In front of his wide red eyes, stunned with amazement, a translucent interface suddenly appeared with a metallic chime.
[Please choose your Artisanal Profession:]
• BLACKSMITH
• SCULPTOR
• MASON
• CARPENTER
• FRAMEWORKER
• TAILOR
His pupils dilated instantly. Driven by a surge of curiosity, he touched the red window floating in front of him… and his hand passed through it.
"Woooah… That's incredible… My hand goes through it… Just like in anime…"
A gleam of wonder shone in his tear-filled eyes.
So all wasn't lost. He still had a chance.
He could still forge.
Wiping his tears with the edge of his wing, he took a deep breath.
And without the slightest hesitation, Alex made his choice. Mentally.
Blacksmith, of course.
A sincere, emotional smile slowly stretched his furry cheeks.
His eyes shone with an ancient, rekindled fire.
"System… skills… magic…" he whispered. "Maybe this world has… what the other one was missing…"
For the first time, his crazy dream—of forging a legendary weapon—didn't seem so unreachable.
He had no arms, no legs, but he had something else.
A chance.
"They may not be hands… but it'll be my wings that lead me to my dream," he murmured in a trembling breath.
A long silence settled in the cave.
Then, he felt them.
Eyes.
Dozens of them.
All the bats hanging around him were watching him, their red eyes fixed on him with the intensity of a silent tribunal.
Alex froze.
"Uhh… did I say something weird?" he muttered, a bit awkwardly.
Trying to regain his composure, he shook himself and focused.
"OK… uh… status!"
A new interface appeared.
[STATUS]
Name: Alex
Race: Bloodthirsty Bat
Level: 1
Crafting Level: 0
Skills:
Blood Acquisition
— You can copy a skill by drinking your target's blood.
— You can also copy their knowledge in the same way.
His heart leapt in his chest.
He reread it. Once. Twice.
"Copy… skills… AND knowledge?"
A thrill of excitement shot down his spine. It was real. This wasn't a dream.
"I can… copy the skills of the greatest blacksmiths in this world?!"
Images flashed through his mind—massive anvils engraved with runes, blades crackling with lightning, magical workshops where fire and mana danced together…
And him, at the center of it all.
He swallowed.
"This is… THIS IS THE ULTIMATE CHEAT!!"
Electrified, he flapped his wings.
"I gotta get out of here! Right now!"
He flapped frantically. Once. Twice. Three times. And, against all odds… he lifted off. A few meters. He was floating.
"I'M FLYING!!"
BOOM!
He smashed into a stalactite mid-flight and reeled in the air. Dazed but still airborne, he pulled himself together and darted toward the cave's exit. He shot out with a single wingbeat.
"Aaah my eyes!!"
The daylight hit him full force. Blinding. Dazzling. White as a celestial forge.
He blinked rapidly, panicked… and crashed into a tree.
WHAM.
He hung there for a moment, dazed, before falling to the ground in a small heap of claws and feathers.
"Okay…" he noted as he got up. "Gotta get used to the light. And learn how to turn, too."
His red eyes gradually adjusted. The blood-red hue faded, giving way to a more natural vision.
The world opened before him. Vast. Alive. Unknown.
But above all, full of possibilities.
And in his chest, a dream of steel began to beat stronger than ever.