I woke up to the smell of damp earth.
Cold. Wet. Heavy.
For a moment, I didn't know where I was. My back ached, my head spun, and the world tilted whenever I tried to move. I forced my eyes open — only to find darkness pressing in from all sides.
Above me, something shifted. Faint light filtered through the canopy — not sunlight, exactly, more like the memory of it. Thin, pale rays struggled to pierce the web of branches overhead, but the trees refused to let them in.
Their trunks rose like pillars in a cathedral, black bark twisting into impossible shapes. The air was thick, humid, and filled with the faint hum of insects that I couldn't see.
For a long second, I just lay there, staring up at that trapped light, trying to remember how I got here. Then the memories hit all at once.
The courtyard. The ceremony. The guards. Chains. Darkness.
And then… this.
"Rivan."
I turned.
Dian was sitting beside me, knees pulled to his chest. His uniform was torn, his hair matted with dirt. His voice trembled as he spoke again.
"Where are we? What did they do to us? We didn't ask for any of this… damnit."
His words echoed softly through the trees.
I swallowed, trying to push down the same fear that knotted in my stomach. Even though I was shaking, seeing him like that — small, hopeless, angry — gave me something else to focus on.
I moved closer and gripped his shoulder. "Listen to me," I said quietly. "My grandfather used to say — only those who fight until death are true winners. We're still alive, Dian. That means the game isn't over yet."
He looked up, meeting my eyes. There was a flicker there — faint, but real. Hope.
"We don't know what this place is," I continued, "and yeah, our so-called classes are trash. But we don't know what they can really do yet. They don't know either. That means we have potential."
For the first time since the summoning, Dian managed a shaky smile. "You always did have a weird way of making the worst situations sound… survivable."
"That's my one talent," I said, standing. "Now, first things first. Shelter. If this really is another world, then surviving comes before complaining."
He nodded, and together, we started walking.
---
The forest was alive — but not in a way that felt natural.
The trees seemed to breathe. The mist moved against the wind. Every step sounded too loud, like the forest was listening.
We had no sense of direction, only instinct. But the deeper we went, the darker it got. Even the light that fought its way through the branches faded into blue shadows.
Then, just as I was starting to think we were walking in circles, something froze me mid-step.
A faint sound, like a chime, echoed in my head.
Then words appeared — not written, not spoken, but imprinted directly into my mind.
> [True Ego Leveling System activating…]
[World transfer detected.]
[Imitating start-up gift from old world…]
[Start-up gift acquired: Wisdom Comprehension.]
My breath caught.
More words followed, sharp and clear.
> [Wisdom Comprehension: Your brain now operates at 100% capacity. Even unknown concepts become understandable to you. You are one step away from divine intellect — for while you cannot create as gods do, all else lies within your grasp: analysis, compilation, deduction, comprehension.]
I froze.
A chill crawled up my spine. My brain… 100%?
I could feel it — like something inside me had woken up. The world sharpened. Every sound separated itself into layers. The hum of insects resolved into distinct frequencies. The smell of damp moss carried hints of iron, decay, and something faintly floral. I could even trace the subtle fluctuations in the mana around us — energy that I hadn't noticed before.
Before I could process it, another notification appeared.
> [Dutor's gift initializing…]
[You have obtained the Pathway: Abnormal Owner.]
[Abnormal Owner: ??? (Details locked.)
Hint: This pathway will evolve alongside you.]
I stared blankly into the air. "What… the hell?"
It felt unreal. God-tier wisdom? A hidden pathway? Why me?
My mouth opened to speak — but no sound came out. I just stood there, breathing hard, my thoughts racing faster than ever.
It wasn't fear anymore. It was something else. Excitement.
"Rivan?"
Dian's voice snapped me back. He was staring at me with worry. "Why did you stop? What's wrong?"
I hesitated. I couldn't exactly tell him that I'd just become some kind of semi-divine intellect.
So instead, I focused on him — and something strange happened. My new perception seemed to reach out on its own, scanning him like a computer analyzing a file.
In my mind, data unfolded like a map:
> [Class: Jeweler]
[Base Function: Identify and analyze gemstones.]
[Potential Evolution Path:]
Jeweler → Master Jeweler (see at least 1,000 jewels)
→ Jewel Creator (extract 10,000 jewels)
→ Jewel God (create 1,000,000 jewels).
[Hidden Path Discovered: Jewel Devourer — Consume 10 unique jewels to gain a random skill per jewel.]
