Monster Evolutionist

Edward's vision blurred as a strange, shooting pain spread throughout his body. He had been feeling weak and fatigued for the past few days, but he had attributed it to his work schedule.

However, now his body felt as though it was breaking apart. "Hey, hurry up!" A gruff, middle-aged man barked at Edward as he saw the young worker come to a stop. "You're young and you can't even finish a simple task like this?" The man tossed the heavy basket of meat onto the ground and spat in Edward's direction.

"I apologize, sir," Edward replied, releasing his grip on the basket and reaching for something to steady himself. He cursed silently, he was a hard-working and stellar student, but, who would have thought that he would fall ill just the day that his teacher would sort the internships, leaving him with the worst possible one? The young man had been hoping to secure a position in a prestigious research laboratory, but now he was stuck with a menial job at the local zoo.

The man scowled at Edward, a mixture of pity and disgust etched onto his face. "Kids these days are useless. They can't even handle a bit of manual labor!"

The man was about to launch into another tirade when he noticed Edward holding a lever. With a look of horror, he shouted, "Are you an idiot? Watch where you're putting your hands!"

Still struggling to remain conscious, Edward paid little heed to the man's warnings. Old Thomas, the curmudgeonly supervisor, was always pestering and lecturing the interns, so this outburst was nothing new.

Suddenly, a loud clicking sound pierced the air, jolting Edward out of his daze. He recognized the sound of the tiger's cage opening and felt a surge of panic.

"Oh, shit! Run!" Old Thomas bellowed, taking off in a sprint. The tigers at the zoo were still new and unfamiliar with their keepers, so coming into direct contact with them would surely mean certain death.

As Edward saw the cage door swing open and the massive tigers lumbering towards the feeding area, he felt his heart skip a beat. He turned to flee but tripped over the basket of meat and tumbled to the ground with a sickening thud.

As Thomas arrived at the entrance, his attention was immediately drawn to the young man who had collapsed inside the feeding pen. A sense of responsibility stirred within him, compelling him to rush to Edward's aid. However, as he was about to enter the feeding pen, his gaze was met by the appearance of three tigers.

Fear coursed through his veins, and he froze in terror, unable to take another step. Meanwhile, Edward lay crumpled on the ground, his body wracked with pain.

Despite his best efforts, he could not summon the strength to rise to his feet. As the growls of the approaching tigers echoed in his ears, he knew that his situation was dire. He could only hope that someone would come to his aid before it was too late.

Old Thomas' face twisted in anguish as he cried out for help. "Someone! Please come quickly!" He knew deep down that it was too late to save the young intern trapped in the feeding pen. If he didn't close the gate soon, he would be the next victim. With shaking hands, he pressed the button and watched as the gate slammed shut. "I'm sorry, kid, but I don't think I can assist you," Thomas whispered, his heart heavy with grief.

Despite their rocky relationship, he never wished harm upon the intern. Witnessing the young man's tragic end filled him with immense sorrow.

Edward, trapped inside the pen, begged for help as tears streamed down his face. "Please! Please do not leave me." But his cries went unanswered as Thomas turned away, unable to bear the gruesome sight of the tigers devouring their prey.

As Edward's voice grew fainter and his body weakened, he watched helplessly as the gates closed, knowing that his fate was sealed. His vision began to fade until all he could see was darkness.

....

Edward fidgeted, his senses slowly returning to him as he tried to make sense of his situation. A strange sensation tickled his face, making him squirm uncomfortably, and his entire body ached with a dull throbbing pain. His eyelids were heavy, and he struggled to open them fully, forcing himself to focus on his surroundings.

Confusion clouded his mind as he struggled to piece together his memories. Hadn't he been at the zoo just moments ago? Edward tried to shake off the cobwebs that clouded his thoughts, but the pain made it hard to concentrate. With a sudden jolt of panic, Edward scrambled to his feet, his body protesting as he moved.

The memories of the tigers that had been stalking him flooded back, spurring him on despite the pain. But when he looked around, he found himself in an unfamiliar location. "Where am I?" Edward muttered to himself, his heart pounding in his chest.

He scanned his surroundings, taking in the vast field of grass and the two-story wooden cabin in the distance.

The farm was surrounded by a sturdy stone fence, and beyond it, a thick wall of fog obscured everything from view. For a moment, Edward was filled with a sense of dread. Was he trapped here? Was he dead? But the pain in his body told him otherwise.

He was alive, and he needed to figure out what had happened to him. Edward gazed in awe at the mysterious place before him.

