Cat-Napped?

Alec awoke with a groan, his head pounding like a construction crew was doing a tap dance routine in his skull. As he squinted through the blinding sunlight, he realized his bed was giving him an unusually warm and loving embrace, as if it had attended a cuddle therapy workshop overnight.

Bloody hell! My head! Alec exclaimed, trying to shield his eyes from the searing light. Wait... Daylight? Panic surged through him as he suddenly remembered that he had a crucial exam today, a ten-page paper due in a few hours, and the looming threat of adulthood fast approaching. Holy heck! I overslept!

With the grace of a caffeinated sloth, Alec propelled himself out of bed, only to discover that there was no ground beneath his feet. He stumbled and performed a less-than-elegant swan dive onto the unforgiving stone floor, a symphony of "thud" serving as his opening act.

Owowow! What the fuck? Alec groaned, looking around in a bewildered daze. His once-comfortable bed had undergone a magical transformation, now a high pedestal adorned with a vibrant red cushion. And as he did a double take at himself, he couldn't help but wonder if he'd fallen into a nightmarish rendition of "Alice in Wonderland." Furry paws, a tail, and sleek, black fur? He was one French beret away from being the embodiment of a feline existential crisis.

Alec couldn't believe it. He ran his paw – yes, paw – over his face, feeling the alien muzzle and those fluffy, twitchy ears. All his features screamed "feline," and a cold wave of realization washed over him like an unexpected shower, sending shivers down his newly furry spine. A freaking cat? He'd heard of people waking up feeling like a different person, but this was a tad excessive.

Panic took over, and he tried to move, but he quickly discovered that navigating in this body was like trying to dance the Macarena with noodles for legs. Unfamiliar with his new limbs, he stumbled and tumbled like a contestant in a three-legged race that he had never signed up for.

Taking a deep breath – as deep as a feline could, he supposed – he struggled to stand, his legs trembling like they were doing the Harlem Shake. But as he attempted to take that first brave step, a searing pain pierced his cat-sized brain. He skipped a beat, stumbled, and found himself having an intimate conversation with the same unforgiving obsidian floor once more. At this rate, he might set a record for the most falls in a single morning.

His heart raced inside his new, furry chest, pounding like a DJ at a rave party, as if it was trying to escape the confines of his ribcage. Could this really be happening? Or was he trapped in some absurd dream? Panic and confusion were swirling inside him, and he shook his furry head, hoping to wake up from this madness.

The room seemed normal enough, with crimson walls, a plain black stone floor, and a high ceiling. A chandelier dangled in the middle, defying gravity, hanging there without any visible rod or chain system. It just floated in the air. Weird, to say the least.

He looked up at the window, which was unusually large, stretching three meters in height and one and a half meters in width across the front wall. The morning breeze ruffled his fur, carrying with it a faint metallic scent, further deepening the bizarreness of his situation.

Alec realized he needed to calm down and confront the perplexing reality before him. He had to come to terms with the fact that this was no dream; it was his new existence. The pounding headache served as a harsh reminder of the strangeness of his situation.

Surveying his surroundings, he turned his attention to the window, which revealed the outside world. I need to figure out what's happening to me, but first things first, I need to learn how to move like a cat! he mumbled to himself.

Taking a deep breath, Alec tried to tap into his animal instincts, figuring that cats had to come with some sort of built-in "how-to-cat" manual. Maybe there was an app for that in his brain, right alongside "paw control" and "feline balance 101." He pushed against the dark floor, getting onto his small, furry paws, and tentatively took a step. Whew. he sighed with relief, feeling a sense of accomplishment as he inched forward.

Encouraged by his small victory, Alec continued to move, one step after another, heading towards the upper-right corner of the room. Oh... Ohhh... That was easy. he thought, his newfound confidence making him wonder if he'd secretly been a cat all along, living a double life as a human in a rather elaborate disguise.

Eyeing the window with curiosity and determination, Alec allowed his cat instincts to take over. He crouched down, his feline body coiled like a spring, and then leaped toward the window. However, instead of the open world he anticipated, he encountered a solid, invisible barrier. With a resounding thud, he hit the barrier and tumbled to the obsidian stone floor below.

Owch! What the heck was that? Some kind of barrier? Alec groaned as he rolled over and picked himself up. As he stood on his catlike legs, he couldn't help but notice how calm he felt, despite the unsettling circumstances. It was as if he was experiencing everything from a distance, like he was watching a movie of his life.

