"What the fck!!"*
That was the only thought I had as my brain froze, trying to process the impossible. Just a moment ago, I was nothing more than a tired salaryman who liked hiking and escaping into games. But now… now I was anything but that.
Not long ago, I had finally cleared Eternia Chronicles Online, the latest grind-fest of monsters, magic, and dungeons. To celebrate—and maybe clear my head before another soul-crushing week at work—I went for a hike.
Bad idea. Or maybe the universe just really hated me. Because right as I reached the final stretch of the climb, a sudden landslide came crashing down. And just like that—boom—I was six feet under. Literally.
…Or at least, I thought I was.
When I opened my eyes again, there was no pain. No rubble. No sky. Just… darkness. My whole body felt heavy, like I was wrapped in chains. My vision adjusted slowly, and what I saw almost made me laugh.
Stone walls. Torchlight flickering on damp surfaces. And a faint, ominous glow ahead.
"A dungeon…? No way."
And then I looked down.
Not at hands. Not at skin. But gauntlets—jet black, etched with runes I didn't recognize. A dark, tattered cloak draped across my shoulders. My reflection in a puddle nearby showed me a face that wasn't even human. Hollow eye sockets glowed faintly red beneath a helm shaped like a skull.
If this wasn't a nightmare, then…
"Don't tell me…"
Ding!
[Welcome, Black Knight. Evolution System initializing.]
My jaw—or whatever I had now—hung open.
I wasn't dead. I wasn't alive either. I had been reincarnated. As a freaking Black Knight.
For a full minute, I just sat there, staring at the glowing text hovering in my vision. Like some AR overlay, only too crisp, too real.
"Evolution system…? What is this, a cheat menu?"
The words shifted.
[Status Available.][Skill Menu Available.][Evolution Tree Locked – Conditions Required.]
A shiver ran down my spine. Or… maybe I didn't even have a spine anymore. Creepy.
Still, curiosity beat out fear.
"Status," I muttered.
Immediately, a glowing window appeared before me:
Name: Rudra (?)Race: Black Knight (Rank 6 Monster)Level: 1HP: 350 / 350MP: 50 / 50Strength: 40Agility: 18Endurance: 35Intelligence: 12Skills: [Dark Slash Lv.1], [Intimidation Lv.1], [Armor of Shadows Lv.1]Evolution Points (EP): 0
"…Okay. This is insane."
The numbers weren't human stats. They weren't even player stats. They were monster stats—and not the weak slime kind. Rank 6 meant mid-boss tier in Eternia Chronicles Online. The kind of thing newbie players cursed at when they stumbled into the wrong dungeon floor.
I flexed my gauntleted hand. The weight of the armor felt natural, like it was part of me. No clunky movement, no suffocating heat. My body moved with a kind of fluid heaviness, powerful but alien.
"Let's try something…"
I clenched my fist, focusing. Immediately, a chill spread across my arm, shadows coiling around the gauntlet like smoke.
[Skill Activated: Armor of Shadows Lv.1]
A black sheen rippled across my armor before fading.
I froze.
"…Holy crap, it worked."
This wasn't VR. This wasn't a dream. I had skills. Actual, real skills.
"Alright… next menu."
The Skill Menu popped open:
[Dark Slash – Unleashes a blade of shadow energy. (Cost: 10 MP)][Intimidation – Instills fear in weaker enemies. (Passive effect)][Armor of Shadows – Strengthens defense temporarily. (Cost: 5 MP)]
Straightforward. Simple. Almost exactly like the game. But what really caught my eye was the third tab.
[Evolution Tree – Locked.][Condition: Gain 100 Evolution Points.]
"Evolution Tree, huh…"
In the game, monsters didn't evolve. Players evolved their characters through gear and classes, but monsters were just static XP fodder. If this system was new, then I wasn't bound by the game's old rules.
I could… change. Grow stronger. Maybe even become something beyond this.
And just like that, my panic started to fade. In its place, a dangerous thrill took root.
I took a few steps forward, boots clanking against the damp stone. The dungeon stretched into darkness, corridors splitting left and right. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear faint growls and the scrape of claws on stone.
For now, though, I didn't care about monsters. I needed to test more.
I jumped. My body lifted higher than it should have—easily two meters off the ground. Landing didn't even hurt, the armor absorbing the shock. My Strength and Endurance were off the charts compared to my old human body.
Next, I sprinted down the corridor. My armor didn't slow me down at all. If anything, the shadows around my cloak seemed to flow with me, as if the dungeon itself accepted my presence.
Finally, I summoned [Dark Slash].
I raised my arm, focusing on the idea of cutting. A blade of shadow burst from my gauntlet, slashing into the stone wall with a screech. Dust fell as a jagged mark carved into the rock.
I laughed—loud, unhinged.
"…I'm a freaking boss monster."
Still, questions gnawed at me.
Why was I here? Why a Black Knight? And if this was really Eternia Chronicles Online, then what about Earth?
The system chimed again.
[Main Quest Activated.][Conquer the Dungeon.][Reward: 100 Evolution Points.]
My glowing eyes narrowed.
So that was it, huh? To unlock evolution, I had to do the one thing I used to love and hate in equal measure: grind.
"Figures." I sighed. "Even in death, I can't escape farming XP."
But as my laughter echoed through the dungeon, I couldn't help but feel… excited.
This wasn't just a game anymore. This was my new life. And I was ready to evolve.