A wall of fog loomed in the distance, refusing to pass over the fence or disperse. It was an eerie sight as if some unknown force compelled it to maintain its shape.

"What is this place? Could it be heaven?" Edward mumbled to himself, his eyes scanning the area.

They eventually landed on two large cherry trees behind a wooden cabin. One tree boasted pink flowers, while the other boasted white. Edward's heart raced as he took it all in.

He tried to calm himself down, wary that any heightened emotions might cause him to fall ill once again. "What in the world is going on?" he exclaimed. "I'm pretty sure I died, but what happened after? Reincarnation?" He looked down at his body and shook his head, bewildered.

If he were to reincarnate, he would have to start anew as a newborn, but to his surprise, he found himself in the body of a young man, just as he was in his previous life.

After pondering for a moment, he decided to check his reflection in the nearby pond. However, his attention was diverted by a squeaking sound, coming from a small creature near his feet. "Hey there, little guy. Did you wake me up?"

Edward crouched down and extended his hand, hoping to convey a friendly demeanor to the small black rabbit.

The rabbit let out another squeak, eyeing Edward fearfully. After a moment of hesitation, it looked towards the wall of fog and began to make its way toward Edward's outstretched hand.

Edward was taken aback by the rabbit's appearance. Its black fur shone with a brilliant luster, and its small white eyes sparkled with a distinct intelligence. "Do you know where I am, little guy?"

He waited patiently until the rabbit came close to him, and then scooped it up, holding it close to his chest.

[Info Window]

Name: Black Fur Rabbit (Mutated) | Realm: Apprentice | Level: 2 Bloodline: Common | Mutation: Mystic | Elemental Affinity: Darkness, Mysticism | Talent Rating: 9/10

Physical Attributes: Dexterity: 2 | Strength: 1 | Agility: 3 | Endurance: 1 | Mental Attributes: Intelligence: 5 | Awareness: 4 | Spiritual Power: 6 | Spiritual Energy: 4

Evolution: Dark Fur Rabbit ( High-Grade Common Bloodline), Nether Rabbit (Mid-Grade Uncommon Bloodline)

Hidden Evolutions: There exists one potential path of evolution that has been concealed or lost.

[Info Window]

Edward's eyes widened with surprise as he caught sight of the window. The view before him was almost as startling as his own transmigration. "Black Fur Rabbit? Is that what this thing is called?" he muttered, peering at the small, cute animal in his hands before turning his attention back to the window.

The information written on it left him mystified. "Spirit Power? Uncommon Bloodline? What in the world is this rabbit?" He couldn't help but scrutinize the animal in his hands with newfound curiosity.

Taking a deep breath, Edward carefully placed the rabbit down. Though he wasn't sure if the creature posed any danger, he decided not to take any chances.

The rabbit let out a few more squeaks, sounding almost displeased that Edward had dared to touch it.

Edward found the scene quite amusing, but the rabbit soon surprised him yet again. After finishing its little round of squeaks, the rabbit quickly hopped over to Edward and nibbled on his trousers.

"What do you want?" Edward asked in confusion. The rabbit's gaze was surprisingly intelligent, and he could tell that the creature was quite clever. "Don't tell me you want to show me something?" he speculated aloud, noticing how the rabbit kept tugging at his trousers, almost as if trying to guide him.

In response, the rabbit squeaked again and dashed towards the entrance of the farm, pausing only briefly to make sure that Edward was following it. Edward felt a twinge of excitement as he trailed behind the little creature, eager to see what it was trying to show him.

Edward let out a deep sigh, his mind reeling with confusion and uncertainty. "What in the world have I gotten myself into?" he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

Despite his misgivings, he followed the rabbit to the edge of the farm. As they approached a thick wall of fog, a searing pain suddenly shot through his skull, causing him to stagger and grip his temples tightly.

"Damn it all!" he hissed, struggling to fight off the agonizing ache. And then, in a flash of disorienting images, his past came flooding back to him, a jumbled mass of fragmented memories and disjointed scenes.

Gasping for breath, Edward stumbled back, trying to make sense of the jumbled mess in his mind. The pieces slowly began to click into place, like a puzzle finally taking shape. "Edward...Junior?" he whispered, finally understanding that he had somehow taken over the body of a young man named Edward Junior.

A young man whose life was full of hardship and sorrow. Despite the incredulity of the situation, Edward resolved to focus on the task at hand.

With his memories still fragmented, he knew that he needed to confront his situation head-on before he could make sense of it all. So, pushing aside his lingering confusion, he followed the rabbit deeper into the forest, determined to discover where the small rabbit was leading him.