A sharp inhale. Lungs burning. The weight of existence slamming back into his body like a war hammer.
Orion's eyes snapped open. The world around him was a blur of green, his vision still adjusting to reality.
He slowly pushed himself up, his fingers digging into the damp soil beneath him. The scent of fresh earth and rain filled his nostrils.
Above him, towering trees stretched endlessly into the sky, their massive roots tangling like the veins of an ancient, breathing world.
He exhaled sharply, his breath steadying.
Orion : (Thinking) So… this is where it begins.
The first thing he noticed was the air—it was thick. Denser. Every breath he took felt richer, heavier, filled with something unseen.
A stark contrast to the thin, lifeless air of the war-ravaged future he had glimpsed before.
Then—
DING!
📜 [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] 📜
🔹 Skill Acquired: Mana Manipulation Lv.1
📖 You can now sense and control the natural flow of Mana in the environment and within yourself. Higher levels improve efficiency and power.
🔹 Skill Acquired: Qi Manipulation Lv.1
📖 You can now gather and refine Qi within your body, strengthening your core and enhancing physical abilities.
🔹 Skill Acquired: Sabermanship Lv.1
📖 Your understanding of saber combat has reached the first stage. Precision, power, and technique will grow with mastery.
🔹 Skill Acquired: Craftsmanship Lv.1
📖 Your hands now possess the instincts of a craftsman. You can create tools, weapons, and structures with greater efficiency.
🔹 Skill Acquired: Artifact Refinement Lv.1
📖 You have unlocked the ability to refine raw materials into artifacts with mystical properties. This skill will evolve as you practice.
Orion's gaze sharpened as he processed the flood of information.
Orion: (Muttering) Qi… Mana… Sabers… Crafting… Artifact Refinement…
His fingers curled into fists. This wasn't just survival. This was preparation.
The SYSTEM was arming him with the foundation to build power from nothing.
Then—
📜 [NEW SYSTEM MESSAGE] 📜
🔹 Daily Quest Arrived 🔹
(Complete the following before midnight or suffer a penalty.)
✔️ [Cultivate Qi – 1.5 Hours]
✔️ [Refine Mana – 1 Hour]
✔️ [Practice Martial_Arts – 1 Hour]
✔️ [Meditate – 30 Minutes]
🚨 FAILURE PENALTY: 🚨
⚠️ High-Level Monsters will hunt you for 5 hours.
🔹 REWARD 🔹
✔️ 7AP(Available_Points[Used to Raise Stats])
Orion narrowed his eyes.
Orion: (Flatly) "…Hunted?"
A chill ran down his spine—not from fear, but from pure instinct.
If the SYSTEM said high-level monsters would hunt him, it wasn't a bluff.
He didn't need to see them to know that they were out there, lurking in the shadows of this forgotten world.
He had two options.
Option 1: Complete the tasks.
Option 2: Fight for his life for five hours straight against creatures that could probably rip him apart.
A dry chuckle escaped his lips.
Orion: "Well, that's one hell of a motivator."
His hands instinctively reached for a weapon, but of course—he had none. No saber. No armor. No tools.
Just his body and a fresh SYSTEM guiding his way.
Orion: Alright. First things first.
His eyes flickered toward the dense forest ahead.
The air thrummed with unseen power—Qi and Mana flowing freely through the very fabric of existence.
This was the true beginning.
And he had no intention of failing.
Orion stood still, eyes locked on the SYSTEM screen before him. The weight of his new reality had begun to settle. He had his tasks. He had his skills.
And now—
📜 [NEW SYSTEM MESSAGE] 📜
🔹 Qi Manipulation is now activating…
🔹 Mana Manipulation is now activating…
His body tensed.
Suddenly—
A wave of foreign energy surged into him from the surrounding air.
A cool, calming force spiraled into his chest, flooding his heart with an ethereal warmth.
It was like liquid light coursing through his veins, seeping into his very being.
At the same time—
A deep, raw pressure coiled in his lower stomach, twisting and expanding like a newborn storm.
This one was dense, heavy, ancient—almost as if the very earth itself had come alive inside him.
Orion clenched his fists.
Orion: (Gritting his teeth) "What the hell… is this…?"
His heartbeat pounded like war drums. His stomach tightened. It wasn't pain—it was power.
