Chapter 3 – The Beast's Call
The air was heavy, humid, suffocating.
Renji stepped through the portal and found himself surrounded by a forest of colossal trees, their towering forms so immense they seemed to scrape the sky. Thick vines hung from the twisted trunks, and clusters of broad, dark-green leaves blocked most of the sunlight. Visibility dropped to just a few meters. Every breath carried the scent of damp earth, moss, and something faintly metallic—like blood.
He gripped the hilt of his katana more tightly.
This is where everything begins.
A translucent window blinked into existence before his eyes.
Renji Costa Nakamura
Class: Druid | Level: 1
Skills: Animal Healing, Memory Sharing, Animal Affinity
Attributes: STR 5 / INT 6 / AGI 4 / END 3 / MANA 2
He gave a faint, confident smirk.
"Not much... but enough to survive."
A rustle.
Suddenly, a green blur burst from the left side of the underbrush. Without thinking, Renji dropped to the ground and rolled, dodging the attack by mere inches.
From the bushes emerged a grotesque goblin. Its yellow eyes glowed with malice, its twisted mouth full of jagged teeth. Above its head, a bright red 3 floated ominously.
"Level 3, huh?" he muttered. "Better than facing a dragon straight out of the gate."
The goblin shrieked and lunged toward him. Renji drew his katana in one fluid motion, slicing toward the creature's face. His blade met the goblin's eye, causing it to shriek in agony and stagger.
Now.
With precision and speed, Renji slashed again—this time across its throat. The creature gurgled, collapsed, and disintegrated into glowing fragments of light.
A soft chime rang.
Level Up!
You have reached Level 2.
4 Attribute Points Gained.
Before he could assign them, something caught his attention. Near where the goblin had fallen lay an ancient scroll, glowing faintly. The parchment was wrapped in leather and etched with primal animal symbols—claws, fangs, wings, and more.
Renji stepped closer and touched it.
A new window opened, revealing a golden throne surrounded by enormous beasts—lions, wolves, bears, and mythical creatures with glowing eyes. A voice echoed in his mind, calm, yet mocking... and overwhelmingly powerful.
— Congratulations. You are the first to find my special dungeon… and the gift I left for humanity. Are you ready to accept the challenge?
You have discovered the Scroll of the Beast God.
Do you accept the Divine Quest?
Warning: Failure means death.
Renji froze.
He felt it—not just words, but a real presence, ancient and overwhelming.
His chest tightened. Memories surged—his father's warm smile, his mother's laughter… the injustice that shattered his life.
My father… imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. My mother… broken. Powerless. Forgotten.
He clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his skin.
"This world only protects the strong… but I won't lose again."
Taking a deep breath, he selected Accept.
A brilliant light exploded around him.
Quest Started: Beast God's Challenge
Survive. Dominate. Evolve.
Reach Level 10 and defeat the Goblin King in 4 days.
Renji stared into the depths of the forest. A fire now burned in his eyes.
"This is my story now. No more being the side character."
He sheathed his katana and moved forward. As he ventured deeper into the woods, the air grew thicker, the growls of distant monsters more frequent.
Soon, two goblins appeared, hunched over, chattering in their guttural tongue. Renji crouched low, staying silent in the shadows. He crept behind them and, in a flash, slashed one across the back. It fell with a grunt. The second goblin turned, screeched, and lunged—but Renji sidestepped and with a swift motion, decapitated it cleanly.
The bodies vanished into particles of light.
Level Up!
You have reached Level 3.
4 Attribute Points Gained.
Renji wiped the sweat from his brow, panting.
"So I only level up after two kills now... Looks like it won't be easy getting to level ten."
He sighed.
"A death quest… of course it wouldn't be easy."
He glanced around as the light started to dim. Evening was approaching fast.
"I need shelter. Somewhere safe before the sun sets."
He began searching, scanning his surroundings carefully. As he moved between the trees, a low rumble echoed nearby—a deep, pained growl.
Renji's eyes narrowed.
"…What was that? A roar?"
Curiosity piqued, he followed the sound. As he approached a rocky hill, he spotted a cave nestled in its base. Inside, a small white shape shifted.
Renji stepped closer, cautiously.
There—curled up and breathing heavily—was a young polar bear cub. Blood stained its snowy fur, and its chest rose and fell rapidly. It let out another weak roar.
Renji froze.
The cub locked eyes with him and snarled—but what came next made his blood run cold.
— Stay away… human.
He stumbled back slightly.
"…I heard that."
Then it hit him. Memory Sharing.Animal Affinity.Druid skills.
I understood it. I can talk to animals.
Renji slowly stepped forward, extending his hands, showing no threat. The cub growled again, but with less energy.
"It's okay… I'm not going to hurt you."
His voice was gentle. He used his Druid skills to calm the creature, and gradually, the cub stopped growling. He knelt beside it and activated Animal Healing.
Warm light enveloped the cub. As Renji touched it, images flooded his mind—flashes of the cub's memories.
He saw snowy landscapes, cages, dark warehouses. Smugglers. Russia. Japan. Chaos. A rift opening. The cub had fallen through it.
Renji blinked.
"She came through a spatial rift… just like I did."
That's what he meant, Renji realized. That voice… the God. This is what he meant when he said he'd give everyone a chance.
He stroked the cub's head gently.
"You're not just some monster. You're a survivor, just like me."
The cub looked up weakly.
— Why, human? Why help me?
Renji smiled.
"Because polar bears are one of my favorite animals."
The cub blinked. Then, surprisingly, nodded.
Renji gently lifted her into his arms, grinning like a kid on Christmas.
"I've got a polar bear! A real one!"
He looked down at her.
"We're partners now, so you need a name."
He thought for a moment.
"You're a girl... and you're Russian. Your name will be Zarya Volkova. Strong and brave."
Her eyes sparkled when she heard it. A flicker of pride and trust.
Renji stood, katana at his back, polar bear in his arms.
"Alright, Zarya," he said, grinning wide. "Let's go hunt a few more goblins before bedtime."