Jisoo muttered to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. "What the hell? She was just reading a novel a minute ago, and now… this?!" Her brain spun, trying to make sense of the sudden shift.
After a few deep breaths, she groaned. "Whatever this is… f* it. I just want to sleep. Tomorrow is class, and I definitely don't want to be late again."*
She collapsed back onto her bed, pulling the blanket over her head, trying to push away the strange system voice and the thought of this so-called Beast World. Her eyelids grew heavy, and despite the lingering anxiety buzzing in her mind, exhaustion claimed her.
"Just… sleep… everything else can wait," she whispered, letting herself drift off, unaware that whatever awaited her in this new world was already beginning to stir.
---
Jisoo woke with a start, her eyes snapping open. At first, she thought she was still in her room—but nothing looked familiar. The bed was gone. The walls… were gone. Instead, she lay on a patch of soft, green grass under a sky painted in strange, swirling colors.
"What… the hell?!" she screamed, leaping to her feet. Her heart pounded like a drum. "This isn't my room! Where the hell am I?!"
She spun around, taking in the scenery. Towering trees with silver leaves, mountains that shimmered in the distance, and strange creatures wandering about, some on two legs, some on four. One of them had glowing blue eyes and looked half-wolf, half-human. Her stomach dropped.
A Beast World? she muttered, recalling the system voice. No way… this is actually happening?!
Panic set in. She started pacing. "Okay… calm down, Jisoo. Just… figure this out. Maybe it's VR? Or… a dream? Yeah, just a dream." She pinched herself. Pain, yes—but no waking up.
Then, the same mechanical voice echoed in her head:
"Welcome, User. You have entered the Beast World. Complete your trials to survive."
Jisoo froze. "Trials? Survive? Are you kidding me? I didn't sign up for this! I just… I just want to sleep, read my novel, and go to class tomorrow!"
A low growl behind her made her jump. She turned—and froze. A massive beastman, fur dark as midnight, eyes glowing gold, stared at her like she was prey. Her mouth went dry.
"Oh… oh no. This is… really happening," she whispered, backing away slowly.
---
Her eyes locked on the massive creature. Her heart raced—but only for a second. Then she straightened up, cracked her neck, and muttered, "Alright… let's see what this Beast World has got."
The beastman lunged. Most would scream or run—but Jisoo didn't flinch. With a swift, fluid motion, she grabbed a fallen branch—it felt heavier than it should, like it was made for her—and swung. The beastman snarled and staggered back, clearly not expecting the strength behind the strike.
"Really?" she said, smirking. "That's it? I thought you guys were supposed to be scary."
The creature hissed, circling cautiously. Jisoo flexed her fingers, feeling a strange power humming in her veins. Yeah… she's not just some random human thrown into a world of beasts. She's strong. Too strong to be scared by some oversized wolf-man.
The system voice chimed again:
"[Strength detected: High. Combat potential: Exceptional. Proceed with trial]."
Jisoo rolled her shoulders, stepping closer to the beastman. "Trial, huh? Fine. Let's get this over with. She's read enough novels to know how to handle monsters like this."
The beastman lunged again—but this time, Jisoo was ready. With precise, controlled movements, she dodged, struck, and sent it tumbling several meters back. She could hear its frustrated growl—but she was enjoying herself far too much.
"Okay, Beast World," she said, brushing dirt off her pants. "Let's see if you can actually keep up with me."
---
The beastman charged again, claws slicing through the air. She sidestepped, grabbed a heavy rock from the ground, and flung it with all her strength. It hit the creature square in the shoulder, sending it stumbling.
"You really need better aim," she said casually, smirking. "Come on. Is that all you've got?"
The beastman leapt high into the air, but Jisoo waited until it was almost on top of her. Then she jumped, twisted midair, and kicked it square in the chest. It landed hard, rolling across the grass, groaning.
Okay… this is fun, she thought, adrenaline pumping. She didn't feel tired. Every strike, every dodge felt natural. She was fast, strong, and for the first time, fully in control of a fight like this.
The beastman struggled to rise, shaking its head. "You… are… strong!" it growled.
"Yeah," she replied, rolling her shoulders. "That's what happens when you underestimate me." She lunged forward, striking with precision. The creature went down again—this time, for good.
Jisoo dusted off her hands, breathing steadily, smirk widening. "Well, that's that. First monster? Handled. Beast World? You're starting to feel a little too easy."
The system voice chimed once more:
"[Trial complete. Reward granted: Combat skill enhanced. New ability unlocked: Beast Sense]."
A strange surge of power coursed through her. Awareness she had never felt before sharpened her senses—she could detect the faintest movement in the distance, every subtle shift in the grass. Not bad… she muttered. "Everything's clearer… alive… I can feel it all."
She looked around, grinning. "Alright, Beast World… now you're starting to get interesting."
---
To be continued… Next chapter: Jisoo's first encounter with the Beast Lord.