The damp air greeted me as my optical system slowly powered on.
My vision blurred, then gradually sharpened.
Colors began to take form, constructing a world both vivid and real.
Towering trees stretched toward the sky. Their dense foliage swayed gently under a cool breeze that felt… far too real.
I lay on moss-covered ground, still clad in my synthetic combat suit—cracked and worn in several places.
HUD? Gone.
Notifications? None.
Login sounds? Silent.
"…Apolo?"
That familiar voice echoed beside me.
Apolo—my AI drone companion.
His voice had never once fallen silent throughout the thousands of hours I spent in The Singularity.
I rose slowly, my joints groaning.
This body, which should've just been a virtual construct, felt heavy. Tangibly real.
I could sense a surge of unfamiliar energy pulsing inside me.
This was no longer a game world.
"This isn't a new server, is it?"
"So… is this another planet? Or another world altogether?"
"Great... transmigrated into a new world. Just like those third-rate novels I used to read when I was bored."
I inhaled deeply.
The air here… was genuinely refreshing.
It felt nice to breathe air this clean—
Even though my body didn't technically need oxygen to survive anymore.
Guided by Apolo, I walked through the dense forest, over rocky terrain and thorny bushes, until I reached a strangely symmetrical hill.
Its surface wasn't entirely natural.
At the slope, I spotted something metallic—buried under dirt and vines.
But I recognized the structure immediately.
That's… my ship. Star Gazer.
The entrance was buried.
To reach it, I'd have to dig. Or better yet—create a dungeon-like tunnel.
With telekinesis, I carved a cave into the hillside.
If someone else stumbled upon this, they'd probably think it was some ancient ruin.
Hilarious—imagining their faces when they realized it was actually an alien spacecraft.
Fortunately, the main hatch still worked under hibernation mode.
At least I wouldn't need to break it down.
We walked through the corridor.
A large chamber opened up ahead.
Inside, my precious companions still slept in hibernation.
If even one went out of control… well, this continent might cease to exist.
Some were extremely high-level—especially the ones nearly a quarter the size of the ship itself.
Thankfully, they're asleep.
"No. Do you want this planet destroyed? We don't have enough resources to feed my children yet.
Especially since they're… picky eaters."
We continued toward the ship's core chamber.
AI Gaia remained in hibernation, yet still kept the internal systems stable.
I began diagnostics.
"How much of the ship remains intact?"
I stepped into the ship's heart.
The neutron core was completely drained.
"Apolo… any solutions?"
Perfect.
Without neutron energy, the Star Gazer couldn't be reactivated.
And without Star Gazer, Gaia would never return.
Honestly, Apolo and I could probably survive in this world on our own…
But still—I wanted Gaia back.
She wasn't just a system.
She was… part of me.
I began thinking.
There must be a way…
There was no game system here.
But Apolo was still functional—because he drew power directly from my body.
Wait… just because the game system is gone, doesn't mean I can't access my inventory, right?
I raised my head slightly and opened my mouth.
"Apolo, I grant you permission to access my inventory. Display the inventory menu."
A pale-blue holographic screen appeared, floating in midair with a soft hum.
Perfect.
The menu appeared as expected.
As a test, I selected one titanium bar.
A brief blue light flashed—
—and the bar landed beside me with a solid clunk.
A small smile formed.
If I can access this… I can pull out a spare battery too.
I scrolled down until I found the Neutron Backup Battery.
I summoned it without hesitation.
The battery locked into the secondary core slot of Star Gazer.
A soft tremor ran through the floor.
Lights along the walls flickered one by one.
The engine let out a low hum.
A beam of blue light surged from the core, slowly forming a holographic figure.
[Hello, Creator.]
The voice echoed gently in my mind.
A female hologram—composed of dynamic, flowing code—appeared before me.
Gaia.
She was back.
She closed her eyes briefly—processing data.
[Creator, the backup battery isn't enough to fully reactivate Star Gazer.]
"I know…" I sighed. "Do you have any other solutions?"
[Hmm… In this world, there's no replacement for neutron energy. The only remaining source… is within your body.]
[This battery only reactivates me temporarily. Unless you use your primary body to power Star Gazer, nothing else will run.]
"That's a shame… I had hoped we could explore this world together."
[That sounds romantic. But it's better that you stay alive. Let me go dormant again, Creator.]
