I approached the blue-and-white wall of energy, ready to leave this dome. The world, though completely black, was as visible to me as if it were still daytime—just with a dark tint.

  I had Crusbull to thank for that. It moved with pride, stepping on blood-red mushrooms that clustered together among the green and blue blades of grass.

  A breeze rolled across the field, making the distant grass ripple. A moment later, the ones closer to me followed suit, and then the wind finally reached me. I felt nothing. Earth armor.

  At first, I assumed the mushrooms were poisonous in some way. But whenever I stepped on them, they just let out a slouch sound, spraying red liquid as they were crushed beneath my feet.

  I wasn’t nauseous, and my skin didn’t itch or burn. However I was irritated in another way. I looked like I had just run through a murder scene.

  I sighed, dipping my chin. But when I raised my head, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest.

  An eyeball, twice my size in diameter, was staring at me. It floated a meter away, its red pupil as thin as a knife. A thick yellow ring surrounded its pupils, crisscrossed with bulging, red-veined tendrils that pulsed with light—growing brighter and brighter, threatening to blind me.

  "You better stop now!" a man in armor shouted. "Show me your ID, or—"

  Just my luck. A damn guard. He came charging at me.

  I leapt to the side, dodging a wide, transparent red beam. I had expected it to vaporized me, yet oddly, the grass beneath it wasn’t burned—it just froze in place, completely still.

  A kind of freeze beam I assumed.

  Then the man grabbed my arm and prepared to swing me into the air. "Damn little kid—"

  I acted fast, slamming my rock-covered elbow into his nose, aiming to break it.

  There was no crack, but he cussed and staggered back. "You little bitch!"

  If only these fools wore helmets. Oh well, it just made things easier for me.

  As soon as he turned back to me, fist clenched, I struck again—this time rapidly, furiously. My elbow finally sank deeper than before, and finally, I heard the crunch.

  Panicked, he threw me away, bent over, and clutched his face. Blood streamed down his wrist as he screamed, "Reye, kill her! Kill the little fucker!"

  The floating eyeball swelled like it was being inflated, its pupil widening in rage.

  I swung my hand downward, summoning my newest monster—a white sphere with a row of flexible, looping arms orbiting it like a planet’s ring.

  The eyeball’s beam was almost ready to fire.

  Too slow.

  Sphere (current nickname) shot out its arms, stabbing into the eyeball’s side and swinging it away. The beam fired, but it barely missed us, blasting a rectangular crater in the grass and soil.

  For whatever reason, the eyeball’s speed was garbage. Which probably meant its offensive or defensive abilities (doubtful) were on another level.

  I took a deep breath, bracing myself, then sent out Forwing.

  The pain came fast and hot—searing agony. I collapsed to my knees... but I wasn’t instantly losing my mind this time. That was an improvement. Made me wonder how much more my mind had to adapt before this became a viable strategy.

  Anyway, my white bird soared above, its crimson-red wings beating the air.

  "Feather Dance."

  The monster eye was still being rotated from Sphere’s attack. Then, a storm of feathers glided down, blinding the man to everything but a single red beam slicing through a tiny section of the feathers.

  As he eagerly looked for me so he could kill me, feathers clung to the blood on his hands and mouth.

  I wondered how confused he must’ve been, seeing his monster’s beam heading straight for him—' It suddenly stopped.

  Eh... I didn’t know what he was about to do.

  Another flash of black. I absorbed Sphere back and sent out Crusbull.

  Then, a powerful wave of a transparent red energy blasted outward, sweeping away the feathers—and me. I was flung through the air, pain stinging every inch of my body. I tumbled across the ground until my back slammed into a black boulder half my size.

  The guard smiled and pointed at me, no longer caring to stop his nose bleed. He just let it run down his neck. "I'm going to—"

  Too bad for him.

  A second later, there was a thud—and he went soaring through the air before colliding headfirst with a tree.

  Crusbull had taken him from behind.

