Inky black tendrils wormed their way through Dante's body. From the bite mark, they extended down like roots, burrowing into his body and soul. Finding and overturning any untainted territory to claim as their own. The deeper they went, the further his veins bulged. A trail of power, wild and hungry. This was the first part of the transformation.

Through the pain and fever, Dante struggled to keep his eyes open. They fluttered between a pair of shadow wolves, and a young woman.

'Why is she naked?' 

Beside her walked an even greater shadow. It returned Dante's gaze with a growl. However that wasn't all. Large walls of text appeared in his vision, leaving behind a countdown. Of what, he didn't understand, but nevertheless he dreaded it.

Warning! You have been inflicted with an Umbral Lycanthropic curse. Seek immediate treatment before the curse takes hold!

Warning! You are failing to seek immediate treatment! The curse grows! Debuffs applied!

Decrease in Health Regeneration!

Fatigue ×2

Stunned ×1

Bleeding ×1

Dazed ×3

Warning you have failed to seek immediate treatment! The curse has set! Boons applied!

Minor weakness to silver!

Abnormal hair growth!

Aversion to wearing clothes!

Ticklish behind the ears!

Heightened senses!

Minor increase to health and stamina and regeneration.

Minor Disease resistance!

Minor increase to STR, END, VIT, REG, DEX, AGI, PER, WIL!

Lesser Shadow affinity gained.

Unseen: Shadows darken according to your will.

Night boon: 5% increase to stamina and mana regeneration at night.

Daylight savings: 5% decrease to stamina and mana regeneration during the day.

Shadow stalker: 25% less noise while moving at night. 10% less noise while moving during the day.

3days:30hours:51mins:14seconds

3days:30hours:50mins:02seconds

And as the counter ticked down, Dante's eyes fell backwards, returning to darkness.

~

Dante rolled over on his bed.

"Huh?"

For a second he thought it was all a dream, until he opened his eyes, and watched a ray of sunlight filter through a gaping hole in the wall and ceiling. A slight whistle sounded as a breeze swept through the room. The interior was a tad dusty, as if it had been abandoned long ago.

"Where the hell am I now…"

Rising with irritation, Dante felt a slight weight on his neck. It was a collar he noticed, made of some form of a metallic alloy, with a gem stone covering the top of his sternum.

Without bothering to pry the collar off, Dante had a suspicion about what the device was for. Ignoring the pit in his stomach, he conjured a Fireball, only to collapse to his knees in agonizing pain. Of sharp burning needless cutting off his oxygen.

It was all he could do to lay frozen on the floor, waiting for the pain to thaw out. But as he lay unmoving, staring out of the hole, he grew nauseous, and his stomach sank even further.

He was inside a tower, high enough to greet the top of a few trees. There were only two choices available to him, exit through the door on his right, or the hole on his left.

Rolling away from the obvious death trap, Dante tried to stand, summoning a spear, only to collapse once more. He would have cried out if he didn't hear laughter through the wooden door. Someone was watching him, trying to stifle the noise. The sound was familiar, like a predator laughing at prey. And then his memories returned. He remembered the dark, the rain, the scarred beast that bled him dry. Toying with him, as he pushed himself to the limits, searching for a route to victory.

Then he remembered the bite, hungry shadows that howled in his mind. They were a sandpit of teeth and claw, and through deliriousness he tried to pull himself free, but there was nothing to grab onto.

Placing his hand on what should have been a ravaged shoulder, Dante shivered. Could that mean?

The laughter grew. The bastard sought pleasure through his pain.

~

When Dante awoke again, he suspected he had been out for about an hour. The sun was still high in the sky, so it was likely morning he thought.

A slight breeze gave him chills, and he realized this whole time he had been naked. Stumbling to his feet, he walked towards a dresser, only to find that it was empty, save for a few cobwebs. When he activated Crystal gaze, a slight burn stirred behind his eyes. All of his skills he realized, were locked off, including what he considered to be mundane like Dark Vision. Not that he would need it now.

Next he attempted to open his status, only to have needles pushed into his temples.

