The air was a choking haze of sulfur, thick with the bite of molten rock. Abyss's lowest floor sprawled beneath a jagged canopy of obsidian spires, their tips glowing faintly red, as if kissed by unseen flames. The ground pulsed with a low, ceaseless rumble, each tremor a reminder of this place's eternal torment. Fissures crisscrossed the cavern floor, leaking molten light that cast eerie shadows. Amid this infernal cradle, a single egg cracked open.
A humanoid figure emerged, his newborn form slick with viscous, black fluid that clung to his scales like tar. His eyes, sharp and golden, widened in shock as they took in the nightmare around him. Eggs—hundreds, perhaps thousands—dotted the cavern, their surfaces pulsing faintly with life. Some were whole, others shattered, their contents spilling into the ash. The air carried the shrieks of newborn demons, their claws tearing through shells in a frenzy of violence. His breath hitched, his chest tight with the weight of this alien reality.
He looked down at his arms, and his heart—or whatever passed for one in this body—lurched. Clawed hands, scaled in obsidian black, with veins of molten red throbbing beneath the surface. Not human. Not even close.
"What… am I?" he whispered, his voice a guttural rasp, unfamiliar and wrong.
Memories crashed into him like a tidal wave, sharp and disorienting. A university lecture hall, the drone of a professor discussing literature, the glow of a laptop screen playing Attack on Titan late into the night. Novels stacked precariously on a cluttered desk—isekai, fantasy, adventure. Movie posters plastered across a dorm room wall: Spirited Away, Avengers, One Piece. He'd been a student, a dreamer lost in stories of heroes and worlds beyond his own. His lips moved, testing the name that tethered him to that life.
"Zain," he said aloud, the word strange in his fanged maw. "Zain Oul Zachus."
The memories were a lifeline, proof he was more than this monstrous form. But they also sharpened the surreal horror of his situation. He was no longer in his dorm, no longer human. He was in Abyss, reborn as a demon. His claws flexed involuntarily, scraping the rock beneath him. The sensation was alien, yet there was a raw power in it, a strength he'd never known.
He forced himself to breathe, to calm the storm in his mind. The cavern's chaos demanded his attention. Demons, freshly hatched like him, tore into unhatched eggs with savage glee. Their roars and shrieks formed a cacophony, a brutal symphony of survival. Some eggs burst under claw and fang, their half-formed occupants writhing briefly before going still. Others hatched, spilling more demons into the fray. It was a bloodbath, a primal culling where only the strong would endure.
Zain's golden eyes narrowed, taking it all in. This was no anime or novel. This was real. And if he didn't act, he'd be next—torn apart by claws or crushed underfoot. His human instincts screamed to run, to hide, but his new body thrummed with a different urge: to fight, to dominate.
Before he could decide, a static crackle erupted in his skull, like a radio caught between stations. He winced, clutching his head with clawed hands as disjointed noises coalesced into words.
System binding… Jack of All Trades System… initializing…
Binding complete.
Zain froze, his claws still pressed to his temples. A system? Like in the isekai novels he'd devoured, the RPGs he'd played until dawn? A grin spread across his face, sharp and predatory, revealing rows of jagged teeth.
"A cheat," he muttered, excitement bubbling in his chest. "This is my cheat.
"System," he said, voice steadier now. "What are your functions?"
The Jack of All Trades System currently offers two primary functions.
First: Soul Exchange. Souls acquired through killing or other means can be exchanged for items, skills, or enhancements in the System Mall.
Second: Dimensional Travel. This function allows travel to various anime and movie worlds. Currently locked.
Additional functions are also locked.
Zain's grin widened, then faltered slightly.
"Locked? How do I unlock them?"
Insufficient authority. Requirements for unlocking are restricted at this time.
He growled, frustration clawing at him. Of course there was a catch—every system had one. Still, the Soul Exchange function was a start. If he could gather souls, he could grow stronger, carve a path through this hellhole.