  It dashed toward me, and I hauled myself onto its back, gripping its horns tight. My head pounded, but I ignored it. Before activating Hyper Chase to escape, I blanketed the area with Feather Dance again and absorbed Forwing.

  The man shouted something, but it was quickly drowned out by the thudding of Crusbull’s hooves.

  Not a stable ride. Getting jerked back and forth wasn’t exactly fun. But who gave a shit? I didn’t know all the damn laws, but I was pretty sure attacking a Monster Zone guard (assuming that’s what he was since he asked for my ID—he didn’t act like a pedo, so either that or he was a psycho killer) was illegal.

  Would he report it?

  A little girl escaping after caving in his nose? Him—a grown-ass man? No way. I know I wouldn’t.

  Then again... maybe it was different since I was a vlandos.

  I pondered it for a while. The System erased the biological advantages between the sexes and age after a couple of levels(mod points could probably temper with the biological differences). Logically, the only real shame should come from levels—getting beaten by someone lower than you. But... a young child would almost always be a lower level.

  But fuck all that. Optics still mattered.

  His coworkers would find out. He’d be humiliated.

  Conclusion? He’d most likely keep his mouth shut. I didn’t need to worry too much.

  Still, I’d have to take a break from monster hunting. Who knew what was going through that man's head? It was probably swelling with revenge.

  I hated that. Out there, I felt free. Like all my deep worries vanished. I felt powerful... Seeing my stomach get riddled with wounds, only for them to be fixed in seconds.

  How could you not love that?

  And the leveling. Watching the System ask me what kind of power-up I wanted. Mod points. The ability to modify my body however I saw fit.

  It was cool.

  I smiled as Crusbull lifted me slightly into the air before bringing me crashing back down.

  My smile was bright and warm. I loved the System. The changes it made to me. The fact that I had control over myself.

  Right now, I was playing it safe—focusing on physical improvements. But once I got more comfortable... once puberty hit, and with a proper diet, my body should fix itself.

  Then I’d craft my ideal form. My dream body.

  I hadn’t thought about that in forever... I mean, not much you could do to change your skeletal shape or how your body naturally stored fat. Building muscle in certain body parts had their limits.

  Some of these scamming bitches on Tiktok used to make me think otherwise when I was in my teens... Saying:

  Do these exercise, and in no time you'll get a small waist!

  So. today is hips day... First, I have to say. You have to believe in yourself...

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  Remembering that shit pissed me off... but things were really different now.

  Fuck, I could make my pupils yellow if I wanted. Make my hair curlier—Thin out my lips or fatten them up. Gain higher cheekbones. The fact that I had that kind of control... it felt unreal.

  A strange knot formed in my stomach. Excitement, maybe.

  Ha...

  My mouth opened wide, and I threw my head back, laughing wildly. "Ha... hahahahaha!"

  Crusbull weaved through the tall trees, leaping over small bushes speckled with green, tennis-ball-sized berries.

  Then, I spotted something ahead.

  A person.

  I squinted, trying to make out their shape, wondering if I should go around or... if this was about to turn into another fight.

  Crusbull zeroed in on them.

  A big guy.

  Then I realized—it was Ferzan.

  Stop.

  Crusbull slowed, digging up dirt along the way, then came to a halt right in front of him.

  Arms crossed. Not pleased.

  He stared directly into my eyes. Even with me on Crusbull’s back, he was still taller.

  I started the conversation. "Sup?"

  "Why are you in Earth Armor?"

  "Oh." I looked down at the cracked rocks covering my body from head to toe, making me look like a golem. "Wait, how do you know it's me?"

  He frowned in confusion, then asked, "Haven't I seen you in Earth Armor before?"

  Oh. He had. I nodded slowly. "My clothes got burned—melted into my skin. So... yeah."

  His eyes widened in alarm, and he stepped closer. "You need medical attention now!"

  "No, no. I'm fine. Perfect, even."