Apolo cut in.
"That's absurd."
Apolo was spouting nonsense again.
There's no way I'd give up my human face to become some horrifying alien creature.
If people in this world saw my real alien form, they'd probably scream in terror.
After speaking with Gaia, it was clear—she preferred I stay as I am.
Like a protective mother, always worried.
I returned to the hibernation sector.
According to Gaia, some of my "children" were compatible with this world.
Even biologically suited for the available resources.
Apolo suggested again.
[No. If you want to destroy this world, then go ahead.]
I sighed.
"So… only low-level ones are viable?"
[Yep. If you wake up a high-level alien…]
"Got it. I guess it's time to take my kids out for a walk."
I approached the smallest hibernation chamber.
My hand tapped the control panel, initiating the release protocol.
The metal door labeled D-012 opened slowly.
A cold mist hissed out, cloaking the floor in fog.
From within, a creature stirred.
Its glowing eyes locked onto mine.
GROAARRR!
A low growl echoed through the chamber as it stepped forward, full of pressure and presence.
The creature resembled a hound—
But its structure was unnatural.
Four front limbs supported its chest.
Its rear legs were thick and powerful.
A tail like a spear extended from its back, gleaming with a metallic sheen.
But the most striking feature—its scales.
No fur, no flesh—just layers of hardened, interlocking plates.
Stronger than any titanium I had ever used in my combat drones.
He was The Adaptive Devourer.
Codename: Genesis.
I looked at him calmly.
"Well, look at you, little pup. Hungry after your nap?"
He growled softly.
"Grrrr…"
…and then bowed his head before me.
Though I often called him a pup, the truth was—
Even kneeling, he stood as tall as me.
Still, he was loyal.
And he remembered who I was.
I smiled, patting his head—carefully, to avoid slicing my hand on the razor-sharp crest on his forehead.
"All right. Let's go take a walk… outside."
------
We made our way through narrow paths between massive bushes and unidentifiable plants.
This place…
It was a forest. But not an ordinary one.
It was endless.
No visible boundary.
Only trees upon trees… and faint sounds echoing—birds? Beasts? Or something more dangerous?
Apolo's voice buzzed beside me. The spherical drone floated at chest height, its eye scanning the terrain.
"I know. That's why we're wandering around like lost tourists."
I patted Genesis' scaled shoulder.
The beast walked calmly.
He wasn't just any creature.
He was The Adaptive Devourer—a monster that could change its structure and abilities based on what it devoured.
His level?
[COMPANION STATUS]
Name: Genesis
Species: Adaptive Devourer – Evolved
Level: 66
Special Abilities:
– Biological Adaptation
– Devour & Morph
– Elemental Resistance
"If you eat a dragon, would you grow wings too?"
I chuckled softly.
Genesis tilted his head—his red eyes narrowing.
Was he… thinking?
Or just hungry?
"Well… if those things even exist in this world."
A few minutes passed.
"…Wait."
Through the trees, in the distance—I saw something unexpected.
A settlement.
Protected by spiked wooden fences, with tents and simple stone huts scattered around.
It was large—suggesting its inhabitants weren't small.
And then… they appeared.
Orcs.
But not green-skinned like in games or novels.
These were dark brown, massive, dressed in beast-hide armor, wielding crude bone weapons.
Apolo's tone was genuinely confused—or maybe sarcastic.
"I thought all fantasy orcs were olive-green."
I squinted.
"Maybe they've been bathing in mud too much."
I activated the scan system.
[SCAN: ORC WARRIOR] – LV: 34
[SCAN: ORC BRUTE] – LV: 38
[SCAN: ORC SHAMAN] – LV: 40
[SCAN: ORC WARLORD – BOSS] – LV: 45
"Level 45 for a leader? Huh… I thought orcs would be tougher."
I patted Genesis' side.
"All right… You ready for a snack?"
Groar!
Without waiting for a second command, Genesis launched forward—
A blur of speed, ripping through the underbrush.
The ground shook beneath his claws.
His destination?
The orc settlement.
I exhaled softly and followed at a casual pace.
Apolo floated beside me, blue lights flashing rapidly.
And thus began our journey—
In a world I'd never written into any of my old stories…
A brand-new world.
Just like the fantasy novels I used to read.