I was playing this game called Underdog of the Wein Academy that followed the protagonist Leonidas's journey through the world of Velitos. A world with superpowers, where everyone at the age of 15 awakens a unique skill that defines their superpower. As they level up, their skill branches out, allowing them to choose their path. This was a very well-made game, with amazing characters and designs that felt unnaturally real. It was implemented using advanced AI that brought the characters to life—and I was absolutely hooked on it.
There were so many characters and so many variations of gameplay that the game offered. Like any gamer, I dove right in. I was completely mesmerized by this world: floating temples chained to the ground with links weighing tons, banyan trees that nearly touched the sky and housed dungeon mazes in their branches, snow-peaked mountains hiding drivable flying vehicles, and islands resting on the back of a giant turtle carrying immense treasure. And that was just the beginning—there were still countless unexplored regions full of mystery.
I played as Leonidas, who possessed a skill called Molting. This ability allowed the MC to temporarily transform into a hybrid species by integrating the core, blood, or flesh of a specific monster or power source. It was a cheat-like power that let the MC adapt his body and abilities based on the type of enemy he faced. The trade-off? He needed three days to prepare before he could molt—and after molting, he needed another full day to revert.
This made for impressive game mechanics and creative playstyles. And because it was a game, players could plan their next steps, reset, and try again. While this freedom was appreciated by many hardcore gamers, some felt it was too vague and inconsistent. Regardless, the game was a massive hit.
The world of Velitos was home to a variety of species, making it the perfect stage for the MC to shine. There was a party system too. Early in the game, you started with a party of three members and the MC. Later on, you could recruit up to six. And the side characters were no pushovers either. They had powers like blitz, space-cutting slashes, fire manipulation, and more.
Even though the story started at Wein Academy, it expanded far beyond it by the mid-game. I wasn't a hardcore gamer; I mostly enjoyed experimenting with Leonidas's various forms and how his abilities worked. So, I was still stuck in the early-to-mid part of the story. The characters I used most were those from the Academy—mostly useless, but sometimes, just sometimes, they'd help me beat specific bosses. They were a bunch of ragtags, classmates of Leo in the first year, and after that, they weren't seen much.
Now you might be wondering why I'm telling you all this, or maybe you've already guessed where this is going. Transmigrated into the world of Velitos and became Leonidas? …Well, no. A villain character? Nope. A side character? Not even close.
You could say I was like a mug of water taken from the ocean—so small it affects neither the sea nor the land it lands on. But even a mug of seawater has salt in it, which is useful. Me? I wasn't even that.
I won't ramble on any further. Here, look at my stat sheet:
Name: Will Dye
Level: 10
Strength (STR): E
Intelligence (INT): S
Agility (AGI): E
Endurance (END): E
Mana (MP): E
Luck (LUK): A
Unique Skill: Damage Transfer
Can transfer damage to and from those in contact.
The stat scale ranged from F to SSS. So yeah—I was the bottom-feeder of bottom-feeders. And the devs were so bored, they didn't even give this character a proper name.
I'm Will Dye of the Dye family, once known for our exquisite dyes and high-quality colors. Now? Just a name. My so-called parents had gambled away all our property and even the family's dye-making secrets. Thankfully, 'Will' had saved up enough on his own to enroll in the Academy, hoping to get into one of the renowned guilds. One saving grace—academy students received free food and lodging until graduation.
In Velitos, there were plenty of enemies—villain organizations, corrupt officials—but the main threat was the Mist. Mana-rich regions formed anomalies called Mist, which held records of the past, glimpses of the future, or things that didn't belong in this world. These regions formed without warning, and if not cleared in time, the Mist spread and corrupted everything. People called it the emissary of death, a sign that the gods had abandoned this planet. Research was still ongoing, and even by mid-game, its true nature wasn't fully revealed.
So to come to a conclusion I'm screwed—royally, epically screwed. No cheat skills. A sham of a Unique Skill. And I only ever played from Leonidas's perspective, which makes things worse.
But… I can't waste this second chance. It's a shot at a better life, and I'm going to do everything I can to earn money and live without regrets. Even if I die trying, at least I'll have that satisfaction.