  "What do you mean, you're fine?" He stopped, his expression tightening. "You said it melted into your skin... You're joking?"

  I should've reassured him from the start.

  "It didn’t go deep," I explained. "I used the water snake to help me. What's its name again?"

  "Aqusare. And you should get checked, just in case."

  "Seriously, I'm okay. I just need clothes. This rock armor is uncomfortable as hell." I didn’t want to think about the bruises I'd have if my skin wasn’t tougher.

  "Oh." He took a step back. "Right. Sorry." Raising his hand, he split the air, forming a swirling portal of water. "I think I have some clothes in here..."

  "Doubt they’ll fit me."

  He half rolled his eyes. "You don’t say..."

  So he was capable of sarcasm.

  I nodded and absentmindedly drummed my fingers against Crusbull’s neck. "So, were you waiting for me?"

  "I was spying on you."

  "Oh...?" I tried to hide my distaste for that.

  "I started late, though. Fell asleep, woke up like an hour ago. Anyway, don't do that again."

  "Do what?" I asked, keeping my tone neutral.

  He realized I didn’t like being ordered around and rephrased. "You went into a monster zone alone. It’s dangerous."

  "I was in there for hours, and I’m fine."

  "Through sheer luck..." He pulled out a huge white shirt with a red snake design, coiling from the bottom of the back to the collar. Then he took out a pair of massive blue pants. "I thought I had some spare clothes from Katie..."

  Muttering under his breath, he clicked his tongue. "You can wear these. I outgrew them years ago."

  The shirt looked like I’d need to grow another ten inches for it to fit properly. And the pants... what a pain.

  I thanked him and changed in privacy. I forgot to trade the sphere monster back for my Twirlflower. I really needed to get a Monster Farm.

  I sneaked back into the bedroom by hopping between window ledges, gripping each one, pulling myself up, jumping, and repeating. I did it all one-handed—my other hand was busy holding up my pants to avoid an embarrassing mishap.

  The window was still open, the curtains swaying back and forth. They didn't get in my way as I climbed through.

  The damn shirt was so big that I could fit three more arms into the sleeves, and it hung past my knees. I looked like an old timey wannabe gangster, except my pants weren’t sagging—they were just dragging across the dark blue carpet.

  I collapsed onto the bed and... fell asleep.

  I dreamed what I always did.

  A black fog swirled aimlessly, shifting without direction. It stayed like that for a while until suddenly, Caren appeared. His hair was disheveled, and deep cuts bled freely across his chest.

  The darkness was gone. In its place stood the ruins of a city under a bright blue sky. He lifted his head, locking eyes with me. His gaze sharpened, filled with an intent so intense it felt like he wanted to kill me.

  He had no right to look at me like that. Not when he was the biggest piece of shit.

  "What? What the hell do you want?"

  He didn’t answer.

  I asked again, my voice rising. "You want to die again? 'Cause I’ll gladly do it!"

  My heart pounded, but I wasn’t bluffing.

  Back in that temple, I had killed a man. And I was... fine. I just felt weird. Killing wasn't a big deal to me.

  Caren finally spoke, his voice hoarse. "You’re a freak... You gave your life to the man who hates us all... You are evil."

  That shit again...

  I clenched my fists. "Get out of my head. You’re dead. Just stay dead!"

  He blinked a few times before his body began dissolving into smoke. My heart hammered as I looked down at my left palm, staring at the seal.

  Then... my eyes snapped open, and I let out a deep breath. Above me were the wooden planks of the bunk above mine.

  I turned my head. Katie wasn’t in her bed. The sheets were wrinkled, her blanket balled up near her pristine white pillow. A few strands of her red-and-yellow hair lay on it.

  I sat up—and nearly lost my pants in the process. I grabbed them quickly before they could slide down again. I hated this.

  Shaking off the irritation, I went into the bathroom, took a quick but thorough shower, and returned to the pile of clothes I’d been given. It seemed someone had added even more to it.

