-Ring ring ring ring!
-Thud!
I shut off the alarm on my smartphone and dragged myself out of bed in a daze.
I tore open an energy bar from the nightstand and popped it into my mouth, then rummaged through my closet for some suitable workout clothes and changed into them.
Sleepy.
Sleepy, but I had to move.
I slipped on my sneakers at the entrance and used the pen on the shoe rack to mark the calendar by the door.
- 13th day in this otherworld.
Today's workout begins.
-Whoosh!
"Huff, huff, heave!"
I sprinted full tilt from my apartment entrance all the way to Seoul Grand Park.
Something I wouldn't normally do, but the thought of everything going to shit if I slacked off made my body move on its own.
The pre-dawn park was filled with people out for their morning exercise, just like me.
I naturally joined them, running the walking path that circled the dense forest.
"Hoo, hoo."
What I was doing now was building basic stamina.
To enroll in the academy, I had to raise my base stats somehow.
Sometimes I felt like giving up, but that's when my enhanced mental strength by my abilities grabbed me by the ankles and forcibly dragged my body along.
Walk when tired, run when recovered.
A bit of time passed, and the park started filling up with more people.
Now it was a fight against myself.
- Wow, fucking disgusting. How is he even shaped like that?
The insults from people who saw me.
Even with earbuds in, the sounds leaked through.
- Dude, even goblins aren't that ugly, right? It's insane.
I thought while running.
- Ugh, I can't stand looking at that guy. Oppa, let's just go.
- Heh heh heh, got it. Did you hate him that much, baby? But seriously, it's hilarious. Who passed down a face like that?
- I don't know, he's just ugly as hell.
Endure it, endure.
Now, getting insulted for my looks was part of daily life.
Verbal abuse was a relief; sometimes people furrowed their brows and left the park just because I shared the same air.
I had to calm my anger watching them.
'It happens. My charm's at what level?'
Self-hypnosis while finishing the workout.
I wanted to brush it off coolly, but I'm human too—I couldn't.
'Ugly, huh.'
The fact stung.
My current charm stat was an absurd number, after all.
⚙ STATUS ⚙Charm: -2
This disastrous number didn't come out of nowhere. The traits I took on to earn points were the culprits.
Lewd Demon, Ugly Appearance, Severe Obesity.
The synergy they caused was beyond expectations, turning me into an uglier troll than a goblin.
So I could understand these looks.
I admit it.
I get it all, really.
⚙ TRAIT ACTIVATED ⚙Anger Management Disorder (F) activated.
.
.
.
.
.
A surge of rage.
"You fucking bastards, why the hell do you have to say out loud that I'm ugly?!"
I had a disability.
⚙ TRAIT ⚙Anger Management Disorder (F-) Cannot control anger. Occasionally gets angry for no reason.
Anger management disorder.
I understood, but that didn't mean forgiveness.
I naturally picked up a hefty stone from the ground and charged at the couple who had insulted me.
"You fuckers! What, you got some claim on my face!?"
"Kyaaah!"
Just as I lunged at the woman like a ghost,
-Grab.
Someone roughly seized my shoulder and subdued me.
"No disturbances in the park."
Squeeze—
The grip on my shoulder forced me to drop the stone.
I turned my head to see a familiar woman in a neat suit smiling brightly.
"You again?"
Her icy words, cold as midwinter frost, instantly cooled my boiling rage. For once, my traits had the sense to hold back, and I was truly grateful.
"Follow me."
I obediently trailed after the security guard.
"Excuse me."
"Yes."
"You know how many times this is?"
"Seventh time."
"...Hah."
During our brief chat while walking, the pissed-off guard let out a deep sigh.
She was so angry her fists trembled.
"You know that and you do it again? Seriously, keep this up and you'll be banned. No, today you crossed the line. Why pick up that dangerous rock from the ground?"
"I thought Anger Management wouldn't kick in today. It just happened~"
"I've heard that nine times already. Put yourself in my shoes. Every time there's an incident, you're always there. Wouldn't that piss me off? Wouldn't it?"
"I'm sorry."
I shut my mouth and kept bowing my head.
I genuinely felt bad for this guard I'd been indebted to since arriving in this otherworld. To the point where, if I made it big, I'd do anything for her.
Thinking about it, she hadn't cursed me out despite seeing my face. She'd approached fairly instead.
"Sigh, sorry. I really won't come anymore."
"Good, then. But hey, if you're gonna work out, wouldn't a gym be better?"
"Telling me not to come, huh."
Pity flickered in the guard's eyes as she looked at me.
Scratching the back of my neck awkwardly, I gave her a smile.
My ugly looks affected more than just the gym.
Pranks in my food orders were routine now. Worst case, I stood there blankly and cops showed up, saying a suspicious guy was loitering.
'Being ugly is a crime...'
🌳 World Tree Message 🌳The peeking 'World Tree of Purity' smiles, saying she still loves you.
What good is love from a tree?
