Trapper

The world had been torn asunder, global upheavals leaving a path of devastation in their wake. From the vantage point of outer space, Earth's diameter had swollen dramatically, reaching a size half that of Neptune and a mass equivalent to five Earths. The planet's equatorial regions baked under intense heat, while the polar areas plunged into subzero temperatures. Smaller nations were stretched and shattered, their lands flung across the globe, creating a patchwork of chaos.

In the aftermath, the very fabric of life had transformed. Creatures evolved at an alarming rate, growing stronger, faster, and more intelligent to cope with the new world. Humans, however, remained unchanged, thrust into a world where their previous comforts had left them woefully unprepared.

As the upheavals ceased after three days, the survivors faced a grim reality. In areas spared from the earth's floods, chaos reigned—riots, anarchy, and violence erupted as lawlessness took hold. The darkest facets of human nature were laid bare.

Amidst the turmoil, a voice echoed into every human mind:

[Foolish humans, I warned you and your ancestors of what was to come.]

[Had you relinquished your greed, this calamity could have been avoided. But you chose your desires.]

[Now, you will find yourselves prey to every creature that emerges.]

[However, I am merciful and will not abandon you completely.]

[The other creatures received their abilities from the Earth itself, but your genes have deteriorated due to your comforts and poisons.]

[I will unlock your potential and offer you a path to survival.]

[This is my final intervention.]

[You have 30 minutes to choose.]

In each mind appeared a list of options, reminiscent of RPG class selections: Knight, Warrior, Rogue, Mage, and others. As individuals made their choices, status screens materialized on their left arms, displaying attributes such as Strength, Speed, Endurance, Vitality, and Intelligence, with certain stats receiving boosts based on their selections.

Meanwhile, far from the chaos, a lone island floated in the new world, its size comparable to Australia. Shaun lay unconscious beneath the rubble of his surroundings. His body ached with a dull, throbbing pain, his mind shrouded in a haze of disorientation. The darkness of unconsciousness was a welcome reprieve from the agony, but something stirred within him—a vague sense of unease, a shadow of impending doom.

As the 30-minute window elapsed without a choice, the system's voice spoke directly to him:

[Still silent, human? Are you so paralyzed by fear that you will reject the very gift that might save your life?]

Shaun's consciousness flickered, the voice penetrating his fogged mind like a sharp knife. Yet, he remained still, his body heavy, weighed down by a mix of exhaustion and confusion.

[Your reluctance is noted. But do you not understand? This world will not wait for you to make a decision. It will devour you whole if you remain as you are.]

The voice continued, cold and unforgiving, yet Shaun's mind could barely grasp its meaning. Memories of the earthquake, of the villa, and Lily's terrified scream rushed back in fragmented flashes. Panic surged within him, but his body was unresponsive, trapped under the debris of his former life.

[Is it ignorance, or do you truly wish to perish here, buried beneath the ruins of a world you could not protect?]

Fortunately for the voice, no one else was nearby to witness this strange exchange.

[This is your final chance, human. Choose, or I will choose for you. And know this: the path I select will not be one of ease.]

Two minutes passed.

[Very well. Since you refuse to decide your own fate, I will decide it for you.]

The voice, tinged with a note of irritation, persisted.

[You shall walk a path of hardship, your growth slow and painful, your progress dependent solely on your will to survive. Do not expect the advantages others will receive, for you have forfeited them through your inaction.]

Though the voice's words seemed grand, they were undermined by the misunderstanding of the situation. With that, the voice departed, leaving Shaun with his own fate. Yet in his mind, a system-like voice made its presence known:

[Trapper class selected.]

[Initial physical reformation... canceled.]

[Future physical reformation... denied.]

[Advancement path map... deleted.]

[Advancement enhancement... removed.]

[Skill growth path... restricted.]

[System skill supplement... withheld.]

[System skill control... revoked.]

[Initial skills inserted.]

[Active skill <Wrap Trap> attained.]

[Active skill <Feeding > attained.]

Had Shaun been conscious, he might have cursed the voice for stripping him of potential advantages and lamented the higher beings' apparent incompetence.

Finally, the commotion of the voice and the system woke Shaun. His head throbbed with an intensity that made him wince, pain radiating through his skull. He groaned, trying to move, but every muscle in his body screamed in protest. The debris that covered him felt like the weight of the world pressing down on him, pinning him to the ground.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest as he tried to recall what had happened. The memories were a jumbled mess—images of the villa, the earthquake, the chasm swallowing Lily, and then... darkness. Panic clawed at his insides as he forced himself to push the rubble off his chest, each movement a Herculean effort. His hands shook as he crawled from beneath the wreckage, his vision swimming with the effort.

He staggered to his feet, swaying dangerously as the world spun around him. Blood dripped from a gash on his forehead, running down his face and blurring his vision. He wiped at it with a trembling hand, trying to clear his sight. His legs felt like jelly, barely supporting his weight after three days without food or water. He was alive, but the thought brought little comfort—what kind of world had he awakened to?

Shaun's mind reeled as he took in his surroundings. The landscape had changed—no, it had been completely transformed. The villa was gone, replaced by a vast expanse of greenery that stretched endlessly in all directions. The ground was uneven, fractured, as if the earth itself had been torn apart and hastily reassembled.

Blurry-eyed, Shaun spotted a small puddle of water nearby. He collapsed beside it, his body too weak to stand any longer. With what little strength he had left, he dipped his hands into the puddle and brought the water to his lips. The cool liquid trickled down his throat, reviving him slightly, but the relief was fleeting. He drank greedily, each sip feeling like it barely made a dent in his parched throat.

As his vision began to clear, he looked up—and what he saw filled him with a primal, bone-deep terror.

From his vantage point on the hill, he beheld a vast sea of green—a colossal forest, seemingly endless. The trees and foliage formed a dense mat that stretched to the horizon, their leaves a dark, almost unnatural shade of green. Towering spires of rock pierced the sky, their peaks shrouded in fog and mist, like the jagged teeth of some monstrous beast waiting to devour him.

But it was not just the alien landscape that terrified him. As he scanned the horizon, his eyes locked onto one of those towering spires—and it moved. A massive, lumbering motion, as if the earth itself was shifting. For a moment, Shaun thought it was an earthquake, but the ground beneath him remained still. His blood ran cold as he realized the truth: the structure was alive.

The spire, impossibly large and ancient, seemed to stretch and twist, its rocky surface rippling like the hide of some enormous creature. It stopped after a moment, but Shaun's mind was already racing, his heart hammering in his chest. What kind of world was this, where the very land itself could come to life?

The overwhelming scale and alien nature of his surroundings made him feel as insignificant as an ant in a world of giants. He felt a chill crawl up his spine, a cold sweat breaking out on his skin. The forest, the spires, the sky—all of it felt hostile, as if the world was watching him, waiting for him to make a mistake.

Panic surged through him again, more intense than before. He wanted to scream, to run, but his body refused to obey. His legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. The world around him seemed to close in, the trees and rocks looming over him like silent predators.

Shaun's mind spiraled, the terror threatening to consume him. What hope did he have in this place? He was alone, weak, and powerless, surrounded by a world that had turned into a nightmare.

And as Shaun lay there, trembling in the shadow of the monstrous spire, he wondered if he had the strength to survive at all.