Universal language
I looked around once more, searching for any sign of human life, but the result was the same.
Nothing.
No footprints in the dirt, no distant smoke rising above the treetops, and no structures hidden among the dense vegetation. Just an endless stretch of wilderness, with towering trees and tangled vines disappearing into the distance.
I had no fucking idea where this system had thrown me.
But at least one thing was certain: I was still alive, and this place wasn't hell.
Unless, of course, hell had an unusually beautiful landscape.
The thought almost made me laugh.
Almost.
The jungle continued to buzz with life around me. Birds chirped from the branches overhead, insects hummed in the undergrowth, and the occasional rustle of leaves hinted at creatures moving somewhere beyond my field of vision. Sunlight filtered through the canopy in golden shafts, illuminating patches of moss and damp earth.
It was a beautiful place, no doubt about that.
But beauty didn't make it any less terrifying.
For all I knew, something with enormous teeth could be watching me from behind those bushes, waiting for the perfect moment to turn me into its next meal.
“Yeah… let's not think about that.”
I lowered myself onto a thick tree root and rested my back against the rough bark. My gaze returned to the translucent panel floating in front of me.
The system storage displayed five gift packs.
Five mysterious gifts from an equally mysterious system that had apparently decided to make me its host.
I had no idea what any of them contained, but sitting around worrying wasn't going to get me anywhere.
Taking a deep breath, I focused on the first gift pack.
“Let's see what you've got for me.”
The moment the thought crossed my mind, the icon flickered.
A faint golden glow spread across the interface, and the image of the gift pack began to rotate. Its virtual wrapping peeled away in spirals of light before dissolving into tiny particles that vanished into the air.
A new notification appeared.
[ Congratulations, Host! ]
[ You have obtained: Pervert Eyes ]
I raised an eyebrow.
“Pervert Eyes?”
Of all the possible abilities in existence, that was what I got first?
I opened the description.
[ Pervert Eyes ]
[ Description: An ability that allows the host to see the number of Pervert Points associated with specific body parts of women. By touching a marked body part, the host can obtain the corresponding number of Pervert Points. ]
I stared at the message for several seconds.
Then I slowly dragged a hand down my face.
“Fuck… I knew this perverted system was really perverted.”
Of course it was.
The damn thing practically had pervert written all over it.
And now I had an ability designed to help me earn points by touching women's bodies.
I couldn't decide whether to laugh at the absurdity of it or question the sanity of whatever had created this system.
Still, from a practical perspective, the ability wasn't entirely useless. If Pervert Points were the currency required to purchase things from the system store, then finding a way to earn them would be essential.
The more points I had, the more resources I could potentially obtain.
Food. Clothes. Weapons. Skills.
Maybe even abilities that would help me survive whatever this world had in store for me.
“Honestly, Pervert Eyes might actually be useful…”
My gaze drifted toward the surrounding jungle.
Then reality struck me.
“But where the fuck am I supposed to find a woman?”
I spread my arms in frustration.
“There's not even a single human being around here! What am I supposed to do, ask a tree for directions?”
The tree beside me remained predictably silent.
“Great. Even the trees are ignoring me.”
I sighed and leaned back against the bark.
Was this some kind of fantasy world? Had I been transported to another planet? Or was this a world that resembled Earth but existed in some distant, unfamiliar corner of the universe?
For all I knew, elves and dragons might actually exist here.
Hell, given everything that had happened so far, I couldn't rule out anything.
I shook my head.
“One problem at a time, Alex.”
The first gift had given me an ability, but it hadn't answered any of my questions. Perhaps the remaining gifts would prove more helpful.
With that thought in mind, I focused on the second gift pack.
The virtual icon pulsed.
[ Opening Gift Pack… ]
The wrapping dissolved in a brief flash of light, revealing a small, metallic ring.
[ Congratulations, Host! ]
[ You have obtained: Magical Tool ]
I blinked.
A ring?
The object materialized in my palm, solid and surprisingly cool against my skin. It was simple in appearance, with a smooth, dark metallic surface that reflected the sunlight in faint silver streaks. There were no visible gemstones, engravings, or complicated mechanisms.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary piece of jewelry.
Which made the name all the more suspicious.
I examined it from several angles, turning it between my fingers.
“Magical Tool… What the fuck is this supposed to be? Is someone pranking me?”
I opened the description.
[ Magical Tool ]
[ Description: A versatile magical device capable of changing its form according to the host's wishes. It can transform into different objects as required. ]
That was it.
No detailed explanation. No list of available forms. No warning about limitations.
Just a vague promise that it could become whatever I wanted.
“Convenient.”
I slipped the ring onto my finger and studied it for a moment.
Then I remembered something rather important.
I was still naked.
Standing in the middle of an unfamiliar jungle with nothing to protect me from the elements—or from the eyes of any unfortunate creature that might stumble across me.