"Show me the System Mall," he commanded.
A translucent interface flickered into existence, visible only to him. It was sleek, almost futuristic, with a grid of items and skills stretching endlessly. His eyes darted across the options, each one a promise of power from the stories he'd loved.
Shinra Tensei (Price: ??????)
Kamehameha (Price: ??????)
Thunder Fruit (Price: ??????)
His excitement dimmed. These were legendary abilities—Naruto's gravitational force, Dragon Ball's energy blast, One Piece's lightning devil fruit. But the question marks meant they were out of reach, at least for now. He scrolled further, his clawed finger hovering over the interface. Near the bottom, he found skills within his grasp.
Fireball (Price: 10 Souls)
Enhanced Stamina (Price: 10 Souls)
Enhanced Strength (Price: 10 Souls)
Simple, practical, perfect for a newborn demon in a hostile world. Zain nodded to himself. These would give him an edge in this brutal crucible. He memorized their names, their prices, and closed the interface. First, he needed souls.
The cavern's chaos hadn't slowed. Demons tore into eggs, their claws dripping with viscous fluid. Some fought each other, their roars shaking the air. Zain's eyes locked onto an unhatched egg nearby, its surface pulsing faintly with life. If souls came from killing, these eggs were the easiest targets.
He approached cautiously, his new body awkward but brimming with potential. His claws flexed, itching for action. He raised his hand, hesitated for a moment, then brought it down. The egg shattered under his strike, the half-formed demon inside writhing briefly before going still. A faint wisp of energy rose from the corpse, absorbed into his body.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 1.
The system's chime sent a thrill through him. It was real. The power was real. He moved to the next egg, his strikes growing more confident. Each shattered shell added to his tally.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 2.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 5.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 10.
His muscles burned, his breath coming in ragged gasps, but he pushed on. The cavern floor was slick with ash and yolk, the air thick with the stench of death. Other demons noticed him but kept their distance, focused on their own carnage. Zain's claws dripped with fluid, his body trembling from exertion. He lost count of the eggs he'd destroyed, each one a step toward power.
By the time he collapsed against a jagged rock, panting, the system interface flickered in his vision.
Soul balance: 33.
Zain's chest heaved, but a grin split his face. Thirty-three souls. Enough for the skills he'd eyed. He opened the System Mall again, his clawed finger hovering over the options.
Fireball (Price: 10 Souls)
Enhanced Stamina (Price: 10 Souls)
Enhanced Strength (Price: 10 Souls)
Thirty souls total. He hesitated only a moment, his mind racing with possibilities. These skills would make him stronger, faster, deadlier. He confirmed the purchase, and a surge of energy flooded his body, warm and electric. His muscles felt denser, his breath steadier, as if he could run for hours without tiring. Fireball was different—a spark of knowledge igniting in his mind, the instinct to summon flame now as natural as breathing.
Souls consumed: 30. Current balance: 3.
Zain flexed his claws, feeling the raw power coursing through him. He glanced at the cavern, its chaos undiminished. The eggs were fewer now, the ground littered with broken shells and still forms. Other demons prowled, their eyes glowing in the crimson light. He needed more souls, more power, but his body demanded rest.
He slumped against the rock, his golden eyes scanning the cavern. The system had given him a start, a spark of potential in this hellish crucible. But he wasn't safe. Not yet. He closed his eyes for a moment, letting his enhanced stamina steady his breathing. The memories of his past life lingered—anime battles, novel heroes, movie showdowns. He'd always admired those protagonists, their strength, their cunning. Now, he was one of them.
"I'm not just surviving this," he murmured, his voice low and resolute. "I'm going to rule it."
But as he rested, a faint tremor ran through the cavern floor, different from the constant quakes. It was deeper, more deliberate. Something was watching, waiting. Zain's eyes snapped open, his instincts prickling. He wasn't alone.