Within the Shadowfen Mire, shrouded by ancient, moss-draped trees and surrounded by towering, crumbling stone formations, Chris Lycanister took stock of his new reality. He stood in the center of what the system referred to as his Beast King Altar, a pulsating stone structure humming with an arcane energy.
His transformation was complete. He was no longer merely human, but a formidable creature of myth. His form was a perfect blend of human and beast: a bipedal, muscular frame, over three meters tall, covered in short, dense crimson fur. His face, though retaining a distinct humanoid intelligence, was framed by a thick, dark mane, with golden, slitted eyes that burned with predatory intensity. Razor-sharp fangs protruded from his upper jaw, complementing wicked claws that tipped his powerful, five-fingered hands. A long, prehensile tail lashed gently behind him, and his ears, sharply pointed and covered in fine fur, twitched, picking up the subtle rustles of the surrounding jungle.
He opened his internal interface, summoning his status screen.
Name: Chris Lycanister
Level: 1
Exp: 0/100
Race: Heavenly Devil Crimson Tiger (Beast King Race)
Base Stats (Humanoid Form): 350 HP, 250 MP, 50 Strength, 30 Agility, 30 Constitution, 20 Will.
Talents: Celestial Tiger Form (Inactive), Infernal Tiger Form (Inactive), Soul Devour (Inactive), Mana Conduit (Inactive), Devil's Fury (Inactive).
Other Skills: None.
Talent Points:10
These starting stats were unbelievable, a testament to his Legendary bloodline. He felt an innate power surging through him, capable of directly facing off against a heavily armed modern army, though he knew this world's threats were far greater. He had a strong head start, but this was a long race, and he couldn't afford to relax. Beast Kings were able to break through their racial limits, and even a Beast King born as a weak race could still become an existence powerful enough to shatter the world given enough time and resources.
Chris looked at his talents. He had five possible beginner talents, all inactive. Each required 10 Talent Points to activate. Once all five were active, he would level up to a Level 2 Beast King and unlock Level 2 talents.
"My first talent choice is critical," he mused. "Celestial Tiger Form offers agility and holy attacks, likely better for defense or ranged combat. Infernal Tiger Form promises brutal strength and fire abilities, a direct offensive boost." After a moment's consideration, Chris decided on raw power. This was a hostile world, and he needed to assert his dominance early.
He used 10 Talent Points to activate his first Talent: "Infernal Tiger Form!"
[Talent "Infernal Tiger Form" successfully activated!]
A wave of searing heat washed over Chris as his form shifted again, his crimson fur deepening to a darker, almost charcoal, hue. His muscles bulged further, and faint wisps of dark red flame seemed to dance along his claws and fangs. This was his true combat form, his humanoid beast mode, emphasizing brute force and destructive fire.
Name: Chris Lycanister
Level: 1
Exp: 0/100
Race: Heavenly Devil Crimson Tiger (Beast King Race)
Base Stats (Infernal Tiger Form): 450 HP, 200 MP, 60 Strength, 25 Agility, 40 Constitution, 20 Will.
Talents: Infernal Tiger Form (Active), Celestial Tiger Form (Inactive), Soul Devour (Inactive), Mana Conduit (Inactive), Devil's Fury (Inactive).
Skills: Infernal Claw (E Rank), Hellfire Breath (E Rank), Scorched Hide (E Rank).
Talent Points: 0
He could already feel the destructive potential of his new skills. Infernal Claw would enhance his melee attacks with fiery energy, Hellfire Breath would allow him to spew devastating flames, and Scorched Hide would provide a defensive layer.
Next, Chris glanced at the ancient Beast King Altar beneath him.
[Beast King Altar]. Special building. A construct required for Beast King players to level up and develop their territory. Please protect it at all costs.
The Beast King Altar was extremely important. Its main function was to summon subordinates. The subordinates a Beast King could summon depended on their own race and level. For example, a Slime Beast King would summon various kinds of slimes. Gold was required to summon subordinates, and leveling up required Talent Points, gained by killing Chosen Heroes and absorbing their souls. This setup made Chosen Heroes and Beast Kings natural foes; each could gain great wealth and power by defeating the other.
"I have neither Hero Souls nor game gold though!" Chris muttered. "Everything starts out difficult. All I can do is take it one step at a time."
"Let's first explore the surrounding area then."
He took to the air with a powerful beat of his newly enhanced legs, leaping onto a high rock formation overlooking the mire. The feeling of moving with such power was exhilarating. Chris's vision was far stronger than any human's, so he could easily distinguish the surrounding geography. As he surveyed the landscape, messages started automatically popping up one after another.
[Mire Cave]. Low exploration value. Resources: Obsidian Shards.
[Dense Jungle]. Low exploration value. Resources: Exotic Timber.
[Murky Swamp]. Level 1 normal area. High numbers of Twin-Tailed Rabbits and Saber-tooth Tigers. Average exploration value. Resources: Rabbit Pelts, Tiger Fangs, small amounts of rare herbs.
