All was silent.
In the distance lay an endless ocean, its shimmering surface gently reflecting the gray sky above.
"So… it really is the sea."
"Am I… on an island?!"
The cave sat atop a mountain. Yoriichi Tsugikuni stood in the clearing before the entrance, wearing tattered linen shorts and a crude sleeveless animal-hide jacket, gazing toward the horizon.
The climate of this world was strange. Just last night, the wind outside the cave had been bitterly cold, yet by morning the temperature had risen noticeably. The bizarre shift left Yoriichi Tsugikuni momentarily unsettled.
"I should… take a look around first."
After taking a few deep breaths of fresh air, Yoriichi Tsugikuni returned briefly to the cave. Before long, he came back out with his long sword in hand, glanced around, and followed the only narrow path leading down the mountain.
It was obvious the cave's previous occupant had lived there for quite some time — the ground around the entrance showed clear signs of being cleared.
Soon, Yoriichi Tsugikuni disappeared into the dense forest.
…
This was a primeval forest filled with towering ancient trees that seemed to pierce the sky.
Their branches intertwined, and their lush foliage spread like emerald clouds, completely blocking out the blue above. When the sea breeze passed through, the rustling leaves sounded like the sigh of a dragon.
As he walked, Yoriichi Tsugikuni encountered many strange plants he had never seen before. He often stopped to examine them — not out of idle curiosity, but to see whether any bore familiar fruit he could eat.
He hadn't forgotten what he saw in the cave yesterday. The only thing resembling food there was that paste. If he had a choice, he definitely didn't want to try it.
Unfortunately, along the way he saw nothing resembling fruit trees.
"ROAR!!!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar exploded through the forest. The next instant, a foul, bloody gust of wind rushed toward Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
Instinctively, he leapt backward. With a light push of his toes against the ground, he jumped several meters away. The moment he left his original spot, a massive claw slammed down, smashing the earth and leaving spiderweb-like cracks.
"What is that?!"
Focusing his gaze, he saw a gigantic striped tiger nearly ten meters long standing before him.
This creature was far beyond his expectations. Setting aside its enormous size, just the pair of saber-like fangs protruding from its mouth — each nearly half a meter long — was enough to dazzle the eye.
Stared at by such a monstrous beast, the hair on Yoriichi Tsugikuni's body stood on end. At some point, his sword had already left its scabbard. His expression grew solemn as he faced the abnormal tiger.
"ROAR!!!"
With another roar, the giant tiger lunged forward after missing its first strike, instantly closing the distance. Its massive forepaws slashed toward Yoriichi Tsugikuni like a pair of shears. The overwhelming stench made his breathing falter.
Countless animals had likely perished beneath those claws.
Yet in that critical moment, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's mind became perfectly clear, and his breathing rhythm subtly shifted.
The tiger's movements seemed to slow, and the world in his vision transformed completely.
The Transparent World.
By focusing and shutting down unnecessary senses, living bodies appeared almost transparent. His speed, prediction, and evasion improved dramatically. He could clearly see the flow of blood through the lungs and precisely control his own muscles. Even the presence of fighting spirit could be suppressed at will. With heightened perception, the enemy's movements seemed to slow.
In this world, Yoriichi Tsugikuni awakened this terrifying, seemingly innate talent. From his perspective, every organ in the tiger's body became visible — especially its enormous heart, pulsing with frightening vitality.
If he had to compare, the heart vitality of a lower-rank demon he once slew was roughly on the same level as this beast.
"I can see it! Just like before — I can see everything!"
"Sun Breathing — First Form — Dance!"
The familiar sensation instantly dispelled his tension. In a flash, Yoriichi Tsugikuni unleashed three slashes. The massive claws that had been closing in flew past him as if out of control.
The next moment, blood sprayed across the ground, the pungent scent filling the air.
Thud!
The giant tiger collapsed heavily, its blood quickly soaking into the earth.
Both of its forelegs had been severed cleanly at the base, leaving smooth cuts as blood gushed out. A long gash also split its massive head, flesh and blood spilling together.
With injuries like that, it was no wonder such a monstrous beast died instantly.
Just as Yoriichi Tsugikuni was about to sheath his sword and inspect the corpse, he suddenly sensed something and looked up.
A deafening crash echoed overhead.
A strange bird burst through the dense canopy and dove downward. In the blink of an eye, a shadow flashed before him. Its talons grabbed the tiger's corpse, and with a single beat of its wings, it carried the body off into the sky and out of sight.
"What kind of world is this…?"
Yoriichi Tsugikuni stood stunned. If he hadn't seen wrong, that creature's wingspan must have been close to twenty meters. He had never encountered anything like it. Its heart vitality felt even stronger than the tiger's — comparable to a mid-tier lower demon.
Of course, that comparison referred only to vitality, not combat strength.
Encountering two such strange creatures only deepened his curiosity about this world. What kind of place could give birth to such bizarre lifeforms?
Moreover, this body could maintain the state of Total Concentration Breathing effortlessly, without the slightest strain. Swinging his sword felt smoother than ever before.
Even the dodge earlier had been pure instinct.
There was no doubt — this body was slightly stronger than his previous one.
Putting all these clues together, Yoriichi Tsugikuni began to speculate about the world he had entered.
Could this be… some kind of mystical cultivation world?
With that thought in mind, he walked over to the two severed tiger legs. Calling them claws wasn't quite accurate — they had been cut off at the root, so "legs" was more fitting.
Each was three to four meters long, and their weight was impossible to estimate.
"They should… be edible."
"At least I gained something. I won't have to eat that paste."
"If this really is a mystical world, this would count as a spirit beast, right? It's huge, after all."
"I wonder if spirit-beast meat really makes you stronger like the legends say — climbing five flights of stairs without losing your breath."
Muttering to himself, Yoriichi Tsugikuni prepared to cut off some meat. But as he approached, an absurd thought suddenly crossed his mind.
He sheathed his sword, bent down, and wrapped his arms around one of the legs, trying to lift it.
At first he was only experimenting — but when he applied force, the massive limb lifted completely off the ground.
What surprised him even more was that he didn't feel the slightest strain.
"What kind of monstrous strength is this?!"
Even Yoriichi Tsugikuni couldn't comprehend the terrifying power in his body. Still, he didn't dwell on it. After all, he had already transmigrated twice — possessing incredible strength seemed almost reasonable.
He chalked it up to divine favor. Perhaps heaven's favorite child wasn't that brat who loved drinking beast milk after all.