didn’t care. I was in front of the wolf, and it opened its mouth wide, trying to devour me.
I seized the wolf’s gaping jaws, forcing them apart with a snarl. It thrashed, claws raking at my arms, but I bore down. Its ribs cracked, the sound of sinew snapping, but I didn’t release it. With a final, wet tear, the beast split in two.
Blood rained down, hot and thick. I roared again, louder this time.
A sudden flash interrupted my thoughts, like a sharp chill at the edge of my vision.
[You’ve killed a Direwolf – Level 23!]
[You’ve received experience points!]
[You’ve leveled up!]
[You’ve reached Level 18!]
[...ERROR.]
The words glowed in my vision—but something was off. The letters shimmered too much, flickering like static on an old TV screen.
[An odd spike in soul density is detected.]
Suddenly, my entire existence froze. It was an odd feeling, like I felt a blade on the back of my head. The world around me had frozen as well, and I mean that in a literal sense. The only moving thing in this frozen world was the system messages.
[Soul of a different dimension detected.]
[Analysing the cause…]
[...Code grey. Code number #aeth123.]
[Soul Deletion Denied.]
[Connection Restored.]
What the fuck?! Soul Deletion?! It was about to kill me! Leveling up had prompted the system of my existence, and it wanted me dead. But somehow, for whatever reason, the process was canceled. The suddenness of the situation startled me.
[Due to a stronger soul, your existence has grown more refined.]
[Condition met. Level requirement met; danger to life met; strength check met; Classless status met; willpower check met… Mana Signature met… Perfection reached. Initiating Bloodline Unsealing!]
[Unlocking one of the Bloodline Abilities…]
Darkness and silence slammed over the forest. Color bled away, leaving the world with only shades of gray. My surroundings were still frozen in place as if time itself had frozen for all but me, except now the colors were gone too.
Everything was muted.
A Grey World. It gave me shivers.
A new window flickered in front of me.
[Bloodline Skill - Osmotic Evolution (X) - unlocked!]
[Since you’ve only killed one Direwolf, it has been selected as your Source for the next 24 hours.]
My gaze darted to the dead wolf, its mouth split open. Above its head, small lines of text hovered in bright blue, as if they were the only things I could interact with in this grey world.
[Direwolf, Level 23]
Instantly, four options floated before me.
[Which Trait do you want to borrow?]
- Beast Senses [C]
- Razor Claws [C]
- Swift Movement [D]
- Predator’s Balance [E]
...What is this now?