《The Selector》


 Chapter 1: When the Truck Gives You a New Life

    I clearly remember that the moment I was crushed by the truck falling off the bridge, a rather random thought popped into my mind: if I had one wish, what would it be?


    At that moment, I automatically pondered a dilemma I''d been having: who chooses the protagonists in stories? Do some of them really exist? If so, what''s the real purpose of their existence? Is someone influencing this?


    [Unique Class Acquired: Selector!]


    I didn''t understand at first, and I still don''t know what it means to be a Selector, but upon gaining this class, I briefly experienced something akin to my dreams¡ªwhere I act with the confidence that everything will work out, and anything is possible, even flying.


    Soon, I was transported to what seemed like a character creation screen. There, as in many standard games, there was a selection of various species, such as humans, elves, vampires, dragons, and so on.


    Among the possible choices¡ªand there were a lot, trust me, ranging from humans to species I''d never even heard of, like "Askekeshi." I still have no clue what they are, but they looked a lot like a fusion of kangaroo and dinosaur, all green.


    In addition to those, there was also the "Hybrid" option and, finally, the one I chose: "Tri-hybrid."


    When I selected the Tri-hybrid option, three more choices appeared, each allowing me to pick a different species.


    In my mind¡ªwhat I now call "Dream Mode"¡ªI quickly chose Dragon, then Vampire, and lastly, Elf.


    Reasons? Honestly, I don''t even know why I chose those three. I just did.


    After making my selections, the next step was to choose my origin. However, it seems that by opting for the Tri-hybrid choice, I used up all my points for selecting an origin and was left with the option of starting randomly.


    [1/3: Smoke Dragon Race Obtained!]


    [1/3: Elf Race Obtained!]


    [1/3: Noble Vampire Race (Demonic Race Lords) Obtained!]


    When I confirmed, a voice echoed in my mind. It was a feminine voice¡ªassertive, yet slightly robotic.


    [Extra Ability Acquired: Selector''s Shop!]


    [Noble Vampire Racial Ability: Familiars Acquired!]


    [Noble Vampire Racial Ability: Semi-Immortality Acquired??]


    [Elf Racial Ability: Builder Acquired!]


    [Elf Racial Ability: Semi-Immortality Acquired??]


    [Smoke Dragon Racial Ability: Smoke Body Acquired!]


    [Tri-hybrid Racial Ability: Immortality Acquired!]


    [Tri-hybrid Racial Ability: High-Speed Regeneration Acquired!]


    [Inherent Ability: Universal Speech Acquired!]


    [Inherent Ability: Magic Manipulation Acquired!]


    [Inherent Ability: Charm Acquired!]


    [Inherent Ability: Metamorphosis Acquired!]


    [Extra: Noble Vampire: Familiar Acquired!]


    ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¡º??¡»¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T


    Back to the present¡­ I look at my hands and see that everything appears normal, at least as far as human hands go; there''s no sign of dragon traits or anything like that.


    The rest of my body seems the same. So, what exactly is my appearance now? Even I don''t know yet.


    I''m very confused. Everything happened so fast. Just a few minutes ago¡ªor at least, it feels like it¡ªI was on my boat, drinking beer and fishing, when I saw, incredibly, a truck falling straight toward me.


    Why on Earth did I think fishing under a bridge was a good idea!?


    I really was crushed to death by a truck, wasn''t I? Urgh... Even though it was a quick and almost painless death¡ªor at least it seems that way, since I can barely remember the pain at that moment¡ªjust imagining the scene of the truck coming toward me makes my body shudder.


    It''s like watching another man take a kick to his most sensitive area¡­ Even if you don''t feel the pain directly, the impact still makes your face twist as if it were happening to you.


    Anyway¡­


    I still have no idea how the truck fell off the bridge in my direction. I was a bit tipsy after drinking almost a whole longneck¡­


    Maybe the truck driver fell asleep at the wheel or overdosed on whatever drugs they were on¡­ Whatever it was, it doesn''t change the fact that I died and, somehow, got a second chance at life, unbelievably restarting after entering "Dream Mode" and becoming a Tri-hybrid of Dragon, Vampire, and Elf.


    By the way, I wonder if I can use magic? I think so. At least, that''s what I heard in "Dream Mode."


    "ZZzzzhiiiiii!!"


