The following days passed with the same pattern: waking up at dawn, sensing Qi, cultivating my dantian, repeating the basic movements until my body memorized them on its own, then completing the small quests that somehow appeared after my hut was built. As if the system truly wanted to make sure I functioned as something more than an ordinary human.
And as usual, another notification appeared out of nowhere.
[Quest – Secure Your Territory]
I stared at that screen for a long time.
'Do you think I'm a wolf!?' I grumbled inwardly, but yeah—there was no N option, so I could only click my tongue and accept.
To complete it, I had to make sure the area around my hut was free of threats. In the context of Earth, Japan, 2045? That might mean shooing away petty thieves. But in the context of Kuoh, the supernatural world, and a forest contaminated by strange rumors?
It meant finding a pack of wild wolves who had decided the hill belonged to them, not to me.
"Oh great…" I sighed. But what could I do—quest was quest.
I only brought a small axe, its handle worn out a bit from frequently cutting branches and firewood. But now, somehow, it felt like an extension of my arm. A month of intense Heavenly Demon Arts training had made my muscles flexible, my body's responses quick, and my movements more controlled. My inner strength was still new, still green, but my body… my body had changed drastically.
Sometimes when I swung my arm, the air in front of my palm trembled faintly—a sensation resembling the techniques written in that book: Demon Palm, Nine Pulse Break, and a few names that made me feel like a murim cultivator lost in Japan.
Of course, I hadn't practiced them fully. I wasn't stupid; this world had magical laws, and Heavenly Demon Arts came from another dimension. If I recklessly forced it, I could accidentally attract something far more terrifying than a rumor-powered boar.
But the basic technique… the basic technique had already entered my muscles.
As I wandered through the forest searching for the wolf pack, my body moved with a rhythm that was light yet sharp—stepping without sound, holding my breath at specific moments, letting Qi flow thinly through my palms.
Until finally, I found them.
Three wolves. Not too big, but their fur bristled oddly, as if a bit of foreign energy flowed through them. Their eyes glowed faint green, a sign they had absorbed remnants of wild aura from the forest—perhaps from rumors about the "King of Mountain" or just residual magical energy leaking from Kuoh.
They stared at me, growling low, their bodies lowering as they prepared to pounce. I felt the hairs on my neck rise, adrenaline heating up, but instead of fear, I became… focused.
"Alright," I muttered, taking a low stance.
One of the wolves lunged. I slid my foot to the side and rotated my hips—a reflexive movement from Heavenly Demon footwork—and my palm slapped its jaw with controlled force.
Demon Palm – basic level.
Not the real technique, of course, just the essence my body mimicked from the system's memory.
The wolf tumbled, not dead, but knocked down hard enough to whimper.
The other two backed up slightly, then tried circling me.
'They're smart,' I thought. 'These aren't just ordinary animals.'
I lowered my body, gripping the small axe, and in my heart, I recited the Heavenly Demon breathing rhythm.
The air felt lighter.
The small rustling around the bushes faded from my mind.
And when the two wolves leapt at the same time, I bent my knees and shot forward with a straight punch—thin Qi flowing—hitting its chest and sending the wolf's body flying like a ragdoll.
The last one was startled. It growled, stepped back, then ran away.
I stood there, panting, but not too tired. My body adapted quickly. I checked the small wounds I received—just a scratch on my arm and a bit of claw marks on my side. Nothing serious.
"Done…" I muttered.
[Quest Completed – Area successfully secured]
[Reward: +1 Universe Item Gacha Ticket]
I stared at that screen while exhaling deeply.
'Seriously…? The quest really does treat me like a wolf.'
But I didn't complain.
Then I used the ticket and got something even more unexpected.
[One Set of Murim Grandmaster Clothing – Rank A]
'Clothes…? Seriously?'
I opened the chest, and immediately a flow of smooth dark fabric streamed out like condensed night mist. Its texture was soft yet felt strong, as if woven from spirit beast silk that shouldn't exist in modern Japan. The design… yeah, very murim—an elegant long robe, layered cloth belts, an outer drape that fluttered when touched by the wind.
I held it with both hands. Its weight was perfect—not light like normal fabric, not heavy like armor. A faint aura flowed between its threads, making the hair on my arms stand.
"Of course… of course I got this," I murmured softly, somewhere between awe and wanting to laugh. "My system really doesn't understand the concept of normal."
But one thought immediately popped into my head.
What are its effects?
Because there was no way a Grandmaster outfit only gave a cool appearance. Rank A? From murim? There had to be something deeper.
I let out a slow breath. "System, what are the effects of these clothes?"
A bluish screen opened, and the text appeared like an answer from an entity far too calm for the mess my life had become.
[Answering…]
[Murim Grandmaster Clothing – Rank A]
— Crafted from high-grade spiritual threads from the murim dimension.
— Enhances body coordination, balance, and the smooth flow of Qi.
— Stabilizes energy resonance when using martial techniques.
— Significantly increases physical defense against non-magical attacks and low-grade energy attacks.
— Reduces bodily fatigue by 30%.
— Accelerates recovery of light to moderate injuries.
— Cannot be torn except by Monster-class power, high-grade Sacred Gears, or beings above Rank Sovereign.
— Contains an automatic disguise enchantment: transforms into normal modern clothing when needed to blend in.
I blinked several times.
"…Isn't this too strong?"
[Answering… No.]
The system replied without hesitation, as if all my questions were routine procedures written in its manual.
I took a slow breath, then immediately chose the use option. In an instant, a thin light wrapped around my body—warm, precise, like invisible hands measuring my size inch by inch.
When the light faded, I looked down at the clothing now on my body.
A full set of murim-style grandmaster robes.
Deep black fabric, faintly embroidered red cloud patterns, and a waist sash that looked more like equipment for life-and-death duels than a fashion accessory.
And when I lowered my head toward the clear river surface, the reflection appeared.
"…I really look like I'm cosplaying Cheon-Ma, damn," I muttered, eyes widening, half proud, half in disbelief. "Damn, this actually looks cool."
Honestly, there was no reason to be embarrassed.
I lived alone—in the middle of the forest—with no one to judge, laugh, or take pictures. So yeah, I wore it without caring about anything. And the clothes felt… right. As if they were made for me.
After getting dressed, I returned to my daily routine—training.
My movements felt much more stable, more precise. The clothes weren't just comfortable; somehow, they channeled an aura that synchronized my body with the Heavenly Demon techniques. Every kick, every breath, every flow of energy felt more focused.
I had already mastered the basics. Now, I was moving toward the advanced level.
The problem was… to do that, I needed to raise my grade.
And right in the middle of my thoughts about what to do next, a notification appeared—right on time, as usual.
[Quest – Reach the 5th floor of the Tower of Babylon]
Reward: +2 Universal Gacha Items
I froze.
'Tower? Babylon? Seriously, now we're switching genres?'
It felt like a player, hunter, or returnee manhwa that suddenly decided to insert an interdimensional dungeon… and my system was apparently enjoying this theme change a little too much.
But… I didn't mind.
"Alright," I muttered, clenching my fist. "If that's what it takes, then I really do need to get stronger as fast as possible."
And for some reason, the image of my future self—higher grade, more polished techniques, a body refined to its limit—actually made me excited.
I smiled faintly.
"I'm looking forward to the version of me after I've ascended in grade."