Edward found himself in a foreign world, struggling to believe the reality before him but forced to accept it.
At this moment, he was in a small room with worn green stone bricks lining the floor.
The bed's blanket had rose patterns and emitted a faint floral fragrance.
However, the comforting scent did little to calm Edward's mind.
Fragments of memories swirled in his head, slowly becoming clearer.
He was no longer his old self but had become someone else in this world—the captain of a patrol squad in White Deer Town.
The previous owner of this body was a cunning man who had climbed to his position through flattery and currying favor with his superiors.
He had led a carefree life, at least materially.
He didn't need to worry about food or clothing, nor did he have to be concerned about making a living.
Although the identity wasn't prestigious, it afforded him a stable life.
Yet this world was far from peaceful.
Not only were demons rampant here, but ghosts also filled the air, making people tremble with fear.
Edward's head throbbed painfully as if something deep in his mind had been triggered.
He struggled to break free from the chaos in his thoughts, but the intense pain made breathing nearly impossible.
"Damn it!"
He cursed aloud, his eyes widening as he gasped for breath, trying to make sense of the situation.
His gaze swept the room, landing on a terrified blonde woman across from him.
She clutched her undergarments tightly, looking utterly disheveled.
Behind her, a small blonde boy lay on the ground, trembling uncontrollably.
Both of them stared at Edward with fear in their eyes, frozen in terror.
Edward struggled to calm his breathing, his mind still echoing with that sudden pain.
He stared at the two, but before he could speak, the blonde woman suddenly broke down, wrapping her undergarments around Edward's legs and crying hysterically.
"I'll continue being your mistress! Please, please don't kill my brother!"
Her voice was laced with heart-wrenching sobs, showing she was utterly consumed by panic.
Her brother, having lost his footing, collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain and looking equally miserable.
"Shut up," Edward growled, clenching his teeth against the pain that twisted his face.
His anger flared in the midst of his suffering.
A brief moment of clarity made Edward realize that the former owner of this body had collapsed tonight after a entangled with this blonde woman, leaving the scene in chaos.
Her scream had drawn her brother, and none of them expected that Edward, who had fainted, would "resurrect," making them unsure whether he was human or ghost.
Frustrated by the situation, Edward's pain and fury mingled, making him feel as though he couldn't breathe.
He wanted to curse but found himself at a loss for words, feeling utterly stifled.
He was now stuck dealing with the mess the former Edward had left behind, and this was just the beginning.
These two clearly had no idea that the Edward before them was no longer the same person.
He dressed quickly, weakly patting the blonde woman's back.
"Get out, get out."
As he rubbed his temples, the hallucination in front of him became clearer.
[Current Level]
Not Have.
[Current Skills]
Piercing Iron Palm (Beginner)
Demon Slayer Swordsmanship (Beginner)
[Can consume remaining life to enhance skill proficiency]
[Cannot consume further when life is below one year]
[Current remaining life: 25 years]
…
Memories from the previous owner of this body gradually surfaced in Edward's mind.
To his surprise, the previous owner had the same name—Edward.
And this Edward had learned two skills. Piercing Iron Palm was something provided by the government, a basic requirement for every patrolman to practice.
Demon Slayer Swordsmanship was taught to the patrol squad by imperial demon hunters who came to White Deer Town after demons appeared.
However, the previous Edward had indulged excessively in pleasure, rendering his body weak and powerless.
Although he had learned the swordsmanship, his actual combat effectiveness had drastically diminished.
'Is this what they call a system?'
Edward, a fan of novels, was stunned to find that he had acquired a system of his own.
But he couldn't be happy about it now, as it required consuming life to improve proficiency.
"Tsk."
Edward remembered that this was probably the siblings' house.
He stood up, grabbed his sword, draped his coat over himself, and prepared to leave.
This mode of transmigration was downright absurd, and he hadn't expected to end up in this world through such a bizarre event.
The blonde woman clutched her brother's hand tightly, trembling in fear as Edward moved closer to the door.
The wooden door creaked open as Edward pushed it. Suddenly, a foul stench filled the air, causing him to wrinkle his nose.
"Finished already?"
A deep, coarse voice echoed beside Edward, and the stench instantly intensified, nearly making him vomit.
He fought down the urge to retch, turning his head to see a hulking figure squatting by the door.
Its body was rippling with muscle, shoulders broad, and its yellow fur slick with oil.
Instead of a human head, it bore the head of a tiger.
Slowly rising, the creature towered over Edward, its shoulders twice as wide.
"So, you're still here."
Edward chuckled softly, choosing not to acknowledge the demon.
His mind held memories of this tiger demon—the former Edward had often colluded with demons.
It wasn't just Edward; many officials in White Deer Town had made deals with demons.
They would offer people to the demons as food, and as long as the demons were fed, they wouldn't cause trouble, ensuring the matter wouldn't reach the imperial demon hunters.
This, in turn, helped these officials keep their positions.
The current Edward was utterly disgusted with his predecessor's actions.
The tiger demon grabbed Edward by the neck.
Its massive head moved close to Edward's face, sharp teeth gleaming as thick saliva dripped from its long jaws.
"Are you deaf?"
With that, the tiger demon hurled Edward aside.
A crushing force pressed into his neck, and Edward felt as though it would snap.
He crashed into the wall, leaving a hole in it.
"I'll kill you first, you deaf fool."
The tiger demon advanced slowly.
Edward lay crumpled on the floor, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
Barely half an hour into his transmigration, and he was about to die again.
Glancing over, he noticed the siblings frozen in fear, unable to move.
The sword lay near them.
"Give me… sword…"
Edward raised a feeble hand, but the two stood dumbfounded.
He had to speak again, this time with more effort.
"Give me the sword."
Just as the boy reached out to hand over the sword, the tiger demon kicked it away, leering with its foul breath. The stench was overwhelming.
"So disgusting."
Edward muttered, thinking about how his head would soon be bitten off, chewed to pieces, and swallowed with saliva.
His breathing grew rapid, and a hint of madness flickered in his eyes.
Since his life had been given a second chance, he might as well play this like a game.
With that thought, Edward recklessly consumed his remaining life.
24… 13… 9…
It stopped at "1."
The proficiency of Piercing Iron Palm soared rapidly.
Piercing Iron Palm (Mastery)
"Tonight, the one who dies won't be human but the demon."