Even if I did something crazy, I'm not a tree-hugger.
It still baffles me, makes my hands and feet tremble thinking about it.
My absentminded masturbation accidentally hit the World Tree's privates.
'Hold on.'
I hated my pathetic situation, controlled by the World Tree.
Thinking of the "Purity" whatever that disrupted my peace filled me with irritation.
I scrolled through the hologram window in front of me.
---
⚙ SYSTEM LOG ⚙[Stamina +0.01 from intense exercise!] [Stamina +0.01 from intense exercise!] [Stamina +0.01 from intense exercise!] [Stamina +0.01 from intense exercise!] ...
---
My latent potential was exploding even now.
Stats rose faster than the fat melted.
I'd definitely reach average starter level within 100 days.
"Go on now. Dragging you here was just for show."
"Yes. I won't come again."
For that, I needed even more intense workouts.
I bowed deeply in thanks and left the park.
"Ahem, hem."
A wistful voice came from behind.
"Starting tomorrow, it'll open at 3 a.m... Do your workouts then. Don't get caught causing a scene like last time."
"Really?"
"Don't want to?"
"No. I love you. I'll repay this kindness."
"Whatever, who's taking your love."
An appearance uglier than a goblin.
First person to look after me despite this face.
Is it the Luck 10 effect? Bringing kind souls like her? I thanked the guard sincerely and headed home.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇⚔ STATUS ⚔📛 Name: Lee Si-heon (World Tree's Husband Candidate)📏 Age/Height/Weight: 20 / 174cm / 99.18kg⚡ Strength: 4.2💨 Agility: 1.1✨ Magic Power: 0.0💪 Stamina: 3.8🧠 Intelligence: 5❤️ Charm: -2.0🔮 Potential: 20🍀 Luck: 10🛡️ Endurance: 2.0□ Unique Traits (0)□ Owned Skills (0)□ Traits (5)
"Three digits broken."
Sweat dripping, I muttered softly.
A month since starting workouts, my efforts bore fruit.
Overjoyed, I stretched my arms to the ceiling and yelled.
"Yaaaaah!"
Today was a good day.
Thanks to the pretty guard's kind help, I exercised without worry, and my weight, which was 120kg on day one, finally hit two digits.
Keep this up, and I'd return to normal tracks. Escape this damn obesity, this shitty negative charm.
Just like this, keep going.
Grinning, I closed the info window, and a new icon appeared in the corner of my vision.
-World Tree Auction (New!)
A pink, cutesy icon. Soon, an explanation popped up.
🛒 World Tree Auction 🛒The World Tree Auction is a shop accessible only to World Tree husbands and candidates. Uses affection from World Trees and Wood People as currency. Currency limited to points (p).
Convert World Tree affection to points for shopping.
Seeing that sentence, I could only exhale bitterly.
No expectations.
Realistically, I raped a World Tree—how high could affection be?
I came outside... no, not cumming doesn't erase the crime.
'Chats make it seem like she likes it. But is it real affection? I don't know.'
I entered the shop anyway.
🛒 SHOP ADS 🛒[Now's your chance! F-rank items to EX unique traits! 100p each!] [Spirit User Set for gathering World Tree affection. 90,000p → 45,000p.] [A wonderful night with a World Tree! Box of studded condoms: 5p.]
So many items it was laughable. Gacha, packages—shady tactics like from greedy game devs littered the shop.
I scrolled the smartphone screen, window-shopping.
The key was my funds.
⚙ INITIAL POINTS ⚙[Lee Si-heon's initial p determined by (current World Trees' affection x 100).] [World Trees watching you: (1)] ▶ The 'World Tree of Purity''s pink love beams toward you! [Affection: 100] [10,000p granted. Future points via quests and bonds with World Trees/ Wood People descendants.]
"...Huh. Why's the affection like this?"
I rubbed my eyes and checked again—no change.
Affection 100. Max? Not sure, but definitely not low.
'Why's she so smitten?'
If she hated me, fine, but I hadn't done anything to win her favor.
I avoided it, even.
Worried she'd kick me out if I annoyed her, I always badmouthed the World Tree when pessimistic about my lot.
So why...
A thought flashed.
How I got here. That one sex.
I denied it, but worth reconsidering.
Sitting in my apartment, catching my breath, I pulled down my pants.
There hung my pride and joy, a monster unmatched since childhood.
"No way... right? Hey, if you're there, answer."
The World Tree stayed silent.
🌳 World Tree Message 🌳The 'World Tree of Purity' blushes.
Her reaction spoke for itself.
"Th-this, th-this..."
Realizing the situation, despair crashed in.
⚙ TRAIT ACTIVATED ⚙Anger Management Disorder activated.
"This is insane! You horny lewd trees!"
A world where many World Trees are revered.
A world strengthened under World Tree protection.
A suspicious world where one blessing makes you elite.
There, with one act, I conquered a World Tree.
"Aaaargh!"