Morning rose, ushering in a new day. But beneath the golden light, a shadow of concern weighed heavily on Labrec, Akira's father. His thick beard twitched slightly as his brows furrowed in unease, his broad chest rising and falling with quiet tension.
Labrec stood by the window, silent.
"What's troubling you, dear?" asked Alaya, his wife, as she approached with gentle eyes and a soft smile. She placed a calming hand on his arm. "You've been like this ever since Akira got his system. Shouldn't you be as happy as I am?"
Labrec exhaled slowly, his voice low. "Doesn't it strike you as strange? Neither of us had systems. We never imagined Akira would have it. And now… immortality?" He paused. "It worries me."
Alaya chuckled lightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Worrying is part of being a parent. You care—that's all this is." She gave him a teasing look. "You've always hated the city folks more than my endless nagging. But if this is Akira's dream, it's our job to help him chase it. You've discouraged far enough that he won't have his system, but look how things turn out to be his luck?"
"Even if the odds are stacked against our name, being a peasant, powerless," Alaya murmured.
"But his smile," she said softly, standing on her toes to kiss his cheek. "That's what matters most."
As she returned to the kitchen, Labrec watched her go, a quiet smile finally tugging at his lips. Her words had shifted something in him—made him see their son's future through a brighter lens.
Meanwhile, Akira...
""ALRIGHT! TRAINING BEGINS NOW!!!"
Akira's voice echoed through the neighborhood like a thunderclap, bursting with morning energy and waking several unhappy souls.
"Shut up, brat!" a grumpy neighbor hollered back from a nearby window, voice muffled by a pillow.
Unbothered, Akira grinned wide and sprinted out of his house, heading straight for his "secret" training grounds near the mountains.
Once there, he launched into his grueling regimen.
With boundless energy, he pummeled boulders and struck trees until bark splintered. He hunted wild slimes for agility and reflex practice, ran laps across uneven terrain, and lifted rough-hewn wooden dumbbells alongside massive stones that tested every fiber of muscle.
His routine wasn't just intense—it was calculated. Basic workouts made harder through sheer volume and weight, targeting every part of his body without rest. Sweat soaked through his shirt, dirt streaked his skin, and yet he kept going.
"I'll get stronger… and stronger…!" Akira gasped between heavy breaths, collapsing to one knee after five relentless hours.
His spirit burned even when his body begged for mercy.
"Let's see how I've gone so far. System! " Akira checked his stats with heavy breaths.
_________________________
Stats:
Strength: 106(+2) Mana: 1,189/1,189
Speed: 103. HP: ∞
Durability: 108(+1).
Bonus stats:
None.
________________________,
"Wait what? After all that just 2?!" Akira was dissatisfied. He went through all that just to get a small boost—and made him realize it wasn't going to be easy and would take way longer than he could possibly imagine.
"Damn it! Looks like it'll take me a whole year just to increase it by another hundred," Akira muttered, exhaling hard, sweat clinging to his brow. Then, clenching his fists, he shouted, "That's fine! IT ONLY FIRES ME UP MORE!"
His determination flared, eyes burning with relentless ambition as he pushed himself back to his feet, ready to resume training.
He immediately collapsed.
His cramped leg said otherwise.
Akira groaned, sprawled out on the ground. Despite his grit, his body refused to obey. His unique healing ability only activated in the face of wounds or fatal damage—mere exhaustion and torn muscles didn't qualify. Recovery was a luxury he didn't have.
The next day, he doubled down.
Each morning, he climbed 109 meters up the mountain, ran a mile with a weighted pack on his back and a heavy stone in his arms, and pushed his body through a brutal routine: 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 squats—no excuses.
It only grew harder from there.
As Akira intensified his training, the path to strength became steep and unforgiving. His muscles burned with relentless agony each day, his body screaming at him to stop. But he didn't.
Thanks to his peculiar healing ability, he could repair his torn muscle fibers, mending the damage that would have crippled anyone else. Yet the pain—sharp, real, and merciless—lingered. His regeneration allowed him to keep moving, but it couldn't numb the suffering.
Every day became a war of willpower.
[One month later...]
Gasping for breath, drenched in sweat, Akira finally paused. His hand trembled as he summoned the system display, eyes locking onto the results of a month's torment.
