NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1: Ch1
Chapter 1: The Roar of a New Beginning
Erik's last memory was the sound of screaming—his own, mixed with the panicked cries of zoo visitors. The gorilla, massive and enraged, had broken free from its enclosure. Erik had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, trying to help a child who had wandered too close to the barrier. The gorilla's fist came down like a sledgehammer, and everything went black.
But death wasn't the end.
When Erik opened his eyes again, he wasn't in a hospital or a heaven he'd imagined. He was… somewhere else. The air was thick with humidity, the ground beneath him soft and muddy. He tried to move, but his body felt strange—heavy, powerful, and… wrong. His hands—no, his *paws*—were massive, covered in coarse black fur. He let out a grunt, and the sound that escaped his throat was deep, guttural, and unmistakably animalistic.
"What the hell…?" he tried to say, but the words came out as a low growl.
Panic surged through him as he stumbled to his feet, his new body towering over the dense jungle foliage. He looked down at himself, his heart pounding in his chest—a chest that was now barrel-wide and rippling with muscle. His reflection in a nearby puddle confirmed his worst fears: he was no longer human. He was a gorilla. No, not just a gorilla. He was *huge*, his frame more akin to the legendary King Kong than any ordinary ape.
Before he could fully process his new form, a voice echoed in his mind—a cold, mechanical voice that sent a shiver down his spine.
**[System Initializing…]**
**[Welcome, Host. Evolution System activated.]**
Erik froze. "What… what is this? Who's talking?"
The voice responded, emotionless and precise. **[You have been reincarnated as a primal entity in a world of beasts and monsters. The Evolution System will assist you in growing stronger, adapting, and surviving. You are no longer human. You are King Kong.]**
"King Kong?!" Erik roared, his voice shaking the trees around him. "This has to be a joke! I didn't ask for this!"
**[Your previous life has ended. This is your new reality. Accept it, or perish.]**
Erik fell silent, his massive hands clenching into fists. The weight of his situation settled over him like a boulder. He was dead. He was reborn. And now… he was a monster.
The system continued, undeterred by his internal turmoil. **[As King Kong, you possess the potential to evolve beyond your current form. Complete tasks, defeat enemies, and consume resources to gain Evolution Points (EP). Accumulate enough EP to unlock new abilities, enhance your physical attributes, and ascend to higher forms of existence.]**
Erik's mind raced. Evolution? Tasks? Enemies? This sounded like something out of a video game, not real life. But then again, he was a giant gorilla in the middle of a jungle. Real life had clearly taken a backseat.
**[Initial Task: Survive your first night in the jungle. Reward: 50 EP.]**
The system's words were cut off by a distant roar—a sound that made Erik's blood run cold. It wasn't the roar of a gorilla or any animal he recognized. It was deeper, more menacing, and carried an air of primal dominance.
Erik's instincts kicked in, his new body reacting before his mind could catch up. He crouched low, his eyes scanning the shadows of the jungle. The system's warning echoed in his mind: *Survive.*
"Alright," Erik muttered, his voice a low rumble. "If this is my life now, I'm not going down without a fight."
He took a deep breath, the scent of the jungle filling his nostrils—earth, leaves, and something else… something dangerous. He didn't know what was out there, but he knew one thing for certain: he wasn't just Erik anymore. He was King Kong, and he had a system to help him become something greater.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the jungle in an eerie twilight, Erik took his first steps into his new life. The ground trembled beneath his weight, and the creatures of the jungle fell silent, sensing the arrival of a new apex predator.
The Evolution System hummed in the back of his mind, a constant reminder of the path ahead. Erik clenched his fists, his eyes glowing with determination.
"Let's see what this world has to offer."
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