[ Dense Forest – Outskirts of the Kingdom of Dawn ]
Kyle opened his eyes.
The sky above him was not Tokyo's gray sky.
It was a clear, pristine blue—so vivid it was almost dazzling. The air was different: clean and refreshing, carrying the scent of damp earth and ancient trees.
He slowly raised his hand in front of his face.
The same hand. The same fingers. The same small scars on his knuckles—memories of boxing, karate, and walls he had broken in fits of anger.
They hadn't disappeared.
"So when he healed me in the white room… the scars from my previous world didn't vanish. Did he do that deliberately? To keep me connected to the past?"
He let out a light sigh.
"Well… fine."
But something was different.
His sense of his body… lighter. Stronger.
As if invisible restraints had been shattered.
He stood up slowly and looked around. A dense forest stretched in every direction—massive trees with thick trunks, dark green leaves blocking most of the sunlight. Strange birds cried out above, and somewhere in the distance, he heard the sound of flowing water.
"So… this is real."
His voice was calm, carrying a cold determination.
He wasn't afraid. He wasn't confused. Just… aware.
He took a few steps, testing his balance. His body responded perfectly. The muscles he had built over years of training were all still there—stronger than before.
"System."
He whispered the word, and a semi-transparent window appeared before his eyes, floating in the air. Clear text glowed with a faint blue light.
---
[ System ]
Name: Kyle
Age: 19
Race: Human
Level: 1.1
Talent: SSS (Mythical)
Physical Strength: 12
Mana: 50
Speed: 11
Endurance: 13
Intelligence: 17
Luck: 8
---
[ Special Abilities ]
1. Eternal Corpse Emperor (Inactive – No corpses available)
2. Devour Skill (Inactive – No enemies killed yet)
3. Appraisal Eye (Active)
4. Lie Detection (Active)
---
[ Acquired Skills ]
None
---
[ Eternal Soldiers ]
Count: 0
---
[ Available Points ]
Learning Points: 0 (3 free system uses)
---
Kyle stared at the numbers, processing them.
Physical strength 12… for an ordinary human in this world, that was extremely high. The result of years of training on Earth.
Level 1.1… meaning the strength of ten ordinary men—ordinary even among ordinary people.
"Mana… 50 points. Normal for level 1.1."
"But in a world where there are those at level nine, ten, or even higher…"
His words were cold. Realistic.
"I'm still weak."
There was no room for arrogance. No room for illusion.
He closed the system window with a thought, and it vanished.
He walked toward the sound of water. A few minutes later, he reached a small stream flowing between rocks. He knelt down and splashed cold water on his face. The sensation was refreshing—real.
He looked at his reflection on the surface of the water.
The same face. Messy black hair, cold gray eyes, sharp features. But something in his gaze… deeper. Harsher.
"Three deaths, four battles, and the killing of two goblins."
He gave a small, sarcastic smile.
"And now I'm in a world full of dragons and demons. What a beginning."
He stood up, wiped the water from his face, and looked at the sky through a gap in the trees.
The sun was slowly rising, golden light piercing through the leaves.
"Alright. Let's begin."
---
[ Exploring the Forest ]
Kyle moved cautiously, his eyes scanning the surroundings with intense focus. Every sound, every movement, every shadow—his mind recorded and analyzed them all.
The forest was alive in a way he had never experienced before. Not like Tokyo's orderly parks, but wild, ancient, and dangerous.
After twenty minutes of walking, he stopped abruptly.
A sound.
A faint rustle in the bushes to his left. Something was moving.
He instinctively took a combat stance—left foot forward, right foot back, hands raised, ready.
The rustling stopped.
Then movement exploded.
A small creature leapt out of the bushes, a sharp shriek bursting from its mouth full of jagged teeth.
A goblin.
Green, ugly, about a meter tall, wielding a sharpened wooden club. Its yellow eyes glowed with hunger and aggression.
Kyle didn't move.
He simply stared at it coldly.
"Goblin."
He focused and activated Appraisal Eye.