Then—
📜 [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] 📜
🔹 Qi Dantian has successfully formed in your lower stomach.
📖 Your body can now refine Qi, strengthening your physical attributes and internal energy.
🔹 Mana Core has successfully formed in your heart.
📖 Your connection to Mana has been established. You can now channel and refine Mana for mystical abilities.
Orion exhaled sharply, his breath visible in the damp rainforest air.
He could feel it.
The Qi Dantian—a well of compressed, raw life force. It pulsed like a second heart, a reservoir of power waiting to be tamed.
The Mana Core—a flickering ember of arcane energy. It felt infinite, boundless, yet delicate, as if the wrong touch could shatter it.
He took a deep breath, eyes narrowing.
Orion: (Muttering) "So this is how it starts."
For the first time in his life, he wasn't just wielding a sword. He wasn't just a commander on a battlefield.
He was becoming something else.
He rolled his shoulders, adjusting to the unfamiliar sensation of two forces coexisting inside him.
The Qi made him feel grounded, powerful, like an unshakable mountain.
The Mana made him feel lighter, faster—like his body could move beyond physical limits.
A smirk tugged at his lips.
Orion: "Now this… this I can use."
But there was no time to bask in it. The SYSTEM's daily quest was still looming over him.
The sun hung high above the ancient jungle, its golden rays piercing through the dense canopy.
Sweat dripped from Orion's brow as he exhaled slowly, his breath steady, controlled.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] 📜
🔹 Time Until Midnight: 11:12:37
He was nearly done. Just one task remained.
Orion sat cross-legged on the soft earth, the air around him thrumming with unseen energy.
His Qi Dantian pulsed in rhythm with his breath, the invisible force cycling through his body like a flowing river.
His Mana Core, nestled in his heart, shimmered with an almost ethereal warmth.
"Last step. Meditation."
Orion closed his eyes, letting his senses expand. The world around him came alive—not just through sight, but through feeling.
The pulsing Qi in the trees, the slow hum of Mana in the soil, the distant heartbeats of unseen creatures lurking in the shadows.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] 📜
✔️ Qi Cultivation – Completed.
✔️ Mana Refinement – Completed.
✔️ Martial Arts Training – Completed.
✔️ Meditation – Completed.
📜 [DAILY QUEST COMPLETED] 📜
🔹 Reward: +7 AP (Available Points)
Orion's eyes snapped open. He let out a slow exhale, flexing his fingers. The power coursing through him felt sharper, stronger, more refined.
"Not bad for Day One."
Then—He Used the AP(Available_Points).
📜 [SYSTEM INITIALIZED] 📜
[SYSTEM CONTENTS]
📌 Notifications
📌 Inventory (Space In INV. Depends On INT. Stat)
📌 Daily Quests (
🔹 Daily Quest 🔹
(Complete the following before midnight or suffer a penalty.)
✔️ [Cultivate Qi – 1.5 Hours]
✔️ [Refine Mana – 1 Hour]
✔️ [Practice Martial_Arts – 1 Hour]
✔️ [Meditate – 30 Minutes]
🚨 FAILURE PENALTY: 🚨
⚠️ High-Level Monsters will hunt you for 5 hours.
🔹 REWARD 🔹
✔️ 7AP(Available_Points[Used to Raise Stats]) )
📌 Quests (Generated Based On Situations Or Pre-Determined Missions)
📌 Skills -
[OMNISCIENCE Lv.1][SABERMANSHIP Lv.1][QI MANIPULATION Lv.1][MANA MANIPULATION Lv.1][CARFTMANSHIP Lv.1][ARTIFAT REFINER Lv.1]
📌 Status Panel :
[Level – 1]
[Job – N/A]
[Title – The Chosen One(Effects : N/A{Will Unlock Overtime})]
[AP (Available Points{Used to Increase Stats.}) – 000] (Got +7 from Daily Quests and Used Them)
[HP (Health Points) – 160+20]
[IP (INSIGNIA OF PARADOX) – 0.0001%]
[Stats :
{STR (Strength) – 19+2}
{VIT (Vitality) – 16+2}
{INT (Intelligence) – 20}
{PER (Perception) – 13+1}
{AGI (Agility) – 12}
{MAN (Mana Control) – 15+1}
{QI (Qi Control) – 11+1}]
📌 Equipment Slots (Helmet - , Vest - , Gloves - , Leggings - , Boots - , Mask - )
[You Can Hide the Equipped Equipment According to Your Will]
📌 Weapons (Weapon-1[Main] : - , Weapon-2[Main] : - , Weapon-3 : - , Weapon-4 : - , Weapon-5 : - , Weapon-6 : - .)