Why am I not freaking out? Alec pondered as he gazed at his feline form in confusion. He couldn't deny the absurdity of his situation. I'm not a human anymore; I'm just a naked kitten trying to figure stuff out, but all I've been doing is repeatedly hitting a stupid stone floor.

Why? I'll bother about that later. Alec thought, pushing the questions about his unusual calmness aside for the moment. For now, I need to gather some information. First of all, where the hell am I?

Alec made another jump, this time more graceful than his previous attempts, and landed on the giant red cushion atop the white pedestal. His eyes were drawn to the window once more. The bright sun hung in the blue sky, without a cloud in sight, but the mysterious barrier was still intact. With curiosity in his feline eyes, he reached out a paw to touch it. To his surprise, the barrier yielded, feeling strangely soft. He could even feel the breeze against his furry paw. Glancing around the window, he noticed vertical runic inscriptions etched into the surface, glowing with a dim blue hue. Though he couldn't understand their meaning, they captivated his attention.

As Alec gazed outside, he confirmed that he was situated within a fortress, surrounded by a lush green forest. His vantage point was elevated, well above the height of the average trees, making it difficult to discern much of the surface hidden beneath the vast canopy. He observed a bright silver rose garden just beneath his castle chamber, as well as a tower that seemed to match the height of the one he was in. Another similar structure appeared on the far right, separated by curtain walls and large fortress gates. The fortress gates were constructed from what appeared to be pitch-black obsidian, adorned with intricate runic circles that emitted a radiant red glow.

The sun had recently risen, casting an eerie silence over the fortress. However, Alec's attention was quickly drawn to a disturbing sight on the front curtain wall. There lay an armored man, completely motionless. As he focused his gaze, his eyes widened with shock – the man was missing his head.

Alec's heart pounded in his chest as he continued to survey the area. His horror deepened as he noticed two more decapitated bodies near the front gate and another pair situated to the upper right of the central courtyard. A wave of nausea swept over him, churning in his stomach. This isn't right. Nothing is right here.

With a trembling heart, he jumped off the pedestal, determined to put distance between himself and this gruesome scene. The world around him felt increasingly unsettling, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously amiss. He cast an anxious glance toward the front door, realizing that he needed to find a way out – and fast.

Alec approached the front door, his tiny paws making soft thuds on the polished surface. At first glance, it appeared to be a beautifully crafted wooden door, but as he ran his paw over it, the cold, metallic texture became apparent. The door felt solid and heavy, exuding an odd sense of otherworldly craftsmanship. On closer inspection, he noticed the same intricate runic inscriptions that adorned the window. The complex, ornate symbols gave him a sense of foreboding, and he couldn't decipher their meaning.

The runes, once vibrant in their bright red radiance, gradually dimmed until they faded into a pitch-black hue, melding seamlessly with the door's surface. Then, with a faint clicking sound, the massive metallic-wooden doors slowly creaked open.

Huh? What the-

He quickly retreated to the pedestal and pretended to be asleep, his heart racing. He observed the slowly opening doors with bated breath. As the entrance revealed itself, he was met with an empty hallway, devoid of any immediate threats.

A few more moments passed before he gathered the courage to step off the pedestal. As he cautiously moved forward, he found himself in a quiet and empty hallway that extended in both directions, making a sharp turn at the end of each corridor.

Wha... what in the world is going on?

In response to his bewildered query, a peculiar sight unfolded before him. A touchscreen-like interface materialized, hovering in the air without any apparent physical connection. Experimentally, he reached out and found that it was indeed physically tangible, similar to the invisible window barrier.

What the heck is this? Glancing around, he searched for any runic inscriptions similar to those on the window, but found none. His curiosity drove him to explore further, and to his amazement, the interface moved in concert with his movements.

{New Quest: Strange Fortress

Description: You've awakened in an unfamiliar body within a mysterious fortress. Your task is to explore this place and uncover the truth about your presence.

Difficulty: Unknown

Objective: Explore the fortress

Reward: ???

Clear conditions: Reach the ground floor and search for clues regarding your presence here.

Accept: Y/N}

Alec stared at the screen in disbelief. What the...

The hallway remained eerily empty. There were no runes in sight, and not a single soul could be seen in the far reaches.