“Right. Let's start with something useful.”
I concentrated on the idea of clothing.
A moment later, the ring began to move.
I jerked my hand back in surprise as the dark metal liquefied, spreading across my fingers in a smooth, rippling wave. The substance flowed over my wrist and up my arm, moving like liquid mercury before dividing into countless thin strands.
Within seconds, the material covered my entire body.
I froze.
The sensation was bizarre. The substance slid across my skin without resistance, neither painfully hot nor uncomfortably cold. It molded itself around my body with astonishing precision, flowing over my shoulders, chest, waist, and legs before settling into place.
For one brief, ridiculous moment, I felt like I was being swallowed by a science-fiction symbiote.
Then the material changed.
The dark, glossy surface softened into ordinary-looking fabric. Sleeves formed around my arms, a collar appeared around my neck, and the material covering my lower body separated into a pair of comfortable shorts.
A simple T-shirt and shorts.
Just like that.
I looked down at myself.
Then I looked at my hands.
Then back at my clothes.
“What the actual fuck?”
I tugged at the hem of my T-shirt. The fabric stretched slightly before returning to its original shape. It felt smooth against my skin, lightweight and comfortable, with none of the stiffness I might have expected from something that had moments ago resembled liquid metal.
I pinched the sleeve between my fingers.
It felt real.
Not like a hologram. Not like some illusion created by the system.
Actual clothing.
“That's… fucking amazing.”
A grin slowly spread across my face.
If this thing could create clothing whenever I needed it, I wouldn't have to worry about finding a tailor—or even carrying spare clothes.
And if it could change into other objects as well…
My eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
There was only one way to find out.
I focused on the image of a gun.
The material covering my body rippled.
Before I could react, the fabric began flowing backward, peeling away from my arms and torso in thin, dark streams. The liquid-like substance gathered around my hand, thickening and reshaping itself.
A grip formed.
Then a barrel.
Then the familiar outline of a firearm.
Within seconds, the transformation was complete.
I was holding a gun.
A real-looking one.
I turned it over in my hand, examining the metallic finish and the shape of the grip. It had the weight and balance of an actual firearm, and the material felt solid beneath my fingers.
My expression gradually changed.
This wasn't merely a tool for creating clothes.
It could potentially serve as a weapon, too.
In a world where I knew nothing about the environment, the creatures, or the people who might inhabit it, that could make all the difference.
Still, I needed to know whether the thing was functional or merely an elaborate imitation.
I pointed it toward an unoccupied patch of ground well away from myself and the surrounding trees.
Then I pulled the trigger.
BANG!
The gunshot exploded through the jungle.
Birds erupted from the canopy in a chaotic flurry of wings, while the sound echoed between the trees before gradually fading into the distance.
The recoil jolted my arm.
I stumbled half a step, my ears ringing from the sudden noise.
For several seconds, I stood frozen, staring at the weapon.
“Holy shit…”
That had been real.
The recoil, the sound, the unmistakable sensation of a shot being fired—it had all felt terrifyingly authentic.
Whatever the Magical Tool was made of, it could apparently transform into a functioning firearm.
I lowered it slowly.
And then, without warning, the memory returned.
The gunshots that had ended my previous life.
Paul.
The bullets tearing through my body.
The agonizing pain.
The sickening moment when I realized that the person standing before me had actually intended to kill me.
My fingers tightened around the gun's grip.
The peaceful jungle seemed to recede into the background as anger stirred deep in my chest, dark and persistent.
“How did that motherfucker actually shoot me?”
My voice came out low and bitter.
“I didn't deserve that shit.”
The memory of Peter's betrayal burned in my mind.
I'd been trying to help his wife, Helena. I'd wanted to bring some happiness into her life, and somehow, that had ended with me bleeding on the ground while the bastard who shot me walked away.
At least, that was how I remembered it.
A humorless laugh escaped my lips.
“Some fucking reward for trying to help someone.”
I stared at the gun.
If the system hadn't intervened—or if whatever had happened to me afterward hadn't occurred—I would have been dead.
Actually, as far as my old world was concerned, I probably was dead.
The thought sent a strange chill through me.
I had no idea what had happened after the shooting. I didn't know whether anyone had found my body, whether the authorities had become involved, or whether Peter had managed to cover up what he'd done.
But I knew one thing.
I wasn't going to forget.
My anger toward him remained a burning ember inside me, something that refused to cool no matter how many times I tried to push the memory aside.
Eventually, I forced myself to take a deep breath.
Whatever had happened in my previous life, I couldn't change it from here.
Not yet.
I was in another world—or at least somewhere so unfamiliar that it might as well have been another world. I had no allies, no reliable information, and no idea what dangers lurked beyond the trees.
Getting myself killed a second time would be a spectacularly stupid way to start over.