  I searched for something simple. A blue dress with a white sari caught my eye, but then I reconsidered. I picked out a pair of knee-length black pants and a yellow, loose-fitting shirt with petal-shaped sleeves. That would do.

  Dressed, I left the room.

  It was probably late since I didn’t feel even a little tired anymore. Then I remembered something.

  Stats. Show me.

  Strength: E11

  Combat Speed: E8

  Traveling Speed: E9

  Endurance: E11

  Defense: E10

  Mind: E3

  My Mind stat was on another level. I had already suspected as much, but just to confirm, I asked the System:

  Are there hidden stats under stats?

  Yes.

  Mental focus was definitely one of them. It was still surprising that Mind hadn’t broken into D-rank despite all the upgrades. Maybe the lower the number, the higher the value? That and Mind was a bundle of multiple stats, with mental focus being just one component.

  I walked toward the stairs, running my hand along the polished wooden railing. The deep brown color reminded me of the railings back home on Earth, at my parents’ house.

  At the foot of the stairs, a man was dusting a golden cup—easily a foot tall—that caught the light from the open windows and nearly blinded me.

  Squinting, I greeted, "Hello, sir."

  The brown-haired man turned to me, adjusting his long, sleeveless black jacket. It nearly reached his knees and matched the rest of his dark attire—pants, shoes, and the long-sleeved white shirt beneath the jacket.

  Clearing his throat a few times, he asked, "How can I help you?"

  Stepping to the side, finally escaping the glare of the cup’s reflection, I asked, "Have you seen Ferzan?"

  "Yes, he's in the dining hall with the family." He gestured to his right, where a massive brown door stood against the red wall. Paintings of food hung in framed displays—most of them featuring meat, vegetables like lettuce, red cucumbers, diced white meat over blue pasta that looked like spaghetti but was flatter and wider.

  And plenty more.

  I thanked him for the directions and ran down the stairs before heading toward the dining hall. Knocking first, I then pushed the door open.

  The ceiling was white, adorned with circular glass fixtures. A green carpet, soft underfoot, resembled the fur of a feline, its surface marked by an intricate white spray ink-like design forming an elongated "Z" that stretched across the room.

  At the center of it all sat Abella, Ferzan, and Katie at a rounded brown table with smooth edges. A white table runner lay neatly across it.

  Abella greeted me with a polite nod. "You’ve finally risen. I hope your sleep was restful." She gestured toward the seat beside Ferzan.

  "It was. Thank you for asking." I took my seat and was immediately met with a plate of wet, green, soft-looking, wrinkled spheres that carried the scent of chicken gravy, lettuce, and onion.

  Abella pierced one with a food needle, sliding through it effortlessly. A thick purple jelly oozed from the puncture, spilling onto her plate in slow, glistening drips. "You must be under a lot of stress."

  I hesitated, assuming she was referring to my grief. "A bit, yeah."

  She lifted the sphere to her mouth, biting it cleanly in half. More jelly seeped from the exposed center, stretching before breaking into slow, viscous droplets.

  It looked... sweet.

  Ferzan nudged me lightly with his elbow. "It’s just a mix of meat and vegetables with fruit jelly."

  "Looks like diabetes."

  He chuckled.

  Abella then spoke again. "Does killing monsters help with that stress?"

  I immediately glanced at Ferzan, feeling a flicker of betrayal. Why would he tell her about last night?

  But before I could say anything, Abella clarified, "He didn’t tell me anything. I can see it. You’ve gained a new level, a new monster, some new skills… and a life buff."

  I froze, a cold shiver running down my spine. It felt like she was peeling back my skin and staring straight through me. How did she know all that? Levels, sure, but everything else?

  She caught my unease and said, "I don’t mean to frighten you. I only brought it up so you’d understand—hiding things from me is a waste of time. But just to be clear, I have no issue with what you do."

  She took another bite, chewed, swallowed, and then said, "But do it legally.

  She looked directly into my eyes. "Become an adventurer."