In Douluo Continent, deep within the Sword Mountain Range, Shen An had a lot on his mind.

Good news: He had transmigrated.

Better news: A system was in the process of activating.

Bad news: A black bear stood just ten meters away, staring at him like he was lunch.

Worse news: Shen An had turned into a younger version of himself, tiny and frail, the kind that couldn't even manage a proper sliding tackle against a bear.

[Ding!]

[The system detected a black bear in the Sunset Forest of Douluo Continent observing you. This is the first instance of a Douluo creature acknowledging your existence. The system is now initiating.]

"Wait! I'm in Douluo Continent?" Shen An muttered, shocked, before his thoughts quickly pivoted.

"But that's not important right now! The important thing is: SYSTEM! Dad, you're here! I'm saved!"

[The system's progress bar began to load: 1%... 51%... 99%...]

And then it froze.

Shen An's youthful face twisted in dismay. "Seriously? You're doing me dirty like this?"

Meanwhile, the bear stopped its intense staring contest and began slowly advancing.

Standing tall, the black bear's massive body blocked out the sun, casting Shen An into a dark shadow.

ROAR!

The bear opened its jaws wide, letting out a thunderous roar, each yellowed fang sharp and menacing. Shen An could even smell the putrid stench emanating from its mouth.

"God, this is terrifying!" Shen An whispered, frozen in place.

It wasn't that Shen An knew the survival tip about not running when encountering a bear. It was just that his legs were shaking too much to move.

With the system clearly unreliable at the moment, Shen An realized he had to rely on himself.

Desperate, he combed through his memories for survival strategies.

When encountering a bear in the wild, you must never turn and run. Doing so only provokes the bear's predatory instincts.

Gathering his courage, Shen An locked eyes with the bear, attempting to assert dominance. He forced his face into a ferocious, baby-like snarl, baring his teeth.

The bear was unfazed and continued to inch closer. Shen An, panicking, decided to escalate.

He opened his mouth and roared back: "AHHHHH!"

It was a pitiful sound, a childish yell more likely to amuse than intimidate.

The bear froze momentarily, seemingly taken aback. But then, it let out another earth-shaking roar, its nostrils flaring in challenge.

It crouched, its muscles tensing. It was about to pounce!

"Help! Somebody help me!"

Instinct overrode reason, and Shen An turned and bolted. Predictably, this triggered the bear's pursuit instinct.

[Ding!]

[The system has been activated! Detecting that the host lacks a martial soul, the system will now bestow one. The host may choose any martial soul they are familiar with, and the system will elevate it to the highest level.

You have 30 seconds to make your selection. Please state the name of your martial soul.]

Shen An was too consumed with terror to notice the system's prompt.

As the bear closed in, Shen An yelled in frustration: "Crap!"

[Ding!]

[Martial soul "Grass" has been selected. Powering up... Martial soul unlocked!

Congratulations! You have received the Top-Level Martial Soul: Grass. Please customize its traits and assign it a name.

In addition, you have unlocked the Starter Pack. Please claim it to receive additional rewards.]

[Ding!]

[Detecting immediate life-threatening danger, the system will automatically open the Starter Pack and initiate the Companion Summon.

Summon complete. Companion selected: Tom Cat from Tom and Jerry. Summon in progress—prepare for arrival.]

The bear lunged. Shen An, now out of options, turned to face his doom with grim resolve.

Just as the bear's massive body closed the distance, a white light erupted in the sky.

A blue figure fell from the heavens, landing squarely on the bear's head with a loud THWACK!

Shen An cracked open one eye cautiously.

He was still alive.

The bear lay sprawled on the ground, stunned and motionless. Perched atop its head was a small figure.

A cat.

The cat had vibrant blue fur, yellow eyes with green pupils, and white fur accenting its paws, face, and tail. It wore a red guard uniform, a wide-brimmed black hat with white trim, and held a dainty rapier in one paw.

The cat raised its sword hand in a shrug, looking down at Shen An with a mix of confusion and innocence.

Wait... Shen An's mind clicked.

"Tom?" he ventured hesitantly.

The cat nodded, grinning with a human-like expression.

Shen An's system panel appeared before him, confirming his suspicions.

The realization hit him like a brick: "I only cursed once, and my martial soul became grass?!"

Before Shen An could process his despair, the bear groaned, beginning to stir.

Tom's fur puffed up in alarm, and he leaped to Shen An's side, brandishing his sword defensively.

"Tom, take care of it!" Shen An barked, pointing at the bear.

Tom looked at him, baffled, and gestured to his own face as if to say, "Me? Are you serious?"

"Yes, you! Our lives are in your hands! Defeat it, and I'll treat you to all the food and drink you want—and find you lots of girlfriends!" Shen An promised.

Tom's ears perked up, and his eyes lit with excitement. Overcome with enthusiasm, the cat began trembling in anticipation, envisioning the rewards awaiting him.

Rallying himself, Tom puffed out his chest, rolled up his blue sleeves to reveal pink skin, and prepared for battle.

With a dramatic flair, he charged the bear, rapier gleaming.

Despite being just a cat, Tom was clever and quick. He seized the moment, attacking the bear's eyes, ears, and... less mentionable areas.

Unfortunately, while his strikes were precise, the rapier could only manage to shave some fur. This only enraged the bear further.

With a furious roar, the bear swiped at the rapier, bending it like a cheap toy.

Shen An: Σ(°△°|||)

Tom: Σ(っ°Д°;)っ