_________________________
[LEVEL: 15]
[EXP: 7,581/20,000]
Stats:
Strength: 301(+195) Mana: 1,540/1,540(+351)
Speed: 121(+18). HP: ∞
Durability: 172(+64).
Bonus stats:
None.
Skills:
Keen instincts (Lvl: 3)
Danger instincts: (Lvl: 2)
Mana cost: 0
Weapon summoning (Light) (15) (Lvl: 2)
Mana cost: 50
_________________________
"Whoa… it actually worked!" Akira breathed, eyes wide with awe as he stared at the stats on his system. "All that training paid off!"
A grin spread across his face, the exhaustion melting into pride. It had been worth the pain, the patience, the persistence. This moment proved that growth was real—that anyone could become a better version of themselves if they stayed true to who they were and never gave up.
"I can't wait to see what five more years will bring! I'll become the strongest there is in no time!" he shouted, laughing to himself. It had become a habit of his—talking aloud to fuel his own resolve when no one else was around to cheer him on.
Whoosh!
The bushes nearby rustled.
Unbeknownst to him, he wasn't alone.
Hidden among the leaves, Julia and her grandfather emerged, silently watching. They had been observing his progress for a while, curiosity piqued by the relentless boy who trained like a soldier possessed.
Akira remained unaware. Though his Keen Instincts passively activated might've caught their presence under normal circumstances, but in that moment, his mind was utterly consumed by excitement and drive.
"It looks like he's really pushing his limits, huh, Grandpa?" Julia said with a soft laugh, watching Akira from behind the brush. "His muscle definition's coming in little by little."
She remembered the first time she saw him—covered in dirt, still training without pause while she was out picking berries. That quiet encounter left a lasting impression on her, and now she often returned, bringing her grandfather along out of curiosity—or maybe admiration.
"Hmph. You're spewing nonsense," her grandfather grumbled beside her. "A proper warrior would have at least a thousand in their stats by now, if not more."
Julia rolled her eyes. "I know that," she replied, nudging him gently. "But you can't deny he's come far. His drive alone is something rare."
The old man grunted again, but there was a flicker of approval in his eyes as he watched the boy train. "Hmph. Maybe," he finally muttered.
He could not understand why he wanted to become the strongest, but his training demonstrated his will to pursue his objectives and become the greatest.
Julia's grandfather narrowed his eyes, arms crossed as he observed Akira's once mentioned his system stats. His mana was abnormally low, far from standards. Strength, durability, speed, and mana were equivalent and nothing exceeded one hundred. Only assumptions he could make was Akira's immortality—a power far than a person could fathom.
He turned to Julia. "Open your system interface—I want to show you something."
Julia hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Since individuals couldn't access each other's system screens, sharing was usually symbolic—used for teaching or demonstration. She summoned hers, projecting the familiar glowing interface, only through her vision she could see her system.
Julia bit her lip, eyes drifting back to Akira. She remembered what he had told her—how his system worked, how it didn't follow normal patterns. He wasn't boastful about it. In fact, when he spoke of it to friends, family, or even curious villagers, it was always with a calm honesty. He simply explained how he lived—how he trained, how he had survived being swallowed whole by a serpent… and how, against all odds, he had killed it.
_________________________
[LEVEL: 6]
[EXP: 1,981/2,000]
Stats:
Strength: 1,293 Mana: 6,277/6,277
Speed: 2,341 Magical powers: 7,089
Durability: 3,444.
Bonus stats:
Magic control: 18%.
Skills:
Water magic: Water canon (Lvl: 2)
Mana cost: 250.
Water magic: Water bullet (Lvl: 1)
Mana cost: 30.
_________________________
She informed her grandfather about the display, comparing what should be average for a growing warrior. "See? Even a beginner at his stage should have double the mana he does. Something's off."
Julia's grandfather watched in silence, brow furrowed.
'Something's not right…' he thought. 'His mana's dangerously low. Lower than most warriors—lower than most peasants, in fact. And yet he wields several magical skills…'
Akira was clearly an outlier. A strange anomaly. Limited in mana, but undeniably capable.
