"Alex… what is that monster?!"
Rowe and Vale each whispered the same question, their voices trembling.
But I had no time to answer. My focus was locked on the Monstrous White Tiger standing before me.
[Ha…. An intelligent human among the group, I shall not kill recklessly. Listen human, I am the white tiger owner of this forest. If you want to stay in my forest you have to take permission from me.However, a price must be paid. One of you must offer me a body part to temporarily acknowledge your stay. So…..Who will sacrifice?]
Right. So it's come to this. They're all newcomers... which means I'm the one who has to offer the sacrifice.
I offered my arm. The tiger was amused.
[Truly a brave human. I shall make it less painful]
The tiger opens its wide mouth and bites my arm.
!!! Ahhhhhhh! Aaargh! Aaaargh!
My flesh is torn apart by its large teeth.
Bones crushed, blood vessels ruptured.
Crunch, crunch, crunch!
[Ding!]
[Pain Resistance Skill Unlocked!]
[Pain Resistance – Level 1]
'The system!'
So it wasn't a hallucination.
Let's try it.
'Status'
[Ding!]
[Name: Alex
Race: Human
Title: Regressor
Strength: 1
Agility: 1
Intelligence: 1.5
Will: 2
Spirit: 0
Martial Art: None
Cultivation Realm: None
Skill: Pain Resistance – Level 1]
'So, it is real.'
Nothing impressive—just as I expected. If I had any real talent, I wouldn't have died so miserably in my past life. But this life… this time, things will be different. I'll do whatever it takes to survive.
[I accept your sacrifice and you can stay in my territory for six nights. My divine power has infused you, so you shall not die from this wound.]
After saying so, the tiger leaps away and disappears into the forest.
"Hu, huuh... Haah, hah..."
I chew on a hemostatic herb, letting the bitter juice fill my mouth. Then I pressed it onto the place where my arm was torn off. The bleeding slows, and little by little, the pain starts to fade.
"Gr... Ugh…"
"Deputy Manager Alex!"
Director Rowe and Deputy Manager Vale hurry over to help me.
"What was that just now?"
"...First, let's go inside. I'll explain."
Supported by the two, I return to the cave.
Then, I mix truth and lies to tell them what happened.
And They believed it.
I pretend the knowledge I already have was what the tiger had taught me.
This is not the world we used to live in but a completely different one, inhabited by immortals, cultivators, and martial artists.
...Martial world, huh. This is thrilling.
Hehe, never thought I'd experience something like this.
Director Rowe and Chief Torres make jokes about the martial world, trying to lighten the mood despite their disbelief.
"Haha, Deputy Manager Alex. If it's about the martial world, I'm an expert. So, you see…"
Director Rowe's voice trembles, revealing her attempts to hide her emotions.
After some moment
Manager Chen and Chief Grant are trying to lighten the mood because they are the oldest here.
In my past life, when we didn't perform the ritual, everyone's limbs were torn apart.
Despite the pain that made us wish for death, none of us actually died.
I don't know the reason. It might be because we are special.
"Anyway, the owner of this forest demanded a sacrifice to allow us to stay here temporarily, so I offered my arm. This should keep us safe in the forest for a week."
"A week? What happens after a week?"
"...We'll have to offer another sacrifice ."
At this, everyone's gaze turns towards my shoulder.
Their faces are all pale as death.
"By the way, could you bring me some pain-relief herbs? It hurts a lot."
"Ah, sure. This one?"
"Thank you."
I chew on another root of the pain-relief herbs I had dug up earlier.
"I'm going to sleep for a bit. Please understand..."
Perhaps due to the shock, I naturally fell asleep as the tension released.
After suppressing the pain with the herbs, I fall into a sweet sleep.
It's said that hearing is the last sense to go.
Perhaps that's why, as I regain consciousness, I could hear the voices of others.
"What? A sacrifice! That's absurd..."
"After a week, we have to offer another sacrifice like that?"
"We should think about leaving this place within a week."
"How can we let Alex suffer like this..."
"Deputy Manager Alex was the first to encounter that... thing and almost got eaten."
"Rather, he's the first to sacrifice."
In a half-asleep state, I continue to listen to the ongoing conversation.
"But what if we can't leave the forest after a week?"
Jeon asks in a cold voice.
No one answers.
"Then who will have their limb torn off next?"
Silence hung in the deeper part of the cave.
'In three days... the immortals will appear and kidnap them, so it doesn't really matter.'
There's no need to mention anything about my regression.
That's when it happened.
A rather annoying sound came to my ears.
