On the edge of the sidewalk, a young man in a grimy T-shirt sat in a daze. Beside him lay a sack stuffed with plastic and a rusted iron hook a meter long, his tool for picking through trash.
"I need money. Fast," he whispered.
His eyes followed the passing vehicles, hoping one of the drivers would stop and toss him a bill. His little sister had been lying in a public hospital since yesterday's accident. The operation for her broken bones wasn't fully covered, the government aid only paid for emergency care. Worse, the man who hit her was just as poor, and now he was being held by the police.
All of it fell on his shoulders.
His mind raced for a way out, then suddenly froze. In front of him, blue light formed a transparent panel.
[ Entering the Origin Realm, teleporting in 10 seconds ]
"What… what is this?" His voice barely rose above a breath.
Before he could process it, the long shriek of brakes tore through the air.
Screee! Screee!
Thud! Thud!
A chain collision erupted in front of him. Asyer sprang up and rolled backward, away from the street. His breath quickened as cars smashed into each other. But before his thoughts could return to the panel, his body turned weightless, as if pulled from every direction.
***
Asyer lay on a bed of grass. His eyes snapped open and he pushed himself up from his stomach.
He was gasping.
Thick white clouds ringed the area, like a prison of mist. A single tree stood in the center.
"A banyan?" His brow furrowed. The tree looked small, oddly out of proportion.
He stepped closer. Cool wind brushed his tangled hair and grimy shirt. As he savored the breeze, the blue light returned.
[ Loading Status Panel, success... ]
[ Loading Chat, success... ]
[ Loading Market, success... ]
[ Beginner Chest acquired, success ]
[ Talent Roll, obtained (Infinite Mutation - SSS) ]
Asyer froze.
Panels appeared one after another, then
Thump!
A wooden chest dropped out of thin air, rolled, and stopped at his feet.
"What… is this, a game world?" he murmured, frowning.
His thoughts drifted…
Everything felt too much like the game interfaces he used to play with. He pinched his arm. A sharp sting made him wince.
"It hurts… this is real." His voice lowered, goosebumps pricked his skin.
Shaken, he forced himself to calm down. He drew a deep breath, and his eyes brightened.
"SSS talent? That's… insane!"
The blue panel pulsed, revealing the talent description:
(Infinite Mutation - SSS) The beginning of creation, the beginning of destruction, the source of life.
Asyer's eyes widened, not only at the short description, but because the panel glowed gold. Infinite mutation? Does that mean… I can mutate? Half joking, half bewildered.
His gaze dropped to his arm.
A golden pop-up appeared at once.
[ (Infinite Mutation - SSS) Detected (human), mutation available… Are you sure you want to begin mutation? ]
[ Yes / No ]
"You've got to be kidding me!" he shouted. His heart pounded. Wild images flooded his head, fangs sprouting, turning into a beast, or growing ten giant arms.
If the result is random… what if it fails? I could end up crippled… Cold sweat beaded at his temples.
But resolve slowly drowned out the fear. His jaw tightened. There was no free meal in this world.
With a heavy breath, he pressed the choice. "Yes."
Ding!
[ Mutation success, (human) has become race (Dragon) ]
[ New skills unlocked: Dragon Blood, Scorching Breath, Predator's Instinct ]
Asyer exhaled in relief. The tension in his shoulders eased a little. "Yeah… finally my lucky day!" he yelled, chest lifting with pride.
The relief didn't last. Heat surged through him, burning his blood from within. Pain stabbed every muscle, crushed his bones, and sent him staggering.
"Aaagh!"
He doubled over and crashed to the ground. Fingers dug into the grass as his body curled up, as if flattened by invisible fire. Slowly, green scales bloomed along his neck and crept down his arms. His black pupils shifted into a gleaming green.
For a full minute, he could only scream. His breath broke into ragged gasps, his throat turned hoarse. At last, the pain ebbed, replaced by a cool, gentle flow.
The breeze from the banyan soothed his overheated skin. Panting, Asyer raised his face, then pushed himself up on trembling knees. He glanced down at himself. The once-skinny bare feet now looked sturdier. His forearms were sheathed in glossy green scales, reflecting the soft light of the clouded sky.
"Damn… I really turned into a dragon," he whispered, staring at his hands in a mix of horror and awe.
He touched his neck, the same scales climbed there. It took a moment to swallow the reality, but the roaring strength coursing through him tugged his lips into a faint smile.
Worth it.
As if answering his thoughts, the blue panel returned.