'Hmm… Judging by just how low it is, it shouldn't even be functional. But… if he's truly immortal, then maybe it's not such a problem,' the old man reasoned, resting a thoughtful hand beneath his chin.
After a few more moments of silent watching, he spoke aloud to Julia. "That's enough for today. Let's head back to the village."
She nodded, casting one last glance at the boy who trained alone beneath the mountain sky.
They disappeared into the trees soon after.
Akira, still catching his breath, had sensed them moments before they left. But he didn't react. He had felt their presence—recognized the faint fluctuation in the air—but chose to ignore it.
He had no time to waste on spectators.
[3 minutes later...]
Suddenly, a violent rustle tore through the brush—followed by a hiss.
A massive serpent lunged from the undergrowth, its fangs gleaming in the light. Julia's grandfather reacted instantly, ducking low and yanking her aside by the hand.
"What the—? That serpent again?!" he barked, eyes narrowing in disbelief. A month ago, they had seen that very creature slain at the shrine. Yet here it was, alive—or something like it.
The serpent struck again.
Julia shrieked, terror ripping through her chest. Her scream echoed across the woods like a flare in the sky.
Miles away, Akira's ears twitched. His head snapped up.
A scream.
Without hesitation, he sprinted toward the sound, his body moving like a bullet unleashed. His training had honed him beyond recognition—he could now run a mile in just 23 seconds, leap higher than the tallest tree, and crush solid boulders with his bare hands.
Guided by his Keen Instincts, Akira tore through the forest, tracking both the voice and the faint trace of a familiar scent carried by the wind.
He arrived just in time.
Launching himself high into the air, Akira landed between the serpent and the trembling pair—Julia and her grandfather. His eyes widened in shock.
Another serpent…?
No—this one was different. Bigger. Stronger. Its scales shimmered with a darker sheen, and its coiled body radiated raw, violent power. It dwarfed the one he had fought before.
Julia's grandfather clutched her tightly, shielding her as best he could. Blood ran down a shallow cut on his shoulder.
"Please—help us!" he cried out to Akira, desperation thick in his voice. "This shouldn't be possible. Serpents only live near the city! I don't know why one would show up here… near the village."
Akira's gaze hardened, his body tensing as he stepped forward.
Something wasn't right. And this time, he knew the fight wouldn't be easy.
Akira stepped forward, his eyes locked onto the serpent.
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned his dagger—a sleek, silver blade etched with faint glowing runes. His fingers tightened around the hilt, a wild grin spreading across his face, teeth bared in fierce anticipation.
He bent low, muscles coiling like springs. His calves bulged, raw power gathering beneath him like a storm waiting to break.
Then—he launched.
In a blink, he flew through the air like a human missile, dagger aimed straight for the serpent's skull. The beast hissed and reared back—but it was too late.
The blade drove deep into its eye, the force of the impact bringing the massive creature crashing to the ground.
Akira didn't stop there.
With a roar, he swung his blade in a brutal arc, severing the serpent's head in a single, decisive strike. Blood sprayed across his body, hot and thick, painting him in crimson.
He stood tall, breath heaving, chest soaked with gore—and victorious.
"Hahaha!" he laughed, flicking the blood from his dagger. "How'd you like that, snakey?"
Julia and her grandfather stood frozen for a moment, staring at the fallen serpent.
Her grandfather exhaled, slowly lowering his guard. "That was… quite the performance," he muttered, genuinely impressed. "You handled it with precision and power."
Julia, however, didn't speak. Her hands trembled at her sides, eyes wide and locked on the serpent's lifeless body. The color had drained from her face.
A month ago, the serpent attack near the shrine had left her badly shaken. The trauma had never fully faded—and now, seeing another beast so close, her fear had resurfaced like a tide swallowing her whole.
Akira approached, concern softening his expression. "Hey," he said gently, "Are you alright?"
Julia blinked, her eyes snapping to him. She hesitated, then nodded stiffly. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine."
Akira smiled, visibly relieved. "Alright then. Let's get you both out of here."
He turned and took the lead, guiding them back toward the village—this time, as both protector and friend.
______________________________
You've slain a giant serpent.
Type: Poisonous snake
Enemy's level: 15
Rank: D
[EXP: 17,690+]
______________________________
[The next day...]
