"Son…" A heavy sigh filled the sterile hospital room. "There's no easy way to say this… you have seven days to live."
.
.
It's been two days since I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Two days since my life became nothing more than waiting for the inevitable. Up until then, I'd been just another student—going to school, studying, and reading web novels in my free time.
A week ago, I was locked in my room, stressing over the SATs. Now? I'm bedridden, staring at the ceiling, waiting to die.
The worst part? I only came to the doctor because my mom was worried about my appetite.
Mom…
She's going to be alone now. I hate that. But what can I do?
My eyelids feel heavy. So tired…
Darkness.
I had a dream.
I was in the ocean, sinking. The water was cold, yet I felt strangely at peace, like I was being held. I let myself drift, slowly descending into the abyss.
And then I hit something.
I looked down. A deep, endless blue. It blinked.
I was lying on a giant eye.
A surge of fear rushed through me, but before I could react—
Everything faded to black.
.
.
.
I woke up abruptly, slamming my head into something hard. A sharp crack rang out, and a dull ache spread across my forehead.
What the hell?
I blinked, trying to focus, but my vision was… strange. Blurry, warped. My body felt wrong—too small, too light. A strange warmth pressed against me from all sides, like I was wrapped in a tight cocoon. Panic bubbled in my chest.
I tried to move, but my limbs barely responded, twitching awkwardly. My arms—no, my wings—scraped against something solid. My heart pounded. I pushed upward instinctively, slamming my head against the ceiling again. This time, the surface cracked completely, and blinding sunlight poured through.
What the hell is going on?!
I gasped for air, but my breath came out as a weak chirp.
Wait. A chirp?
I froze. That wasn't my voice. That wasn't even human.
My chest tightened. I twisted, forcing my body through the broken shell, and tumbled onto a soft, woven surface—twigs and feathers. A nest.
My vision adjusted, and I finally saw what I had been trapped inside.
An egg.
My egg.
A cold realization settled in. There were only two possibilities. Either I was dead and this was some weird afterlife where people hatched from eggs… or I had been reborn.
And judging by the tiny, fragile body I was now trapped in, I had a terrible feeling about the answer.
I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath. Status.
A screen flickered into existence before me.
[Status]
[Name: Callum]
[Race: White Dove]
[Level: 1] [XP: 0/100]
[Status: Hungry]
[HP: 9/10] [MP: 0/0] [Stamina: 70/100]
[Stat Points: 0] [Ability Points: 0]
[Strength: 3]
[Endurance: 2]
[Intelligence: 10]
[Dexterity: 2]
[Agility: 1]
[Charisma: 0]
[Skills: Peck, Pierce, Inspect]
.
.
Well. That certainly clears things up.
I'm in another world. I'm a dove. And I am so screwed.
I groaned—or at least, I tried to. It just came out as another weak chirp.
Alright, Callum, focus. Freaking out won't help. I need a plan.
Step one: find my mother.
I twisted my tiny body, scanning the nest. It was empty. No signs of life—just twigs, scattered feathers, and a second egg nestled beside me, still unhatched.
A heavy pit settled in my stomach. Aren't doves supposed to sit on their eggs until they hatch? Where was she?
A sharp pain shot through me.
[-1 HP]
What the hell?!
[Ding!]
[Due to host's current status, HP will decrease every minute without sustainable nutrients. Host is advised to eat his shell.]
I looked down at the broken eggshell around me.
You cannot be serious.
But… I was starving. And apparently, dying.
I sighed—or tried to, at least. Whatever. Anything beats starving to death.
I reluctantly pecked at the shell, forcing myself to swallow. To my surprise, it didn't taste that bad. Kind of like… stale chalk?
.
.
.
[Ding!]
[Status: Hungry removed.]
Finally.
I turned toward the unhatched egg beside me. So… I had a sibling.
Guess that makes me an older brother now.
I nestled back into the nest, exhaustion creeping in. I'd think about what to do next after I got some rest.
For now, sleep.