"Is Deputy Manager Alex sleeping well?"
"Yes... He's completely knocked out."
"Deputy Manager Alex, if you're awake, I have something to tell you. Please wake up."
I keep my eyes closed and pretend to sleep.
Jeon checks that I'm asleep and then stands up.
"Come to the entrance for a moment."
"Huh? Can't we just talk here?"
"No, come outside."
Eventually, Jeon leads the others to the cave entrance.
A while later, I hear whispers from the entrance.
Simultaneously, there are voices criticizing Jeon.
"Section Chief Jeon! How can you think of something like that?"
"Deputy Manager Alex sacrificed his arm like that..."
"Um. Section Chief Jeon. I really can't approve of that."
"Um..."
Outside the cave, Jeon raises his voice.
"Well, who will offer their arm or leg to the monster fox after a week?"
"Even so..."
"Chief Grant, what do you think? I think it's reasonable."
"...I don't know. And Deputy Manager Seo is capable. He knows a lot about herbs and food..."
"Then let's learn as much as we can from Alex for a week..."
Though I couldn't hear clearly from outside the cave,
I can roughly guess.
'So they're thinking, since I've become disabled, let's cut off my limbs and offer them to the Tiger every week.'
It's not going to happen, but it still feels disgusting.
Very, very much so.
'Should I kill him?'
No, that can mess up the plan. Immortals have many methods. if they found out I have killed their so-called genius. things can get ugly.
'it's not like it will happen. So that's okay.'
' Everything will be resolved on the third day anyway.'
I quietly continue to pretend to sleep on the floor.
After a while, people with dark expressions, as if they had reached some dirty agreement, enter the cave.
"Hey, Deputy Manager Alex. Are you okay? Try getting up."
Jeon deliberately wakes me up.
"Haha, Deputy Manager Alex. Sorry about that. I didn't know you were such a self-sacrificing person."
'...'
"From now on, I'm counting on you."
Jeon looks at me with a smile I have never seen before and pats my back.
I look around at the people nearby. Everyone's expression is dark.
"This garbage, I see how he persuaded everyone with his silver tongue."
For a moment, annoyance surged, and I even considered strangling and killing the guy who hugged me.
'Endure. Phew, just hold on.'
"..Yes. We all need to survive together in a difficult situation."
"Haha, right. So, about the fruit you picked yesterday. Do you know where to find it?"
'...'
This bastard, so he woke me up for this.
"...I can teach you. Actually, I was planning to teach you, Section Chief Jeon, in particular."
"Ha, really? Thanks! Thank you!"
"Don't worry about surviving in the forest. I'll teach you everything."
I give him a sly smile.
Yeah, I'll teach you all this knowledge.
After all, it's knowledge you wont need for the rest of your life once you join a cultivation sect
"Jeon. How many times have I told you it's not that fruit? You're not focusing on my words, are you?"
"No, but surely…"
"The one with the split top is a different fruit. Eating this fruit will kill you. Do you understand?"
'...'
While teaching Jeon about herbs and edible fruits, I no longer called him 'section chief.'
He's learning about herbs while grinning, even though I'm scolding him.
'I wonder how frustrating it will be when he realizes these are low-grade herbs useless for a sect disciple.'
"No, Jeon. Can't you understand? I've explained several times. You have a problem with concentration."
"….I getit"
Jeon's face turns as red as raspberries.
Jeon is being tormented in the same way he used to torment me when I first joined the company.
He must be enduring it with the thought of extracting as much knowledge as possible in a week.
Sorry, but we won't see each other again in two days.
Three days have passed since we fell into this forest.
Whoosh, whoosh...
The wind has been strong since dawn today.
Zap, zap...
At the same time, the air feels turbulent.
I smile and wake up Jeon early in the morning.
"Mr. Jeon , let's go pick some herbs in the morning."
"Right from the morning..."
"Ah, hurry up."
"...Alright."
I take Jeon around, searching for herbs.
And a little later.
"Oh, I found it!"
"Is this a good herb?"
"Yes, it is."
"It does look like ginseng..."
Jeon swallows his saliva looking at the plant resembling wild ginseng in front of him.
Then he suddenly started laughing.
"Hahaha, oh, this is incredible. Is it really okay to dig up so much wild ginseng like this?
....
It's about time to head back.
We went back to the cave, had Jeon start a fire, and sat down.
And it was when I was quietly sitting and looking up at the sky.
Kwagwang! Kwakwa Gwang!
Suddenly, there's a flash, and something collides in the sky.
It seems like a collision of black, golden, and pure white lights.
And then, at that moment.
