《Mount Hua Simulation: Regressor’s Path》 unpredicted start chapter 1 The sky wept crimson. Mount Hua''s pristine peaks, once crowned with delicate cherry blossoms and blessed by golden sunlight, now drowned in death''s own hue. The sacred grounds where generations of disciples had cultivated their arts lay desecrated, choked with the acrid smoke of burning pavilions and the metallic tang of spilled blood. Through the haze of destruction, a lone figure wavered like a candle in the wind. Rudra. A mere servant. A shadow that had spent years drifting through Mount Hua''s halls, nameless and unremarkable. Now, he stood amid the carnage, clutching a dead disciple''s broken sword, its edge dulled by the blood of fallen demonic cultivators. His body was a tapestry of wounds. Deep gashes carved across his arms wept freely, while the burning in his chest spoke of shattered ribs. Each breath felt like swallowing fire. The coarse hemp of his servant''s robes, now stained dark with blood, clung to his skin like a funeral shroud. Before him lay the pride of Mount Hua¡ªmasters whose names were whispered in reverence throughout the martial world, disciples whose potential had blazed like newborn stars. Now they were nothing but cooling flesh, their techniques rendered meaningless, their dao broken. The night had begun like any other. The outer disciples had been practicing their sword forms in the courtyard, their movements traced in moonlight. Elder Liu had been lecturing on the principles of qi circulation in the Great Hall, his voice carrying the weight of centuries of wisdom. Even the kitchen disciples had been preparing the next day''s meals, their laughter echoing through the evening air. Then the wards fell. The ancient formations that had protected Mount Hua for generations shattered like glass. The night itself seemed to bleed darkness as the Demonic Sect descended upon them. And then... there was him. The figure stood atop a mountain of corpses, his dark robes rippling in the night air like shadows given form. Blood rolled off the silk like water from a lotus leaf, refusing to stain his immaculate presence. His eyes gleamed crimson, twin lanterns of cruel amusement as he watched the last embers of resistance sputter and die. The Heavenly Demon. The Heavenly Demon''s lips curved into a cruel smile as he faced Mount Hua''s Sect Leader. "Shall we dance, righteous one? Show me this dao of the sword you''ve spent a lifetime perfecting." Han Qing''s response was a technique that split the very air. The legendary Plum Blossom Blade hummed with generations of accumulated power as he executed "Autumn Leaves Seeking Heaven" - a move that had once cleaved a mountain peak. The sword qi manifested as thousands of crystalline petals, each capable of shearing through steel. But the Heavenly Demon didn''t move. He simply raised one hand, dark qi coalescing around his fingers like living shadow. The deadly petals dissolved before they could touch him, turning to ash that drifted away on blood-scented winds. "Is that all?" he asked, disappointment thick in his voice. Han Qing''s eyes narrowed. His next movement was almost too fast to follow - the famous "Nine Springs Piercing Shadow," a technique that attacked from nine different angles simultaneously. The air screamed as his blade created afterimages, each strike targeting a vital point. This time, the Heavenly Demon moved. But his movements were languid, almost lazy. He weaved between the strikes as if participating in a casual dance, his dark robes flowing like liquid night. "Better. But still so... predictable." Sweat beaded on Han Qing''s brow. He had yet to land a single blow, while his opponent hadn''t even drawn his weapon. "Monster," he spat, gathering his qi for an even greater technique. The air grew heavy with power as Han Qing initiated the movement all of Mount Hua had feared to attempt in the last century - "Heaven''s Execution." His qi exploded outward, forming the image of an enormous plum tree in full bloom. Each petal was an incarnation of Mount Hua''s martial dao, carrying the weight of centuries of cultivation. The Heavenly Demon''s eyes finally showed a flicker of interest. "Ah... now this might be worth watching." Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The technique crashed down like divine judgment. The very foundations of Mount Hua trembled. Lesser cultivators nearby fell to their knees, blood streaming from their eyes at the mere proximity to such power. For a moment, it seemed as if even the Heavenly Demon would have to take it seriously. Instead, he laughed. The sound cut through the roar of power like a blade through silk. His hand shot out, fingers curved like talons, and caught the technique. Caught it like one might catch a falling leaf. "Do you want to know something amusing?" he asked, crushing the manifestation of Mount Hua''s ultimate technique in his grip. "I''ve been using less than a tenth of my power. Playing with you, like a cat with a mouse." Horror dawned in Han Qing''s eyes as the truth was clear from the beginning All his decades of cultivation, all the secret techniques and accumulated wisdom of Mount Hua - they meant nothing before this monster. "You see," the Heavenly Demon continued, suddenly appearing behind Han Qing with frightening speed, "your entire sect''s existence has been nothing but an entertaining diversion. Your righteousness, your dao..." His hand caught Han Qing''s throat. "All merely jest for beings like me." "Our dao will never die," Han Qing managed to gasp. "Others will rise-" "Others?" The demon''s grip tightened. "Let me show you the truth of your dao." With his free hand, he caught the legendary Plum Blossom Blade. The weapon that had been Mount Hua''s pride for a thousand years shattered in his grip like cheap glass. The fragments fell among the bodies of disciples who had died believing in its power. "Your dao is nothing but a child''s dream of strength and I am like a reality to those dreams ." The Heavenly Demon''s voice carried across the battlefield like a cold wind. "Let me show you true power." CRACK The sound echoed across the battlefield like thunder. The Heavenly Demon had snapped Han Qing''s neck with the casual ease of a child breaking a twig. For a heartbeat, the world held its breath. Then, with elegant disdain, the Heavenly Demon cast aside the corpse of Mount Hua''s greatest master. It tumbled down the mountain of dead, coming to rest among broken swords and shattered dreams. Around them, the massacre continued. Young disciples fled in terror, only to be cut down by laughing demonic cultivators. The sect''s healers, who had sworn never to harm a living being, died protecting their patients in the medical pavilion. Even the mortal servants, who had nothing to do with cultivation, were slaughtered without mercy. Senior Sister Liu, beloved by all for her gentle heart and unmatched talent with the sword, made her final stand at the steps of the ancestral hall. Her jade-white robes turned crimson as she fell, her last breath spent not in cursing her killers, but in warning the junior disciples to run. In the library pavilion, Elder Chen died protecting the sect''s ancient manuscripts. His final technique turned his blood into fire, taking a dozen demonic cultivators with him as the precious scrolls burned to ash. "Kill them all," he commanded, his voice a as cold as his eyes "Let not even an ant survive this night." His warriors surged forward like a tide of darkness. The remaining elders, those who still clung to life, raised their swords one final time. Their blades, forged in righteousness and tempered by decades of cultivation, shattered like glass against the overwhelming tide of demonic qi. In the distance, the lesser peaks of Mount Hua burned. The female disciples'' quarters had become a tomb of ice, frozen by a desperate technique from Mistress Snow. The training fields were littered with broken bodies, some still clutching practice swords. The meditation caves, where generations had sought enlightenment, became execution grounds. And Rudra... His knees finally buckled. The stolen sword slipped from nerveless fingers, striking stone with a hollow ring. His vision blurred, the world reducing to smears of red and black. This was the end. Footsteps approached. A presence descended upon him like a mountain of darkness, crushing the very air from his lungs. Rough fingers seized his hair, yanking his head back. Rudra found himself staring into eyes that held all the warmth of the void between stars. "Ah... even a lowly insect like you survived this long?" The Heavenly Demon''s lips curved into something approximating a smile. "How fascinating." The demon''s free hand rose, fingers splayed like talons. They pressed against Rudra''s throat, and¡ª With horrifying deliberation, they began to pull rudras head from his body Little by little Muscle tore a scream came from Rudra''s throat even when the heavenly demon was holding his throat it was like the heavenly demon was enjoying the scene unfolding infront of him as he was pulling it slowly and slowly Bone cracked. Blood fountained The last thing Rudra saw was his own body, growing distant as his head was torn away like a flower plucked from its stem. Then darkness started to fold infront of him as a night was still bright ,but the sparks of his life were getting darker Suddenly a sparkling ignited screen appered infront of him as a sun in the darkness , as a life in dead body [You have died.] [Quest Completed: Die at the hands of one far stronger] [Reward: 1 Additional Life] [Lives Remaining: 1] It was the last thing he had sawn that night Rudra''s eyes snapped open. Huf ..huf ...huf Rudras breathing was unusual heavy He bolted upright, chest