After I finished adjusting my status, I took a long breath and looked up at the sky. A soft morning breeze brushed against my face, carrying with it the scent of damp earth and leaves. The sun had risen higher now, its golden light spilling over the treetops and warming the forest floor. The cold that had earlier wrapped around my skin like a thin blanket was slowly fading, replaced by a growing warmth that seemed to echo the power now coursing through my body.
I stretched my arms above my head, letting out a small sigh. My body didn't ache or creak—no stiffness, no fatigue. In fact, I felt weightless, powerful, almost like my bones had been replaced with something lighter, stronger. It was strange. I had always thought that power would feel heavy, like something pressing down on you. But this? This felt like I had shed chains I didn't even know I was wearing.
My thoughts wandered back to everything I had just done—the massive surge of stats, the cheat unlocking, the celestial body, the maxed-out skills. All of it.
And yet, standing here... I felt oddly calm.
Was that scary? That I could now punch through mountains, survive any attack, and cast spells that bent nature itself—and still feel like it was just... me?
Maybe. But part of me had always chased that feeling. In games, in stories, in daydreams during long office meetings. Now it was real.
I checked my watch. 9:49 a.m.
Four hours had passed in the blink of an eye. I had been so absorbed, so caught up in the discovery of my new self, that I hadn't noticed the time slipping away.
Hunger suddenly grumbled in my stomach, even though I knew, technically, I didn't need to eat anymore. My celestial body didn't demand food or water, but that didn't mean it didn't crave them. I smiled to myself. Food wasn't just about survival; it was about joy. Flavour. Comfort.
Especially for someone like me, who'd always found peace cooking alone in the kitchen.
I was glad I didn't have to hunt monster or animals for food. It would have been a tough decision for a vegetarian like me.
As I considered my options, I remembered the lake I had seen from the sky—the one near where my punch had landed. It seemed like a good place to start. Lakes often meant vegetation, sometimes fruit-bearing plants, maybe even herbs. About 1 or 2 km away.
Just as I was about to head out, my eyes landed on the corpse of the creature I'd killed that golden deer like monster. Its blood had dried into dark, sticky patches on the grass, and flies buzzed greedily around it.
I used Appraisal on it.
Name: Golden Wendigo
Rank: E
State: Dead
Abilities: Speed, crystal horn, basic magic
Description: Once a golden deer, now twisted by abyssal energy. Craves blood, spares none but its own kind. Sometimes attracts other species due to its appearance.
A shiver ran down my spine. It looked beautiful once. But that kind of beauty masked something darker. I had seen it up close, those red eyes, that savage rage.
I uploaded the body to the game shop. The air shimmered slightly, a faint hum resonated as the corpse was pulled into the invisible portal. Insects automatically scattered, unwilling to share their meal with the system.
100 shop currency. Not enough to buy even the weakest potion.
I felt no sympathy for the creature. The abyssal energy had corrupted it. It wasn't a deer anymore. It was a weapon. And in this world, I had no room for hesitation.
I picked up my HDMI cable, reconnected it to the CPU, and absorbed the entire setup into my storage. I did the same with my headphones, charger, phone, and watch. I left the watch in a slot where time would continue normally; it still mattered to me. My old clothes and bloodied slippers joined the rest.
Then I set off for the lake.
The forest around me was alive. Not in the chaotic, magical way I expected, but in a subtle, breathing rhythm. Leaves rustled softly overhead. The wind carried the smell of moss, of damp bark and wildflowers. I could hear birds chirping, not too different from the ones back home, and once or twice I caught sight of squirrels darting between branches.
Opening the map, I sighed. It still didn't show much. A basic 1-km radius with no major details. I hadn't included map point upgrades in my cheat setup. Rookie mistake.
An idea struck me. What if I used my maxed-out Appraisal on the map itself?
It worked.
Instantly, the landscape came alive in detail. Every tree, every blade of grass, every burrow and insect nest showed up with clarity. I could detect bacteria, read plant properties, identify minerals underground.
It was... beautiful. And a little overwhelming.
Near a small cluster of bushes, I noticed several bright dots. I walked over and found berries—vibrant and varied. I used Appraisal on each:
Strawberries – Sweet, edible.Mulberries (Shahtoot) – Tangy, high in nutrients.Goji Berries – Slight bitterness, energy boosting.Ivy Berries – Poisonous.Pokeweed Berries – Also poisonous, mildly sweet.
I collected all of them, storing the edible and toxic ones in separate slots, and stopped time in each to keep them fresh. I took the poisonous berries as well since appraisal said they could be used to craft poisonous weapons and were ingredients for several types of potions
I tasted a few as I walked. The mulberries burst with a citrusy sweetness that danced on my tongue, leaving a cooling aftertaste. The goji berries were earthy, slightly bitter, but not unpleasant. I even tried the pokeweed out of curiosity - sweet at first, but hollow, like candy with no soul. The ivy berries? Bitter enough to make me gag.
As I neared the lake, I spotted a small bush glowing faintly blue. I crouched down and used Appraisal.
Name: Blueleaf Berry
Effect: Restores 50 HP/sec for 10 seconds
Taste: Sweet-tart
Use: Health potion ingredient
Rarity: Common
Location: Near lakes/rivers
I plucked the berries carefully and stored them in a labeled slot.
When I reached the lake, my breath caught for a second. The water was crystal clear, like melted sapphire. It stretched wide, calm and quiet, mirroring the pale blue sky. The edges were ringed with smooth stones, some glowing faintly. Dragonflies skimmed the surface, and a soft breeze sent ripples across the lake like silk being tugged.
