In a lush, primeval forest where ancient trees stretched toward the heavens, their gnarled branches weaving a canopy that blocked out the sun, a peculiar creature stood before a small, crystal-clear puddle.
Barely a foot tall, round, and covered in shimmering golden fur, this furry little being was a mix of adorable and absurd—a pig? A bear? Maybe both? Its big, sparkling eyes stared at its reflection, brimming with confusion.
"Who am I?" it muttered, tilting its head. "Where am I? And how in the world did I get here?"
This was Zhu Hao, once a hardworking student at Sky River University on Planet Aqua Blue. Life hadn't been kind to him—scraping by in a cramped rental basement, juggling part-time jobs while chasing his studies.
But Zhu Hao was no stranger to hardship; his optimism and kind heart had always carried him through. That is, until he woke up in this wild, untamed forest, no longer human but transformed into a chubby, golden creature that looked like it couldn't decide whether it was a pig or a bear.
"I'm a… pig?" Zhu Hao squinted at his reflection, his short, stubby paws patting his round belly. "Nah, maybe a bear? Ugh, what am I?"
He flopped dramatically onto the ground, tongue lolling out, eyes dull with mock despair. "This is it. My life's over. Goodbye, cruel world!"
Crunch!
A tiny black ant, no bigger than a pebble, met its untimely end under Zhu Hao's paw. Before he could wallow further in his existential crisis, a glowing screen materialized before his eyes, floating like something out of a video game.
"Killed a Vigor Ant. Energy +0.0001, Experience +0.0001. Theurgy: Infinite Strength."
Zhu Hao's eyes widened. He sprang to his feet, his little body bouncing like a rubber ball. "Wait, what?!" He rubbed his eyes with his furry paws, half-expecting the screen to vanish. It didn't. Instead, it displayed a dazzling interface:
Light of the Pig God
Name: Zhu Hao
Race: Little Pig Bear
Level: 0 (Energy 0/1, Experience 0/1)
Energy: 0.0001
Experience: 0.0001
Theurgy: None
Backpack: Infinite Strength (Energy 0/1, Experience 0/1)
"Goldfinger?!" Zhu Hao squealed, his voice a mix of disbelief and glee. "Lord Pig's cheat system is online! I'm gonna be unstoppable!" He pinched his chubby belly to confirm he wasn't dreaming. "Ouch! Okay, definitely real."
His despair evaporated, replaced by a spark of ambition. Who cared if he wasn't human? With this mysterious system—dubbed the Light of the Pig God—he'd climb to the top of this strange world. Maybe even transform back into a human someday. For now, though, he was ready to embrace his new identity as "Lord Pig," the most majestic pig bear to ever grace Douluo Dalu.
"Light of the Pig God? Pfft, why not Crown of the Pig Emperor?" he grumbled, eyeing the interface's title. Then he noticed his race. "Little Pig Bear? Seriously? It says I'm cute, stupid, and foolish. Rude! I'm clearly majestic, brilliant, and… uh, devastatingly handsome!"
The system didn't respond to his complaints, so Zhu Hao shrugged and focused on the details. The "Infinite Strength" ability sat in his backpack, locked behind additional energy and experience requirements. "Stingy system," he muttered. "Can't you just hand me the power?"
Still, he wasn't one to sulk for long. If he needed to grind for power, so be it. His sharp eyes scanned the forest floor, landing on another Vigor Ant scuttling by. "Time to level up, Lord Pig style!" He grabbed a small stone, his tiny paws surprisingly nimble, and smack!—another ant bit the dust.
"Energy +0.0001, Experience +0.0001!"
"Ha! Easy!" Zhu Hao chuckled, the system's concise notification amusing him. "Guess it only explains the first time. Smart system, but not as smart as Lord Pig."
He continued his ant-squashing spree, each pa! adding tiny bits of energy and experience. The forest was alive with the hum of insects and the rustle of leaves, but Zhu Hao's focus was razor-sharp. This was his ticket to greatness. However, the experience gains started to dwindle—0.00009, then 0.00008, then 0.00007. "Ugh, diminishing returns? This is gonna take forever!"
Just as he was about to hunt for more ants, a new challenger appeared: a fist-sized spider, its body a riot of vibrant colors, perched in the center of a glimmering web. Its green eyes locked onto Zhu Hao, sizing him up.
"Whoa, that's one flashy spider," Zhu Hao whispered, clutching his stone tighter. "Bright colors mean poison, right? But… it's probably worth a ton of experience. Maybe even a new ability!"
He hesitated. His new pig bear body was surprisingly sturdy, with the strength of a bear and the surprising agility of a pig. Plus, he could climb trees—a fact he discovered when he scrambled up one earlier to escape a particularly aggressive beetle. Still, this spider looked like bad news.
"Wealth comes from danger," he muttered, psyching himself up. "Lord Pig's too smart to back down from a glorified bug!" Dropping the stone, he picked up a sturdy, two-foot-long stick, gripping it like a seasoned warrior. He stood on his hind legs, his golden fur glinting in the dappled sunlight, and faced the spider.
The spider stared back, its tiny eyes glinting with malice. The air crackled with tension, like a showdown between two legendary swordsmen. Zhu Hao's heart raced, but he wasn't about to let a spider outshine him.
He edged closer, step by careful step, his stick raised. Four feet. Three and a half. Three. His muscles tensed, ready to strike. "One more step, and you're toast, bug!"
Swish!
The spider spat a glowing green web, aiming straight for Zhu Hao's face. The web was massive, easily big enough to engulf his pint-sized body. "Poison!" he yelped, leaping back. He swung his stick, deflecting the web with a sizzle as it burned into the wood, sending up wisps of white smoke.
"Yikes, that's some serious venom!" Zhu Hao's eyes widened. If that had hit him, he'd be a goner. But the spider wasn't done. With terrifying speed, it launched itself at him, its eight legs a blur, its body glowing faintly as it pounced.
"Too fast!" Zhu Hao gasped, barely dodging as the spider sailed past. This wasn't just any bug—it was practically a spirit beast! His heart pounded, but a grin spread across his face. "Alright, you eight-legged freak. Lord Pig's just getting started!"
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Will Zhu Hao triumph over the venomous spider? Or will his first real battle in Douluo Dalu be his last?