Chapter 1First Time In Another World
John's eyes cracked open, and for a split second he thought he was still asleep and the event he just experiencing is just a dream.He see a green glow filled his vision casting shadows over rough stone walls that stretched high above him. The place smelled damp and earthy with a faint metallic tang. As he shifted, he felt a dry layer of dust crackle over his skin, and he realized he was practically buried in the stuff."Where...?" he muttered, blinking against the faint glow of strange moss dotting the walls.His head throbbed with confusion, memories swirling in fragments. He'd just been... at a bar at, right?He remembered standing at the office, listening to his supervisor chew him out again for something his senior had fucked up.Frustrated, he'd immediately and, well...he vaguely remembered drinking a bit more than he should. Maybe "bit" was generous, he'd nearly cleaned out the bar.Then he remembered the bridge. The cold splash. The darkness.He was dead, wasn't he? Drowning it he cold water of the river.John sat up, dust cascading from his shoulders, and tried to take in his surroundings with a pounding headache."No way this is heaven," he mumbled, glancing around. It looked more like the set of some B-grade fantasy film. "If this is hell, I guess they got a tight budget."A sharp, ringing noise shot through his head, forcing him to wince. Just as he gritted his teeth, a calm male voice — cool and unfazed, like this was just another Tuesday — spoke directly into his mind.
"You have been chosen. Rather than just straight up dead, you are transferred to another world."John froze. "What?"The voice didn't bother repeating itself, leaving John with the uneasy feeling that he was either dreaming, dead, or somehow both.John blinked, the cave around him feeling a bit more real. A mix of dread and excitement crept in as he remembered all those late nights spent binge-watching anime or reading web novels about situations like this.
Transferred to a another world? Maybe I'll finally live the dream...right?He shook off the dust and forced himself to take a few deep breaths."Okay. Gotta stay calm, figure things out."He glanced around, squinting at the moss-light casting eerie shadows across the cave walls."So, voice-in-my-head," he said, attempting a casual tone, "I need a little more info. Who are you? What world is this? And...do I get a cool power or something?"
"Haha." The voice chuckled. A dry, almost bored sound.
"I'm afraid I can't answer all that for you."John's mouth twisted. "Seriously? Aren't you supposed to be, like, my guide or something?"
"Hmm..." Another amused hum.
"No. I'm not here to hold your hand. I already did my job getting you here. Explaining everything would be, well...above my pay grade, if you will."The voice's tone reminded him of his coworkers, the kind who clocked in right on time, did only what was strictly required, and clocked out without a second thought.Well, not that he could judge. Once upon a time, John had been ambitious, but after enough times getting burned he'd settled into a similar rhythm."Guess we all have our burdens, huh?" John mumbled. "Even godly beings like you."
"Hah! Now you get it," the voice said with a hint of approval.
"I like you. Since you seem sharp, I'll give you a few hints. This is a world with what are called Living Dungeons, and you happen to be in one right now. There are many creatures called the Beasts here. And if you die here, that's it. No more take-backs."Beasts? John gulped. "Cool, cool. So...what's my power?"
"It's called Beast Insight Vision. It lets you see a Beast's strengths, weaknesses, stats, and any special abilities they have. Not something that'll make you a god overnight, but it'll give you an edge if you're clever."John deflated a little. "That's it?"
"Oh, please. It's already lucky you're not just dead, right?" The voice replied with a mix of irritation and humor.John sighed, but he couldn't argue. "Fair point. I'll take what I can get."