A small window appeared above the creature's head:
---
[ Goblin ]
Level: 1.2
Strength: 11
Mana: 100
Speed: 9
Skills: None
Weaknesses: Head, neck
---
"Level 1.2. Slightly stronger than me… but stupid."
The goblin didn't wait. It charged, raising its club high and screaming primitively.
Kyle dodged sideways—fast, calculated, but not perfect.
The club passed just inches from his shoulder.
"Faster than I expected."
The goblin spun with surprising speed and thrust the club toward his chest.
Kyle stepped back, but the tip scraped his left side—sharp pain, but shallow.
Blood began to seep out.
"This creature… is different from the training goblins. More savage. But the movements… the same."
His eyes narrowed.
He remembered. Four battles. Three deaths. The patterns. The repeated motions.
The goblin leapt high—
The same move he had seen before.
This time, Kyle was ready.
He dodged to the side, grabbed a fist-sized stone from the ground, twisted his body, and hurled it with all his strength at the goblin's face.
BAM!
The stone struck its eye. A shrill scream of pain rang out.
The creature stumbled, lost its balance, and fell to its knees.
An opening.
Kyle didn't hesitate.
He lunged forward, grabbed the goblin's head with both hands, and twisted with all his strength.
CRACK!
The sound of bone snapping.
The goblin went limp.
Dead.
Kyle stood over the corpse, breathing heavily. His right hand trembled slightly—not from fear, but from adrenaline.
He glanced at the wound on his side. Light bleeding. Not serious.
"I won."
He felt no joy.
Only… cold realization.
"This is the second time I've killed. But this time, the decision was entirely mine."
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment.
Then opened them.
"Let's see what I can get."
---
[ First Devour ]
Kyle approached the corpse and knelt beside it. He reached out and placed his hand on the goblin's dead body.
Suddenly, he felt something being pulled.
Invisible energy began flowing out of the corpse and into his body. The sensation was strange—warm, like a mild electric current coursing through his veins.
A window appeared before him:
---
[ Devour Skill – Activated ]
Target: Goblin (Level 1.2)
Obtained:
+0.33 Physical Strength (3% of 11)
+3 Mana (3% of 100)
Random Skill: Weak Night Vision
Result: Devour successful
New Physical Strength: 12.33
New Mana: 53
---
Kyle felt the change immediately. His muscles… slightly stronger.
And something else—his vision. The world around him became a bit clearer in the shadows, as if his eyes had grown more sensitive to dim light.
"Weak night vision… not powerful, but useful."
He stood up and looked at the corpse again.
Then a thought surfaced.
"I can resurrect this goblin as a soldier… or absorb its soul and convert it into pure mana."
He thought quickly.
"One weak soldier… level 1.2 only. It would consume my mana to maintain. And I only have 53 mana right now. Not worth it."
"But if I convert it to mana… I'll gain 15% of the dead's mana."
He checked the goblin's stats again.
"Goblin mana… 100 points. Fifteen percent means… 15 mana."
"That'll raise my level faster. When I kill stronger ones… then I'll resurrect them."
He decided.
He reached toward the corpse again, this time focusing differently.
He felt a connection—not with the body, but with the faint soul lingering within.
"Absorb."
He whispered coldly.
A pale gray energy rose from the corpse—not black like shadows, but faded, almost transparent.
The energy flowed into Kyle's body and merged with his mana.
A window appeared:
---
[ Soul Converted to Mana ]
Target: Goblin (Level 1.2)
Goblin Mana: 100
Mana Gained: +15 (15%)
Kyle's New Mana: 68
Level: Still 1.1 (500 required to reach 2.1)
---
Kyle took a deep breath.
He felt the difference. The mana inside him… denser. Stronger.
"Good. This is the right path."
He looked once more at the now-empty corpse, then turned away.
"Time to find civilization."
---
[ Moving Toward Civilization ]
Kyle walked with greater confidence now, though his caution never faded. Every step was calculated, every glance alert.
After an hour of walking, he heard voices.
