...
Aurelian lay motionless in his own thoughts, his coiled form blending seamlessly with the forest floor in the dark environment. He was unfamiliar with this world so his first thought was about exploring the surroundings. The ground beneath him was damp, cool to touch, rich with the scent of moisture, so he guessed he was in a forest of some kind. His tongue flickered instinctively, a new reflex that painted his surroundings in vivid scents and invisible vibrations.
He was calm, his previous lives had taught him that fear was a luxury for those who could afford mistakes. He couldn't. Not here, not now. The man who thrived in chaos, the who laughed in the face of death, was now a small creature of instinct and restraint.
His new form slithered forward, his eyes adjusted to dimness. The lack of limbs was unbearable, but his determination was stronger than ever.
He surveyed his environment, the silence was unsettling. No chirping birds or rustling leaves. Then a faint shiver passed through him, a disturbing feeling like icy fingers trailing down his spine. Then he felt it.
A chill. Malicious. Predatory. Directed at him.
"Killing intent?" He didn't move, didn't breathe. His mind sharpened. He focuses and it wasn't fear that gripped him but anticipation for what was to come. His instincts screamed warnings, the air became thick with tension. In the shadow between trees, two beady eyes gleamed. They watched him, unblinking, predatory. He recognised the look. The intent. He'd worn it himself countless times.
The creature emerged, low and sheathy. At first glance, it was a rat, but not an ordinary one. This monstrosity was half a metre tall, with muscles rippling beneath its fur. Two yellowed incisors, sharp and glinting. It's tail lashed behind like a whip.
Aurelian's first instinct was to laugh, but his snake body only produced a pathetic hiss. After facing supers who could level cities. His first enemy in this new world was a strong looking but still a rat. Fate truly had a twisted sense of humor.
He was no longer than 30-centimetres. He knew he was outmatched. The rat was bigger, faster, likely stronger than his current form. His beast instinct screamed danger but fear wasn't something he entertained any longer.
He analysed the situation with ruthless efficiency, his thoughts came to stop at the two advantages he had, his comabt experience, and his human intelligence.
The rat lunged
It was quick, like a blur of motion. Aurelian reacted on instinct, feeling the wind of the attack brush against his scales. The rat pivoted with shocking speed, and lunged again.
This time, Aurelian wasn't lucky. The rat's teeth grazed his tail, sending a jolt of pain through his body. But it was an old friend of his, so he was indifferent.
"Is that all you have got?" He tried to taunt but all it came was a weak hiss.
The rat circled around, saliva dripping from its maw. Another lunge. Aurelian evaded, the impact of its paws sending a spray of dirt into the air. Aurelian knew he needed a strategy. Direct confrontation with a creature who is stronger than you will result death. He needed to use the environment, to outsmart his opponent.
He slithered towards a small hollow in the ground, deliberately slowing his movements as if injured. The rat took the bait, charging forward with hunger in its eyes.
Aurelian waited until the last possible moment and when the rat was close in his range, Aurelian struck. Not with his fangs, but slammed his body into the rat's face. It wasn't powerful, but unexpected. The rat was stunned to see that this ordinary injured snake would attempt to slam into him.
'Predictable.'
He'd seen this before, the arrogance of strong. The belief that victory was inevitable. The rat bared it's teeth, preparing to finish him. But Aurelian wasn't done. He twisted sharply, his tail whipping through the air. Dirt scattered as he struck the rat's hind legs. The beast squealed in fury, scrambling to regain its footing.
Now.
Aurelian lunged. His fangs sank into the rat's exposed neck. It thrashed violently, the metallic taste of blood steaming into his mouth. The rat's claws scratched against him, pain searing his body. But he was indifferent to it.
He squeezed harder, refusing to let go. The rat's struggle weakened. A shudder ran through his body, then it fell limp. Silence returned. Aurelian released the grip, his breath ragged.
The scent of blood lingered but so did something else. A strange sensation in his heart. His first victory in this world.
"I survived." He murmured in his mind. "And I'll keep surviving."
But confusion came next as felt he'd become stronger, faster. But before he could think further, his stomach twisted in hunger. Aurelian's gaze fell onto the rat's corpse.
"No. Absolutely fucking not."
He could almost hear the mockery of his own mind. From a terrifying Super to a snake. And now, swallowing a vermin. He refused to eat that. Disgust welled in his chest. But so did something else. Fury. Fury at destiny. Fury at his weakness. Fury at the pathetic voice inside him that dared to hesitate. He would not let this world break him.
"Fine." He bared his fangs in irritation. 'Let's see how low i can go.'
He tore into the flesh, ignoring the bitter taste. The warmth of the kill flowed through his long body. It was disgusting. But he persistented.
A rush of energy. His body tingled, warmth spreading through his body into his eyes. He felt as if his eyes was pierced by needles. He closed his eyes, his form coiling due to unbearable pain he was feeling. Then as if it was never there, it disappeared. He was surprised and opened his eyes unintentionally.
The world around him shifted. He could see in the night unlike before as if darkness was never disrupting his view. He was confused with this change and then thought back to his previous power up. Then as if he remembered something, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Itcouldn't be.. couldit?" He hesitated and then spoke in his mind, anticipating something.
"System Panel?"
[??? Reacts to Host's Wish]
[Adapting to User's Memories…]
[Formatting…]
Aurelian's eyes widened even more. Words. Familiar words. Not spoken. Not written. But imprinted directly into his mind.
"No way..."
The air seemed heavier, the forest around him distant. He wasn't seeing this, not with his eyes. It was something deeper. A projection within his thoughts.
A System Panel.
Not some gimmick from Earth's fictional stories, those overpowered cheats handed to protagonists. No, this was different. He knew this screen, this wasn't something bestowed to him by fate but one he created himself.
Back in his second life, when he first discovered his Devour superpower, he soon realised it was unlike any other power. While others were strong, his stood in a league of its own. It wasn't simply a means to grow stronger. There was a structure to it, a mechanism. Not quite like a living consciousness, but something else. Like a law.
A Spirit.
Not the one that spoke or had desires. It was like formless will, it was like a self-sustaining program that maintained rules. Aurelian often linked it to a supreme-grade treasure of his previous life, because he had heard they also had this kind of spirit. Treasures of unimaginable strength, chosing their master rather than being possessed by just anyone.
And perhaps his Devour was not any different. That's why using the inspiration from Earth's fiction, he had crafted this System Panel for his convenience. It had no fancy AI, no quirky voice. Just a simple interface to monitor his abilities, his growth and track the powers he gained.
Aurelian created it as a reminder of where his roots were, the streets of Earth. The world that had shaped him.
Now staring at its familiar yet different form, his heart swelled up with something unexpected.
Relief. Even after death it had followed him. Not as a burden, but a testament of who he was. A Relief that this power was entirely his.
"Good," he murmured, a glint of determination flashing in his black eyes. But all that came out of his mouth was a pathetic hiss, and a foolish expression on the face of a snake lost in his own fantasy.
...