heaving, body drenched in cold sweat. His hands reached to his throat, expecting to find torn flesh and gushing arteries¡ª But there was only smooth, unbroken skin. The scent of blood and smoke was gone, replaced by the familiar mustiness of the servants'' quarters. Instead of the screams of the dying, he heard the distant sounds of morning practice, of disciples calling greetings across the courtyard. Through his small window, he could see them now¡ªall the ghosts of his future past. Senior Sister liu practicing her sword forms with ethereal grace, unaware that her dedication would end in tragedy. Elder Chen hobbling across the courtyard with an armful of scrolls, his weathered face peaceful in the morning light. Young disciples sweeping the paths, their laughter carrying on the wind, their futures measured in mere years. Even Master Han Qing himself stood atop the main peak, overseeing the morning exercises, his presence a pillar of strength that would one day crumble. His mind reeled as recognition struck him like a thunderbolt. He had gone back. Fifteen years before the massacre. As his racing heart slowly steadied, a translucent window materialized before his eyes the same as before [Status Window] Name: Rudra Strength: Low Agility: Low Senses: Low Regeneration: low Skills: None Remaining Lives: 1 Experience Points: 5 What is this this , am i helicuating or what He didn''t give much thoughts to think about the screen His fingers clenched in the rough blanket. This isn''t merely a second chance¡ªit was something far stranger. Something that whispered of powers beyond heaven and earth themselves. But the war was still coming. The massacre was inevitable. But this time... This time I would not be the helpless servant, watching my world burn. I would seize every scrap of power, every fragment of knowledge. I would crawl through the mud of Mount Hua''s secrets, gather strength by any means necessary even if it ment to kill someone Even if it meant dying again and again. Even if it meant walking a path that would make the righteous sect shudder. The Heavenly Demon and his cultists thought they had crushed every ant that night. They were wrong. One ant had crawled back from the abyss. "And this time¡­ will the cycle of deaths repeat, or will it change?" unpredicted start part 2 (chapter 2 The day had gone quiet to quite like a wind passed by tree Rudra wandered through the stone paths of Mount Hua''s outer sect, the cold wind brushing against his skin. He should have been resting, but how could he? His mind was a tangled storm, replaying the horror of his death again and again-the feeling of his head being torn from his body, the agony, the helplessness. Even now, his throat felt phantom pain. ¡°It wasn''t a dream. I died¡±. His fingers curled into fists. He was alive, but the truth remained unchanged the massacre was coming even now A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Rudra?" He turned to see a man approaching-Zai, a one-eyed servant, a familiar face from his past. The man had always been loud but kind, one of the few who didn''t look down on Rudra. "What are you doing out this late?" Zai asked, his voice laced with concern. "If the head servant catches you, you''ll be punished handsomely" Rudra forced a smile, his mind still lost in thought. "The head servant isn''t here, is he? So what''s the worst that could happen?" Zai chuckled, shaking his head. "You''ve got guts for a servant." They spoke idly, but Rudra''s heart wasn''t in the conversation. Then, a realization struck him like a bolt of lightning. Zai...the one who was standing in front of him was about to die A memory surfaced in his mind fifteen years ago, a second-class disciple lost control because of the unknown reason and went on a rampage, slaughtering over a hundreds of people......as for that time No one strong enough to stop him had been present their at that time The masters and senior disciples had left on a mission, leaving only the weak behind for sacrifice His breath caught in his throat. It was today That night how can I forget about that thing The crimson night of the rampage No... no, no... this can''t be happening not now Trying to stay calm, he turned to Zai in hurry "Where are the masters and senior disciples?" Zai frowned at his sudden urgency. "They just left an hour ago. Why-" CRACK. A sound came from the back A deafening crash resonated through the courtyard. The air started to feel heavy with an unnatural pressure, sending a chill down to Rudra''s spine as he moved his gaze perfectly were the sound came from and with a ting A translucent screen flickered into existence before his eyes. [Quest Received] [Objective: Kill the second-class disciple on your own ] [Reward: 1 Additional Life, Unlocking New System Features] [Penalty for Failure: Death] Why the fuck it''s saying i need to kill that thing and what with this