CHAPTER 1
Stripe hit the ground hard enough to feel the impact rattle through his spine before his lungs remembered how to breathe.
He lay there longer than he needed to, staring at a sky that looked offensively clean.
The dirt beneath him was soft and cool, pressing into his shoulder blades in a way that felt almost polite compared to concrete. The air tasted sharp. Clear. Too clear.
He inhaled slowly.
No acid burn crawling up his throat. No stale liquor fog behind his eyes. No headache grinding against his skull.
Just air.
He pushed himself upright.
Boots. Underwear.
That was it.
STRIPE: Either this is heaven or I’m about to get sued for indecent exposure in another universe.
CROWN: Host body integration finalized.
Stripe blinked.
STRIPE: That is not a reassuring sentence.
CROWN: Current physical vessel assessed at Level 1.
He stood carefully. The body responded immediately. No stiffness. No ache in his knees. His hands looked wrong. Smooth knuckles. No scar ridges crossing the skin. No faint tape stains from wrapping before a fight.
He flexed slowly.
STRIPE: You’re in my head.
CROWN: Affirmative.
STRIPE: That feels invasive.
CROWN: Internal interface operating within acceptable parameters.
STRIPE: I didn’t ask for the customer service update.
Movement shifted in the clearing.
Stripe turned.
A wolf stood about ten feet away.
Lean muscle. Yellow eyes. No hesitation in its posture. It was not curious. It was calculating.
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CROWN: Wolf detected. Estimated Level 8.
STRIPE: I’m what?
CROWN: Level 1 confirmed.
STRIPE: So I stand a chance.
CROWN: Survival chance five percent with current combat experience and stats applied.
Stripe exhaled through his nose.
STRIPE: This feels personal. I thought me and the goddess were getting along.
CROWN: Analysis of conversation shows negative chemistry.
CROWN: WARNING. Threat is predatory in nature.
The wolf lowered its head and tightened through the shoulders.
Stripe bent quickly and grabbed the first solid thing his hand found in the grass. It felt dense. Slightly warm.
CROWN: Keep eyes on threat.
STRIPE: That's the plan.
He swung the improvised weapon with all his might.
It burst apart midair and splattered across the wolf’s face.
The smell hit him half a second later.
STRIPE: You’ve got to be kidding me.
CROWN: Improvised weapon composed of fecal matter ineffective. Survival percentile falling rapidly.
STRIPE: Yeah, that makes sense.
The wolf shook violently, flinging brown streaks in every direction.
Then it roared.
CROWN: Berserk condition applied.
STRIPE: Of course it is. Let me guess, it's stronger now?
CROWN: Correct. I detect approximately a thirty percent increase in stats and aggression.
The wolf lunged.
Stripe dove sideways and rolled, scrambling for anything longer than his arm. His fingers closed around a fallen branch.
STRIPE: You brace the jaw. That’s how this works.
CROWN: Clarify.
The wolf hit him before he could elaborate. It's mouth opened wide and it lunged forward.
He jammed the branch toward its mouth as teeth snapped down inches from his throat.
STRIPE: I saw this on a survival show. You wedge it so they can’t close their jaw.
CROWN: Canine bite force exceeds branch durability threshold.
The wood splintered immediately.
STRIPE: That’s not how it worked on television.
CROWN: Your memory may be distorted by intoxication at the time of viewing.
STRIPE: Yeah, that's true.
He twisted hard and rolled as claws tore into dirt where his neck had just been.
He scrambled up and swung the branch.
It smacked into the wolf’s ribs.
CROWN: Damage inflicted. One point.
STRIPE: One point is a lot, right?
CROWN: Negative.
The jumped up high landing on top of him.
They hit the ground hard.
Stripe shoved his forearm under its jaw and pushed upward while claws scraped across his chest.
STRIPE: You go for the throat. Always the throat.
CROWN: Current position prevents optimal access.
STRIPE: I’m working with what I’ve got.
His arms started shaking. This body was lighter. Faster maybe. But not strong.
STRIPE: I used to throw men heavier than this.
CROWN: Current strength output insufficient for lift maneuver.
STRIPE: Really? I couldn’t tell.
CROWN: Host death imminent.
┌──────────────────────────────────┐
STATUS
└──────────────────────────────────┘
Name: Stripe
Level: 1
Race: Human
Class: None
Title: None
HP: 100 / 100
Stamina: 100 / 100
Mana: 0 / 0
Attributes
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Strength 5
Agility 6
Endurance 5
Intelligence 4
Skills
────────────
None
Artifacts
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Crown of Reflection
