After resting for a while inside the cave, I decided it was time to map out my surroundings. I stepped outside, stretched my limbs, and started exploring the nearby area. Strangely, I didn't sense any strong beasts nearby. That was odd. For such a dense forest, it felt… empty.
After sniffing around and thinking it through, I realized something—there was a road not too far from here. That probably meant humans had been coming through, clearing the area of monsters to keep the path safe. Smart move on their part. From that, I guessed there had to be a village or even a city nearby. That could actually work in my favor.
With that in mind, I started putting together a rough plan.
Step one: Test out my human form and see how I actually look.Step two: Find clothes. I mean, I can't just go around swinging my stuff at people. That's not exactly the best first impression.Step three: Capture a few humans, interrogate them, and figure out how this world works—society, rules, money, power structure. Basically everything. I needed knowledge and some cash to start fitting in.
But first, I had to observe. For that, I needed to get closer to the road and wait.
After leaving the cave, I made my way toward the road. It didn't take long to reach it, but when I got there, a simple problem hit me—I had no idea which direction to go. Left? Right? Which side had civilization?
My solution? Wait. Someone had to pass by eventually, right?
So I sat there for hours… and nothing. Just grass, trees, and birds pooping from branches. Great. With nothing showing up, I got bored and decided to return to the cave and try again the next morning.
The next day, I headed back to the road. This time, I got lucky.
I picked up a scent—two humans. I couldn't see them, but their smell and footsteps were clear. I followed the scent carefully and soon found a small camp set up near the road. Two guys were there—one middle-aged man and one older man. Looked like they were cooking something.
Their camp was simple: some sticks, ropes, and cloths stitched together to make a tent. They had a small fire going, and the younger guy was cooking meat over it. He was chatting with the older one while turning the food.
"Sir Xender," the younger man said, "I always thought this forest was dangerous… but with you here, I feel safe. Thank the gods I met you before coming here."
The older man chuckled. "Of course, this forest is dangerous. There are Tier 3 monsters here, and if you go further north, you'll even find Tier 5 beasts."
"Seriously!?"
"Yes. Is the food done yet?"
"Almost, sir! Please have a taste."
The younger man handed him a piece of meat with a proud smile.
While I crouched nearby, listening, I raised a brow. Tier 3? Tier 5? That must be how they rank monsters here. Interesting… I'd get answers soon enough.
I backed away from the camp a little and decided now was the time to finally test my [Shapeshifter] skill. No point putting it off any longer.
I activated the skill.
It wasn't painless. My body began to twist and reshape. I felt a burning sensation as my bones realigned and muscles shifted. A faint golden glow surrounded me during the change. Then, like before, I heard Lily's system voice:
[Shapeshifter skill used. Human transformation complete.]
When the light faded, I stood on two legs.
I looked at my new body—my human form. My hair was a mix of black and white, the white strands glowed slightly. My skin looked smooth and clean, almost glowing. Honestly? I looked like some runway model from Earth—tall, lean, sharp jawline, a bit of facial hair. Definitely looked like someone important. Maybe even royalty. Or at least an alpha male.
There was just one tiny problem.
I was completely naked.
Trying to walk was awkward at first. Two legs weren't as easy as four. I wobbled like a newborn deer for a few minutes, arms flailing. But after some practice, I got the hang of it.
Once I was confident I wouldn't fall on my face, I made my way back toward the camp. Slowly. Carefully.
As I got closer, the middle-aged man suddenly paused.
"Sir Xender," he said, looking around nervously, "I think I heard footsteps…"
The old guy stood up immediately, eyes sharp. "Be ready."
Both of them pulled out swords and took defensive stances, scanning the trees. They didn't see me yet, but they were on high alert.
I stepped into view, casually approaching.
The moment they saw me, their eyes widened in shock. They pointed their swords directly at me, clearly confused and alarmed.
The old man shouted, "HEY! WHO ARE YOU!? AND WHY THE HELL ARE YOU NAKED?!"