Chapter 6: Rebirth

Joshua waded into the river, shivering as the cool water lapped against his skin. He could feel the thick, tar-like sludge clinging to his body, refusing to wash away. It was sticky, almost glue-like, forming a stubborn layer over his arms, chest, and legs. The stench was unbearable—rotting meat mixed with something even more putrid, like decay baked under the sun.

He scrubbed furiously, running his hands over his arms, but the filth resisted. It felt like it had seeped into his very pores, not just coating his body but merging with it. Each swipe of his hands removed only a thin layer, revealing an oily sheen that refused to budge.

"Are you serious right now?" he muttered, gritting his teeth.

Diving beneath the water, Joshua held his breath and rubbed his face, scalp, and every inch of his skin, using sand from the riverbed as an abrasive scrub. The grains scraped against his flesh, but still, the filth clung stubbornly.

Minutes turned into an hour. Then two.

Finally, after endless scrubbing, peeling, and even clawing at his own skin, Joshua began to see results. The sludge loosened, breaking apart in thick chunks that dissolved into the flowing current. As he worked, he noticed something disturbing—dead fish floated downriver, their pale bellies turned up.

His stomach clenched.

"Did I… poison the river?"

The realization sent a chill through his spine. If this stuff was toxic enough to kill fish on contact, what the hell was it doing to him?

Ignoring his racing thoughts, Joshua swam farther upstream, away from the contaminated area. He wanted to be as far as possible from the destruction he had unknowingly caused. The current was strong, but his body moved with surprising ease. He felt lighter, stronger, more agile.

Eventually, he reached a calm, crystal-clear section of the river and pulled himself onto the grassy bank, breathing heavily. The cool air brushed against his bare skin, and for the first time, he felt fresh, unburdened—cleansed.

Then, he turned to look at his reflection.

And his breath caught in his throat.

"…Who the fuck are you?"

The man staring back at him was a stranger.

Joshua stumbled backward, heart hammering against his ribs. His hands trembled as he touched his face, tracing the sharp jawline, the high cheekbones, the flawless skin. His once sickly complexion was now silky smooth, radiating an unnatural glow beneath the sunlight.

His usual thin, frail frame was gone. In its place was a lean, muscular body—chiseled abs, defined arms, and powerful legs. He looked like he had been sculpted from years of training, as if someone had taken the best version of himself and brought it to life.

He clenched his fists, flexing his biceps. The muscles rippled beneath his skin, firm and strong, a far cry from the weak body he had entered this world with.

And then, with a mix of shock and disbelief, he noticed something else.

The thing between his legs was bigger.

Joshua's mind short-circuited. "What the actual fuck?"

He felt like he had entered some kind of twisted fantasy transformation. This wasn't just a stat boost—this was a complete reconstruction of his very being.

But before he could process it further, a warning alert flashed in his vision.

WARNING!

Extreme changes to lifeform's vitals detected.

Force logout initiated in 10 seconds.

Joshua's blood turned to ice.

"What? No—wait!" He tried to move, but his vision blurred, his body growing numb.

5 seconds.

A high-pitched ringing filled his ears.

3 seconds.

His muscles locked up, his mind reeling with panic.

1 second.

And then—darkness.

Joshua woke up with a violent jerk.

A wave of nausea crashed over him, and before he could stop himself, he doubled over and vomited onto the floor.

His body convulsed, wracked with intense dry heaving as his stomach twisted in agony. His limbs trembled, his skin drenched in cold sweat. He gasped for breath, barely able to lift his head.

And then—the smell hit him.

A horrific, putrid stench.

Joshua's eyes widened in horror. He looked down at himself and froze.

The same tar-like sludge from the game world was covering his real body.

Thick. Sticky. Dripping from his arms, his chest, his legs.

His breath came in shallow gasps. His mind screamed at him to wake up, to move, to run— but he couldn't.

Because there was one final realization.

As he slowly, shakily rose to his feet, his clothes tore apart like wet paper.

And when he turned to look at himself in the mirror—

He saw the same transformed body from the game world.

Joshua's heart stopped.

And then, with wide, panicked eyes, he whispered:

"…What the fuck?"