He had always known death was coming.
Every cough had tasted like iron. Every breath had felt like dragging air through glass. The doctors had called it rare—something about his cells collapsing in on themselves. There was no name for it. No cure. No chance.
But he didn't cry. He didn't pray. He smiled.
He'd spent his last days reading, watching, thinking. Absorbing stories like lifelines. When death came, it was quiet. No drama. Just darkness.
Until he opened his eyes again.
Not in a hospital. Not in a bed. But floating in what looked like the edge of existence itself. Stars drifted lazily in the distance, swirling clouds of color in the black. His body felt weightless, yet more real than it ever had in his last life.
"…So this is what comes after?" he muttered.
There was no answer. At least not one spoken aloud.
But something stirred.
A presence.
It wasn't divine. It wasn't demonic.
It simply was.
[Welcome, Observer.]
The voice didn't come from the outside. It came from within, coiled deep in his mind like it had always been there.
[Your presence in this world shall remain undetected by all systems, gods, and anomalies.]
He didn't flinch. If anything, his lips curved into a quiet smirk.
"So I get a second life... and no one can see me for what I am? Sounds like a cheat."
[Gift Pack granted. Do you accept?]
He hesitated—but only for a second. "Let's see what you've got."
Silence fell.
Then—
His bones felt like they were catching fire. Muscles stretched and tore only to re-knit themselves stronger. His heart thundered like it would shatter his ribs.
Images flashed in his mind—of a lone figure standing tall against gods and monsters alike. No armor. No weapons. Just raw power and an endless hunger to evolve.
It wasn't human. It wasn't even divine.
It was the apex predator.
Garou.
Not the one from Earth's stories.Something greater. Cosmic. Endless.
And now, the blueprint of that monster was inside him.
But it wasn't active. Not fully.
He could feel the weight of it… waiting.
Dormant.
Chained.
"Locked, huh?" he muttered, standing—or at least willing his body into shape. "Figures. Nothing worth having comes free."
He clenched his fists, testing the strength in his new limbs. They felt solid—alive. But ordinary. For now.
A chill ran through him. Not from fear.
Anticipation.
"I'll train. I'll fight. I'll bleed for it. Just make sure you hold up your end of the deal."
[Stage One – Monsterization: 0%]
[Progress requires combat, intensity, and growth under pressure.]
The stars around him began to twist.
Reality bent—and shattered.
The next moment, he felt gravity.
Air.
Heat.
He stood at the edge of a city, glowing under the twilight sky. He recognized it immediately.
Kuoh Town.
A place that looked peaceful on the surface.
But beneath?
Devils. Angels. Fallen. Dragons. Gods.
The perfect hunting ground.
He stepped forward, eyes gleaming.
This world had no idea what was coming.