A few hours later.
Caawww, caawww, caawww!
Several crows surrounded the unconscious Itachi, their curiosity overriding their natural survival instincts.
They didn't know why, but the man laying before them held an unusual allure.
He reeked of death.
"Ugh…"
Opening his eyes, Itachi shot up instantly!
Breathing heavily, he sharply scanned his surroundings, waiting for that robotic voice to return.
"Hold on a minute… my body feels different."
He touched his neck and found the wound had disappeared. On top of that, he felt invigorated. The bones in his body no longer ached, and he could move freely. His injuries had been completely healed.
"Interesting… that voice must have done this," he muttered, unsurprised. After reincarnating, he believed almost anything was possible.
Smiling slightly, Itachi recalled the last thing he heard before passing out.
"The voice said 'System'—"
Before he could finish, a corporeal screen appeared in front of him.
Taken aback, he stared at the screen in slight surprise.
--
[Host: Itachi Uchiha
Level: 1 | Exp: 0/100 (After reaching level 100, Host may upgrade the system)
Attack: 3/10 (+) - Mortal Strength
Defense: 2/10 (+) - Mortal Flesh
Agility: 3/10 (+) - Mortal Speed
Hp: 10/100 (+) - Mortal Vitality
Mana: 0
Attribute points remaining: 5 (Can be used to upgrade stats)
--
Skill Tree unlocks at host level 25 (Locked)
--
Shop Unlocks at host level 50 (Locked) ]
*
Itachi studied the screen that floated before him, intrigued. Those stats seemed to reflect his current physical state. The system had left him five points to distribute. He wondered how he could acquire more attribute points and experience points to level up. Not to mention, the skill tree and shop piqued his interest.
Furrowing his brow, Itachi stroked his chin, debating where to place the five attribute points.
Meanwhile, the crows surrounding him looked dumbfounded, watching him stare at seemingly nothing for several minutes.
Ca...caw?
Confused, they flew in front of him to get his attention, but he stood there unmoving, staring off into space.
"Hmm, I need to use these five points wisely. I still don't know how to acquire attribute points... Before I use these, I should test this body's capabilities."
With that, he turned off the dashboard, realizing he could activate it at will. He didn't question the mystery behind it; survival was his only priority.
Taking off his shirt, Itachi revealed a toned body with modest muscle. Without further delay, he began performing various exercises and somersaults to test his limits.
The crows watched in astonishment as the strange man stripped half-naked and started performing "funny" movements.
But what they didn't realize was that these moves held a form of elegance, each movement precise and efficient. Any martial artist watching would have been astounded.
Swish, swish, swish
The wind whistled as he moved, his punches and kicks almost poetic.
Eventually, even the crows were captivated.
Right, left, right, left…
Their small heads moved in sync, not even daring to breathe, as though afraid to disturb him.
His movement were perfection.
Itachi had honed his martial arts to a degree few could match. With his memories intact, he executed his movements with flawless form. Finding a weakness or opening would be nearly impossible for any opponent.
"Huff, huff…"
Itachi halted, breathing heavily, and wiped the sweat from his brow.
A slight smirk appeared on his face—not from pride in his new body's strength, but from a realization.
For the first time in a long time… he could move without pain.
He felt free.
"How long has it been since I've felt this good from basic exercise… My lungs don't hurt, my vision is clear, and I can feel the cold wind brush against my skin. The pain is gone. I don't need those medications anymore."
Tightening his fists, he breathed in the cold air around him.
In his previous life, he'd been plagued by a deadly illness that eventually killed him, forcing him to endure daily pain, kept alive only by medicine. Mentally and physically exhausted, for the first time in a long time, he felt the joy of simply feeling normal.
Ignoring these thoughts, he coldly evaluated his analysis.
"This body's strength is equivalent to a child's. It's extremely weak. Surviving a week here will require a miracle."
After Tian Long's death, his body had lost all cultivation and power. In fact, his younger brother had used a demonic technique to drain his cultivation after killing him, ensuring he would have no chance of revival.
Opening the system dashboard, Itachi placed all five points into attack, disregarding the other attributes.
---
[Attack: 8/10 (+) - Mortal Strength]
---
His muscles tightened slightly, and he felt a surge of strength. Picking up a rock beside him, he hurled it as far as he could.
The startled crows 'cawed' and flapped their wings, cementing in their minds that this fellow was indeed crazy.
"600 meters, not bad. My strength has increased exponentially. If my suspicions are correct, the way to acquire experience points is simply by killing."
Itachi had put everything into strength; he needed enough power to kill. The other attributes wouldn't help him for now. And with just two more points, he could upgrade his Mortal Strength.
Killing is an art he had perfected.
With a sharp glint in his eyes, Itachi looked at the flock of crows. He needed experience points; otherwise, only death awaited him. He had noticed these birds from the start but paid them no mind.
"You birds can leave now. The show's over. I don't need you attracting dangerous beasts with all the noise you're making."
The crows, understanding somehow, didn't budge.
Itachi sighed, ignoring them. He needed to find shelter before dark. He would focus on leveling up in the morning.
Putting his shirt back on, he walked through the dense vegetation, his senses heightened.
Soon enough, his figure vanished into the endless greenery.
However…
A pair of deep emerald eyes watched as Itachi disappeared, intrigued by the scenes that had unfolded.
Without a sound, the eyes vanished into the vegetation, leaving behind large paw prints in their wake.