Akira resumed his training and continued to focus on his goal of becoming stronger...
Akira then appeared to be suspicious of something related to yesterday's serpent attack.
"Hmm, another serpent appears later that day. Do they have a nest somewhere here?" Akira believed that they had a nest somewhere near the village, and so he followed the scent of the serpent's dome with his keen instincts.
After a while, Akira returned to the shrine where he killed the serpent a month earlier. Akira entered the dimly lit cave.
After 2 minutes of surveying the area, he discovered a light that appeared to be a crystal cave.
He ran toward it and discovered a snake den. Akira made his way to the serpent's lair with a wooden lit torch in his hand.
Hiss!
With the echoed sound of a giant snake hissing, Akira presumed that the snake had to be nearby. In the darkness, Akira found the giant snake that he had never seen before.
"Holy snake crap!" Akira was shocked to see a snake six times his size. When it looked at Akira, it had an intimidating expression on its sharp-pointed pupils.
He summoned his dagger and confronted the King Serpent alone. He held it tightly while not underestimating its size.
"Die here!" Akira shouted and proceeded toward the serpent's body by running to his right, using the large pointy rock that was beside him as a shield.
The king serpent took notice and swung its tail, bashing at Akira. Akira jumped, swerved around the tail, and climbed onto it.
He held his dagger tightly and tried aiming for the serpent's weak points, which were its eyes.
Moments later, Akira was harmed by the acid spat by the serpent. The serpent moved around to remove Akira from its body.
Akira groaned as he stood up and was still alive. Akira's body melted to the point that his bones were visible. But Akira's immortality prevented him from death.
He regenerated every muscle and bone in his body as if he was morphing.
"Hah! Unfortunately for you, snakey, I am immortal!" Akira laughed derisively, mocking that he was immortal. Though, Akira felt a tremendous pain coming from the acid as it ripped his bones and flesh. The simple way to describe the pain was like burning.
Akira's regenerated physique did not affect its acidity because he could regenerate if it did so. He persisted in rushing an attack on the king once more.
He had learned from his mistake and now employed his danger sense and awareness of his surroundings, of which he was now completely aware. Even if he couldn't die that didn't mean he could not feel pain.
Akira dodged its acid by doing zigzags and sidestepping, avoiding the acid. However, it still burned him slightly since he wasn't very swift.
Akira clenched his dagger. He jumped after the snake bent lower as it tried to devour Akira. He maneuvered quickly and launched his attack into the serpent's eye, successfully injuring the creature.
He leaped to the side of its head and stabbed the other eye, making the serpent screech and fall to the ground.
However, the serpent rose and devoured Akira completely. Akira didn't flinch when he entered the creature's jaws, he proceeded to stab it in the stomach till it died, the same as he killed his first serpent.
Akira cut open the serpent's belly and emerged from within. He triumphed over the boss serpent and the rest of the serpents who adored its monarch departed.
______________________________
You've slain a giant king serpent.
Type: Poisonous snake.
Enemy's level: 30
Rank: D
[EXP: 30,690+]
______________________________
After that, Akira then planned to notify the village in the hopes that they could clean up the mess so that others wouldn't have to worry...
"Phew, that takes care of that; oh well, then it's time for some more training, but first!" Akira had other things on his mind...
Akira headed back to the village, he went to Julia's house because it was near his training spot and knocked on her door.
"So, uh... Julia... Hehe," Akira giggled, naked, and holding a leaf closing his p. After Julia opened the door she started blushing madly.
"Mind giving me your spare clothes?" Akira with a cheeky smile rubbed his head. His body was completely naked due to the snake's acid that melted his clothes.
"KYAAAAAAAA!" Julia screamed as she closed her eyes.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING? YOU PERV!!" She yelled so loudly, that even a deaf person could hear.
"Wait, wait, wait! It's not what you think! it's a long story short, I can explai-" Akira reasoned and dropped the leaf.
Julia then fired her water magic at Akira.
[WATER MAGIC: WATER CANNON]
"NO, WAIT FOR- GAHHHHHH" Akira screamed as she fired her magic blast.
Akira got his butt kicked by Julia and finally got his spare clothes...