As I floated through a vast space of nothing, unable to access any of my senses - time included - I had a thought.
'So, not everybody gets reincarnated?'
I was upset. After I mysteriously bled out and felt nothing for a little while, I was sure that soon I would end up waking in a nice, warm bed as a rich aristocrat or maybe as an unwritten character in some webnovel I'd read before.
But nope.
A couple of moments after dying, I ended up here, and I've been here for a while now. Maybe not. Maybe it's only been a couple of seconds or a couple of hundred years.
Who knows.
Time really isn't a concept here.
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed in my head, or whatever allowed me to perceive it in this space.
[Welcome, Nico. So, uhh, I kind of may have perchance very slightly have given you a minor case of death. Sorry about that!]
I could feel my non-existent eyes widen into two large saucers.
'What! Who the hell are you, and what do you mean you killed me!?'
The voice promptly ignored me and continued on.
[I know being dead for all eternity isn't exactly fun, so on behalf of the wishes of my Master, I'm sending you to my World!]
'What? So you accidentally killed me, and now you're just scraping me off your shoe?!'
[You're getting sent to a world filled with magic, swords, monsters, hot babes, and so much more! I would be quite excited if I were you!]
The voice spoke with the finesse of an experienced salesman.
I paused for a moment. Wasn't this exactly what I wanted? I won't be leaving much behind on Earth except for my parents, who I still owe a lot to, but otherwise, there's not much else.
'Wait, where am I being sent to and as who?'
I could feel the excitement slowly rising in me. I was totally going to become a hot hero, who all the women fawned over!
[Oh yeah, uhh... your disposition's kinda...weird, putting it nicely. You probably won't be a human when you're reincarnated...]
'Wait, what! What do you mean, my disposition was weird!?'
[But that's for you to figure out. I should probably mention the voice you're hearing is something like a pre-recorded message, so you've been speaking to thin air all this time.]
The voice audibly laughed after that, while I just dumbly remained silent.
[Alright, I'm giving you a little something, so you don't die too quickly. Good luck, loser.]
'Fuck yo-'
My voice was cut off as from the distance a flash of light burst forth. Its outline quickly grew closer to me before vanquishing the surrounding darkness and engulfing me within itself.
After a couple of moments, I could feel my body again. Before I could even form a thought, I felt a wet, slimy sensation on my ass, followed by my whole body being enveloped in a burst of insane speed.
'Holy shit!'
I was in a slide of sorts, whose crimson walls were lined with fleshy ripples. My whole body vibrated as I went down the flesh slide.
I was going to crash into something if I kept going like this!
I tried to reach my arms out to the nearby walls, only to realize they were too short! And red! Not to mention sharp!
I couldn't even be bothered to be surprised anymore, so I just lay back, closed my eyes and waited for whatever was to come.
'Whatever happens, happens.'
As I thought this to myself, I felt my whole body crash into a stone-hard floor. I felt the world spin around me as I opened my eyes. It took me a moment to recover, but once I could focus again properly, I was greeted by the sight of a long, wide corridor, lined with stone walls.
'A cave?' I thought to myself
There was a certain dampness in the air and a peculiar smell. Something else caught my attention immediately, though.
The cave was...large, very large. I furrowed my brows and took a look down at my body.
It was entirely scarlet.
My arms were short but adorned with sharp claws, and my legs were thin, but long and flexible. I could feel razor-sharp teeth in my mouth, meant to tear into flesh easily. It also seemed my speech organs weren't developed, as I couldn't speak. To top it all off, I realized that the cave wasn't large. I was just really damn tiny!
How the hell was I supposed to survive with a body like this!? I'll get stomped like a bug if I'm not careful!
'Tsk, so the bastard wasn't lying. I really am some kind of monster! And of course, I'm not a cool one like a dragon, but instead some kind of fiendish imp! He also said he'd give me a little something - a golden finger? So where the he-!'
Before I could complain further, a loud voice echoed in my head.
[Evolution system activating]
[Welcome, Nico]
'Oh, I'm not completely doomed!'
[Synchronizing System with host]
There was a pause while I was giddy with excitement. Even if I am a monster, it would still be much better, not to mention more interesting than my previous life! Suddenly, the voice spoke again.
[Synchornization with host 90% complete]
[You may access certain features of the System as you wait]
I felt a smile creep across my face. This was it!
'I've always wanted to say this, well, think, but close enough. Status!'
[Currently available information]
A screen popped up in front of my vision.
---Status---
Race: Bloodfiend
Skill: [Blood Dive], [Blood Absorb]
[Locked]
------------------
'Uhh, what the hell is this?'
[In order to unlock the rest of the system, please fulfil the following requirement]
[Absorb 100l of blood]
'Blood? I guess my new form seems like it would like blood, considering I look like I came out of a blood bath.'
Although I had been a human a little while ago, the idea of drinking blood didn't disgust me as much as I'd have expected. It seems that I inherited a part of the creature's physiology.
'Alright, give me the details about my skill then, please.'
[Unable to comply]
[Please fulfil the aforementioned requirements]
I let out a sigh. What else did I expect? [Blood Absorb] was self-explanatory, but [Blood Dive] could've definitely used an explanation. Not knowing one of my skills could definitely be detrimental, but I had no other choice but to figure it out by myself.
I fell back into silence once again, waiting for the System to finish synchronizing. It wouldn't be very smart to run off while the System was still synchronizing. A sudden thought popped into my head while I was waiting - a truly terrifying one.
'H-hey System...are you by any chance... one of those systems?'
[Please elaborate]
[I will do my best to answer any questions within my capabilities and permissions]
'I mean a-a system for hare-'
[No]
'I didn't even fini-'
[No]
'Bu-'
[No]
I let out a sigh of relief. It seems the system understood my concerns pretty well. Although I loved women as much as any man, a harem was something not within my preferences, not to mention capabilities.
My biggest worry was settled!
Before I managed to settle down, the System spoke once again.
[Synchronization with host 100% complete]
[Warning!]
[High-level World detected]
[Caution is advised]
My thoughts blanked for a moment. I realized that if the System was warning me, I might be completely and utterly screwed.
[Good luck!]
Still silence filled the cave as I stared at my feet. There wasn't much to be said. I died, and now I'm here. It's better than that nothingness I experienced earlier! I'll try to make the best of this life, even if I'm some kind of bloodsucking monster and the world I'm in is hell.
'Hmm, I'd definitely like to grow stronger. Maybe I can become a humanoid again at some point? Would be nice, but who knows what the future holds.'
I left my parents behind, but I know they'll manage better now that I'm not around. I only ever caused them trouble.
I firmed my resolve, stood up, and began marching down the dark halls of the cave.
I had plenty of absorbing to do.