    Suddenly, a loud and unsettling sound echoed. It was a high-pitched yet deep scream, coming from the depths of a cave. The sound was terrifying, enough to make the blond hairs on my arm stand on end.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "What was that now?" I murmured, almost voiceless, as I hid behind a thick, sturdy tree, trying not to be noticed.


    "Woolf!!"


    ''Was that a howl?'' I thought, frowning. ''Is a monster attacking a wolf, or is the wolf attacking the "monster"?''


    Whatever it was, I wasn''t about to run toward danger. The sound was coming from the northeast, so I decided to head southwest.


    The moment I turned my foot, planted the left one on the ground, and applied some force to start running, something unexpected happened.


    It was like a cat leaping onto a wall¡ªquick and, surprisingly, high. Before I could make sense of it, I realized I was about five meters off the ground, floating in an utterly bizarre way, flailing my arms as if trying to swim through the air. My heart was pounding uncontrollably.


    "Ahhh!"


    A scream escaped my mouth as I noticed my trajectory leading me straight toward a tree at least ten meters tall.


    Instinctively, I spread my arms and legs as if to hug the tree. But I regretted it as soon as I did.


    "Bang!"


    "Urghhh!"


    My body slammed hard against the trunk, mostly my face. I managed to turn my head at the last moment to avoid a direct hit, but the pain that followed was intense, knocking the wind out of my lungs.


    Luckily for me, the lower part of my body was the last to hit and didn''t take as much impact, or the pain would''ve been far worse¡­


    Sliding down the tree, I began to fall as I slipped.


    As I descended, my face was twisted in pain. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my emotions.


    "Woolf!"


    When I heard another howl, I realized I hadn''t managed to leave this danger-ridden area¡ªliterally.


    This time, I didn''t start running but instead walked quickly. Soon, my pace picked up, and before long, I was running fast enough to compete for an Olympic sprinter''s medal.


    As I ran, countless thoughts raced through my mind. After all, everything was so fresh, and I still didn''t even know what kind of world I was in:


    Am I still on Earth? Maybe an alternate Earth, like in those superhero movies? Or could this be a completely different world? What do I look like now? How old is this body I have? Is that immortality thing real? What does the "Selector" class even mean?


    "ROAR!!!"


    So many questions, so many doubts swirling in my mind, but all of them were abruptly interrupted by a thunderous sound that reached me, even scaring the nearby birds into flight.


    It wasn''t the same wolf howl or strange roar as before. This was different, deeper, reverberating with an intensity that made the air feel heavy. A roar¡ªpowerful and terrifying¡ªthat sounded like the majestic bellow of a lion combined with something far darker and more unsettling.


    "Shit!!" I cursed.


    Blocking my path stood a massive, filthy brown boar, roughly two meters tall and three or four meters long. Even its two tusks, curving upward like hooks, were at least 40 cm long. The boar''s eyes were pitch black, gleaming dangerously.


    "Oink!"


    Dragging its hoof across the grassy ground, the boar growled, preparing to charge at me.


    I quickly analyzed my options, one of which was climbing the nearest tree.


    "Oink!"


    However, I underestimated the speed of this boar. It was faster than a raging bull, charging at me with sounds akin to pig grunts.


    I knew I was probably stronger than I had been as a human before, but I''d never even been in a fight before, let alone a battle against a wild boar that was nearly twice my size. Not to mention, it must weigh several times more than I do now. Being hit by this boar would certainly be hard to withstand.


    So, I jumped as high as I could, realizing the boar was too close and running was no longer an option.


    ''I made it...!'' I thought as I found myself over five meters in the air and still rising.


    However, what I saw made my face go pale¡­


    "Oink!!!"


    When the boar lost sight of me, the damn thing¡ªwhich looked more like a leaping rabbit, or maybe it really was part of some rabbit lineage since its hind legs, which I hadn''t paid much attention to before, resembled those of a rabbit¡ªjumped after losing track of me. Its leap was even faster than mine, quickly closing the distance.


    With my heart nearly pounding out of my chest, beating furiously, I tried to manifest wings, squeezing my eyes shut in desperation.


    When I felt a strange sensation, almost like an intention¡ªsimilar to the feeling of needing to take care of basic needs, like peeing¡ªI somehow focused on using it.


    When I opened my eyes again, thinking I had succeeded, I saw myself in a form that left me utterly dumbfounded.


    ''Did I just become some kind of smoke?''