idiotic screen saying their is a Penalty for Failure and its a ....... Death His blood turned to ice in a instant If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. And within few seconds The ground trembled, and then- BOOM! A wooden door exploded off its hinges, flying across the courtyard like a deadly projectile. Zai barely had time to react before it struck a man standing nearby, sending him crashing into a wall, blood spurting from his mouth. A low, guttural growl filled the air. Rudra''s turned his gaze towards the doorless room his breath hitched and a boy standing still growling , eyes black as the moon less night on his face he had few red lines pulsing like a living creature under his skin As the figure emerged from the shadows-his robes were torn, his hands twitching uncontrollably, his face twisted in mindless rage. His eyes, once they had kindness filled in them , now glowed with an haunting crimson light like a blood Rudra knew this man. In his past life, he had been one of the sect''s rising talents with But not right now , he was just mindless beast thrusty for bood The disciple moved in an instant like a air and a sound of Slash came rudra moved his gaze towards the sound Blood sprayed into the air like a rain Rudra froze in the middle of the screams warm liquid splattered across his face. He slowly raised a trembling hand, touching his cheek. ¡°Bloo...d ¡± Just with a one word His gaze followed the crimson trail-Zai stood motionless, eyes wide in shock, his throat torn open. The disciple wasn''t just killing. He was drinking the blood from the body Rudra watched, frozen in horror, as the rampaging disciple bit into the flesh of another servant, his teeth tearing through skin and muscle. The sound-the wet crunch-made his stomach twist. He''s was faster than rudra could follow him with his eyes . There was no time for rudra to think Rudra took a slow step back, then another. Run. He needed to carefully moved his step deliberately suddenly he couldn''t move his steps back as he turned to look at the back He hit a big wall Shit-! The disciple''s gaze snapped toward him in an instant For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, he moved. Rudra barely had time to react before the crazed disciple lunged, his blade gleaming in the moonlight. Too fast. Too strong. Rudra turned run to the opposite side of the wall but at the corner of the wall there was a blade lay abandoned on the ground. Senior Sister Liu''s blade. He dove for it- But he felt a sudden stinking pain For a moment, he was weightless. His vision tilted. He saw a body still standing forward-without a head. What is this ....Aaa i feel a pain... But who''s back is that His eyes blured [You have died.] [Remaining Lives: 0] In the next second Everything was dark not a single thing visible only a floting screen was shining in that darkness He could still think, but he felt nothing. No body. No senses. Just... existence slowly he opened his eyes A floating screen materialized before him. [Time Regression Available] Without giving him time to think [ 1 .Rewind point: On the day of crazy rampage ] [Accept? Y/N] [ 2 Rewind Point: 1 Month Before Today ] [Accept? Y/N] Rudra''s mind raced. One month? I can go one month back in past again he was still thinking even when he had his decision ready and suddenly He noticed a timer on the corner of the screen flicking with each passing second 00:09... 00:08... At that time he felt a need of urgency looking at the passing timer thoughts crawled into him if i didn''t choose, would i disappear forever of will it choose anything ? With gritted his teeth hardly he willed the screen to select [Yes] on [ 2 Rewind Point: 1 Month Before Today ] Thinking he would have time for preparing a little bit of strength he could gain from somewhere and with a sudden ting Light exploded around him making him blind for a movement [System Processing...] 1%... 5%... 25% 73%... 100%... GASP! Rudra shot up from his bed, drenched in sweat, what ..... I did I came back to life his chest rising and falling in ragged breaths His hands instinctively went to his neck -intact. He was alive. But something was different. The sensation of time moving was still fresh, his mind disoriented. Then, it hit him. It worked fine as a day He wasn''t fifteen years back. He was one month before the rampage now A new type of fear crept into his heart. So... this system doesn''t just regress me fully. It can rewind to certain key points of my life His thoughts were interrupted as a familiar screen appeared. Ting !! [Status Window] Strength: Low Agility: Low Senses: Low Regeneration: low Skills: None Experience Points: 5 Remaining Lives: 0 For the first time since he came back a , cold sweat trickled down his back Before this screen was saying [ Remaining Lives: 1 ] he took a pause and continued to talk to himself as an idiot Now it''s [ Remaining Lives: 0 ] So basically I was able to came back to life because of this floting thing before me i knew that part but this thing i didn''t pay any attention to it This means... if I die again, I will die for real this time and suddenly many thoughts surged through him and , A shiver ran through him. He stared at the system for a while and , his mind churning. And there were one thought that over shadows all ¡°There had to be a way to increase this things and a second thought related to it was a simple three alphabet word ¡± how ¡° But it hold much more meaning to it , if he can know the answer of that simple question his life would take a unbelievable turn what will be it will it be a dengerous one or a safe one he will eventually know upon knowing the answer of that question after he warped his thoughts Tentatively, he touched the screen. His fingers hovered over Strength, Agility, Senses, but the screen didn''t react until Then, he tapped Experience Points. The screen shifted. [Allocate Experience Points] Distribute points to upgrade attributes. For the first time, the system explained something in detail even it was a simple thing it did Without hesitation, he made his choices. [You have allocated: [2 experience Points to Senses] [ 1experience Point to Strength] [2 experience Points to Agility] [Remaining Experience Points: 0] A shudder passed through him like a wind His felt a slit bit of increase in strength and his senses had sharpened sences are like a another lifeline to me rudra muttered to himself now he could hear the faint footsteps outside his room and another changes in His body was his body had become lighter, faster then before even if it was little it had changed ¡°I feel it the increase in my strength and the lightness in my body and this sharpened senses of mine ........on the other thoughts this is not much but it I had tried to increase it through the real world experience that it would have taken me months of hardwork to Begin with i wasn''t the talented one if i measure myself i would be the last one of the foodchain of talent ¡± He clenched his fists. This time, he wasn''t completely powerless a little bit of strong from his past self he was strong One month. That was all he had before the rampage of the second class disciple. This time, he wouldn''t die like a bug. This time, he would fight for his life not like a helpless bug but as a bug that clinking to his life New Quest chapter 3 Dawn painted over Mount Hua''s peaks in shades of sun . Rudra''s little enhanced senses made some dramatically change in his life even if it were little it did every detail felt sharp as a blade - from the worn grooves in the courtyard stones weathered by centuries of footsteps, to the whispered conversations faint but hearable clearly , The morning dew carried the scent of wet stone and early blooming plum blossoms, almost overwhelming in its intensity. Just two points added to his senses through the system had transformed his perception so dramatically that the world felt different to him The thought both thrilled and terrified him: if such a minor enhancement could do this much, what changes would come with continued use of the system? How strong might he become? But darker thoughts intruded, slithering through his mind like poisonous snakes. What if the screen gives me an absurd quest, like killing a master-level martial artist? What then? Would I have any choice but to accept my death? Rudra shook his head, his calloused hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to clear such dangerous thoughts out of his mind . He had duties to attend to - the training ground needed cleaning before the disciples arrived for their morning practice. Moments ago, a servant boy with dirt-stained feet and patched clothing had come to remind him of his work , As he walked toward the familiar place, memories flooded back, but none brought joy. Cleaning the floor , getting beaten for minor infractions, serving meals with his eyes fixed firmly on the ground - thirty years of existence reduced to a litany of servitude. Each memory carried a regrets of themselves He stopped abruptly as reality struck him, In all his years of life, he had done nothing but work as a servant, watching masters from afar as they performed magnificent feats of martial arts. He had spent countless nights dreaming of learning those techniques, only to wake each morning to the same mundane tasks. The weight of this truth froze him like a sculpture for several long minutes, Finally, he moved - only to slap himself hard across the face. The sharp crack resonate off the courtyard walls, and the sting felt more intense than it should have. "What will change even if I regret now?" he muttered, "All I did was live knowing I would regret it eventually." As he resumed his walk to the training ground, the thought haunted him like a hungry