Kuhuk! Kayak!
Suddenly, Jeon spots blood and collapses.
Aaak, Aaaak!
Deputy Manager Elena Vale also screams and collapses. Her screams echo around like a ghostly wail.
Additionally, Chief Nathaniel Grant also collapses, clutching his heart.
'Its time.'
A little while later.
Paaat!
Above the cave we were in, three orbs of light fly down.
[Wow, amazing. To think I'd find such gems while bumping into those annoying folks.]
[Whos talking. Get lost. These guys are all mine.]
[Such shameless talk.]
From within the orbs of light, a middle-aged man in a silver robe, a figure in purple robes that made it unclear whether they are male or female, and a giant in blue armor set out.
"Yo- you are..who are you?"
Director Rowe asks them with a fearful voice.
However, they glance at Director Rowe and ignore her.
[No spiritual roots.]
[Just ordinary mortals.]
Their gaze sweeps over each of us in turn.
[Do these three have spiritual roots?]
[But it's amazing. How did these untrained mortals end up in Ascension Path...]
[Hehe, it seems like that tiger tricked one of them. From the injury, it seems they offered themselves willingly. Impressive will for a mere mortal.]
Kuong!
The giant in blue armor stomps his foot, and a faint turquoise light ripples outwards.
At the same time, when the light touches my body, something amazing happens. My arm, enveloped in a sky-blue light, regrows.
"Th-thank you!"
I bow deeply to the giant, overwhelmed with gratitude. The giant laughs heartily and speaks.
[No need to be so formal. For a cultivator, restoring a mortal's blood essence is quite easy. Anyway...]
Click
The giant in blue armor flicks his hand towards the air.
At the same time, my body is pushed back, and Jeon, Chief Grant, and Deputy Manager Chen bodies are pulled forward.
[These three have spiritual roots, shall we see who's worth it?]
The middle-aged man in the Silver robe steps forward and extends his hand.
A Silver sword then floated above his hand.
Woong!
Pajijik!
Simultaneously, Silver lightning roars in the sky, and Jeon collapses again, spitting blood.
[As expected... amazing! A body of True Thunder God Body ...!]
[Move, it's my turn.]
The figure in purple robes, ambiguous in gender, pushes the man in the Silver robe aside and takes out a black pipa.
Tung
As the pipa string is plucked, Deputy Manager Vale clutches her head and screams.
Aaak!
Her screams once again echoe like ghostly wails.
The figure in purple robes shows a slight smile.
[Nether Soul blooming Immortal root...! To think it actually exists! Aaaa...]
[Hehe, I also believe what I felt was not a lie.]
The giant in blue armor walks past the figure in black robes and approaches Chief Grant.
"What, what is it?"
Chief Grant seems fearful, but the blue-armored giant surprisingly checks his pulse, holding his wrist calmly.
And after a while.
[A Divine Holy Body! Can such a body really exist! Impossible...]
A little while later, the three, seemingly shocked, calm their hearts and then ask the three.
[Would you like to consider the path of cultivation?]
The middle-aged man in the golden robe speaks to Jeon with a gentle expression.
[Each of you has the talent to turn the world upside down. It's unthinkable to waste such talent.]
The figure in purple robes looks at Deputy Manager Elena Vale with a lingering gaze.
[Immortality! The power to turn heaven and earth upside down! Immense wealth and honor! Don't you want it all? I assure you, if you follow me, you will obtain everything within 200 years.]
The giant in blue armor openly approaches Chief Nathaniel Grant and speaks, massaging his body.
[I am the Grand Master of the Divine Thunder Sect . How about all three of you join my Divine Thunder Sect?]
[Hmph, so greedy! In our purple Ghost Valley, there's no such thing as a missing elemental method. I am the Grand Elder of the purple Ghost Valleys Elder Council, the Dark Bone Ghost Devil. If all of you join our valley, you can achieve maximum growth.]
[Well, I don't really need those two. Just you, come along, Divine Holy Body. I am the fourth-generation sect leader of the Heaven Destruction Sect . If you wish, I'm even willing to pass on the sect to you. Oh, the other two can come if they wish. Though different in direction, you both have tremendous talent, so I'll take you as direct disciples.]
While the three cultivators seem to be giving them a choice, in reality, it's no different from a forced threat.
The giant in blue armor is practically crushing Chief's shoulder.
The gender-ambiguous figure in purple robes, the Dark Bone Ghost Devil, is doing something suspicious while making eye contact with Deputy Manager Elena Vale.
Deputy Manager Elena Vale's eyes are gradually becoming dull.