My eyes widened. This isn't a useless class at all.
It was insane — slow growth, maybe, but terrifying in the long run. And that hidden path… devouring jewels to steal skills? That could become anything.
"Hey, Dian," I said slowly.
He blinked. "Yeah?"
"How would you feel about getting stronger… right now?"
He stared at me like I'd grown a second head. "Stronger? We don't even know where we are, man!"
"Exactly," I said. "That's why we start here. But first, we need a place to stay alive."
He sighed. "Fine. Lead the way, genius."
If only he knew how accurate that word had just become.
---
As we walked deeper, the forest pressed closer, like it didn't want us here. Every few steps, I felt something watching — eyes, or maybe just the mana shifting unnaturally. My Wisdom Comprehension started working again on its own, analyzing the flow of energy around us.
Information poured into my mind:
> (Analysis complete.)
*This region is known as the Bhutiya Forest — classified as a demonic dungeon ecosystem. Populated by corrupted beasts, vengeful spirits, and illusion traps. Mana density: lethal for extended exposure.
Records suggest ancient heroes once settled within its depths. Their legacy remains protected by layered barriers and a transport nexus hidden at the forest's edge.*
A map appeared in my thoughts — faint, ghostly lines forming shapes and paths. At the center lay a faint blue glow: The Hut of the Fallen Heroes.
But it wasn't close.
"Middle of the forest," I murmured. "Perfect."
"What?" Dian asked.
"Nothing. Just that we're in the worst possible spot."
Still, the information came with a small glimmer of hope:
> (Note: Access point exists near the forest perimeter. Portal connects outer region to hero's hut.)
"There's a shortcut," I whispered.
"What shortcut?"
Instead of answering, I closed my eyes. My senses spread outward. I could feel the mana like wind currents — some flowing aimlessly, others converging. One stream, in particular, moved differently, like a river under the surface.
"There," I said, pointing toward a dense cluster of trees. "Follow the mana. It's leading somewhere."
Dian hesitated, but followed.
---
We walked for an hour, maybe two. Time blurred inside that forest.
At last, the mana currents led us to a massive tree — wider than a house, roots like stone walls. Near its base was a small, circular hollow no larger than my hand, pulsing faintly with light.
"This is it," I said.
Dian squinted. "It's… a hole."
"A hole that's probably older than your entire bloodline," I muttered.
To activate it, I knew we needed blood. The knowledge wasn't told to me — I understood it, the way you understand that fire burns. Wisdom Comprehension filled in the gaps.
I picked up a sharp stone, but as soon as I touched it, something strange happened. My ability reacted, reconstructing the mineral's structure in my mind. My fingers moved instinctively, carving and fusing the material with microscopic precision.
Within seconds, the stone reshaped itself into a dagger — crude, but balanced, the edge honed sharper than any knife I'd ever seen.
Dian's jaw dropped. "How did you—"
"Trade secret," I said, cutting my finger before he could finish. "Give me your hand."
He hesitated, then did the same. Together, we pressed our bleeding fingers against the hollow.
The air trembled.
The roots of the tree glowed with runes that spiraled outward like veins of light. Then a deep rumble shook the ground.
Something moved within the trunk — a massive shadow coiling and uncoiling.
"Rivan…" Dian whispered, stepping back. "Tell me that's not what I think it is."
Before I could answer, a colossal serpent burst forth. Its scales shimmered with shifting colors, eyes glowing gold. It didn't hiss or strike — it simply opened its mouth wide, and light erupted from its throat.
"Hold on!" I shouted.
The world dissolved again.
---
We fell.
Or maybe we were pulled. There was no air, no up or down — only rushing light.
When the brightness faded, we were standing on soft grass.
A faint blue sky stretched above us, calm and unreal. The forest was gone. Around us shimmered a transparent dome of energy — a protective barrier humming like static.
Behind us, the tree was gone too. In its place stood a small wooden hut.
But the word hut didn't do it justice.
As we stepped closer, the illusion peeled away. The world expanded — the hut's doorway opened into a space far larger than it appeared.
A massive structure stood within. A palace — silver and white, floating gently above a lake so still it looked like glass. Sunlight danced across the water, turning the air to gold.
My mind stuttered trying to process it.
Dian blinked, his voice trembling. "What is going on? Is this… an illusion?"
I didn't answer.
Because deep inside, something told me — no, this wasn't an illusion.
This was inheritance.
And whatever waited inside that palace was about to change everything.