Unfortunately and Unlucky, Clay Flare

'Let's review again, shall we? I came to my own, unfinished novel. Check. Then I met the protagonist. Check. He was supposed to die but I saved him because he was so kind. Check? Bah, I saved him because there was a slight possibility that I could reincarnate in his stead!! Check!.'

As lunatic as it sounded, it was true, The 19-year-old, Jit Hwan had saved, the protagonist of his novel so he could replace the man in the reincarnation scene and get to his long wished fantasy world.

Though chances were slim, he was a crazy guy who craved nothing but thrills.

And currently, he could feel his back getting colder. But his surrounding was warm, or more like…hot!

He was afraid to open his eyes. What if he was back in some hospital ward, getting treated?

'That would be worst.' For him, life on earth was boring. He had written so many stories that he had an utmost urge to live in at least one of them. And he had been given a chance. He was able to enter a novel.

But yet again, due to his impulsiveness, he had decided to abandon the previous world to enter another in his same novel.

He lifted his hand. He could feel it aching. His head was hurting slightly. And soon the slight turned to immense and he was now screaming in pain. Some hands were comforting him but he cared less who it was. Whether his mother or some hot girl in the fantasy world.

Right now, he was….overjoyed. Why you ask?

The pain was followed by a rush of memories. Memories of someone else. And in first person point of view. As an author, he knew what this meant exactly. There were many possibilities but the nearest he was too, was only one.

He flashed his eyes open. Cerulean blue stared at the ceiling. It wasn't a slab. No, it was a tent. A brown military-like tent. He sat up like a spring and looked around.

The tent had swords hanging and men getting treated. Beside him was a girl with grey hair and black eyes, staring at him awkwardly.

"C..clay, you should lie down, your injuries aren't yet healed," she spoke and he smirked.

Assurances after assurances were being confirmed that he was in another world. He felt tingled.

"No,... it's fine. I should get back on my duty." he stood up and went out with a sword in his hand. He was cut at many sides of his body.

The memories he attained were of someone named Clay Flare. To describe this person in one word would be rather interesting.

Unlucky. That's all he was.

Lost parents at the age of 8, home at 10 to pay off the debt of parents. Left to fend off on his own and for his younger brother Claire. Decided to awaken as a hunter to earn but was not able to. His body could not sustain mana and so, he was not welcome to be a hunter for his whole life.

Became a mercenary at age of 13 and it had been so for the past 4 years.

Now 17, the kid was tired of it all and got distracted. Stabbed near the lungs, he left the world. But after healing, he survived yet returned Jit and not Clay in his body.

Just misfortunes and misfortunes his whole life. That's all he had faced.

'So I have a brother to take care of? Hmm, maybe it's fine. Since having someone would be better than not. Atleast, I can return home to eat something…' he laughed maniacally startling others.

"Now let's see. I had thought of a system called "Beast-Man System" for Jin." he tried thinking.

When he uttered 'System' mentally, a blue screen appeared in front of him making him smile.

[Welcome, host. This is the Beast System, synchronizing with the body.]

[Congratulations, Sync complete. You can proceed with using the system.]

"Hm, the name has changed. Wonder if the contents change too." he thought about it and the system changed. The interface now showed only three things.

Status, Inventory and Beasts.

'It's completely different.' The thought of getting a different system than he had planned excited him more than feeling grief.

'Status'

When he thought of it, a black, transparent screen popped before him, which he supposed was the real interface.

[ Name: Clay Flare

Age: 17

Occupation: Mercenary

STATS

Str: 20

Hp: 200

Mp: 0

Vit: 22

Dex: 15

Int: 25

SKILLS

Slash: A vertical and horizontal slash can be performed efficiently with any weapon categorized under the sword.

Stab: A counterattack and defensive stance used by a weapon categorized as a sword.

Dash: A defensive and offensive skill used to increase speed and movements.

]

Clay stood as he organised in his mind all the things he needed to do now. Since it was called a Beast System, it probably would have something unique right?

And oh well it was.

He opened the beast option next and what popped before him was surprising.

On the black screen, there was an icon of a dog. He imagined selecting it and the icon grew bigger.

Information was written under it in a slight cursive format.

[ Beast Type: Dog

Breed: Golden Retriever

Description: A beast you saved while pursuing death from the previous world. This is the soul of the beast that qualified to enter this paradise with you.

]

Under the information was a small option of 'Beastify'.

"What is this beastify?" he asked no one but the system answered.

[It is the system exclusive option which allows the user to form a bond with the beast they capture or slay and combine with it. Beastify is an innate skill of the user.]

His eyes were sparkly.

'This system is better than what I had formed, that's for sure. The system I had in mind could only help summon beasts which many times wouldn't even listen to the summoner.

This one is unique and interesting!'

He refrained from enabling the option and withheld his temptation.

He proceeded to the Inventory option.

[Inventory contains Beginner mercenary tools and gifts.]

He could see two icons. The first was weapons and tools. So he selected the gift one.

[Beginner gift box found! Opening….]

[Acquired one Blast crystal.]

[Blast: It is an energy type used by only the user which is a combination of mana and aura of mages and warriors simultaneously.]

[Acquired one Beast Card. Acquired a set of clothes and a sword of Rank-C]

He knew that C-Rank was too much for a mercenary but for him who had bigger plans, felt a bit excited about it.

He was rather more interested in the beast card.

[Beast Card: Used to capture Beasts for summoning. The Beast System only supports the Beatification but Beast Cards allow the user to also summon the beast without having to kill it.]

"Whoa!" he screamed but clamped his mouth when people stared at him. He walked past the crowd and sat near a tree.

"This is freaking cool. So I can summon and combine with beasts. And now, unlike the petty mercenary work, I can actually become a hunter!"

He sounded almost like he belonged to this world for god knows how long. He wasn't worried about anything.

"Fine, let's start with the Beast Crystal" as he said, a solid stone the size of a toddler's fist dropped in front of him.

He took it and knew what to do.

He sat cross-legged and closed his eyes. Feeling his surrounding was easy. But he couldn't cross the barrier of his perception. As per the mages, beyond perception lay reality.

It took him an hour to enter the beyond. And as said, it was the reality. He could see the veins of his hands and the roots of the tree.

The trees were filled with mana streams and animals as well.

Slowly and steadily, the beast crystal glowed and got absorbed in him.

When the last chunk of remaining Beast Crystal was about to be absorbed, he was hit on the head with someone's leg.

Through his eyes that had reached beyond perception, he could feel and notice the leg approaching him, but couldn't evade it since his body wasn't that agile.

Stood before him, was an arrogant-looking man with blonde hair and black eyes. He seemed like a warrior from his clothing. An armour hung on his chest and beautiful sword by his waist.

"What the heck are you doing here? Resting? Seriously…" the man sighed.

Mercenaries were nothing but human fodders for hunters and warriors, Mercenary were those who were unable to become either of the previous two, So, there was an extremely low percentage of them. And hence it made things worse for the mercenaries. They were treated like shit.

Just like how he was being treated now.

Ä..ahaha, i am sorry. I should be working right?" Clay got up and bowed as an apology and rushed away.

"Weird, that snot should have fought back with that fierce attitude of his.." the warrior wondered.

However, clay was even more agitated.

"Shit, what's this amount of anger feel!? Just how much anger did this kid bear on himself!!" the amount was insane. He felt like he could kill a dozen just to start releasing his anger.

Ï better stay away from that guy, or he might be in danger." For one thing, he was sure, that if the warrior ever did the same again, Clay would be sure to slice him into bits.

So it was better that he stayed away from trouble.

Or so he thought…