    Recalling one of the abilities I had acquired upon becoming a Tri-hybrid¡ªSmoke Body, part of the dragon heritage¡ªI didn''t even know what to think. I simply wanted to get out of that place, avoiding the massive boar-rabbit.


    As I thought about escaping, the boar reached me and struck. However, to my relief, its huge head passed straight through what should have been the lower part of my body. But before I could feel at ease, a strong wind blew and carried me away, leaving me completely out of control.


    ''Damn it!'' I cursed, feeling as though I was being distorted by the wind, overwhelmed by an absurd fear that my body might be divided and I''d end up separated from myself.


    By the way, is that even possible? If I get separated, when I return to normal, will I die like that?


    I wasn''t sure if I had a heart in this smoke-like form, but it felt like it was racing. My entire body was hot, feverish.


    As I was swept away by the strong wind, I tried every possible way to take control of the situation, to control my current state, but with no success.


    At the same time, the scenery around me began to change. I left the forested area and approached a rocky region.


    As I passed several rocks, I saw a canyon with flowing water that probably connected to the sea.


    I thought I would cross the canyon and pass over the water, but suddenly, my smoke transformation was canceled.


    ''Did I run out of energy?'' I wondered before fear struck me, and I started screaming: "Ahhhhh!"


    As I screamed during the fall, I directed my body and saw that I was plummeting toward the sea from a height of almost 30 meters. I felt a slight sense of relief¡ªat least it was water. If it had been rocks¡­


    But even though I was relieved to be falling into the water, I kept screaming, and my scream echoed.


    "Splash!!"


    I hit the water face-first, completely knocking the wind out of me as a searing, excruciating pain coursed through my body.


    I''m a good swimmer; I love fishing¡­ But at that moment, I didn''t even have the strength to think about swimming, and I began to sink. I was already out of air from the impact, and I believe the last remnants of power I had were used up during my smoke transformation.


    I tried to fight back, my arms attempting to move, but they were sluggish. As I sank deeper, my fear grew.


    ''Am I going to die again?''


    That thought brought me clarity. I don''t know where I found the strength, but I managed to fight, thrashing my arms upward and kicking my legs.


    "Huff¡­!"


    I broke the surface of the water, gasping for air. Even after swallowing a mouthful of water, I managed to suck in some air through my mouth.


    "Huff¡­ Huff¡­ Huff¡­!"


    My breathing was loud and deep. I struggled to get air as I floated on my back.


    Looking up at the sky, with an annoyingly bright sun, I felt a sense of happiness for somehow surviving.


    "Cough¡­ Cough! Huff!"


    Coughing up water, I turned my head slightly as more water escaped my mouth. The salty taste in my throat and the discomfort of nausea were the least of my worries.


    My entire body ached from the earlier fall. I was still terrified¡ªafraid of dying a second time, and this time for good. Or, at the very least, afraid I wouldn''t retain my memories like I have now.


    Just as I thought I could finally swim to shore, I felt a disturbance in the water. I became alert, looking down, and what I saw left me so terrified I felt like I might lose control from sheer fear.


    I''m the kind of person who feels overwhelming dread when confronted with something absurdly large. I remember the first time I saw a whale¡ªI was so terrified that I fainted. And what I saw now was even bigger than a whale.


    Some kind of octopus with massive tentacles, one of which was heading straight for me.


    "Shit, shit, shit!!"


    Turning around, I started swimming with all my might, but it was like a turtle on land trying to outrun a leopard. I was grabbed around the waist by the slimy tentacle.


    Oh, and a minor detail: I have no idea what happened to my clothes. I didn''t notice what became of them when I transformed into smoke form, and now I was completely naked, wrapped in a slimy tentacle.


    Even as I was scared to the point of nearly crapping myself, a ridiculous thought crossed my mind: ''Screw you, monster! You grabbed the wrong person. You should''ve gone for an elf archer or a knight princess, not me!''


    "Plunk!"


    As I was dragged under, the speed at which I was pulled was even faster than the speed I''d fallen from the sky earlier.


    I tried to scream, but I was underwater. Bubbles escaped my mouth and nose as water replaced the air I''d lost.


    My vision began to darken. This time, I was truly done for. How could I possibly survive this?


    I couldn''t even properly escape from a giant boar-rabbit... How was I supposed to escape some kind of mythical kraken that already had me in its grip?


    I don''t know when, but my mind blacked out. I had a short dream: in it, I was eating at a restaurant, and in the center of the table was what looked like a piece of fried tentacle surrounded by condiments.