[Weapons in Weapons Slot Can Be Accessed Instantly, Unlike Weapons In INV.]
A rustling sound. Something was watching him.
Orion turned his head slightly, his instincts flaring.
Orion stood still, his breathing steady, his muscles coiled like a spring. The jungle around him hummed with life—until it didn't.
The silence came first.
Then—
SNAP!
A twig broke.
Orion's instincts screamed.
DING!
📜 [SYSTEM QUEST TRIGGERED!] 📜
🔹 Kill All 9 Elder Goblins
🔹 Reward: 2x (Z-Grade) Sabers
He barely had time to read it.
WHOOSH!
A shadow lunged from the trees—jagged obsidian teeth bared, twisted claws slicing through the air.
Orion dodged left—BAAM!—the creature slammed into the ground where he once stood, dirt erupting like an explosion.
More rustling—more figures emerging.
Nine creatures. Goblins—but not ordinary ones.
They stood 5 feet tall, their muscular greenish-brown bodies scarred, their yellow eyes gleaming with bloodlust.
Their ears were long and torn, their movements feral yet calculated. Elder Goblins.
One of them—the leader—grinned with jagged black fangs.
"KRRRRGGHHH!" It snarled, gripping a bone dagger soaked in dried blood.
Orion exhaled slowly, his hands bare. No weapon. No armor. Just his fists.
And nine enemies.
"Tch."
Then—they attacked.
WHOOSH!
The first Elder Goblin swung its rusted cleaver at Orion's skull.
CLANG!
Orion deflected it with his forearm—pain ripped through his bones, but he used the momentum—BAM!—and slammed his elbow into its jaw!
The goblin stumbled, hissing—but another leaped from behind!
SWOOSH! A poisoned dagger sliced toward his spine!
Orion twisted mid-air—BAAM!—kicking the goblin's chest, sending it crashing into two others!
A sharp whistle—an incoming spear!
"Shit!"
Orion ducked—SHING!—the spear grazed his cheek, drawing blood.
Two goblins came from opposite sides—one high, one low!
He had no time to dodge.
He chose violence.
BANG!
Orion grabbed the low goblin by the throat—using its body as a human shield!
SHUNK!
The other goblin's dagger stabbed its own ally instead.
The dying goblin shrieked in agony.
Orion didn't waste the chance—CRACK!—he snapped its neck and hurled it at another attacker!
4 DOWN. 5 LEFT.
SWOOSH! Suddenly a poisoned dagger hit Orion.
📜 [DEBUFF] 📜
🔹 [POISON : WILL LOSE HP AT MID RATE FOR 60S & {AGI : -40%}]
Orion Retreated,
[HP : 180 --> 70 --> 30 --> 08]
After 60s of Running with the Chase of Elder Goblins.
Panting. Bleeding. But still standing.
His HP-08.
His body—barely holding on.
But the last five goblins hesitated now. They weren't fighting a man. They were fighting a monster.
Orion smirked.
"You should've killed me faster."
The leader snarled, enraged—raising its war axe high!
"KRRRRGGHHHHH!!!"
It charged.
Orion charged back.
The moment the axe swung down—
"HRRAAGHHH!"
Orion sidestepped—his fingers clenched like spears—
SHUNK!
He RAMMED his hand into the goblin's throat, crushing its windpipe!
The goblin choked, panicking—
Orion tore its dagger from its own belt—SPIN—SLASH!
SPLURT!
Its head rolled.
The remaining four charged in rage!
Orion didn't stop moving.
He caught one by the wrist—SNAP!—dislocated it!
Another tried stabbing him—he caught the blade barehanded—**blood spilled—**but he WRENCHED it free and buried it into the goblin's eye!
The last two?
Orion grinned.
He grabbed both by the skull—
And SLAMMED THEM TOGETHER!
CRACKKKK!