"Grrraaawwwhhhh!" Dante snarled. Irritated at the handicap he had been placed under, he smashed into the dresser, and ripped off the door hinges, breaking it to splinters. He kicked, and lashed out with claws that struck with the weight of his entire body mass. 

Through the frenzy he had thrown the tattered dresser outside of the tower, and that angered him even further. All he wanted to do was slash and tear. His claws demanded it– claws?

Dante blinked through the rage, as if coming up for air. His hands were clawed. Five nails that stood out like shark teeth. And he noticed, his hand was also bleeding, impaled with a splinter poking through his palm.

That's not good… he had lost control, and harmed himself.

As he removed it, he watched the wound visibly heal before his eyes. Minor though it was, his ability to heal was never that fast. Not even when he considered the boost to regeneration with Waning Fire.

When his anger cooled down, Dante finally came to terms with his situation. He had been changed. He was stronger, his body felt more agile, and lastly, he noticed he had grown taller. Perhaps a few inches, but he was irrevocably changed.

Walking towards a mirror, Dante dusted it off with a strip of rags from the bed. His demeanor was slightly darker, sharper, with a slant to his eyes that wasn't exactly human. 

He flexed in the mirror, admiring his new set of muscles. They felt alive, quick and nimble with explosive power lying underneath his skin. They were dense, much harder than the soft tissue he was accustomed to. Yet they weren't abnormal, and he still had a few rolls he was ashamed of.

But Dante pushed the thought aside, leaning closer to examine his eyes and teeth. He admired the new set of fangs. They were framed by a chiseled jaw, one he admitted, was possibly stolen from a male model.

"Definitely stolen." Dante said, rubbing his hand through stubble on his chin. "How long was I out?"

From his perspective it was only two days ago when he arrived on this world, freshly shaven, with a buzz cut. Now the top of his head had a new crown of black curls. 

Poking at his ears, which were pointed like that of a fantasy creature, Dante finally decided it was time to move on.

Turning, he bent to palm what remained of the dresser, and fashioned it into a wooden stake. He had just reached the doorknob when he heard voices on the other side.

"What are you doing?"

"I placed the princess in the tower."

"..."

There was no response, but Dante could imagine the scarred monster smile in return.

"Let him out."

The door swung open and Dante laid eyes on the pair. Both were naked, and illuminated under torchlight. But the female appeared to be in her human form, Dante suspected. Which made him question if the beast could turn back.

"The only way you leave here alive, is down those stairs." She turned and walked away, her long wavy hair blending into the dark.

"She always gets what she wants." The monster shrugged.

~

Dante followed the woman down the tower, briefly he saw paintings that were defaced, and dilapidated statues formed from stone, that appeared to have their weapons removed. This place he knew was ancient.

"Where are you taking me." Dante asked.

"To dinner." She said without turning around. "You have questions, and I need to eat."

"I'm not eating anything you offer me!"

"Oh you will eat." This time she turned, laughing with a smirk on her face. "And you will enjoy it."

The guttural laugh of the scarred werewolf followed her, and Dante caught himself growling, vowing to never do it again.

They exited out into a pavilion that was retaken by nature. Vines littered the stone pavement and embraced the walls, while grass and tenacious weeds zigzagged through the cracks in the tiles.

For a second Dante blocked out the sunlight, idly wondering why the woman said they were having dinner, but he refused to ask that. Instead opting for a more straightforward approach.

"I–

"There is no cure." The woman said. "Oh there he goes with the lip again."

"Liar!" Dante spat.

She turned back around beckoning him forward. They stopped at a dining table that was remarkably in shape. Dante suspected they had worked on fixing the place up a bit. Which was an actual surprise to him, because why would monsters care about tidiness?

"Have a seat." She gestured.

His movement was full of rebellion, but ultimately he was at their mercy and gained nothing from lashing out, so Dante sat, letting the rage simmer down. When he sat, Dante noticed the other werewolf had left.

That was a danger. If he could leave without you noticing, he could kill without you noticing.

"J'zaxx left to prepare the food."

That was another annoyance. "Are you reading my mind?"

"Nope. Here drink this." She sat across from him, removing a cup of black liquid and sliding it to him.

