The first rays of the sun stretched across the horizon, painting the sky with hues of gold and orange. Below, a mountain loomed, its slopes covered by dense forests of towering trees. At its peak rested a small, forlorn village. Despite the sunlight spilling over the landscape, the settlement remained cloaked in a somber gloom, as if untouched by the dawn.
Inside one of the crumbling wooden houses, a young man stirred. His sharp, masculine features were a stark contrast to his frail, emaciated body. Bruises and welts marred his skin, and his limbs were so thin they seemed ready to snap. He groaned, his eyes fluttering open to take in the unfamiliar surroundings.
"Hiss… What's this? A wooden roof? Where am I?" he muttered, his voice hoarse and weak.
This young man was Wuji, a man who had died once already. In his previous life, he was consumed by his ambition to become the strongest human alive. But no amount of grit or determination could overcome the limits of his flawed genetics. His body, pushed beyond its capabilities, collapsed, and his life ended in failure. Yet now, he found himself alive—though in a body even worse than the one he'd left behind.
He raised a trembling arm, staring at it in disgust. "Skin and bones... bruised all over. This body is even worse than my last one," he muttered, trying to sit up. A searing pain shot through him, and he fell back onto the creaking wooden bed.
"ARGH! Damn it! Why can't I move?!" he growled through gritted teeth.
A soft, mature voice interrupted his frustration. "Wuji, stop moving! You're covered in wounds!"
His gaze snapped to the door, which opened slowly to reveal a woman. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with refined features that seemed almost otherworldly. Her long, dark hair framed her face, and her modest villager's clothes couldn't hide her graceful figure. Wuji blinked, stunned into silence.
Before he could speak, a sharp pain lanced through his head. "Hiss!" he groaned, clutching his temples as memories flooded in, unbidden and overwhelming.
The memories confirmed it—this body's name was also Wuji. Born into misfortune, this Wuji's life was nothing short of tragic. His mother had died giving birth to him, and his father, consumed by grief, vanished into the forest a year later. His aunt, Mei, had raised him, sacrificing everything to keep him alive.
But this Wuji's body was abysmally weak. His stature was diminutive, barely 1.6 meters tall, and even walking too far could leave him fainting from exhaustion. His sole income came from cutting wood in the forest—a humiliating job that barely kept him fed. The bruises covering his body? Courtesy of the local thugs who extorted "protection fees" and used him as a punching bag when he couldn't pay.
The memories were clear and painful. Wuji's lips curled into a bitter smile. "What a miserable life…"
His thoughts were interrupted by Mei, who rushed to his side and pulled him into a gentle embrace. "Wuji, please… don't leave me alone," she whispered, her voice trembling.
For a moment, Wuji was stunned by the warmth of her concern. Then, something inside him ignited. His eyes, once dull and lifeless, now glimmered with a ferocity he hadn't felt in years. "Don't worry, Aunt Mei," he said, his voice steady. "I'll never leave you alone."
Exhaustion tugged at him again, and he drifted into unconsciousness.
... ... ...
"Hoo, hoo…"
Wuji groaned as his eyes fluttered open again. A small red monkey perched on his chest, its golden eyes gleaming in the dim light. The creature tilted its head, studying Wuji curiously.
"Little Red… What are you doing?" Wuji rasped.
The monkey chirped in response, pointing toward a table nearby. Wuji turned his head to see a bowl of steaming porridge and a pile of fruits. His stomach growled loudly, and he forced himself to sit up, biting back the pain.
With trembling hands, he reached for the food and devoured it ravenously. The sweet fruits and warm porridge felt like pure bliss after the agony he'd endured. Little Red hopped to his side, chirping happily as Wuji ate.
From the memories he'd inherited, Wuji recalled Little Red's story. The monkey's mother, a massive red ape over three meters tall, had been mortally wounded while protecting her child. Before her death, she entrusted Little Red to Wuji. Since then, the monkey had never left his side.
"Hoo!" Little Red chirped again, pointing at something beneath the table.
Wuji frowned, leaning down to grab the object. It was an old, tattered book. The faded cover bore the title: Iron Shirt Technique.
"Iron Shirt Technique?" Wuji muttered. "Sounds like one of those scam martial arts from Earth."
Still, curiosity got the better of him. He opened the book, skimming its contents. The descriptions hinted at something incredible—a method to refine the body and gain superhuman strength. Wuji's mind flashed to a memory. He had once seen Captain Long, the village's guard captain, shatter a 500-kilogram boulder with a single punch. Perhaps this technique wasn't just a gimmick.
Then, without warning, a mechanical sound echoed in his mind.
[ DING! Body Refining Technique Detected! ]
[ DING! Infinite Body Refining System Activated! ]
Wuji froze, his heart pounding. "What the hell was that?!" he muttered, glancing around. A glowing blue panel materialized before his eyes, displaying unfamiliar text and icons.
For a moment, he simply stared, unable to process what was happening. Then, his lips curled into a grin—a wild, almost unhinged grin that transformed his battered face into something fierce and primal.
"HAHAHAHA!" His laughter shattered the silence of the night, startling Little Red, who tilted his head in confusion.
Wuji quickly clamped a hand over his mouth, his grin refusing to fade. "A system…" he whispered, trembling with excitement. "I actually have a system… just like in those novels!"
His mind raced. This was his second chance—a chance to rise above the weak body he'd been cursed with. His eyes burned with determination as he clenched his fists.
"With this system, I'll crush every obstacle in my path. I'll rebuild this useless body into something unstoppable."
Though this village was nothing more than a speck in the grand scheme of the world, it was where Wuji's journey would begin. No one would stop him now.