Cold.
It was cold when I woke up.
Weird. Why is it wet?
I'm supposed to be in my bed, sleeping after watching Percy Jackson.
I opened my eyes—
What the… water?
No… ocean.
Why am I in the ocean?
Why am I breathing?
Before I could panic further, a sharp chime echoed in my head.
> [Tiiinngggg]
[System Upload Complete]
System?
Text—clean, precise—flashed in my vision like a HUD overlay:
> [God-System Initialized]
Designation: Scylla
Rank: 0 — Cursed Monster Form
Domain: Strait of Messina (Locked)
Objectives:
① Devour strong creatures to absorb Essence.
② Collect Faith Points from worshippers.
③ Ascend through Divine Ranks to remove curse.
Starting Ability Unlocked: Hydra Maw Barrage.
First Task: Survive in your new domain.
I blinked at the words.
Scylla.
Wait… isn't that the monster from The Sea of Monsters?
I looked down at myself. My arms weren't arms anymore—scaled, sinuous lengths swayed under the water. Farther out, shadows moved—long necks tipped with shapes I didn't want to identify yet.
The ocean's current shifted, and I moved with it instinctively.
No splashing, no struggle—like I belonged here.
I stayed still, letting the water roll past me. It wasn't just that I could breathe—it was like the ocean was part of me. Every current, every flicker of movement, I could sense it without even looking.
A shadow darted nearby. Instinct kicked in before I even thought about it.
> [Hydra Maw Barrage — Activated]
Six necks shot forward at once. I didn't command them. My body just… moved.
The water churned violently as jaws snapped around the shadow—a massive fish, longer than I'd been tall in my old life.
I bit down, feeling bone crunch, flesh tear. The water clouded red.
> [Target eliminated — Essence absorbed: +10]
The text vanished as quickly as it appeared, leaving me floating in the still-swirling water.
Holy crap. That was me. I'd just eaten something the size of a motorcycle without breaking a sweat.
I spun—well, more like coiled—and pushed toward the distant blue. Maybe if I kept swimming, I could find land.
But then—
> [Warning: Territory Boundary Approaching]
[Movement restricted — Domain Locked]
An invisible wall slammed into me. Not physical—no impact—but my body refused to move forward, like I'd hit the limits of a video game map.
I turned back. The open sea waited, but it wasn't mine.
The system didn't explain further. It didn't have to. If I wanted to leave this strait, I had to rank up.
After I swam for a while back The water felt different now.
Quieter.
Almost… watching me.
A ripple cut across my senses. Something big was moving, and it was coming straight toward me.
Then I saw it—green, scaled, and twice as long as any bus I'd ever seen. A sea serpent, its yellow eyes locked on me, jaws parting to reveal teeth like curved daggers.
> [Hostile Detected]
Species: Lesser Sea Serpent
Threat Level: Moderate
Objective: Eliminate to claim territory bonus.
Reward: +50 Essence, potential skill drop.
The serpent struck first, a blur through the water. One of my necks snapped out, deflecting its bite, while another lunged for its side.
> [Hydra Maw Barrage — Activated]
Three heads clamped down, ripping through scales. The serpent twisted violently, tail smashing into me and sending bubbles spiraling. My HP bar—yes, there was an actual HP bar—flashed in the corner of my vision, a tiny sliver gone.
I recoiled, then lunged again, six heads weaving like a net. The serpent's screech vibrated through the water before I tore its throat out.
> [Target Eliminated — Essence Absorbed: +55]
[Skill Acquired: Tail Sweep — Use to knock back multiple targets in close range.]
The body drifted, blood spreading into the current. I didn't feel disgusted. I felt… stronger.
The system gave one final update:
> [Domain Bonus: Territory stability increased. Hostile presence reduced by 15%.]
Looks like I'd just become the new apex predator here.