Um... Accept? Alec hesitated for a moment before the response. A cold yet soothing surge of knowledge flowed through his consciousness, sending goosebumps down his neck. He glanced at the floating screen, which now resembled an in-game quest interface. Bewildered, he examined his own paws, the fur standing on end as if to emphasize the surrealness of the situation.

Am I going nuts?

He returned to his chamber, the floating screen dutifully trailing behind him. Jumping onto the cushioned pedestal, he settled himself on the soft, vibrant red cushion, contemplating his next move while the persistent screen hovered before him.

I mean, quest? Objective? Difficulty? What the heck is happening? And what am I? A level one sneaky cat or something? Now don't tell me if I say status, it'll open up my-

As if answering his unspoken question, another screen materialized next to the first.

{Alec Jones

Species: Felinus Daemonis Puer

Race: Ancesant

Constellation: Prænuntius Vacui

Potential: [Perfect]

Status:

Level: 1

HP: 70/70

MP: 59/60

SP: 63/63

Attributes:

Strength: 8

Endurance: 4

Vitality: 7

Mind: 26

Wisdom: 8

Clarity: 4

Agility: 8

Available Skill Points: 0

Species Abilities:

Blood Claws Lv. 1

Mana Bite Lv. 1

Racial Attributes:

Dimensional Space Access Lv. 1

Mystic Lv. 1

Language Comprehension Lv. Max

Stellar Abilities:

System Interface

Path of Stars [Exclusive]

Stigma Generation:

S1: [Unavailable][Stellar essence detected] Evoke? Y/N

S2: [Unavailable][Unlock S1 first]

S3: [Unavailable][Unlock S2 first]

S4: [Unavailable][Unlock S3 first]

S5: [Unavailable][Unlock S4 first]

S6: [Unavailable][Unlock S5 first]}

Alec was thoroughly perplexed, momentarily caught off-guard. What the fuck is this? he thought, shaking his head in bewilderment. At least give me something I can understand, damn it!

He looked up at the floating status screen and hopped off the pedestal. Curious, he mentally activated the skill [Blood Claws]. A sudden surge of energy enveloped him, and his claws crackled with dark reddish electricity. Taking a deep breath and steadying himself, he raised one electrified claw and swiped it down against the white stone pedestal.

The result astonished him – pieces of white debris flew into the air, leaving a shallow claw mark on the pedestal.

Holy crap! Alec instinctively stepped back and examined his handiwork. He contemplated trying "Mana Bite" next but wasn't keen on gnawing on rocks. After a few minutes of observation, he decided to experiment with opening the details of his abilities. To his surprise, another screen appeared beside the initial two.

{Info:

Species: Felinus Daemonis Puer, shadowy beings born from the reaper's own darkness, their sleek forms and furtive movements make them masters of stealth and silent elimination, leaving trails of death cloaked in darkness. These creatures excel in the art of subterfuge, their inky fur blending seamlessly with the void of night, allowing them to strike from obscurity with lethal precision.}

Alec couldn't help but be both astounded and unnerved by the information appearing in front of him. The implications of his transformation were as perplexing as they were unsettling. Being part of a species steeped in secrecy and deathly proficiency was a far cry from his former human existence. Not ominous at all. Alec shuddered.

Alec gave the information on the screen a scrutinizing look, then made an attempt to access the details of his Race and Constellation in a similar manner. Much to his chagrin, no new information popped up.

Why are these names in Latin? Am I supposed to be a language expert no- oh, I actually do understand them, probably an effect of that Language Comprehension skill. He shifted his attention back to the floating screen. I don't even want to imagine what kind of being designed this system.

Ancesant and void herald (Apparently that's what my constellation translated to) ...Yeah, those sound totally self-explanatory. He quipped internally scratching his furry head with an exaggerated eye roll. Ancesant sounds super intriguing, but I'm totally clueless about its meaning. And seriously, WHY AM I A FUCKING CAT? Why make species and race two different things? My species is listed as 'infant demon cat,' and my race is 'Ancesant.' Well, I can't apply my usual world logic here. Who am I kidding with world logic, anyway? I was just a regular college student last night. I'd love to sit and ponder what happened, but it's all a bit... out there. He shook his head in mock bewilderment. He then shifted his gaze to the window. All I know is that something's been nagging at the back of my mind, like an annoying pop-up ad.

I need to escape from here.

But before that he needed to know what he was capable of. Alright, little shadowy demon cat, let's see what you've got in your bag of tricks. Alec mused to himself, focusing on the screen on the far right that displayed information about his skills.