    However, the dream didn''t last long enough for me to start chewing on the tentacle furiously, sinking my teeth into it. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the air instead of the sea.


    Somehow¡­ I didn''t die?


    "Cough-cough... Cough-cough!"


    Coughing as I vomited water, my arms hung limp at my sides, clearly broken from the kraken''s earlier grip. I must be extremely unlucky, because even though I somehow managed to escape, I was now falling toward the rocks in the canyon below.

 Chapter 2: Instinct of a Predator

    As I fell, I caught sight of a giant crab, about a meter tall, brandishing two massive claws raised to the sky, as if waiting for me to land right into them.


    "..." Breathing in and out.


    If my new life were a game, I''d definitely have started on nightmare mode!


    I barely escaped Death''s claws, only to fall into the lion''s mouth¡­ Or rather, into the claws of a Giant Crab?


    ''What kind of bad luck is this?!''


    Closing my eyes tightly, I wished to sprout wings again. Even if they returned in their smoky form, it seemed viable now. At least, it was a better option than continuing to fall and being caught by a Giant Crab.


    With my eyes closed, I focused on a part of my body I''d never felt in my previous life, back when I was completely human. That part seemed to retract slightly, and I felt something was about to emerge¡­ However, I couldn''t force it, and at the same time, I felt the familiar sensation from before, when I turned into smoke.


    ''In the end, will I have to rely on Smoke Mode again?''


    Time was running out; I couldn''t waste another second deliberating. Since I couldn''t force whatever it was to come out, I chose to risk using Smoke Mode again.


    In an instant, a peculiar sensation coursed through my entire being. It felt as if I were being squeezed by something soft on all sides and then released, leaving me feeling as though I''d shed 20 kilos all at once.


    When I tried to see, I realized I''d taken on the smoky form again. Although I had no idea how I was able to see in this state, I felt that no amount of pondering would lead to a definitive answer ¨C and I didn''t have time for that now.


    Floating in the air, I felt as light as a feather. It was as if gravity didn''t affect me. However, I also felt a lack of coordination. My body didn''t respond to the usual commands, like flying or swimming through the air to escape the rocky area ¨C particularly to avoid the Giant Crab below.


    Speaking of which, when did more Giant Crabs show up? There was even one larger than the others, at least twice their size, standing out with its ocean-blue color.


    When the wind began to blow ¨C thankfully, not carrying me back to the sea (God forbid I return to that place...) ¨C I saw the Blue Giant Crab open a kind of four-pointed triangular mouth, each point adorned with sharp teeth.


    I shuddered at the sight and thought: ''What a horrifying scene¡­''


    Before I could feel relieved that the wind was carrying me away, I wanted to cry as the Blue Giant Crab started inhaling through its mouth like a powerful vacuum cleaner, sucking me in.


    ''No, no, no!'' I screamed internally. ''Damn it, give me a break!!''


    Why the hell do they keep attacking me? Why has it come to the point where even in Smoke Mode, I''m being sucked in? Hell, can''t they just let me live?


    For the first time in my life, I really wanted to punch someone¡­!


    ''Should I cancel my transformation?'' I thought. ''But how do I do that?''


    While I had figured out how to "activate" it, I couldn''t find a "button" to "deactivate" it. I kept getting pulled in despite my struggles. Soon, my fate was sealed as I was sucked entirely into the Blue Giant Crab''s mouth.


    For a moment, everything went dark. When I regained my sight, a few seconds had passed.


    Inside, the Blue Giant Crab''s tissues reacted violently, bubbling and releasing acidic vapors.


    I didn''t know what was happening, but it seemed like this was harming the Blue Giant Crab, not me.


    ''Is my smoke form corrosive?'' I wondered.


    As I reflected, a bright light appeared, followed once more by darkness. When my vision returned, I found myself outside the mouth of the Blue Giant Crab again.


    Outside, I noticed several orange-reddish giant crabs surrounding the Blue Giant Crab.


    I wasn''t sure if it was because of what was happening to it, but now, the other giant crabs seemed to avoid getting near me.


    "Skreee! Skreee!"


    Opening its mouth, the Blue Giant Crab emitted strange screeches as its body expanded. Sounds of tearing flesh mixed with the crackling of a breaking eggshell echoed, and the other giant crabs backed away, terrified.