Human voices.
He stopped and hid behind a massive tree trunk, peering carefully ahead.
About a hundred meters away was a narrow dirt road. A wooden wagon pulled by two horses moved along it, surrounded by four men wearing light leather armor and carrying swords.
Caravan guards.
He activated Appraisal Eye.
---
[ Guard 1 ] Level 2.3 – Basic Sword Skill
[ Guard 2 ] Level 2.5
[ Guard 3 ] Level 2.1
[ Guard 4 ] Level 2.6
---
"All level two. Stronger than me."
Kyle didn't move. He simply observed silently.
The caravan passed and disappeared around a bend.
Once the sounds faded completely, he stepped out.
"A road means civilization. A city."
He looked in the direction the caravan had gone.
"Let's follow it."
---
[ Arrival at Crestwood City ]
After three hours of walking, Kyle finally emerged from the forest.
Before him stretched wide green plains. In the distance, about two kilometers away, stood massive stone walls.
A city.
It was smaller than he expected—not like modern Tokyo with towering skyscrapers, but a medieval city surrounded by ten-meter-high stone walls, watchtowers at the corners, and a large wooden gate standing open.
Above the gate was a wooden sign carved in a language he could now understand:
"Crestwood City – Under the Rule of the Kingdom of Dawn"
He approached slowly and joined a line of travelers and merchants waiting to enter.
Two guards stood at the gate, inspecting people with bored expressions. Light metal armor, spears, tired faces.
When it was his turn, one of the guards—a man in his forties with a thick beard and sharp eyes—looked at him.
"Identification."
Kyle took out the card the entity had given him and handed it over calmly.
The guard examined it, then looked at Kyle, then back at the card.
"Kyle… from the village of… Falwood?"
"Yes."
"What brings you to Crestwood?"
"I'm looking for work."
The guard stared at him for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Five copper coins. Entry fee."
Kyle opened his small leather pouch. Inside were coins—50 copper and 10 silver, what the entity had given him to start.
He handed over five copper coins.
The guard stepped aside.
"Welcome to Crestwood. No trouble, no crimes. Night patrols are active. Break the law, and you'll end up in the dungeons. Understood?"
"Understood."
"Go."
Kyle passed through the gate.
For the first time since arriving, he entered a human civilization in the world of Aetherion.
---
[ Crestwood Streets ]
The main street was crowded. Humans of all ages—men, women, children—wearing simple clothes made mostly of rough cloth and leather.
Shops lined both sides—bakery, blacksmith, herb shop, weapon shop, inn.
The noise was lively—vendors shouting, children playing, carts rolling by, the clang of metal from the blacksmith's shop.
Kyle walked slowly, his eyes taking everything in, recording, analyzing.
The people here… were weaker than he expected.
Most had no power at all. Ordinary humans. Some carried weapons—daggers, short swords—but in a way that showed they didn't truly know how to use them.
"This world of power… and yet most of the population is weak."
---
[ Weapon Shop – "The Blacksmith's Blade" ]
Kyle stopped in front of a weapon shop. A wooden sign hung above the door: "The Blacksmith's Blade."
He entered.
The interior was small but organized. Weapons hung on the walls—swords, daggers, axes, spears. The smell of metal and oil filled the air.
Behind the counter stood a massive man in his fifties, arms like iron, wrinkled face, thick gray beard.
"What do you want?"
His voice was rough and direct.
Kyle stepped closer and examined the swords on display.
"A sword. The cheapest one you have—but it must be iron."
The blacksmith narrowed his eyes, then pointed to a simple sword hanging to the side.
"That one. Iron sword, seventy-centimeter blade, wooden hilt. Not fancy, but it won't break easily. Six silver coins."
Kyle picked it up and inspected it. Good weight, decent balance. A few small scratches on the blade, but the edge was still sharp.
"I'll take it."
He placed six silver coins on the counter.
The blacksmith took them and nodded.
"Good luck."
Kyle left the shop, the sword hanging at his waist with a simple leather belt he bought along with it.