With his enhanced form and the system's information, exploration would be significantly more efficient and less dangerous. Chris immediately locked onto the Murky Swamp.
[Murky Swamp]. Level 1 normal area. High numbers of Twin-Tailed Rabbits and Saber-tooth Tigers. Average exploration value. Resources: Rabbit Pelts, Tiger Fangs, small amounts of rare herbs.
In the nearby areas, the Murky Swamp seemed to offer the most immediate value. Chris descended into the swamp, and various new messages started popping up.
[Swamp Berry]. Green quality. Can recover 5 MP.
[Glow-Lichen]. White quality. Can recover 10 HP.
It was indeed rich in basic resources! Chris picked a handful of swamp berries, the size of his thumb in his current form, and tossed them into his mouth. They burst with a tart, energizing flavor. His instincts told him his physiology was now highly adaptable; he could consume a wide variety of organic matter for sustenance. He gathered some Glow-Lichen and more berries, storing them in his inventory.
Suddenly, a rustle in the reeds. A pair of glowing red eyes peered out.
[Twin-Tailed Rabbit]. Level 1 normal creature. A swift herbivore of the swamp. Its main defense is its agility and surprising bite. No special skills. Minimal threat to the host.
A wild beast! Chris's figure flashed forward, a crimson blur. His powerful claws raked across the creature before it could even react.
The Twin-Tailed Rabbit let out a squeal before its head was crushed instantly.
[Game message: You've slain a Twin-Tailed Rabbit. Gold +1!]
[Game message: You've gained 5 EXP!]
Chris's eyes gleamed. So it was possible to get gold and EXP just from killing monsters!
[You've slain a Twin-Tailed Rabbit. Gold +1! Exp +5!]
[You've slain a Twin-Tailed Rabbit. Gold +1! Exp +5!]
[You've slain a Twin-Tailed Rabbit. Gold +1! Exp +5!]
[You've slain a Twin-Tailed Rabbit. Gold +2! Exp +10!] (A slightly larger one)
[You've slain a Saber-tooth Tiger. Gold +5! Exp +20!]
[You've slain a Saber-tooth Tiger. Gold +5! Exp +20!]
[You've slain a Saber-tooth Tiger. Gold +5! Exp +20!]
[You've slain a Twin-Tailed Rabbit. Gold +4! Exp +15!] (Critical hit/bonus)
[...]
The swamp teemed with creatures. Twin-Tailed Rabbits were everywhere, and he encountered several Saber-tooth Tigers, their roars echoing through the mist. While the rabbits were weak herbivores, the Saber-tooth Tigers were formidable predators, easily capable of tearing apart a human. However, against Chris's Infernal Tiger Form, they were merely prey. Their furious pounces and claw swipes barely scratched his fur, absorbed by his Scorched Hide skill. He retaliated with devastating Infernal Claws that left burning gouges on their tough hides, and a few focused Hellfire Breaths turned patches of the swamp into smoldering ash, vaporizing groups of rabbits in a single blast.
This was only natural. He was a Beast King, after all. Even if he had just descended and had only activated one of his talents, with his Legendary bloodline and boosted stats, Chris's actual combat power could already basically rival that of high-tier elite monsters, perhaps even low-tier Lords, of the same level. How could normal monsters like Saber-tooth Tigers be of any real threat?
After an hour of relentless hunting, Chris checked his status again.
Name: Chris Lycanister
Level: 1
Exp: 95/100
Race: Heavenly Devil Crimson Tiger (Beast King Race)
Gold: 38
He had almost enough EXP to level up! Just a few more kills.
[You've slain a Giant Swamp Boa. Gold +8! Exp +30!]
[Game Message: Congratulations! You have leveled up!]
Name: Chris Lycanister
Level: 2
Exp: 25/200 (Level 2 requires 200 EXP)
Race: Heavenly Devil Crimson Tiger (Beast King Race)
Base Stats (Infernal Tiger Form): 500 HP, 220 MP, 70 Strength, 30 Agility, 45 Constitution, 25 Will.
Talents: Infernal Tiger Form (Active), Celestial Tiger Form (Inactive), Soul Devour (Inactive), Mana Conduit (Inactive), Devil's Fury (Inactive).
Skills: Infernal Claw (E Rank), Hellfire Breath (E Rank), Scorched Hide (E Rank).
Talent Points: 10
A faint glow enveloped Chris as his body solidified further, a tangible sense of power flowing through him. His stats saw a noticeable increase, and he had gained 10 more Talent Points, enough to activate another talent. This was far more rewarding than simply gathering basic materials.
After two more hours, even discounting the collected meat and raw materials, Chris had earned 65 gold. His gains were quite considerable. Gold didn't seem hard to earn here.
"Not bad, not bad at all." He headed back towards the Beast King Altar, planning to summon some subordinates with his newfound wealth. He knew he couldn't do everything himself. Building an empire required a loyal workforce.