Chapter 1
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The heavy, stagnant scent of damp earth was the first thing to pierce through the darkness of consciousness. Ivi slowly opened her eyes, but instead of the smooth ceiling of her bedroom, she saw a raw, stone vault. A sharp pain throbbed persistently in her temples, beating to the rhythm of memories that, although now in her mind, did not belong to her at all.
*I survived? That bastard... he hit me with such force that I should have been nothing but a wet stain on the asphalt...* she thought, dazed, trying to lift her hand. Her arm was small, thin, and covered in a thick, dried layer of mud that cracked with every movement. Suddenly, a blue, neon interface flashed before her eyes.
**[SYSTEM: Connection status: Stable. Welcome to the Beast World, Ivi.]**
*System? Where the hell am I? And why do I feel like I've slept for a century in a litter box?* she asked in her mind, feeling a surge of panic mixed with irritation.
**[RESPONSE: You are in the beast world, where strength is the law and fertility is the only currency that matters. As a Golden Rose Fox, you belong to the rarest race. In this world, females are scarce and, frankly speaking, not very beautiful. Therefore, the law allows them to have multiple mates. The stronger the male, the greater the chance of survival for the female and her offspring. Your status depends on the quality of your males.]**
Ivi snorted internally, her terror quickly giving way to predatory excitement. *Multiple strong males? Sweet ^^ This is just like those spicy webnovels I used to read before bed. I intend to use this well to my advantage. Oh, very well... hihi!*
The memories of the "previous" Ivi began to piece together into a tragic picture. She saw the downfall of her lineage and her father, a powerful leader who died defending them against dark beasts-creatures born of pure chaos. She hadn't seen her mother since that moment; she had no idea if she had managed to escape that wasteland. Now, she herself was just a miserable stray at the mercy of the new chief and his vindictive mate, Cez.
For most of her life, this little fox had used a survival tactic that was brilliant in its simplicity: she rolled in the mud. She did it intentionally to hide her natural radiance from Cez's hateful eyes. That female treated her like her worst enemy, and the filth was the only way for Ivi to get a moment of peace. The villagers, incited by Cez, blamed her for every misfortune. Ultimately, the original Ivi lost the fight-she died of cold and extreme exhaustion in this dark hole.
Pity squeezed the heart of the body's new owner. *I promise you, little one, that your body will now overflow with luxury,* she vowed in her spirit. *I'm leaving this place, but first... I need to stop looking like a piece of crap.* She shuddered with genuine disgust upon inspecting her "shell" once more.
She slipped out of the cave, heading toward the river. Passing the primitive buildings of the settlement, she felt scornful glances upon her. People backed away in disgust, just to avoid catching her odor. Ivi, despite the embarrassment, walked with her head held high. She was appalled by the local standards-a lack of sanitation and filth worthy of the darkest Middle Ages. *Probably only the low population saves them from an epidemic,* she assessed soberly.
As soon as she reached a crystal bend of the river, where the current roared and crashed against the rocks, the System came to life again.
**[FIRST EXPLORATION REWARD: Survival Package. Content: Sea salt and an infinite Cleansing Set .]**
An elegant bar of soap materialized in Ivi's hands. She began to wash herself, humming a cute song under her breath. As soon as she started scrubbing her skin, a delicate note of black currant and May rose drifted over the water. This was no scent for the commoners-it was the fragrant signature of nobility. As she washed away layer after layer of dirt, a complexion so fair emerged from underneath that it practically glowed in the sun. Her hair, wet and heavy, shone like sunbeams, and its pink tips pulsed with life with every movement.
**[RESPONSE: The System has the ability to store inanimate objects. Do you wish to hide the item?]**
*Wow, awesome!!! Talk about cheats, I'm definitely going to use this, hihi!*
She hid the soap and looked at her reflection in the water. *Look at yourself,* she thought in awe. *You are a Golden Rose Fox... No wonder Cez harbored such hatred. For a face and figure like this, males in this world would kill.*
She stared at her reflection for a long time. Her greatest pride became her large, green eyes, the color of young leaves, which looked back from the water with innocent surprise. The beautiful blonde hair ending in pink tips gave her an incredibly seductive, playful charm.
*Beast World, get ready, because here I come!* she shouted in her mind.
She washed her ruined rabbit-fur dress, and while waiting for it to dry, she wrapped herself provisionally in a massive monstera leaf. However, she had no idea that from the thicket, golden eyes that hadn't seen the sun for centuries were watching her.
Vane froze completely still. First, he heard the voice-pure and powerful, singing a song from another world. A moment later, that scent hit him. Subtle, tantalizing, awakening the predator within. Vane felt something he hadn't known for eons: a sudden spike in his heart rate, and emotions that caused his previously frozen blood to boil in his veins.
