As he sat in the quiet of the cave, Sebastián let his thoughts drift back to everything he'd seen while exploring.
The trees… vast and ancient, their trunks so wide and tall they made even the grandest forests on Earth feel like saplings in comparison. The smallest tree he'd come across was the size of a General Sherman Tree—and that had been on the outskirts. Deeper in, the forest only grew denser, wilder, and more alive.
The air itself was different. It was thick, not in a suffocating way, but in a way that made every breath feel charged—heavy with energy. Mana. He could feel it saturating everything: the wind, the soil, even the light that filtered through the treetops. It was overwhelming at first, as if his body had to learn how to breathe all over again.
And then there were the animals—towering beasts with features he couldn't fully name, creatures that seemed pulled from myth and dream. Some had crystalline hides, others bore markings that shimmered faintly in the shadows. Many of them dwarfed him in size, easily a hundred times larger, yet none had shown aggression.
That's when he realized something strange.
None of them had looked at him as prey.
Not one.
Even the largest beasts had only observed him with calm, neutral eyes—curious, perhaps, but never hostile. It wasn't the kind of indifference wild animals showed toward something unthreatening. No… it was something else. It was as if they saw him as an equal.
As if they recognized something in him.
Something divine. Something familiar.
He took a deep breath and turned his focus inward, finally giving his body the attention it deserved.
He had noticed it faintly while walking, but now—sitting still, alone in the quiet cave—it became unmistakably clear: he wasn't tired. Not even a little.
No soreness in his muscles. No aching in his feet. No trembling from the hours of travel. His breathing was steady, heart calm. There was no hunger gnawing at his stomach, no thirst drying his throat, despite the long stretch of time without food or water.
It was as if his body simply… didn't need those things anymore.
Not in the same way.
His divine form—if that's truly what it was—seemed to operate on a different set of rules. One that ignored human limitations, sustaining itself through something else entirely.
Mana?
Divine energy?
He didn't know the answer yet, but one thing was certain: this body wasn't just new.
It was no longer human.
Deciding it was best not to dwell on it for now, Sebastián let out a slow breath and turned his gaze forward. With a thought, he summoned the system screen once more. It appeared instantly, glowing faintly in the dim light of the cave.
He navigated to the mission tab, and there it was—
1. Explore the surrounding area – 1/1
The text was now faded slightly, marking it as complete. A small sense of accomplishment stirred in him as he stared at it.
Just beside the completed mission, a new button had appeared:
[Claim Reward]
He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing in curiosity as he focused on the glowing prompt.
Whatever this reward was, it would be his first step forward in this new world.
With a simple thought, Sebastián focused on the [Claim Reward] button.
It lit up gently, pulsing once before fading—its glow replaced by a soft chime echoing in his mind. A new notification appeared at the center of the screen, accompanied by a faint shimmer of light that briefly washed over his body.
XP:57
New Skill Acquired: Friend of Animals
Description:Friend of Animals grants you a natural affinity with wild creatures. Unless provoked, animals will view you as an equal—neither prey nor threat. They will not attack or flee from you.
Sebastián blinked, rereading the text.
Suddenly, everything made more sense—the calm stares from the beasts, the lack of fear or aggression. It wasn't just divine presence that kept them at bay; the system had already been working in his favor.
A subtle smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. It was a small reward, perhaps—but valuable. In a world filled with towering creatures and unknown dangers, neutrality was a powerful gift.
And this was just the beginning.