I glanced down at the Magical Tool.
The firearm began to ripple as I concentrated on changing it back into clothing.
Within moments, the weapon dissolved into flowing strands of dark material that spread across my body. The liquid-like substance settled into place, forming the same T-shirt and shorts as before.
I tugged at the collar and nodded to myself.
“Yeah. This thing is going to be useful.”
And not just for clothing.
If I could make it transform into different objects at will, the possibilities were practically endless.
At least, until I discovered whatever limitations the system had neglected to mention.
For now, though, I had more pressing concerns.
Food. Water. Shelter.
And figuring out where the hell I was.
I leaned back against the tree, allowing myself a moment to think. The holographic interface hovered in front of me, its pale blue light contrasting with the rich greens and browns of the jungle.
My thoughts drifted toward my previous life again.
Peter.
Helena.
My family.
I wondered what had happened to them after I was shot.
Peter had made a terrible mistake if he believed my family would simply accept my death without demanding answers. My parents weren't the kind of people to let something like that slide.
If they discovered what he'd done, I doubted he would escape the consequences easily.
A grim smile touched my lips as I imagined the trouble awaiting him.
Part of me hoped he would spend the rest of his life regretting what he'd done.
But when I thought about Helena, my expression shifted.
Despite everything, memories of her still lingered in my mind. I remembered her appearance, the intimacy we had shared, and the desire that had complicated our relationship from the beginning.
There was a particularly crude part of me that couldn't help regretting the things I'd never gotten to experience with her.
Fuck. Of all the things to think about right now.
I shook my head, trying to clear away the distracting thoughts.
Whatever Helena was doing now, she belonged to my old life.
And my old life was far beyond my reach.
For the moment, I needed to focus on surviving.
I looked at the ring-shaped device now resting on my finger, marveling once more at the sheer absurdity of its capabilities.
A magical tool that could become almost anything I imagined.
A mysterious system that rewarded me with Pervert Points.
Five gift packs, three of which I had now opened.
The first had given me Pervert Eyes.
The second had given me the Magical Tool.
Which left three more gifts waiting in storage.
My curiosity returned almost immediately.
“What else have you got for me?”
I brought the system panel into focus and selected the third gift pack.
The icon glowed, and the familiar animation played again. The virtual wrapping dissolved into shimmering particles, revealing another notification.
[ Congratulations, Host! ]
[ You have obtained: Universal Language ]
I read the name twice.
“Universal Language?”
Now that sounded useful.
I opened the description.
[ Universal Language ]
[ Description: Allows the host to communicate with others regardless of the language they speak. The host's spoken words are automatically converted into a language understood by the listener. Likewise, the host will understand the speech of others in English. ]
For the first time since waking up in this jungle, I felt a genuine sense of relief.
“Finally! Something normal!”
Well, relatively normal.
Compared to a magical device that could turn into a gun and an ability that rewarded me for touching women's bodies, an automatic translation skill seemed almost reasonable.
If this world had its own languages, I wouldn't have to waste time struggling to communicate with the people I encountered.
And if I really had been transported to a fantasy world…
My imagination began running wild.
Elves.
Fairies.
Maybe even dwarves, beastfolk, or other races I'd only ever encountered in fiction.
I pictured myself walking through a bustling fantasy city, surrounded by strange architecture and colorful marketplaces. Perhaps there would be enormous castles rising above the rooftops, magical creatures wandering through the streets, and adventurers carrying swords and armor as casually as people carried bags in my old world.
The image was so vivid that I almost forgot where I was sitting.
A smile spread across my face.
“Well… if this really is a fantasy world, and I get to meet elves and fairies, then maybe all of this won't be so bad.”
I glanced at the endless jungle around me.
“Hell, if there are actually elves here, then dying once might even have been worth it.”
I paused.
“Assuming I don't get eaten by some monster before I find one.”
That possibility brought me back to reality rather quickly.
I let out a short laugh and shook my head.
One step at a time.
First, I needed to figure out where I was.
Then I needed to find food, water, and shelter.
After that, I could worry about exploring this strange new world—and discovering whether my ridiculous fantasies about elves and fairies had any basis in reality.
I looked at the three remaining gift packs displayed on the interface.
A faint smile tugged at my lips.
Whatever waited for me beyond this jungle, I wasn't entirely helpless anymore.
I had a system.
I had a magical tool.
I had an ability that could help me earn its currency.
And now, I could apparently understand anyone I encountered.
For the first time since opening my eyes in this unfamiliar world, the fear in my chest was joined by something else.
Curiosity.
Perhaps even excitement.
I had no idea what kind of world I had entered, what dangers awaited me, or what the mysterious system ultimately wanted from me.
But I was alive.
And if this really was a second chance at life, then I intended to make the most of it.
Whatever it took.