"Great! Well, that's all the time we have here. Good luck, John. Maybe we'll meet again...or maybe not. Do your best with this second chance."The voice faded, and John felt an odd emptiness as though the voice had taken a small presence in his mind along with it.Left alone in the quiet and dimly lit cave, John took one last look around."Well," he muttered, straightening up, "guess it's time to see what
'Beast Insight Vision' can do...and figure out how not to die."Oddly enough, his body didn't ache or feel stiff like he'd expected. Glancing down, he noticed the leather armor he was wearing, scratched and dust-covered, along with a sturdy pair of trousers. A sword lay nearby, its blade dull but intact."Huh," he muttered, brushing off some of the dust. "So this is what they wear around here?"He squinted, uneasily wondering if he'd taken over some unlucky adventurer's body. A bit disturbing, maybe, but he decided not to dwell on it.He picked up the sword, testing its weight. The iron blade looked hardly used. Maybe a bit dull but still clean enough to suggest its former owner hadn't even managed to swing it in a fight."Well, good for me, I guess," he said, swinging it lightly to test its balance. Serviceable enough, he figured. He don't know how to use a sword so he just need to swind and stab as strong as possible for now.His eyes landed on a small leather pack against the wall. He shook off the dust and threw it over his shoulder, feeling oddly satisfied."Alright. At least I've got some basics."With his "starter kit" in hand, John took a deep breath, reminding himself that he had to find a way out of this cave and gather some solid information before stumbling into anything dangerous.Cautiously, he moved down the corridor, gripping the sword as he peered around. His footsteps echoed as he kept to the walls, alert for any sounds or movement.Rounding a corner, the corridor suddenly opened up, revealing an enormous cavern. A whole ecosystem seemed to be thriving here, with faint bioluminescent plants and damp, green growths covering the rocks. Small pools dotted the ground and the faint sound of water dripping echoed in those vast space."Living Dungeon, huh?" he muttered, gripping the sword a bit tighter.This place felt like something straight out of his favorite stories—fascinating and deadly all at once.He can see several strange creatures that not like anything he'd ever seen in the real world. A creature resembling a large wolf prowled in the shadows, its fur shimmering faintly.But this was no ordinary wolf. It had a single jagged horn jutting from its forehead and its eyes glowed with a green light.A little bit further perched atop a rock, was a small, birdlike creature with feathers the color of molten metal. When it ruffled its feathers, tiny embers drifted off, illuminating the space around it like a miniature firework display. John had to blink and look away from its glow, unnerved but mesmerized.Then he can see a serpentine beast with dark scales and glistening, shifting colors as it moved. Its tongue flicked out. Its eyes were a dull red.And deeper into the cavern, John's eyes caught sight of something that made him pause.At the center of the ecosystem, embedded into a natural pedestal of jagged rock, was a large, pulsing gem. The gem seemed to have veins of glowing light within it, shifting and swirling as if it were alive.It cast glow across the cavern and John had the unmistakable feeling that this was the heart of the dungeon—a Dungeon Core. He somehow just knew it.The energy radiating from it was thick, as if it were the lifeblood of the entire cavern, feeding the creatures and plants surrounding it.The Core thrummed rhythmically like a powerful heartbeat.John still don't know if that core should be destroyed or what. But for now, he have to get out of here before those Beasts sensing his presence.But turned out that his luck was bad.Just as John turned to walk away, a sudden chill ran down his spine. Out of the corner of his eye he saw one of the Beasts in the tunnel. It was a scrawny creature with sharp eyes.Instinctively, he blinked, and suddenly, a rush of information filled his vision, as if he were reading a status screen.---You activating Beast Insight Vision (Novice stage (0/100).Species Name: Sharp Claw Vermin.Rank: Common Beast.Strength: Low.Agility: Moderate.Endurance: Low.Weakness: Head, Back.Special Abilities: None.Taming Method: ******---The information flashed in front of him, though he could barely process it all. His eyes burned and he winced as the vision faded.John staggered back, clutching his head, trying to shake off the disorienting feeling.The creature let out a sharp, piercing screech, the sound echoing through the cavern.John's stomach sank as he heard the distant rustling on stone. Other Beasts were stirring, alerted by the noise."Shit! Not sticking around for this!" he muttered, adrenaline kicking in as he broke into a sprint.He bolted straight past the creature, ducking low and swinging his sword in a wide arc as he ran.The blade struck its head and the Beast crumpled under the blow, giving him just enough space to keep running.His footsteps pounded down the corridor, and just as he felt his lungs burning, he saw light up ahead. An exit!With one last burst of energy, he stumbled into the daylight, finally safe from the dungeon.Or so he thought.---
