SYSTEM: WARNING! LEVEL 10 MONSTER APPROACHING!
"What? I can't even walk—how am I supposed to run?!" Ashel waved her tiny hands in panic. "I'm twenty-two, not two weeks old!" she squeaked.
A terrifying beast was coming closer, its growl shaking the ground. Ashel's big baby eyes went wide.
"Seriously? I come back to life and this is my tutorial level?!" she cried. "Life really said, 'respawn and suffer,' huh?"
"Huh? Did I hear that right?" Edward muttered under his breath, then shot Ashel a confident smile.
"Don't worry, Baby Ashel," he said, giving a clumsy thumbs-up and a wink. "It's just a low-level beast," he grinned, completely unconvincing.
Ashel gazed at him with a flicker of admiration, but suspicion quickly clouded her mind.
"Wait—how does he even know my name?" Ashel squinted, puffing up her chubby cheeks like a tiny angry dumpling.
"And 'low-level beast'? Please, he looks like he'd lose to a squirrel!" she thought, the smugness on her baby face far too dramatic for someone who still needed nap time. "Yeah, something's definitely fishy."
Edward froze mid-mumble. "Froze Edward, what did you say?!"
He laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. "I... I mean, I can sense a monster! It's coming near us! Hey, Baby Ashel, um... maybe I should just call you... 'Baby'?" he stammered, clapping his hands together as if that would make him sound less suspicious.
Ashel's glare deepened. What is he up to?
Edward's smile twitched. Okay, think… babies like shiny things, weird noises, and… ridiculous faces. Yeah, that should work.
He immediately started waving his hands around, making "peek-a-boo" sounds, puffing his cheeks, and crossing his eyes like a total fool. When that didn't work, he picked up a leaf, spun it in the air, and made a fake "whoosh!" noise like it was a magical spell.
Yes, that's it, Edward, he thought desperately. Be the clown. Confuse the baby.
Ashel blinked at him, unimpressed. Distract me from what?
Edward froze mid-wiggle, eyes going wide. Wait—did she just read my mind?!
Of course, everything you're thinking! she telepathized.
He instantly stood calm and poised. "Okay, I know you can read me. There's nothing to hide anymore." Then, completely breaking character, he screamed, "Give me some privacy of thought, Baby!"
You thought you could use me, huh? Ashel thought with a gloating expression. Well, you're the one who would have been left out of the page if I wanted!
Embarrassed, "I-" Before he could finish, a beast burst through the thin hut wall behind Edward. Everything crashed, and the air was thick with a gust of dust.
Both Edward and Ashel froze, the shock locking them in place.
A low, guttural growl rumbled through the air, followed by heavy breaths that stirred the dust around them. From within the swirling mist, a pair of huge, glowing eyes glared out, unblinking and wild.
Edward's pulse raced. He didn't dare move his head. Slowly, he crouched, bending close enough for Ashel—who sat on the dusty floor—to hear him. His gaze stayed fixed on the mist, his hand raised near his lips in a quiet gesture for silence.
"We need to get out of here," he whispered, barely moving his mouth. "Or that beast will tear us apart."
The dust mist slowly cleared. The beast shook its massive head, revealing a horrifying form:
This creature is a thin, dark monster that walks on all fours. Its skin is shiny black, and you can see its ribs.
Its head is smooth with one huge, red eye. Instead of a regular mouth, it has a terrifying, circular saw blade with sharp teeth.
The fleshy mouth located on the side of its ribcage. It has long arms abeags that end in sharp claws, giving it a hunched and dangerous look.

Edward turned to the baby, but she was gone. "Huh? OMG, why did you leave me?!" he cried out for a second, just as the beast lunged.
"Gya! What is this place? What's with the animals?!" Ashel's tiny feet ran like a turtle's, managing to escape the initial dust burst from the hut.
"Aahhh, Ashel baby, wait for me!" Edward cried, scrambling to follow.
Don't follow me, stupid! You're my Guardian-your job is to protect me?!" Ashel fumed, sending the thought across the distance.
"We're bound to be together!" Edward yelled back, making sure his voice carried far enough for her to hear.
Her eyes widened as she saw the monster chasing Edward. Ashel ran as fast as she could, but her feet couldn't keep up, and she tumbled onto the ground.
Edward noticed her lying there and scooped her up. "Baby? What's wrong? Are you dead?!" he worried frantically. "What's gonna happen to us!" He cried.
At that critical moment, the SYSTEM appeared.
SYSTEM: WARNING! SAVE THE BABY!
"What?! Are you kidding me, System?! WAKE UP, Ashel!"
I'm tired! I'll leave this matter to you! Ashel telepathized to Edward.
"WHAT?! Don't leave me like this! Wake up!" Edward had reached the very edge of a cliff. The beast stopped, ready to rush its final attack.
"This is the end" he cried in his mind.
As he stumbled, his ankle twisted hard against a gnarled, exposed tree root. And they both fell off the cliff.
The beast rushed forward, too, plunging after them.
"Oh no, we're going to die! Aahhhh!" Edward screamed.
The monster, with its heavy body, fell right on top of them, its steel-blade face tilted toward them, threatening to sever them mid-air.
Then, everything slowed. Edward clutched Ashel tightly, her body limp and immobile in his arms. Everything had stopped. Only her eyes could move, looking around. Suddenly, a figure appeared out of nowhere. It was as if the sky itself had torn open.
"So, this is the chosen one, hmm? I see. Interesting one, isn't it?" the figure exclaimed with a smirk.
Ashel couldn't move but could hear his voice. He appeared behind Edward. "Who are you?" she telepathized to him.
"Well, it's not the right question to ask at this moment. I just wanted to see how you will survive this," he replied.
"Are you a God?" Ashel asked.
Before she could say another word, the figure spoke,
"I'll save you this time. What's the point if my favorite person dies before the show even begins?"
Time began to tick again. When Ashel blinked, she was already on the ground.
"Were going to die! Aahh-huh?" Edward screamed, cutting off when he realized the beast was on the ground, smashed like a watermelon.
Its blood covered Edward and Ashel. Edward was in shock. "How?"
Shut up..Ashel replied.
A bright white screen appeared.
SYSTEM: CONGRATULATIONS, ASHEL! YOU'VE REACHED LEVEL 10. ASHEL, YOUR GROWTH LEVEL INCREASED TO 5 YEARS OLD.
"Baby Ashel, I can't believe what just happened," Edward said in shock, looking down at her. A bright light suddenly illuminated the baby.
"What's happening to you?" Edward backed away, watching as the light slowly disappeared.
Where a baby had been, a five-year-old girl now stood.