And Silver men seem to be pressuring Jeon with an invisible force, as if threatening to kill him if he doesn't choose him.
After a while, Jeon, Elena Vale and Nathaniel Grantare forced to join the three cultivation sects.
[Welcome to the sect, haha!]
[The elders of the valley will take good care of you.]
[Come, my disciple, let's go.]
The three cultivators are about to take off with the three people.
Just then, Director Rowe , who is watching the situation in a daze, suddenly regains his senses and runs out.
"Wait, Excuse me! Can you possibly help us out of this forest? If we stay here, we're all going to die!"
[Hmm, are you so worried because you're mortals? Worried about that Tiger? Don't worry.]
The giant in the blue armor laughs and speaks.
[We've already beaten all the demons and monsters in Ascension Path on our way here! Now we're going to catch that Tiger too, and for the next 10 years, Ascension Path will be safe!]
"Ah, no... Look here! Jeon! Elena Vale! Nathaniel Grant! say something! We don't even know how to get out of here!"
In reality, Jeon is already captured by The men in a Silver bottle like a Pokemon.
Deputy Manager Elena Vale is completely entranced by Dark Bone Ghost Devil.
And The Blue armour Guy just laughs off whatever Chief Nathaniel Grant says, seemingly uninterested.
'It was like this 45 years ago.'
No matter how loudly we shouted, they didn't pay any attention to us, as if we were just insects, and went on their way.
Instead of calling out hoarsely to the three cultivators, I touch my arm that has been restored.
'Well, at least they restored my arm.'
I sigh.
Director Rowe shouts till her throat is hoarse as she watches the three orbs of light disappear, but there's no response.
"Ugh... Damn it..."
Eventually, Director Rowe just collapses.
"What are we supposed to do... in this forest..."
Now only four of us are left.
Me, Director Chen, Deputy Manager Torres, and Manager Rowe .
'Tomorrow, Deputy Manager Torres and Manager Chen will probably be kidnapped too...'
My time alone with Director Rowe is coming shortly.
Director Rowe is momentarily disheartened but is overjoyed and congratulates me upon seeing my arm had been restored.
"It's really a relief, truly a relief..."
"When Deputy Manager Alex's arm was torn off, I thought I was going to lose my mind... Ah, but even now, it's really, really shocking to see three of our colleagues disappear like that..."
"Deputy Manager, it's truly fortunate."
We, who had lost our colleagues yet had our lives assured in this strange situation sat there, unable to cry or laugh.
And then, a little later.
Like a meteor passing through the sky, a pure white light streaks across the sky.
"Oh, what..."
It isn't just that.
After the white light, several, dozens of lights fly across the sky like a meteor shower.
All are headed in the direction where the other three cultivators have gone.
"What is this... Is there something in that direction..."
Director Rowe looks in that direction in confusion, and I start to gather fruits to eat for the day, lighting a fire to roast them.
****************
The next day came.
This day is unusual as it rained.
Dark clouds fill the sky, and thunder rumbles.
"...With this weather, it'll be hard to go out for fruits. What should we do?"
Manager Rowe looks at us with a worried expression.
"...Especially since Deputy Manager Torres isn't in good condition."
Its true.
Deputy Manager Torres is lying down with a high fever, looking at the sky with a vacant expression and muttering to herself.
"...Let's wait a bit longer."
I speak, looking up at the sky.
"Who knows, maybe another miracle like yesterday will happen today."
"...Is that really a miracle? Oh, of course, your arm coming back is really... like a miracle, but..."
I chuckle and say to Manager Rowe.
"Who knows. Someone might appear and cure the Deputy Manager 's illness completely."
I look up at the sky with Manager Rowe and Director Chen.
It's lunchtime.
Kwarurung!
Thunder roars.
Cough! Cough!
Deputy Manager Torre's cough and fever worsens. Blood flows from her nose.
"Deputy Manager Alex. Is there any herb we can use for this? What should we do..."
"Let's try giving her some fever-reducing herbs for now."
That's when it happened.
Thud, thud...
Someone enters the cave.
He's a handsome middle-aged man dressed in Green robes.
The middle-aged man, with a topknot hairstyle, has a pair of small horns on his head.
[Mortals in Ascension Path. It's like ants getting crushed between the competition of true dragons.]
"Who, who are you!"
Director Rowe, vigilant, guards against this new figure. The man in green robes smiles wryly and introduces himself leisurely.
[I am the Sea Dragon Emperor. I came following the source of the sudden and unnatural stormy weather. That woman over there is using the spell of Thunder and Storm.]