Silence.
It was over.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] 📜
✔️ QUEST COMPLETED: Kill All 9 Elder Goblins
✔️ Reward: 2x (Z-Grade) Sabers Obtained
Orion stood in the middle of the bloodbath.
Panting.
Shaking.
His HP: 8.
Then—
📜 [HEALING BUFF ACTIVATED] 📜
A soothing warmth flooded his body. The cuts sealed. The broken skin repaired. His HP fully restored.
Orion exhaled, rolling his shoulders.
"That was fun."
📜 [Calculating EXP....] 📜
🔹 Levelled UP. 1 --> 2 [All Stats +1]
🔹 Levelled UP. 2 --> 3 [All Stats +1]
🔹 Levelled UP. 3 --> 4 [All Stats +1]
📜 [NEW ITEM ACQUIRED] 📜
🔹 2x (Z-Grade) Sabers
Two black-bladed sabers materialized in his hands—light, balanced, deadly.
Orion twirled them, grinning.
"Now we're talking."
But he wasn't done yet.
📜 [SYSTEM NOTIFICATION] 📜
🔹 Extract Qi Dantian from the Elder Goblins? Y/N
He crouched down, placing a hand on the goblins' corpses.
"Yes."
A faint blue mist rose from each body—nine glowing Qi Dantian orbs hovered before him.
📜 [ABSORBING QI…] 📜
🔹 QI (QI Control) - 12 --> 15(+3 By Levelling UP) --> 21(+6 By Absorbing)
The orbs dissolved into his lower stomach, merging with his Qi Dantian.
A surge of power flooded his veins.
His Qi Manipulation increased. His body felt stronger.
Orion's smirk deepened.
"Now this… this I can use."
The real hunt had just begun.
TO BE CONTINUED.----------
📜 [SYSTEM INITIALIZED] 📜
[SYSTEM CONTENTS]
📌 Notifications
📌 Inventory (Storage depends on INT stat)
📌 Daily Quests
✔️ [Cultivate Qi – 1.5 Hours] (Completed)
✔️ [Refine Mana – 1 Hour] (Completed)
✔️ [Practice Martial Arts – 1 Hour] (Completed)
✔️ [Meditate – 30 Minutes] (Completed)
🚨 FAILURE PENALTY: High-Level Monsters will hunt you for 5 hours.
🔹 REWARD: +7 AP (Available Points)
📌 Quests (Generated Based On Situations Or Pre-Determined Missions)
✔️ QUEST COMPLETED: Kill All 9 Elder Goblins
🔹 Reward: 2x (Z-Grade) Sabers
📌 Skills (Upgraded/New Skills Acquired)
[OMNISCIENCE Lv.1]
[SABERMANSHIP Lv.2] (Upgraded due to combat experience)
[QI MANIPULATION Lv.2] (Upgraded due to Qi absorption)
[MANA MANIPULATION Lv.1]
[CRAFTSMANSHIP Lv.1]
[ARTIFACT REFINEMENT Lv.1]
📌 Status Panel (Updated after fights and leveling up)
🔹 Level – 4 (Increased from Level 1 to 4 after absorbing Qi and fighting Elder Goblins)
🔹 Job – N/A
🔹 Title – The Chosen One (Effects: N/A {Will Unlock Over Time})
🔹 AP (Available Points) – 000 (Spent after leveling up to boost stats)
🔹 HP (Health Points) – 250 (Increased after leveling up and healing buff activation)
🔹 IP (INSIGNIA OF PARADOX) – 0.0001% (No change yet—still extremely low)
📌 Stats: (Each level-up increased all base stats by +1, and AP allocation boosted some further)
{STR (Strength) – 24}
{VIT (Vitality) – 21}
{INT (Intelligence) – 23}
{PER (Perception) – 17}
{AGI (Agility) – 15}
{MAN (Mana Control) – 18}
{QI (Qi Control) – 21} (Absorbing Qi Dantians significantly boosted this stat)
📌 Equipment Slots (Empty)
🔹 Weapon-1 [Main]: Z-Grade Saber #1
🔹 Weapon-2 [Main]: Z-Grade Saber #2
🔹 Weapons 3-6: Empty
(Weapons in slots can be accessed instantly, unlike those in Inventory.)