{Info:

Blood Claws [Lv1(0.1/200)]

Power: 40

Type: Physical

MP Cost: Low

Description: The user charges their claws with blood mana and unleashes them upon the opponent. Successful attacks may cause the opponent to suffer from [Blood Disruption].

Additional Details:

The maximum power increases with skill levels.

The probability of additional effects also rises with skill levels.

Blood Disruption:

[Probability: 3%]

Description: The target experiences a backlash upon using mana. This can result in instantaneous paralysis or spell cancellation. Multiple instances of Blood Disruption have a cumulative effect.}

Of course there is mana and magic. And was that reddish dark mana, blood mana? Most likely, I'll think about that later. Not that knowing is going to help me escape.

{Info:

Species skill:

Mana Bite [Lv1(0/200)]

Power: 40

Type: Physical

MP Cost: Low

Description: The user bites the opponent with fangs infused with mana. On a successful attack, the enemy might suffer from [Mana Drain].

Additional Details:

The maximum power increases with skill levels.

Mana Drain:

[Probability: 8%]

Description: The target experiences a constant mana leakage. The higher the maximum mana of the wielder, the greater the effect.}

A superpowered cat running around draining people's mana tanks? SIGN ME UP! hah... This is making less and less sense every time. He looked back at the green quest screen. Did someone put me in some high-tech VR game? He shifted his gaze to his own shiny black fur. But it's just too damn real. I never signed up for this crap! I NEED MY FUCKING LAWYER!

{S1: [Unavailable] [Stellar essence detected] evoke? Y/N

Info: Engraves the first stigma of constellation [Prænuntius Vacui] onto your soul.}

Alec hesitated, contemplating the offer. He realized he wasn't in the right state of mind to tamper with his very soul. There was a time and place for everything, and it certainly didn't feel like the right moment to experiment when danger might lurk around every corner. Gulping anxiously, he decided to postpone this endeavour until after he had explored the fortress and gained a better understanding of his situation.

{[Dimensional Space Access][Lv1(0/500)]:

MP cost: Low

Description: Allows the user to create an empty dimensional pocket, suitable for storing non-living entities.

[Maximum capacity increases with levels]}

Alec pondered this skill. The restriction on non-living entities seemed sensible; otherwise, it would be overpowered if he could sneak into it at will.

{[Mystic][Lv1(0/700)]:

MP cost: Moderate

Description: This racial attribute, inherited from ancient void dragons, allows user to possess the unparalleled ability to meld with the very essence of world itself. It conceals the dragon's presence at will, rendering them imperceptible by mundane means.}

Alec couldn't help but be amazed. Void Dragon? Dragons in the mix too? And this skill seemed nothing short of incredible, like an upgraded version of Stealth. Can I finally be the ultimate hide and seek champ? Seriously, if I level up my agility enough, I could totally pull off some ninja moves, but that's a project for later. For now, with this skill in my kitty backpack, fortress exploration just got a whole lot easier, and I don't have to worry about anyone spoiling the game by finding me.

Alec couldn't help but notice the Stellar Attribute at the bottom of the list. Its name, "Path of Stars [Exclusive]," seemed to scream, "You peasants can't have this!"

Hey, see that? It's even got 'exclusive' in its name. Oh boy, This has to be something special.

{Stellar Attribute:

Path Of Stars [Exclusive]:

[Unawakened]

[Conditions not met]}

However, his excitement quickly nosedived as the screen displayed "[Unawakened]" and "[Conditions not met]"

He sighed in frustration. I'm done with this. I'll figure out why it's not showing the conditions later. The longer I stay here, the more uncomfortable I get.

He sprang from the floor and returned to the high pedestal, positioning himself on top of his comfy cushion. So, um, 'Dimensional space access'? he thought, trying to mentally activate the ability. The pillow disappeared. Whoa! Glad that worked; how could I leave behind such a ridiculously comfy pillow.

After getting off the pedestal and retracing his steps to the hallway, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then reopened them. The screens still hung in the air, waiting for his attention. He reached out his paw and touched the rightmost screen, mentally dismissing it, and it vanished. He repeated the process with the other screens, clearing his field of view.

Alright, then. He scanned both directions in the hallway, unable to discern which was the better choice. Alec cleared his mind and chose to head to the left, walking toward the far end of the empty corridor.