    ''Was I wrong? It wasn''t negatively affected but the opposite?'' I thought, gripped by fear. ''Is it evolving or something?''Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    If that were the case, I was definitely screwed!


    And that was the moment my transformation ended, leaving me in a curled-up position, lying on my left arm and right leg. Unable to feel my arms and suffering from severe leg cramps, I felt helpless as I watched what seemed to be the transformation of the Blue Giant Crab.


    "Skreee!!"


    "Pracc!"


    With the Blue Giant Crab''s loud screech, I saw its body tear apart, expanding into a massive ball of white flesh, with bluish-green slime oozing all over.


    "Grrr!"


    An indescribable hunger overtook me as I stared at it. I knew I shouldn''t be thinking about this now, but all I could imagine was how good it would feel to sink my teeth into that gigantic ball of white flesh.


    At that point, I couldn''t even feel disgust, despite the grotesque scene of the Blue Giant Crab''s shell fragments mixed with its bluish-green blood.


    Even as I watched the Blue Giant Crab writhe in agony, the hunger became my dominant sensation. I desperately wanted to eat it.


    For a moment, my mind went blank.


    ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¡º??¡»¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T


    P.O.V ¨C Third Person


    Noah''s red eyes glowed dangerously, like those of a beast. He began dragging his body like a snake over the rocks toward the Blue Giant Crab.


    The fangs in his mouth grew slightly, while saliva dripped as he approached. The sounds of his growling stomach grew louder and more thunderous.


    The giant crabs, which had previously fled, seemed unwilling to stop him as Noah crawled across the ground. At last, he reached the ball of flesh that the Blue Giant Crab had transformed into.


    That mass pulsed like a heart. It was clearly still alive, even in this state. Perhaps it was creating a flesh cocoon to evolve?


    Whatever the case, Noah, driven by thirst and, above all, hunger, lifted the upper half of his body and, with a lunge, sank his fangs into the Blue Giant Crab''s flesh.


    His teeth met some resistance, but like a rabid dog, he shook his head, tearing the flesh. He fell to the side while keeping a piece of white meat in his mouth.


    Lying on his side, he seemed unaffected by any pain as his mouth began to move, chewing the flesh relentlessly. The sound of his chewing was loud.


    This seemed to alert some of the giant crabs that had hesitated to approach earlier. They began moving closer, cautiously circling him.


    Noah, having finished chewing and swallowing the meat, didn''t stop. He lunged forward again, mouth open, tearing off another piece of flesh as the Blue Giant Crab screeched.


    By the third bite, Noah''s arms began to recover miraculously. He braced his arms against the rock beneath him, sharp claws growing and leaving deep marks on the stone, which seemed incredibly hard.


    With bloodthirsty eyes, Noah lunged at the ball of flesh, now using his hands, sinking his sharp claws into its surface. He practically buried his face into the meat, biting and tearing with his sharp teeth, devouring it at an even faster pace than before.


    At some point, pieces of the Blue Giant Crab''s shell ended up being chewed. Even so, Noah''s teeth seemed strong enough, as the sound of cracking echoed while he chewed relentlessly, though a bit of red blood began dripping from his mouth.


    As the blood started to trickle from the corner of his mouth, Noah''s eyes changed again, taking on an even more dangerous and predatory hue.


    "Growl!"


    Noah growled like a feral beast. His fangs grew once more as he threw his head back, causing his white bangs, which partially covered his face, to flip back ¨C though they quickly returned as he tightened his grip on the flesh. Then, he thrust his head back into the Blue Giant Crab''s meat, sinking his teeth in once more. This time, instead of chewing, he seemed to be sucking, producing continuous sounds of something being swallowed.


    At this point, several giant crabs stopped standing idly by. They began approaching, with one coming dangerously close, attacking Noah with an open claw as if intending to slice him in half.


    Noah paused his bite on the ball of flesh. He turned his face and looked directly at the attacking giant crab.


    Opening his mouth, he let out a roar.


    "ROARR!"


    The roar was fierce and powerful, enough to make the giant crab topple backward.


    From Noah''s mouth, a piece of blue shell, about the size of a bottle cap, shot out with incredible force, flying straight toward the giant crab.


    "Whoosh!"


    "Bang!"


    The sound of something colliding with stone at high speed echoed. A hole appeared in the center of the giant crab''s body, causing it to collapse sideways, claws pointing toward the sky.


    "Skreee!!"


    Bubbles rose from the giant crab''s mouth, and greenish slime dripped from the spot it had been struck.


