The first thing that hit him was the smell.
It was a heavy mix of salt water, rotting fish, and something sweet like flowers that had been left in a vase for too long.
Ren opened his eyes.
He didn't gasp for air or panic. He just sat up in the sand, blinking against the bright sunlight. He felt surprisingly calm for someone who had just died.
He looked around. The sky was a crazy shade of blue, way too bright to be normal. Behind him was a thick jungle that looked like it wanted to eat people. In front of him, the ocean.
And all around him? Dead bodies.
There were guys in samurai armor and others in prisoner rags. They looked like they had been torn apart by wild animals, but it was worse. Flowers were growing out of their eyes and mouths. It was creepy as hell.
"Gross," Ren said, standing up and dusting the sand off his pants.
He stretched his arms and cracked his neck. Immediately, he noticed something weird. He felt... different. He felt heavier, but in a good way. His muscles felt like solid steel. He felt like he could punch through a brick wall without even trying.
A deep heat was buzzing in his chest, like a car engine revving up.
Suddenly, a floating gold screen popped up right in front of his face. It looked like something out of a video game.
[System Initialization Complete.]
[Welcome, Host.]
[Legacy Extraction: SUCCESS.]
[Identity: Sun Wukong (The Great Sage Equaling Heaven)]
[Current Synchronization Rate: 1%]
Ren smirked. It wasn't a nice smile. It was the kind of smile a wolf gives when it sees a lost sheep.
"Sun Wukong?" Ren muttered, checking his hands. "The guy who beat up the entire Heavenly Army and deleted his name from the Book of Death? Yeah, I can work with that."
Even at just 1%, the power felt intoxicating. It wasn't just strength. It was confidence. He looked at the creepy jungle and didn't feel scared at all. He felt like the whole world was made of cardboard, and he was the only thing made of metal.
CRACK.
The sound of snapping wood came from the trees.
Ren turned his head slowly. Out of the shadows walked a monster.
It was huge maybe seven feet tall. It had pale, waxy skin and wore torn clothes like a priest. But its face was a nightmare. No eyes, no nose, just a giant vertical mouth filled with jagged teeth.
It was a Soshin. A low level monster on this island, Shinsenkyō.
The monster roared. It sounded like metal scraping against metal. It dragged a giant, rusty iron club that looked heavy enough to crush a car.
Ren didn't move. He didn't even put his hands up to defend himself. He just stood there, hands in his pockets, looking bored.
"You're loud," Ren said flatly. "Shut up."
The monster screamed and charged. It swung the giant club down with enough force to smash Ren into a pancake.
Ren yawned. To his eyes, the monster was moving in slow motion.
Just as the iron club was about to hit his head, Ren moved.
He didn't dodge. He just raised his left hand casually, like he was catching a baseball.
BOOM!
The ground shook. Sand exploded everywhere, creating a dust cloud.
When the dust cleared, Ren was still standing there. He hadn't moved an inch. His hand was holding the massive iron club, stopping it dead in its tracks.
[Passive Skill: Stone Monkey Body (Level 1)]
[Effect: Your skin is harder than copper. Normal weapons can't hurt you.]
The monster froze. It tried to pull the weapon back, but Ren's grip was unbreakable.
"Is that it?" Ren asked, his eyes glowing a faint gold. "That was weak."
Ren twisted his wrist. With a loud screech of metal, he ripped the club out of the monster's hands. He spun the heavy weapon around like it was made of plastic.
"On your knees."
Ren kicked the monster's kneecap.
CRUNCH.
The bone shattered instantly. The monster shrieked and fell to the ground. Now, its ugly face was level with Ren's waist.
"Goodnight," Ren said.
He threw a simple punch. No fancy kung fu, no magic tricks. just a straight right hook to the face.
SPLAT.
The monster's head exploded like a watermelon. Black blood sprayed all over the white sand. The headless body twitched once, then collapsed.
Ren shook his hand, flicking off the gross black blood.
[Enemy Killed.] [Power Up: 1.0% -> 1.2%]
"Too easy," Ren scoffed. He kicked the dead body aside. Then, he looked up at a large tree nearby. "Hey. You can come out now. I know you're watching."
For a second, there was silence. Then, a playful, sexy laugh echoed from the branches.
"Wow. You're sharp. And here I thought I was being quiet."
A figure jumped down from the tree, landing softly on the sand.
It was a woman. And not just any woman she was stunning. She wore a revealing ninja outfit that showed off a lot of skin. She had purple hair tied back in a ponytail and a look in her eyes that spelled trouble.
Yuzuriha. A famous criminal ninja known for manipulating men.
She walked towards Ren, swaying her hips with every step. She checked him out shamelessly, her eyes lingering on his arms and chest.
"I saw that punch," Yuzuriha said, licking her lips. "That was wild. You don't look like a samurai. And you're way too strong to be a normal criminal. Who are you, handsome?"
Ren looked her up and down. He wasn't shy about it. He looked at her like a King inspecting a prize.
"I'm Ren," he said simply.
Yuzuriha blinked. Usually, men got nervous when she talked to them. Or they got creepy. But this guy? He was calm. He looked at her like she was... interesting, but not dangerous.
She stepped closer, invading his personal space. She put a hand on his chest, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"This island is scary, Ren. Monsters, bugs, poison... a girl could get lonely. Why don't we team up? I can be your guide, and you can... protect me."
She smiled sweetly, but behind her back, her fingers were moving. She was preparing her secret technique invisible slime threads to trap him.
Ren smirked.
In a flash, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist.
"Ow!" Yuzuriha gasped, genuinely surprised.
Ren leaned in close. His face was inches from hers. His golden eyes locked onto hers, making her heart skip a beat.
"Listen closely, Ninja," Ren said, his voice deep and cool. "Don't try to use your slime on me. If you try to trap me, I'll snap your wrist like a twig."
Yuzuriha's eyes went wide. He knows? How does he know? My threads are invisible!
Ren let go of her wrist and pushed her back gently.
"I don't need a partner," Ren said, brushing past her. "I need a guide. Someone who knows the map. You can tag along, but I'm the boss. Got it?"
Yuzuriha rubbed her wrist. Her heart was pounding. She was used to controlling men, making them do whatever she wanted. But this guy... she couldn't control him. He was a beast.
And honestly? That was kind of hot.
Yuzuriha let out a breathless laugh, her cheeks flushing pink. She fixed her hair and smiled a real smile this time, not a fake one.
"You're really bossy, aren't you?" she teased, her eyes sparkling. "Fine. You win. I'll be your guide. But you better keep me safe, Monkey King."
Ren didn't look back. He walked over to a shipwreck and ripped a long iron bar off the side of the boat. It screeched as it came loose. He swung it around, testing the weight. It wasn't the legendary staff Ruyi Jingu Bang yet, but it would do for now.
"Keep up, Yuzuriha," Ren said, walking toward the dark jungle. "I'm bored, and I want to find something stronger to kill."
[Mission Update: First Follower Secured.]
[Yuzuriha is interested in you.]
[Reward: Enhanced Vision.]
Ren grinned as he stepped into the shadows of the trees. His power ticked up again.
1.3%
The multiverse was huge, and there were a lot of so called 'Gods' out there waiting to get beat up. But first, he was going to conquer this island.