ghost. He had lived knowing his life held little value, yet he had chosen to continue anyway. Regret. It was a fascinating question - was a "better life" simply one with fewer regrets, or was there more to it? The human experience was complex, and regret seemed woven into its very fabric, of It was almost impossible to navigate life without making choices that led to regret. Was it merely a safe life he had chosen before, or something deeper?....... Human existence was often intertwined with regret - a quiet companion lingering in the corners of our minds,Every human being, at some point, looks back on their journey and finds moments they wish had unfolded differently. Regret wasn''t just an emotion; it was a reflection of growth, a signpost marking where we''d been and what we''d learned. But for Rudra, regret didn''t reflect growth. His mentality had always been to play it safe, to bow lower than necessary, to work harder than required, all in the name of security. And only now, as he felt his life slipping away like sand through an hourglass, did he realize all his choices had been wrong. Every decision made in the name of safety had become another regret, another chain binding him to a life of servitude.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The morning sun had risen higher when he finally reached his familiar place, the training ground where he had swept and cleaned for so many years that his footprints were worn into the stone. He searched for the broom he had known all his life, its handle smooth from decades of use. Just as he spotted it, leaning against the wall where it always waited for him, a gentle chime sounded came and the screen appeared before him: [New Quest: Kill the first person who speaks to you] [Reward: skill ?] [Upon failure: death] [Remaining lives: 0] [Time limit: 24 hours] The characters glowed with an otherworldly light, each stroke crisp and clear like a day "What the fuck is this saying?" His voice cracked, the words barely a whisper Rudra couldn''t believe his eyes, no he didn''t didn''t want to believe what he was reading. The characters seemed to burn themselves into his mind, each one a brand of impossible choice. Before he could even process the horror of it, his newly shared hearing caught the soft shuffle of approaching footsteps. Without thinking, he looked toward the sound. An old man in worn white robes that had long lost their luster was walking toward him, smiling, a broom in his weathered hands. Deep wrinkles lined his face like dried riverbeds, Pure instinct took over. Rudra bolted in the opposite direction, his feet carrying him past the weapon racks. His hand moved of its own accord, snatching a blade from a nearby bundle as he fled. The steel felt cold and wrong in his grip, yet his fingers clutched it like a lifeline. "What the fuck am I thinking?" His thoughts raced, tumbling over each other like stones in a landslide. "Shit... shit... shit... Now what am I going to do?" He ran blindly through the sect''s grounds, avoiding any sign of people, but a treacherous thought crept in, poisonous as a serpent: What if I kill the old man? He''s going to die in a few years anyway... It would be a mercy, really... "Fuck, what the hell am I thinking? It''s not me... it''s not me..." Even as he denied it, he had already made a decision for himself his racing heart, his sweating palms, the trembling in his hands all told him these were his own thoughts, his own desires born of desperate survival. The running exhausted him more quickly than it should have after few more steps Finally, he stopped in an empty field where tall grass swayed in the wind, as if mocking his situation. The grass stretched toward the sky like thousands of green blades, each one catching the light differently In his frustration, he cursed at the grass, needing some target for his rage. "You worthless piece of shit, even horses won''t eat you, as tall as you''ve become!" The words felt hollow even as he spoke them, but he needed to vent his anger on something, and even in this dire situation, he wouldn''t dare curse anyone to their face - such was the life he had lived, such were the habits carved into his soul. He looked around the field of grass ¡° what is that.... I think I know that plant isn''t that a ....... He took a pause and Fuck it.... Lying back on a large rock, its surface warm from the morning sun, he closed his eyes, only to hear another chime. The screen reappeared, its cosmic green glow both beautiful and terrible, like the northern lights he had once heard travelers describe: [Remaining time: 23 hours left] [Upon failure: death] [Remaining lives: 0] "FUCKkkkkk!" The scream tore from his throat, startling birds from a nearby tree. "What the fuck am I supposed to do in this abusive situation?" For someone who had lived his whole life avoiding even the smallest risks, being suddenly