Remaining money:
45 copper coins
4 silver coins
"Enough to start."
---
[ Adventurers' Guild ]
Kyle walked through the streets until he reached a relatively large stone building near the city center. Above the door hung a metal sign:
"Adventurers' Guild"
He entered.
The interior was spacious. Wooden tables were scattered around, adventurers sitting, drinking, talking. On the left wall was a massive bulletin board covered in papers—quests.
On the right was a reception desk. Behind it stood a young woman in her twenties, short brown hair, green eyes, a pretty but sharp face.
Kyle approached.
"I want to register as an adventurer."
She looked him over from head to toe, then nodded.
"Name?"
"Kyle."
"Age?"
"Nineteen."
"Level?"
Kyle paused for a second.
"1.1."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Weak. But that's fine—most beginners are like you."
She took out a sheet of paper and wrote.
"Registration fee: ten copper coins."
Kyle placed the coins on the counter.
She took them and handed him a small card made of thin metal.
---
[ Adventurer Card – Rank F ]
Name: Kyle
Level: 1.1
Rank: F
---
"This is your card. Rank F means you can only accept F- and E-rank quests. Once you level up and complete ten quests, you can be promoted to Rank E."
"Understood."
"The quests are on the board. Good luck."
Kyle walked over to the bulletin board and read the posted quests:
---
[ F–E Rank Quests ]
Hunt 5 Wild Wolves (Rank E) – Reward: 10 silver coins
Gather 20 Healing Herbs from the Northern Forest (Rank F) – Reward: 5 silver coins
Escort a caravan to Stoneville City (Rank E) – Reward: 20 silver coins
Kill the Goblin Chief (Level 2.8) in Echo Cave (Rank D) – Reward: 1 gold coin
---
Kyle's gaze lingered on the last quest.
"Goblin Chief, level 2.8… one gold coin."
He thought quickly.
"I'm level 1.1. The chief is 2.8. The gap is huge."
"But if I kill twenty to twenty-five normal goblins first… I can reach at least level two."
He took the paper for "Hunt 5 Wild Wolves", folded it, and placed it in his pocket.
"This first."
---
[ Inn – "The Rusty Dagger" ]
After leaving the guild, Kyle found a small inn in a side alley. A wooden sign above the door read: "The Rusty Dagger – Rooms & Food."
He entered.
The interior was simple—wooden tables, old chairs, the smell of food and cheap alcohol, a few customers scattered around.
Behind the counter stood a woman in her fifties, wrinkled face, sharp eyes.
"What do you want?"
"A room for one night. And food."
"Ten copper for the room, five for the meal."
Kyle placed fifteen copper coins on the counter.
She took them and pointed toward the stairs.
"Third room on the second floor. Food will be ready in ten minutes."
"Thank you."
---
[ Room – Second Floor ]
Kyle entered the room. It was small—a narrow wooden bed, a table, a chair, and a small window overlooking the alley.
He closed the door, placed the sword on the table, and sat on the bed.
Remaining money:
20 copper coins
4 silver coins
"Enough for a few days."
He opened the system window again.
---
[ System ]
Level: 1.1 (Close to 1.2)
Physical Strength: 12.33
Mana: 68
Free Learning Uses: 3
---
Kyle looked at the free uses.
"Three free system uses. I can learn skills without spending points."
He thought quickly.
"I have three free uses… I can learn any skill I want."
A small smile formed on his lips.
"What if… I directly request a mythical skill? A mythical sword skill would make me far stronger from the start."
"Let's try."
"System, I want to learn a Mythical Sword Skill."
A moment of silence.
Then a red window appeared:
---
[ ❌ Error ]
Skills of 'Mythical' or 'Legendary' rank cannot be learned using free learning uses.
Available ranks: Low, Normal, High only.
---
Kyle froze.
He stared at the message.
"…Damn it."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
"These uses… are limited and restricted."
He opened his eyes again, his gaze colder.
"Fine. Then I'll use them wisely."
He thought quickly.
"What do I need right now? Strong foundational skills I can build on later."
