I opened my eyes and looked around. I was lying in the middle of a forest, and when I looked up, the sun was positioned high in the sky.
"Looks like it's already noon."
I stood up slowly.
"I need to find a way out of this forest."
While I was lost in thought, my mother's voice echoed inside my head.
"My child, you are three hundred meters away from the exit. Just walk straight."
The moment I heard her voice, relief washed over me. I definitely didn't want to waste the entire day wandering aimlessly.
I walked in the direction she mentioned and soon spotted a mansion — identical to the Cullen house from Twilight.
"Mom… is this what I think it is?"
"Yes, my son. Since this is your first world, I wanted to give you a surprise. This mansion and the entire forest surrounding it belong to you. Your territory stretches twenty kilometers before reaching the nearest road. I thought you'd want a large area to grow used to your power. In the garage, you'll find an Aston Martin One-77 and a Mustang GT Fastback."
The moment she mentioned the Mustang, my eyes lit up. The Mustang GT Fastback was exactly the car I always dreamed of owning.
"Mom… where am I in the timeline?"
"One month before Scott McCall gets bitten."
That was more than enough time.
As I approached the mansion door, another thought crossed my mind: Scott was the protagonist of this world, and Beacon Hills High School was where everything began.
"Mom, is it possible for me to look like I'm sixteen?"
"Of course. I've already taken care of it. Look in the mirror."
I checked my reflection. I was still just as handsome as before — and just as tall — but my face now looked younger. My violet eyes, however, still held that ancient power.
"Thank you, Mom. You always think of everything."
She let out a soft laugh and replied gently:
"For you? Anything."
Her words made me smile. I entered the living room, sat on the couch, and summoned the system mentally.
[Name: Victor Leon]
[Model: None]
[Store]
Since I had lived as a normal human until now, I needed real combat experience — and when it comes to martial arts, only one name stands above the rest.
With certainty, I thought:
The first model will be Baki Hanma.
[Are you sure you want to fuse with Baki Hanma?]
— Yes.
[Fusion beginning…]
In an instant, I was transported to a completely white space. All of Baki's techniques, instincts, combat experience — everything — began flowing into me.
I don't know how long I stayed there. It could've been a single heartbeat or years. I trained, fought, learned — lived his battles.
When I returned, my body felt different — especially my back.
I removed my shirt and looked in the mirror.
The Demon Back was there.
"Mom… does this mean I have demon blood?"
The last thing I wanted was to be tainted by lower beings.
Her voice came sharp and proud:
"You're overthinking. Everything you gain is replicated using your own power. If any foreign blood entered your body, it would be purified instantly. You do not carry the blood of lesser creatures."
I let out a relieved breath.
— System.
[Name: Victor Leon]
[Model: Baki Hanma]
[Store]
"Alright. Next — System, fuse with Cid Kagenou."
[Are you sure you want to fuse with Cid Kagenou?]
— Yes.
Again, I was transported to the white room — but this time, something changed. With Baki's experience already integrated, I fell into a state of enlightenment. Techniques refined themselves. Errors disappeared. Magic became second nature.
When I opened my eyes again, I asked:
"Mom… what just happened?"
Her gentle voice answered:
"We are superior beings, my son. Our body, soul, and spirit are not limited like humans. The same improvement occurred with Baki — you just weren't experienced enough to notice."
"Understood. Thank you, Mom."
I summoned the system once more.
[Name: Victor Leon]
[Model: Baki Hanma, Cid Kagenou]
[Store]
"System, fuse with Sung Jinwoo — from Solo Leveling."
[Are you sure you want to fuse with Sung Jinwoo, Monarch of Shadows?]
— Yes.
This time, the room wasn't white — it was pure darkness.
No — it wasn't darkness.
It was shadow — dense enough that I couldn't even see my own hand.
Time flowed differently there. Longer. Deeper.
When the fusion ended, my strength was overwhelming. Baki and Cid felt like the foundation beneath something far greater.
I possessed Jinwoo's abilities — and exceeded them.
But one thing was missing: shadows to command.
I could've bought corpses from the system, but that would be boring.
Building my own army would be far more satisfying.
There were still things I needed.
"System, I want a dimensional pocket — the largest available."
[Does the host wish to acquire a dimensional pocket the size of ten galaxies?]
My eye twitched. That was… excessive.
Before I responded, my mother's voice echoed:
"Take it. You will need it."
Without hesitation, I confirmed.
[Fusing dimensional pocket with host...]
[Complete.]
Instantly, I understood every part of it — as if it were an extension of my own body.
— System, give me the Monarch's daggers — Antares Fangs.
[Confirm purchase?]
— Confirm.
[Item stored in dimensional pocket.]
With a single thought, the daggers appeared in my hands. Calling them daggers felt wrong — they were practically twin swords. Each weighed over a hundred kilos, yet they felt weightless.
I practiced with them for a moment before hunger crept in.
I could disable that sensation — my body no longer required food — but I didn't want to lose my humanity. My mother made sure I lived as a mortal for a reason.
I took a long bath in a luxurious tub, grabbed a pizza and some wine from the system, and finally went to sleep.