Seth wandered through the forest he had spawned in, leaves crunching softly beneath his feet. As he moved without any real direction, his thoughts drifted back to the plot of the game he'd played.
So I've already been kicked out of the clan… and waking up in this body, barely able to move from the pain… that can only mean one thing.
The realization settled cold in his chest.
The protagonist, Theo Arclera, must have killed the original Seth.
Seth, clothes torn and body aching, finally stopped walking. He tilted his head back and stared at the sky, letting out a shaky breath as one miserable thought after another piled up. He really was unlucky. Anyone who saw his face right now would know exactly how defeated he felt.
A sudden rustle in the bushes snapped him out of it. Seth stiffened. He'd played this game before, sure, but knowing a little wasn't the same as surviving. Especially not in this place.
The Forest of Chaos.
He remembered enough to know it wasn't some friendly beginner zone. The forest was home to monsters classified far above what a new or low-ranked character could handle. In the game's world, anyone below C-rank stepping inside had a survival rate close to zero.
Still… it was also a training ground, in its own brutal way. Packed with monsters, packed with danger, packed with experience points. If you were strong enough to stay alive, this place could catapult your level upward.
Seth swallowed hard.
He wasn't strong enough.
Not yet.
The rustling in the bushes suddenly stopped. Instead of ignoring it like any sane person would, Seth crept forward to check. Curiosity beat caution. It always did.
Pushing a branch aside, he froze.
A baby dragon lay curled in the grass.
"A… a dragon?!" he yelled before he could stop himself. His voice cracked from shock. Sure, this forest was dangerous, but stumbling across a dragon here should've been flat-out impossible. Yet there it was, right in front of him.
Its scales were pitch-black, absorbing the light around it, and its eyes glowed a deep, bloody crimson.
Seth's breath caught in his throat.
He knew exactly what kind of dragon this was.
It's Sinthara… one of the Seven Deadly Disasters of the world.
The thought made his stomach twist. This dragon had nearly ended the world once; if it hadn't been for Theo, the catastrophe would have been total.
"I remember… this was the hardest arc in the game," Seth muttered, reaching out cautiously. Tentatively, he patted the tiny dragon, expecting it to recoil.
Instead, it flapped its tiny wings and, with a chirp, hopped onto his silver-white hair. It wiggled and cooed, and despite the chaos of the forest, it looked… almost absurdly cute.
"Kuuur!" the baby dragon squealed, curling itself snugly atop his head.
Seth couldn't help but laugh, a small sound that echoed through the eerie forest. For the first time since awakening, a spark of hope glimmered in his heart.
[Would you like to form a bond with the dragon fated for Chaos?]
The system's voice cut through the tender moment, snapping Seth out of his awe-filled stupor. He blinked at the message hovering in the air, crimson letters shimmering against the forest.
He hesitated for a moment, then thought pragmatically. I need to survive… and to do that, I'll have to use every advantage I can get. That includes this baby dragon.
"Yes," he said firmly.
The moment the word left his lips, the area around them shimmered with a deep crimson glow. The forest seemed to hold its breath, leaves trembling in the sudden surge of power.
The baby dragon, who had only squealed and cooed until now, tilted its head at Seth. Its tiny mouth opened, and a clear, melodious voice echoed—though only Seth could hear it.
"Hello"
Seth's eyes widened, but his mind raced. This was no longer just a creature to admire—it was an ally, perhaps the key to surviving the Forest of Chaos.
[Would you like to name the dragon…]
"Yes," Seth whispered, feeling the weight and excitement of the decision settle in his chest.
"Your name shall be Peaches!" Seth declared with a smile, lifting the tiny dragon gently in his hands. "That's your name now."
The dragon blinked its crimson eyes, squeaked happily, and nestled into his palms. Peaches… it seemed to approve. Seth chuckled. It was simple, maybe even silly—but it fit.
Clap! Clap!
The sound echoed through the trees, crisp and deliberate. Seth's head snapped toward it, and there, stepping out from behind a thicket, was a man wearing a dark hooded cloak. A massive greatsword rested across his back, and as he looked at the scene before him, a single tear rolled down his cheek.
"Wow… so very beautiful," the man murmured, his voice soft but tinged with awe. "To think… I'd find a freak in the Forest of Chaos."
Seth tightened his grip on Peaches, tensing instinctively. Who was this stranger, and why did he seem so… emotional? Yet the forest felt even heavier now, the air thick with latent power. Something told Seth that this encounter wasn't mere coincidence.
"Wow!!"
"My name is Morris," the hooded man announced, his voice steady but sharp. "I'm a mercenary."
Seth tightened his hold on Peaches, instinctively shifting into a defensive stance.
"I've been ordered to kill that baby dragon—or should I say, Peaches," Morris continued, his gaze flicking toward the tiny creature perched on Seth's hands. "But it seems… it won't be easy, now that you've taken it into your care."
A sudden, oppressive wave of killing intent rippled through the forest. Birds scattered, leaves quivered on the branches, and even the monsters lurking in the shadows seemed to sense it. It was Morris's aura—cold, overwhelming, and merciless.
Without another word, he drew his massive greatsword, the steel gleaming even in the dim forest light. His eyes locked on Seth, and a chilling calm accompanied his words.
"I guess… I'll kill both of you," he said slowly, his tone almost casual. "Better to avoid the grief of one dying while the other survives."
Seth's heart pounded in his chest. Survival wasn't just about monsters anymore—the forest had just become a battlefield, and the stakes were now life and death for both him and Peaches.
[Unique skill: Necromancy has awakened due to the sensed danger.]
[You can absorb the persons skills and make them yours while also making them your soldier]