[Well, it's not exactly a spell, but yes. She wields the power of the storm. It's a strain on her human body to cause such massive events.]
"St-stormr?"
[Yes, the storm. It's quite unusual. A human, and a mortal at that, without even spiritual roots, wielding such immense power... She's not even doing it consciously. Truly peculiar.]
Peculiar, indeed…
Curious, I asked the men in green a question that had been on my mind.
"In fact, we've experienced more peculiar events. Yesterday, three incredible cultivators took away members of our group who were perfectly suited as their disciples. And today, you came to take a look at the Deputy Manager. Why do people as great as you come to us so specifically?"
To my question, The man in green looks puzzled for a moment, then bursts into laughter.
[Hahaha, it is so. I'm not sure of the details, but there were mortals among your group with exceptional qualities. Masters fitting those qualities took your colleagues away. And today, I appeared, specifically suited for that woman, is that peculiar?]
[Look here, mortal friend. Do you know where this place is?]
"From what I've heard, it seems to be called Ascension Path..."
[Ascension Path. Also known as the Path to Ascension, a gateway leading to the Upper Realm. And in a few months, near Ascension Path, a space rift called the Gateway to Heaven, the Ascension Gate will open.
It's a once-in-a-thousand-years event. During this time, the surrounding space becomes unstable, and many cultivators and demons flock to the vicinity of Ascension Path. All to ascend to the Upper Realm. All high-level cultivators existing in this realm would have gathered.
So, it's not impossible that masters specifically suited for you appeared. The same is likely for that woman. If not me, other high-level cultivators or demons would have found her.]
"Is that so..."
I thought that some entity that sent us to this world intended to scatter us quickly.
But it seems, in reality, it's just a matter of probability.
"Um, but the cultivators took my colleagues away…"
Director Rowe, seeing me initiate conversation with the man, seems to relax and also asks a question.
"They talked about joining their sects and inheriting their methods, but if you ascend to that Upper Realm... how do they get people to join their sects?"
[Hmm, as an ordinary mortal, you might not understand cultivators. Among the skills of cultivators, there is one to shrink large objects for storage.]
[Perhaps all of them have stored their secrets in their storage devices. Their ambition is to ascend to the Upper Realm with their entire sect when the Ascension Gate opens. Ah, in fact, I have also placed one of my Dragon Tribes castles in my storage device. There are about fourteen hundred of my Dragon Tribe members sleeping inside it.]
Stunned by his incredible words, both Director Rowe and I are at a loss for words.
Swoosh...
Then, The man approaches Deputy Manager Torres and strokes her forehead.
Her condition, previously feverish and gasping for air, quickly stabilizes.
[...Intriguing, really intriguing. If she becomes a member of my Dragon Tribe, she might become an extraordinary being...]
Swoosh...
While talking, The man picks up Deputy Manager Torres. Director Rowe, flustered, tries to stop him but is repelled by an invisible force.
"Ughh!"
[This lady will receive my Bloodline and become part of my tribe. That will probably be good for both of us. Since many formidable cultivators will pass through Ascension Path, I say this out of concern...]
Flash!
The man's pupils slit vertically.
"Cough! Choke... Argh!"
"Guh... Ugh..."
Both Director Rowe and I, who previously asked questions, collapse under the overwhelming pressure, finding it hard even to breathe.
[Do not carelessly question high-level cultivators. I am good-natured and answered your questions, but some cultivators with foul temperaments will explode you like bugs just for questioning them...]
After speaking, He leaves the cave.
Flash!
Boom!
With a flash, a thunderous roar echoes, and shortly after, we see a Green Dragon flying in the sky.
But
The rain still does not stop.
Manager Rowe looks up at the sky with a hollow look and mutters.
"...Everyone's been taken away. Now I don't even know what's what. Suddenly a landslide, suddenly another world, cultivators, dragons kidnapping my colleagues... Ha, haha..."
She covers her face, looking like she might cry.
Director Chen also sighs deeply with a gloomy expression.
"I don't know what to do. We should try to find a place with people, but I don't even know where to go. These cultivators and dragons just spout incomprehensible things and... damn it."
"..."
I pat both their shoulders quietly.
Then, suddenly, Manager Chen grabs my arm.
"Deputy Manager Seo, you're not going to suddenly disappear too, right?"
"..."
"Dont, you can't be kidnapped too, Deputy Manager. If you're taken away too, I won't have the confidence to survive in this forest..."
I gaie a bitter smile.
Tonight.
Lastly, Manager Chen will be kidnapped by a strange being.
***