[ Status Panel ]
Race: Human 90%, Dragon 10%
Level: 0
Power: HP 1300, DEF 255, Speed 23
Attribute: ATK 120, MGC 120, AGI 50, VIT 80
Skill: (Dragon Blood), (Scorching Breath), (Predator's Instinct)
Equipment: –
Feature: Chart, Market
"Insane… my attributes jumped to 120," Asyer cried in disbelief. As far as he knew, beginner stats usually ranged from one to five points.
Can I mutate again? He stared at his body, hoping the mutation panel would reappear.
[ (Infinite Mutation - SSS) Detected (human +1), mutation available. Are you sure you want to begin mutation? ]
Success rate: 80%
[ Yes / No ]
Asyer's heart hammered, excited at mutating again, yet unnerved by that new line. "Only an eighty percent chance…" he muttered, the number feeling like a verdict.
His thoughts spun, go on or stop.
He glanced around, a few small trees, some rocks, and the banyan in the middle. All around him, an unbroken wall of white cloud.
The fear of being weak pushed him to look back at the golden panel. Firming his resolve, he nodded lightly.
"I have to take the risk."
After choosing to proceed, Asyer closed his eyes and offered a silent prayer.
Ding!
[ Mutation success, please choose mutation path: ]
[ race (Heavenly Dragon) ]
[ race (Abyssal Dragon) ]
[ race (Void Dragon) ]
Asyer's body trembled.
He stared at the golden panel with its three thrilling choices. "Heavenly Dragon? Abyssal Dragon? Void Dragon?" he blurted, eyes fixed on each line.
"Oh, goddess… thank you!" he shouted at the sky, which was now only a wall of cloud.
"All right, which one do I choose?" he muttered, torn. He wasn't too worried about choosing wrong, all of them were obviously powerful dragon races.
His mind leaned toward "heavenly" because light elements always mattered in the games he used to play. But Abyssal Dragon carried the strength of darkness—mysterious, ancient, and deep—while "void" felt too neutral and safe. For some reason, my heart leans toward the abyssal one… this place is filled with uncertainty, shrouded in darkness. That name fits best.
He set his resolve and chose Abyssal Dragon.
[ Mutation success, (human +1) has become race (Abyssal Dragon) ]
[ New skills unlocked: Infernal Breath, Blood of the Damned, Blood Pact ]
"Yeeaah!" Asyer roared, his cry seemed to shake the air.
He reread the golden panel to make sure he hadn't misread it. "Is this a once-in-a-century stroke of luck?" he muttered, mocking his usually miserable fortune.
The joy cut short.
A sharp pain speared his heart, raced to his head, then swept through his entire body.
"Aaagh!"
He curled on the ground, straining to endure. Veins bulged, his stare hardened against the agony. The torment was followed by small changes. Streaks of dark red bled into his hair, lengthening it to his shoulders. A pair of small crimson horns budded on his forehead. Green scales deepened into dark red. Finally, a red crystal formed on his chest.
A minute passed before Asyer could breathe again.
"Damn… you almost killed me," he said weakly, still elated to have survived.
With a victorious grin, he sprang up with a light hop. He checked himself, muscular arms in dark red scales, the small horns, and the crimson crystal on his chest.
"Looks like…" Asyer murmured.
"I do look cooler like this." He compared himself now to the scavenger with a burlap sack and iron hook.
Let's check the status panel, he thought.
Not much had changed, except for one thing: his attributes had skyrocketed.
[ Status Panel ]
Attribute: ATK 380, MGC 380, AGI 160, VIT 210
Besides that, his race now read 30% Abyssal Dragon, which made him a little uneasy. If I keep mutating, will I stop being human? Asyer wondered. He was afraid of losing his humanity.
His eyes moved to the new skills he'd gained. Three domineering names, enough to steady his nerves.
"Can I mutate again?"
The question rose again. He was about to check, but his attention snapped away at the thud of approaching footsteps.
"Who's there?" He turned toward the sound.
His eyes widened. A three-meter-tall green giant appeared, a metal club in its left hand, wearing only a ragged leather skirt.
"Ogre," Asyer muttered, disgust creeping in at the monstrous face, its fangs jutted out.
His heart fluttered for a moment, then the feeling vanished, replaced by a rush of adrenaline.
"You came at the right time," he said under his breath, eyes shifting to the ogre's panel.
[ Status Panel ]
Race: Ogre
Level: 2
HP: 840
Power: Attack 36, Def 28, Speed 14
Skill: (Skin of Stone - Passive), (Crushing Blow), (Earth Quake Slam)
Warning: Beware its club, each strike can shatter bone.
As he read the warning, Asyer smiled thinly. "Let's see who breaks whom."
With quick steps, he lowered his body and shot straight at the ogre.