…Now I'm starting to doubt myself. Ha. What's the worst that could happen anyways?
As if timed perfectly, a girl with ember-red hair burst through my door, smoke rising from her fingertips.
"Will! The slime's stuck in the sink again!"
Behind her loomed a four-armed orc, grunting as he scratched his head with all four hands. A faint buzz filled the air as tiny insects swarmed in, their summoner trailing behind, muttering names like "Buzzy" and "Sir Stings-a-Lot".
I groaned. My crew. My weirdos. Maybe survival wasn't the issue here, but my sanity was.
_________________________
Meanwhile…
In a region where Mist had broken out due to a Silver Rank party's failure to subjugate it in time, chaos unfolded.
The leader of that group, a Haze-tier Silver Rank, was panting and running—though he didn't know where the path led. He just wanted to get away from the monstrosity that had killed all his teammates. Those large red eyes that stared at every action of his, without even fully revealing their body, were burned into his memory.
The way his teammates had died was still fresh in his mind—thorny tentacles that crept undetected, piercing heads and blowing out brains with gruesome gore. Some were skewered through the heart, stopping their life instantly. Others had their limbs blasted off, their bodies collapsing before they could even register what had happened.
The horror was etched into the leader's eyes and memory.
Lifeless gazes from his friends who were now gone, blood dripping from ruined skulls and severed limbs that had been whole just moments ago.
This Mist-filled nightmare offered no escape—until suddenly, he found himself face to face with a massive grey wall, stretching endlessly on either side. He touched it. It felt tough, yet somehow… mushy?
Was this the end of the road?
Was the creature going to find him now and end him like the others?
Panic spun in his head like a storm—when suddenly, a crack appeared in the wall. Sunlight pierced through, illuminating his face in streaks of warmth and hope. He froze. If this was another trap, so be it. If another monster came through… he just hoped the death would be painless.
He knelt, clasping his hands in silent prayer as the crack widened.
With a sudden blast, the wall burst open—though strangely, no rubble fell. It was as if the wall had vanished into thin air.
And from the light stepped a well-built man, his cape fluttering dramatically behind him. The leader stared, awe washing over him.
He had survived.
A savior had come.
He took a cautious step forward…
Then stumbled back in horror.
He rubbed his eyes and looked again—no mistake. In the clearing light stood an orc, stark naked save for a cape, which had been hidden by the earlier glow.
A deep, proud voice echoed through the clearing.
"The savior orc, Malikata, has arrived to save the trapped ones and clear this Mist Dungeon myself!"
The leader could only stare, dumbfounded.
Before he could say anything, Malikata's leg muscles tensed, and with a loud thwack, he launched forward, shattering the ground into a crater. In seconds, he reappeared behind the leader, holding a thorny tentacle—the same kind that had killed his party members.
The orc scoffed.
"Hmph. Just a tree-type one, huh? Well, this should be easy."
He yanked the tentacle with brutal force, and from within the swirling Mist, a massive black shadow emerged. Soon the orc jumped upon the black shadow mist covering the vision again.
The leader could only watch.
A smaller, black shape zipped around the large creature, fists slamming with thunking sounds. Each impact created a gust of wind, blowing away the surrounding mist in short bursts. Finally, the orc drove a fist through the Mistbeast, ripping out its heart core, bringing the monster to its still and sudden end.
The same monster that had wiped out a Silver-ranked party.
The leader dropped to his knees, tears spilling freely.
The nightmare was over.
He had witnessed the impossible.
Soon, medical staff and Mistriders—those who dwell in and subjugate the Mist regularly—arrived on the scene. The leader hadn't suffered major injuries thanks to his unique skill, Veil, which allowed him to apply stealth or camouflage effects on himself and others. Usually, his strategy was to shield the backline while the frontline distracted enemies. But this time, the creature had sensed him despite the Veil. It had seen right through him.
As he reported the incident to the Mist Association staff, the caped orc returned—this time, thankfully, covered by three panicked aides trying to block his nudity.
The leader bowed deeply.
"Thank you. I couldn't have avenged them better myself."
Malikata simply laughed, waving his hand.
"Don't mention it."
He walked off, while his embarrassed subordinates scolded him about "nudity protocols" and reckless behavior.