It felt... serene.
I stood there for a moment, letting the silence settle into me. This place didn't feel like part of a dangerous world. It felt like a memory I hadn't made yet. I scooped up the water and drank—ice-cold, pure, as if it was cleansing me from the inside out. Then I splashed it on my face; the chill stung for a moment before melting into a calm that settled deep in my chest.
I lay down on the soft grass by the lake, eyes closed, letting the gentle wind and the rhythmic lapping of water lull me into stillness. I simply breathed - just peace. But after a few quiet moments I remembered why I was here.
Time to try magic.
I raised my hand, imagining water forming in my palm.
Nothing.
I frowned. Tried wind. Rock. Fire.
Still nothing.
My lips tightened. I clenched my fists. Something stirred in me it wasn't not anger, exactly, but frustration. It was like being handed a powerful weapon and forgetting how to hold it.
I kicked a nearby tree.
The entire trunk snapped in half.
"Shit," I muttered, jumping back as it crashed beside me.
I had forgotten that my strength wasn't normal anymore.
I took a deep breath and calmed down. Then I remembered the books in my inventory. I summoned the Basic Energy Management book and read through it using my photographic memory.
This book explained how to control MP and
prana energy, and provided instructions for casting basic magic at Elemental Magic Skill level 1. It covered Summoning Magic, Beast Taming, Support and Healing spells, and how to use Prana Energy in martial arts. Surprisingly, it even had chants for spells. To cast spells, one needed intent and chanting.
Ugh. Chanting.
Well, no one would watch me here so I had nothing to lose.
There was no mention of divine or abyssal energy, but I couldn't expect too much from a basic book. Still, this was a treasure for me at the moment.
According to the book, MP is stored in the heart, while prana energy is stored in the stomach. To use magic, you have to imagine the power coming from your heart while chanting the spell. The chant felt a bit childish and embarrassing, but I was eager to try it.
So, I picked a basic water spell and recited:
"O Energy, emerge from my heart, flow through my veins, and transform into water - guard me with your strength! Water Wall!"
Something pulsed from my chest, racing to my hand. Cold at first, then warm, then hot. Like dunking your hand in ice and pulling it into fire. And then—
Water surged upward, forming a curved shield in front of me.
I grinned. It worked.
The feeling was electric. Not just the spell, but the connection. As if the world had responded to my voice.
I cast more spells—Fireball, Wind Cutter, Rock Spear. Ten in total. All worked. The chants were cheesy and long, but effective.
I was happy and excited. Now, I wanted more.
But, how could I use level 2 or higher magic?
I remembered a support and healing magic skill that could upgrade non-living objects and enhance their quality, but I had no idea how to actually use it. The book only covered level 1 support and healing magic, with no instructions for higher levels. I figured I might as well try something similar to what I already knew. There was no harm in experimenting, so I placed the book on a rock and imagined the spell in my mind and tried casting:
"O energy, emerge from my heart, flow through my veins, and transform this object into its ultimate form!"
A huge amount of magic surged from my body. Smoke curled around the book. When it cleared, the book pulsed with glowing red and blue energy.
The Ultimate Energy Management Book.
I was shocked to see that even a book's knowledge could evolve on its own, as if nature itself had stepped in to offer more.
I kept feeding it magic and quickly read through it entirely in minutes. New understanding filled me. Celestial magic, Divine Energy, Abyssal Energy - all laid bare.
Magic from the heart. Prana from the stomach. Divine from mental awakening. Abyssal from negative emotions.
To use these energies, it all came down to intent. To cast magic, I simply had to imagine the type of spell I wanted while guiding the energy through my body. The more energy I poured into it, the stronger the result. Prana worked in a similar way, but it was meant for physical combat. When I focused prana from my core into my limbs, it amplified my strength, speed, and reflexes. I could even channel it into weapons, merging my energy with the metal to make each strike sharper, heavier, and more destructive.
According to the Ultimate Energy Management book, there were four methods to increase energy reserves. The first was by leveling up and assigning attribute points to energy stats. The second was by wearing magical gear that enhanced energy capacity. The third involved drinking rare potions that gave a permanent boost. The last method was unexpected. If I completely drained a certain type of energy, like all of my MP, my body would naturally adapt, increasing its total capacity by ten percent each time.
Finally, the book described Celestial Magic - the most supreme and powerful magic in existence. Nothing can stop its effects, and even nature bends to its will. However, to cast celestial magic, one needs Ethereal Light Energy, which no longer exists in the cosmos. Thousands of years ago, this energy mysteriously vanished from nature.
That part haunted me.
What could have happened in the past to make such a powerful energy disappear from the cosmos? It didn't appear in my status, likely because it no longer exists.
I didn't have answers. But I had magic.
I focused on my palm and imagined ice. A crystal-clear cube formed, then sharpened into a spiked ball. I threw it. It exploded through three trees, cracking the last one in half.
Anything conjured with magic needed constant supply. I tested it again. Water lost shape when I cut the flow. Ice remained but weakened.
I summoned another ice sphere in my hand—smooth, glowing faintly in the sun. It hummed with restrained power.
I stared at it, then crushed it in my fist.
Shards fell like tiny diamonds to the ground.
No shortcuts anymore, I promised myself. From here on out, I'd train—not just to win, but to understand. To control. To deserve what I'd been given.
And with that, I stepped into the clearing, the sunlight warm on my face, and began my real journey with magic but this time, not as a cheater, but as someone trying to earn his place in a world far beyond anything I'd ever known.
I looked at my hands, my arms, my body.
This wasn't a dream.
It was real. And I was ready to master it.