Chapter 3: Self-Identification

“Logic: Infection of the White Spider Larva has activated, Frenzy: Curse of the Black Goat Calf has been temporarily lifted.”

A voice as devoid of emotion as machinery echoed in my mind, the pain melting away like ice in fire as I regained my sanity, standing in a snow-covered field surrounded by the forest. The pure white snow was stained red with blood, and ghoul corpses were scattered around. My hand, claw-like and iron-hooked, slowly returned to chubby little hands of around two or three years old, and the pale skin began to take on a rosy hue.

I tried to take a step forward, and lo and behold, I could walk! How long had I been stuck in that monster’s womb? Why was I born looking like a two or three-year-old child who could walk, and what was up with this body? What did the armored man mean by “half-blood”? Am I a monster or a human? Moreover, I confirmed that my current body lacks a little something: I had definitely become “female”! What a series of unfortunate events.

But I remembered that mechanical voice mentioned I could self-identify. If that’s the case, I might be able to figure out what’s going on. Thinking that, I hesitantly looked at my bloodstained hands. My stomach wasn’t hungry anymore; maybe I did something outrageous when I went berserk, like eating those ghouls. Ugh, that’s so gross—better not think about it for mental health’s sake. Anyway, I needed to concentrate and self-identify!

So, like a fool, I raised my hands as if preparing to transform and shouted, “Self-Identification!”

“Caw caw…” Nearby crows were startled by me, flapping their wings as they flew away from the ghoul corpses, landing on a tree to stare at me with strange eyes. Nothing else happened.

Seriously? Now even the birds think I’ve gone mad! I squatted down awkwardly, hugging my head. Boohoo, even the crows feel sorry for me. Just as I was thinking that, bizarre information flooded into my mind. This self-identification seemed to actually be useful; at least, I wasn’t embarrassed for nothing. I quickly browsed through the information while in a squatting position with my head hugged.

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Race: Ghoul Half-Blood

Status: Frenzy – Curse of the Black Goat Calf, Logic – Infection of the White Spider Larva

Skills: Great Demon Tribe Language, Self-Identification

Other: Ghoul Eater

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That’s it? That’s so casual! The only useful information is that I apparently really am not human anymore, but transformed into a race called ghouls, and I’m a half-blood. So what exactly is a ghoul?

“Ghoul: A creature dwelling in Silya Forest, low intelligence, resistant to cold, the lowest class of the ghoul species.”

What the heck, this sounds terrible! Plus, I clearly don’t look like those gross ghouls, right? I mean, I have some brainpower! Low intelligence? How rude! I’m a half-blood, after all; I should be different somehow. So what is a ghoul half-blood?

“Ghoul Half-Blood: A mix between ghouls and other races.”

That’s basically saying nothing! And what do those two statuses mean?

“Access denied, no further information available.”

Haha, are you an elder now? What’s this Great Demon Tribe Language skill?

“Ability to understand the language of the Great Demon Tribe and communicate with them.”

Looks like the language those two were speaking was indeed the Great Demon Tribe Language. What’s the Great Demon Tribe?

“Out of self-identification’s scope, unable to identify.”

Useless! Then, what is self-identification?

“The ability to evaluate oneself, obtainable only under extremely rare conditions—a once-in-a-million ability.”

Wow, is this thing actually bragging? How shameless! As for the last one, no need to explain; I’ve got it clear. No need to make me feel even worse.

So, from what I understand, this isn’t Earth but another world! Seems I really got smashed through the dimensional wall by that person who jumped off a building, forcibly sent to this strange forest in a peculiar world. That jumper really is something else—unbelievable!

Anyway, I had insurance of sorts beforehand; if I die, I die! I never wanted a job or to deal with work anyway. For now, my focus should be on surviving. I just arrived in this cold forest with the body of a child, performing wilderness survival—isn’t this directly on hard mode? That jumper really has no mercy, truly unbelievable!

Prioritizing survival, I need to find a human town quickly. I ripped some tattered cloth from a corpse that had been gnawed to pieces to wrap around my body, pulled out a small bone suitable for a weapon, and walked toward the deep, cold forest.