"Sword… cultivation… and aura."
"System, I want to learn a High-Level Sword Skill."
---
[ Use a free learning point to learn: High-Level Sword Skill? ]
Yes / No
---
He chose Yes.
A flood of information surged into his mind—complex movements, advanced techniques. Perfect grip, weight distribution, chained attacks, advanced defense, reading an opponent's movements.
In seconds, the knowledge became his—as if he had trained for years.
---
[ Acquired: High-Level Sword Skill (Level 1) ]
Effect: +40% attack accuracy, +30% swing speed
Free uses remaining: 2
---
Kyle took a deep breath.
He grabbed the sword and stood, testing the movements.
His body moved with astonishing smoothness—perfect stance, rock-solid grip, a fast horizontal slash, a precise straight thrust.
"This… is completely different from normal training."
He smiled faintly.
"Excellent."
He focused again.
"System, I want to learn a High-Level Mana Cultivation Technique."
---
[ Use a free learning point to learn: High-Level Mana Cultivation Technique? ]
Yes / No
---
Yes.
Information poured in—complex breathing techniques, efficient mana absorption, rapid purification, dense integration into the core.
---
[ Acquired: High-Level Mana Cultivation Technique (Level 1) ]
Effect: Cultivation rate = 120 mana every 2 hours (due to SSS talent)
Free uses remaining: 1
---
"120 mana every two hours…"
He calculated quickly.
"Sixty per hour. If I cultivate four hours a day… 240 mana per day."
"To go from 68 to 500 (Level 2.1), I need 432 mana."
"That's… about two days of cultivation."
His eyes narrowed.
"But that's slow compared to Devour."
"If I kill 24 level 1.2 goblins… I'll gain about 432 mana from Devour and soul conversion combined."
"And cultivation will support that."
He looked at the final free use.
He thought.
"Aura… yes. Necessary."
"System, I want to learn a High-Level Aura Body Reinforcement Technique."
---
[ Use a free learning point to learn: High-Level Aura Body Reinforcement Technique? ]
Yes / No
---
Yes.
Information surged in—how to rotate aura rapidly, focus it in specific parts of the body, temporarily boost strength and speed.
---
[ Acquired: High-Level Aura Body Reinforcement (Level 1) ]
Effect: +50% physical strength for 10 minutes, consumes 20 mana
Free uses remaining: 0
---
Kyle closed the system window.
He sat on the bed in a meditative posture—back straight, hands on his knees, eyes closed.
He took a deep breath and began cultivating.
He felt the mana in the air—subtle, invisible, but present. He slowly drew it in, purified it, and merged it into his core.
The sensation was… peaceful. Calm. Yet powerful.
Time passed slowly.
---
[ One Hour Later ]
Kyle opened his eyes.
The change was obvious. Tangible.
He opened the system window.
---
[ System ]
Mana: 68 → 128
(+60 mana from one hour of cultivation)
---
"Sixty mana in one hour…"
A satisfied smile appeared.
"Excellent. At this rate, I can reach level 2.1 within a week even without killing."
"But with killing and Devour…"
His eyes narrowed.
"I'll reach it far faster."
He exhaled slowly.
He stood and walked to the window, looking out at the darkened sky.
Dim torchlight illuminated the streets. Guards patrolled. Simple, slow life.
But beneath that calm surface… Kyle knew there was conflict, betrayal, power, ambition.
"I'll start from the bottom. I'll kill, I'll rise, I'll devour, I'll cultivate."
A faint, cold smile formed.
"And in the end… I'll reach the top."
He looked at his hands—the right hand that killed the goblin, the left that would kill many more.
"Eighteen years. That's what the entity said."
"Eighteen years until the Chaos King arrives."
"By then…"
His gray eyes narrowed coldly.
"I'll be strong enough to crush it."
He closed the window, returned to the bed, and lay down.
He closed his eyes.
And slept—not the sleep of a weak, fearful man, but the sleep of a warrior who knows that the true battle… has not yet begun.