Inspecting Changes

James grunted as he slowly woke up inside his tent. The memories of last night came flooding back, making him feel dizzy. He had fought against a Minotaur, heard the Monkey King's voice in his head, and killed a Banshee. Everything felt surreal, but the large pile of ashes near the fireplace and the empty tents confirmed that what happened last night was real.

"Fuck, how am I not dead?" It was the first thing James muttered as the memories of the betrayal of his girlfriend resurfaced. He always believed that they had each other's backs. Her dead body was the first thing he burned–unable to bear looking at the traitor's dead face. He knew it was cruel, but he was happy that she died gruesomely.

[Wakey, wakey my lovely hairless disciple~]

The Monkey King's cloyingly sweet voice roused James from his reverie. He responded with a wide yawn and an indulgent stretch, allowing his body to awaken fully. The faint, lingering aroma, akin to the scent of paper burning, still clung to the air. Now and then, delicate wraiths of smoke wafted from the firepit, serving as a reminder of those who had passed.

He still couldn't believe that he killed a Minotaur, alone. He counted 23 bodies, including Grace, and couldn't help but wonder how were not able to survive.

[You got lucky yesterday! If the Banshee didn't chase after the smell of betrayal you would've most certainly died.]

Reflecting last night, James understood what Wukong meant. Traditionally, Banshees were the cursed souls of women who, in life, were wronged or suffered tragic deaths. The sense of betrayal from Grace probably encouraged the Banshee's instincts to chase after her first.

"You're right. But what do I do now?" James asked Wukong, hoping for an answer.

[For now, training! You need a lot of it to adjust to your new body and I got a few tricks to teach you. Besides, it's not like you can leave this mountain range for now.]

"I'm okay with training, but what do you mean by me not being able to leave?" James inquired. 

[Haiz, younglings today ... they got no awareness. Take a closer look around you.]

James followed the advice and walked around the campsite, looking for something out of the ordinary.

As he scanned his surroundings, an unexpected sound interrupted the tranquility of the mountains. Faint at first, the echoing roars of unseen beasts reverberated through the valleys and canyons. The roars seemed to carry an air of primal power and dominance, chilling his spine even though he couldn't see the creatures responsible for such an imposing display.

A sense of unease washed over him, but his curiosity got the better of him. He walked closer to the cliff where the Minotaur had previously fallen from and focused on his eyes, activating his fiery gaze.

He scanned the faraway mountains and saw what he could only classify as monsters.

He found some goblin-like creatures roaming around the cliff of a nearby mountain. On the other side were what he could only describe as half-human, half-serpent beings. The further he observed, the weirder and bigger the monsters became. 

James looked into the valley and saw some of the goblin creatures being chased by a fire-breathing creature with the body of a lion, the head of a goat, and a serpent's tail. It was so fast that he almost lost track of it. Some of the goblins fell victim to the fire. Their bodies were charred black like charcoal, some had their intestines sticking out from wounds caused by the razor-sharp claws of the big creature.

Just as he watched the chimera eating the goblins with fascination, he heard a screech. Turning his attention to the sky, he noticed a massive, fiery plumage soaring high above. It was a colossal phoenix, its wings spanned wide, and its brilliant feathers blazed with vibrant colors, creating a striking contrast against the cerulean sky.

"Oh shit," James muttered, and broke in cold sweat.

[Yeah, no shit. These outerversal scribes really want to fuck me over. First, making this barren place my domain and now summoning a second-stage monster as the boss during this first stage.]

"Okay, before we talk about anything else ... tell me about what the fuck is now going on! I fought two mythological monsters and now I'm apparently surrounded by even stronger dudes and there is a fucking Phoenix looming over my head!"

[Okay, chill! First of all, do you remember the contents of the prophecy?]

"Yeah, there was something about three disasters or something."

[Well, disaster is an understatement. It's more like a calamity and it's the third iteration.]

"Wait, this shit happened two times already?"

[Yeah, of course! Where did you think your hairless brats got information on different pantheons and monsters came from?]

"Our ancestors faced the same challenge... damn," James was mindblown. He never thought that the stuff he believed to be stories was real. For a short moment, he wondered about how the churches and religions around the world were reacting to this–provided they were still alive.

[But you know what they say–the third time is the charm. It will be harder than the last two combined.]

Ragnarok, Kali Yuga, the Great Flood, or Wuji and Taiji. All these events were probably real in some kind of form. Now, he's told that something worse will hit Earth.

"Who are we fighting against?" James pondered and recalled different kinds of world-ending events from different pantheons.

[Chaotic Outer Gods. Cthulu and shit.]

The fact that he would be facing some of reality's worst nightmares was exactly what James needed.

[There are three stages. The first is you guys receiving Blessings of God from us. Fate gives us 'balance' to fight the impending dangers. The second stage is the Descent of Gods and Higher Mythological Creatures like the Phoenix you saw. Lastly, there will be fractures and Dagon, Cthulu, Yig and other shitty bastards will descend along with me and other transcendental beings–everything will become a bloody battlefield.]

"Where do we humans fit in? Do we get as powerful as some gods or are we all going to die and Brahma or Nu Kua will recreate us again? Is this all about a cosmic cycle?"

[In a sense, yes ... but it does not concern you anymore.]

"Why? Am I not human anymore?" James asked, unsure of what to make of this statement.

[I made you my heir–not that I needed one. You're semi-immortal now, fully capable of ascending. Normally, I wouldn't even give out a Lesser Blessing. You, my lovely disciple, got the highest treatment. Well, I just felt like it, and BOOM, you're my only Blessed Soul but also one with endless potential for growth.]

"...Ok"

[I mean it. Take a look at yourself!]

James scoured the campsite, his gaze fell upon a polished bronze mirror, set atop a small wooden table. It seemed to have appeared there as if by the Monkey King's will, waiting for James to unravel the truth of his transformation.

Approaching the mirror, he hesitated for a moment before finally looking into it. What he saw left him awestruck. James' reflection revealed a blend of his previous self and something transcendent, like a fusion of mortal and divine.

The most striking change was in his eyes, which now radiated a golden hue. Cross-shaped pupils added a touch of mystique to his gaze. A closer look revealed that his eyes seemed to hold entire worlds, mirroring the essence of creation and destruction. His short black hair framed his face, each strand seeming to shimmer with an inner golden light, granting him an ethereal grace.

James noticed that his physique had become more refined, almost otherworldly. His muscles were perfectly toned, giving him the appearance of a celestial being. The scar he once bore had vanished, replaced with a sense of invulnerability.

With every glance in the mirror, James was reminded that he was no longer just human; he was a living embodiment of the Monkey King's legacy–or whim as he'd call it.

[It looks like you're finally adapting.]

"I really need to thank you for this. If you didn't help me then I wouldn't have survived last night."

[I am here to help you succeed in this place, kid. It will not be an easy journey, and more challenges will come your way–especially since I accepted you. However, if you need to live up to my reputation, rise to the top, and remain true to yourself, you can achieve greatness. Don't let others dictate your path and always stay true to who you are.]

James nodded, his gaze still fixed on the reflection in the mirror, his golden eyes locked with their own enigmatic depths. "I'm ready for whatever comes next. I'm going to eat that oversized flame chicken once I'm ready!"

[Ha, now that's the spirit. Let's skip all the formalities and start with your training.]