    The other giant crabs, which had been inching closer, began retreating.


    Noah stopped worrying about them and returned to devouring the Blue Giant Crab''s flesh. Occasionally, he sucked what seemed to be the creature''s blood.


    ¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¡º??¡»¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T¨T


    I felt myself abruptly awaken, startled. I was shocked by my current situation.


    My face, which had been buried in the Blue Giant Crab''s flesh, was pulled back, and I looked at my hands, veins visible as they gripped the meat tightly.


    The Blue Giant Crab was no longer pulsing, or at least I couldn''t feel it in my hands anymore.


    It was as if time had frozen as I tried to comprehend what was happening, attempting to remember how I had ended up here. How, at some point, I was complaining of hunger, and when I opened my eyes, I found myself with my face buried in the Blue Giant Crab''s ball of flesh.


    ''Did¡­ did I do this?'' I thought. ''Was I controlled by my predatory instincts?''


    That was the most plausible explanation I could come up with in this situation.


    No matter what, I was still a Tri-Hybrid ¨C one-third Vampire and one-third Dragon.


    Either of those two parts could have triggered the predatory instincts that took over me, or so I believed.


    As for the truth, I didn''t know. Maybe my elven side? Although everything pointed to that being nonsensical, I had no definitive answers. After all, I couldn''t guarantee that my knowledge from my previous life was correct. Who''s to say elves weren''t more predatory than I had imagined?


    But that wasn''t the most important thing right now. Now that, miraculously, I had recovered¡ªand, mysteriously, even my clothes had returned (a pair of gray pants and a long-sleeved black shirt)¡ªall I wanted was to get out of there.


    However, before I started walking, I glanced back at the Blue Giant Crab''s ball of flesh, half-devoured by me¡ªprobably. I sighed and decided to go back. I tried dragging it with me and, to my surprise, though it was heavy, it wasn''t as difficult as I''d imagined. I even managed to lift it off the ground.


    In the distance, I saw the giant crabs retreating as I walked toward them. I even noticed one crab that appeared dead, lying in a pool of green slime.


    ''Are they afraid of me?'' I thought, observing their obvious reaction. ''And did I kill that giant crab?''


    Since I didn''t have time to worry about that¡ªit was a good thing they were avoiding me¡ªI continued walking through the rocky ravine, heading in the direction opposite the water.


    For a moment, I reflected on how strange everything that was happening truly was. This same Blue Giant Crab, which almost devoured me, was now being carried by me.


    ''Am I stronger than I thought?''


    That seemed evident from the fact that the giant crabs were avoiding me as I walked.


    Perhaps, just maybe, if I had faced that boar-rabbit head-on from the start, I wouldn''t have gone through so many tribulations...


    That reminded me of something my mother once told me: "Noah, there''s no use crying over spilled milk. What''s done is done. Lift your head, move forward, and keep living."


    Adapting¡­ That was what I needed to do, alongside better understanding my current situation and capabilities.


    While reflecting, I had finished jumping from one rock to another. Soon, I saw the other side of the ravine, along with an enormous mountain and a landscape filled with trees behind it¡ªlots of trees.


    However, a problem presented itself. I was basically at a cliff. There was no passage; I either jumped or went back.


    Looking to the right, I spotted a lake.


    ''Should I risk jumping into the water?''


    It seemed like a more reasonable choice than trying to go back.


    Before deciding, I walked closer to stand directly above the lake below.


    "It looks deep enough¡­" I murmured.


    Part of me believed I should jump. And although I wasn''t afraid of heights, my heart pounded as I looked down.


    I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to manifest wings again. However, even now, when I could feel their presence¡ªat least, I believed I could¡ªand almost made them appear, I couldn''t.


    Of course, Smoke Mode was an option. I could feel it; I knew I could activate it if I wanted to. But, feeling the strong wind blowing against my face, I realized such a choice wouldn''t be wise.


    Setting aside the half-devoured ball of flesh, I looked around and soon found a relatively large rock, about the size of a watermelon.


    Carefully, I picked up the rock and walked slowly to the edge, fearing I might slip. Then, without hesitation, I threw the rock.


    "Splash!"


    Upon impact, the rock broke the water''s surface, sending large droplets into the air.


    I couldn''t precisely calculate the depth, but it seemed deep enough that I wouldn''t crash upon jumping¡ªconsidering I was about 20 meters up.