The scorching sun woke him up. Not an alarm clock, not a phone notification—just the intense heat burning his skin.
Daniel opened his eyes with effort, his mouth dry, and his body aching as if he had slept on rocks. He sat up with difficulty, and the first thing he saw was an endless blue sky. Then, the tall, strange vegetation surrounding him. There were no buildings, no cars, and no signal.
"Where... am I?" he murmured, his voice hoarse.
Instinctively, he reached into his pocket. His phone was still there. He unlocked it with his fingerprint and checked the screen. The battery was at 100%, but there was no Wi-Fi signal and no data.
The strangest thing was an icon he didn't remember installing. A simple claw drawing with the name "Bestiary" underneath.
Daniel frowned and tapped the icon.
The screen lit up with a minimalist design. A message at the top read:
"Welcome, User. Your bestiary has been activated. Available dinosaurs: 3."
Below that message were three icons with names vaguely familiar to him:
Velociraptor
Coelophysis
Protoceratops
Each had a "Summon" option beneath it.
Daniel blinked, feeling a strange mix of confusion and curiosity. Was this a dream? An augmented reality game? He tapped the summon option for the Velociraptor.
Nothing happened.
Then, he felt something. A chill ran down his spine. The tall grass about ten meters away rustled violently. A guttural sound rose in the air.
Daniel swallowed hard. No. This couldn't be real.
But it was.
Out of the vegetation emerged a creature about five feet tall, covered in grayish feathers, with razor-sharp eyes. Its curved, sharp claws reflected the sunlight. Its head tilted slightly as it studied Daniel with unsettling intelligence.
A Velociraptor.
Daniel immediately took a step back, his heart pounding. This is impossible!
The creature didn't attack. It simply tilted its head, as if waiting for something. Then, a message appeared on his phone's screen:
"Creature successfully summoned. Recognizing summoner. Awaiting orders."
Daniel took a deep breath. The Velociraptor was waiting. Waiting for him.
Whatever was happening, it was real. And he was not alone.
The Velociraptor stared at him. Its golden eyes gleamed under the sun, its feathered body remained still, but its tail swayed side to side as if assessing the environment.
Daniel swallowed hard. He had no idea how to react. Was he supposed to give it a command? He glanced at his phone. The screen still displayed "Awaiting orders."
"Uh... step back a little," he murmured, unsure if the creature could understand him.
To his surprise, the Velociraptor tilted its head and took a few steps back. Daniel felt a chill. This is real.
He tried something else.
"Jump."
The Velociraptor flexed its hind legs and leaped forward effortlessly. Daniel's mouth fell open. It understands me.
He took a deep breath. This meant he could control the creature, but it also meant he was in a world where dinosaurs existed. Where the hell was he?
Before he could analyze it further, a sound put him on alert. Leaves rustled to his left. Daniel turned his head and saw the foliage moving. Something was stalking him.
The Velociraptor let out a low growl, its feathers bristling. He was not alone.
Daniel looked at his phone screen. There were more dinosaurs available. Without thinking too much, he tapped the summon option for the Protoceratops.
A flash of light appeared a few meters away. Immediately, a creature about three feet tall materialized, with a sturdy body and a thick neck crowned by a small bony frill. Its legs were strong, its skin scaly, and its large eyes expressive.
The Protoceratops turned its head, looking at Daniel, then at the Velociraptor. Its nostrils flared, sniffing the air.
The foliage rustled again.
Daniel felt a knot in his stomach.
Whatever was lurking, it was getting closer.
Daniel barely had time to react. The crunch of branches intensified, something moving quickly through the dense vegetation. The Velociraptor hissed fiercely, lowering its body, claws ready to strike.
Daniel took a step back, gripping his phone tightly. What was out there? Another predator?
Suddenly, a figure burst through the underbrush—a large wolf with dark gray fur and glowing eyes. Its sharp fangs bared as it growled, locking eyes with Daniel with a predatory intensity.
A wolf.
But this one wasn't his.
The wild wolf let out a sharp howl and charged. The Velociraptor responded with a furious snarl, stepping between them. The Giant Wolf bared its teeth, letting out a deep growl.
Daniel panicked. What do I do? His fingers hovered over his phone screen, but no new instructions appeared.
The Velociraptor didn't wait. With lightning speed, it lunged at the predator, swiping a claw. The wolf barely managed to dodge, twisting its body to counterattack. Both creatures circled each other, analyzing their next move.
Daniel knew he had to act fast.
"Velociraptor, attack!" he shouted.
The command appeared on the screen. Order received.
The Velociraptor launched forward again, this time landing a powerful kick. Its sickle-shaped claw tore through the wolf's side, making it stagger. The wild creature yelped and quickly retreated into the undergrowth, vanishing as fast as it had appeared.
Silence returned.
Daniel exhaled, his hands trembling. He had just witnessed a real battle. And he had directed it.
A new message popped up on his phone:
"Battle completed. Experience gained."
He stared at the screen. So it is a game system.
A world of possibilities opened in his mind. If he could control creatures, if he could grow stronger... what else could he do?
His adventure was only beginning.
The Anatolian wilderness stretched before Daniel, an untamed land of rolling hills and dense forests. The battle had ended, and silence settled once more around him. He took a deep breath, glancing at his three dinosaurs—the Velociraptor, the small ceratopsid, and the Coelophysis. They were his only allies in this unknown world.
He pulled out his phone, the mysterious app glowing softly. A new notification appeared:
"Battle completed. Experience gained."
Curious, he tapped the screen. A status window opened:
Name: Daniel
Level: 1
Creatures Owned: 3
Experience: 5/10
Skills: None
Next reward at Level 2.
Daniel frowned. "So I can level up… but how? Just by fighting?"
His stomach growled, reminding him of a more immediate concern. He needed food, water, and shelter if he wanted to survive here. Looking at his dinosaurs, he realized he could use them to hunt and scout.
"Velociraptor, scout ahead," he commanded. The dinosaur let out a sharp screech and darted into the underbrush.
Turning to the ceratopsid, he considered its purpose. It wasn't a hunter, but it could help with defense. "Stay close to me," he told it. The creature snorted and followed obediently.
The Coelophysis, smaller and more agile, tilted its head, waiting for an order. Daniel thought for a moment. "See if you can find fresh water." The dinosaur let out a chirp and disappeared into the trees.
For the first time since arriving in this strange era, Daniel felt like he had a plan. He wasn't just wandering blindly anymore—he was moving forward.
The journey was just beginning.