It took everything in Dante's power to not yank her wrist, pull her across the table, and ravage her while his teeth sank into her throat.

Dante slammed his eyes shut, exhaling a long breath.

"Drink up. It will help with the thoughts."

Holding the cup in his hands, Dante stared down at the black liquid. "What is this?"

"It's a Luxor Tonic. Hurry, drink up."

Dante took a sip of the herbal black tea that was offered to him. The aroma smelled of vanilla, with a sweet tang that coated his tongue. And after one sip, he was sure it was now stained black.

He took another sip, letting the hot liquid soothe his mind, body and corrupted soul. 

"Go ahead, breathe. Take a deep breath, let it all out. Taste the cool air. It's not that bad you know…"

Dante did as he was told. In truth, he had to be honest with himself. It, really wasn't that bad. The smell, the heightened senses, the power he felt with each stride. Sighing, he took another deep breath. The smell was fresh and fragrant, and her scent...

Dante shook his head. "You're a terrible salesman, and I'm not interested in buying." Sure the underlying power was cool, and he couldn't wait to test it out, but the accompanying thoughts and mood swings? No, he did not want to get used to that.

"About the cure–"

"There is no cure." She cut him off. "This curse is ancient. A relic that survived through a millennia of bloodshed and storms. If there was a cure, it has long since been lost. Buried in time with King Werren of Ciris–"

"I don't need a damned history lesson." Dante spat.

Ignoring him, she continued. "There is an elixir made of silver concentrate, capable of battling the curse before it has set. However after that grace period is up, you're marked for life."

"Then why–"

She cut him off again. "There's an old saying amongst the Hunters guild. Once you're bit, you're dead. You see, they hate our kind."

Dante's lip twitched, he had taken that as an insult.

"And hunt us, because we, out of all the other monsters, turn them. Revealing their true selves for the world to see."

"What does that have to do with me?"

She looked down and gave a sad smile. "Because you're going to join them."

Dante's eyes narrowed, he had already made his decision to avoid the so-called Hunters, yet now as she claims they are dangerous, she plans to send him… 'For what, to die? Why not just get this over with now. Let her see my will to dominate. And–'

"Explain…" Dante forced through gritted teeth.

"Good, you are working through it well. Ok let's begin." She pulled a crystal tablet from her lap and placed it on the table. "This curse, Dante, runs deep."

Dante's eyes squinted, he hadn't told her his name, and she hadn't offered him hers. So much for hospitality.

"It is an experiment conducted with beast and blood mana, combined with soul essence, in order to transform a person into an undying soldier of true might and ferocity. Your senses, your power, your instincts. All will be heightened, but there's a cost. A test that many have failed, reduced to rabid beasts, who are unable to retake human form."

A sad look crossed her face, but that didn't sway Dante. If anything, she had just told him his mental state would get worse. Why should he have sympathy for her?

"My baby sister is amongst those who have failed this First Hunt. I only know of one method that may save her, and currently you're the person who will have to do it."

She raised a hand stopping him from speaking and revealed the contents of the tablet. "This mark here." She pointed to his first mark, the one he received through his Summoner's brand.

"Mark of the Lonely Hero." Dante whispered.

"More like a demon, but I suppose perspective matters. He heralds from the Eighth layer. From a world that was reforged into a dungeon. Kell'ogbor Ru'Ignitrius, The last Prince, The last Survivor."

"Ruler of the Ashen Plateau…" Dante said.

"He has many titles. World Ender, being one of them."

"And where is he? Why am I here? Wait, your partner said he has never heard of him, how come you have?"

"Kell is from the Eighth layer. J'zaxx." She snorted. "Is a ruffian from the Pit, who I met on the First. What does he know? Well surprisingly he's actually a good cook. Very good. But there's little mingling between the Layers. Besides high ranked criminals escaping to rule over lower worlds, and the Hunters that take on their bounty, no one else knows of Kell's true identity besides me."

"What are you implying, that you are a criminal?"

"Aren't we all?"

"What Layer are you from?" Dante asked.

She held up three fingers.

"What Layer is this, and why are you here?"

"This is the First layer, and I came here with Kell to summon you."