forced to choose between killing and being killed was too much. The weight of the choice pressed down on him like a mountain. He sat in silence for a long moment, watching the grass dance in the wind, before another scream of frustration came from his chest. "Let''s just accept it. I had already decided what I needed to do the moment I grabbed the blade in my hand I was just running away from it." His voice was steady now, resigned yet somehow stronger. He lifted the blade before him, watching sunlight play along its edge . Each nick and scratch in the metal told a story of previous use, and he wondered briefly whose blood it had tasted before. "Now it''s for life." Without further hesitation, he ran back the way he had come, his feet sure despite his racing heart even then so many thoughts were surging through him and some were like a What if I don''t kill anyone ......and i don''t die ether , it''s must be jocking with me if that thing was going to kill me it would have done that already A second thought surged through him like a blade cutting the flesh raw ¡° what if i die ¡± He took a long silence in thewas thinking about it , it''s was a matter that could be thinked in such little time but he had to do that ..... "Fuck it... I don''t care now. Whoever comes first in front of me, I will kill them." The words tasted like ash in his mouth, but they gave him strength. At a crossing where three paths met beneath an old pine tree, he saw a child gathering fallen pinecones and froze. The child couldn''t have been more than seven or eight, with the round cheeks and innocent eyes of youth. "I was talking about a mature man... I wasn''t talking about a kid..." His voice trembled as he hurried past, only to collide with someone else. "Hey kid, can''t you see?" The voice was familiar, too familiar. "Fuck... Why him... fuck, why does it need to be him..." Skill chapter 4 The one who was standing infront of rudra was a third-class disciple , his gray robes rippling in the morning breeze. Rudra had watched him train countless times from afar while sweeping the courtyard, his movements always fluid like water flowing downstream. Now, facing him directly, Rudra kept his blade hidden beneath his worn servant''s robes, his posture carefully submissive from years of practice. "Honored disciple," Rudra bowed deeply, his voice carefully placed with honour "This humble one seeks guidance in martial arts matters." The young disciple paused, regarding him with mild curiosity. Even this slight attention made Rudra''s skin crawl with anticipation and fear. "What knowledge does a merey servant seek he glared at rudra and smudged and then he continued , I am in good mood today ?" "This one has observed your morning practices while cleaning," Rudra continued, taking a small step forward. His senses caught every subtle movement of the disciple''s the steady rhythm of his breathing. "Your forms are like poetry in motion. Perhaps... perhaps you could demonstrate " The disciple turned slightly toward the training grounds, a fatal mistake rudra thought that in his mind but it was a big mistake , "The basic stance begins with¡ª" Rudra struck. The hidden blade flashed out in a desperate arc toward the disciple''s exposed back. But even caught off-guard, years of training proved their worth. The disciple twisted away with impossible speed, the blade cutting only air where his neck had been moments before. "Treacherous dog!" The disciple''s face contorted with rage as he spun to face Rudra. His stance shifted seamlessly into a defensive position that spoke of countless hours of practice. "You dare attack a disciple of Mount Hua?" The disciple''s first real strike shattered Rudra''s expectations of combat. It wasn''t like the elegant forms he''d watched from afar - it was brutal, efficient, and blindingly fast. The punch caught Rudra''s jaw with a crack that He felt each individual tooth rattle, tasted copper as his cheek split against them. "Thought you could kill me, you bastered ?" Another blow, this time to his ribs. Rudra heard them crack before he felt the pain. "Let me show you the difference between us." A kick swept Rudra''s legs out, sending him crashing face-first onto the stone courtyard he felt each tiny rock cutting into his skin, smelled his own blood mixing with the morning dew. The disciple grabbed him by the hair, yanking him up only to drive a knee into his stomach. Rudra vomited bile and blood "This is what real combat feels like," the disciple lectured, methodically breaking down Rudra''s body. A strike to the kidney had him screaming. An elbow to the collarbone left his left arm useless. "Not those dreams you had while sweeping our floors." Rudra crawled away, his vision blurring. The blade he''d dropped seemed miles away. The disciple followed, his footsteps unhurried. "I''m going to leave you alive," the disciple said, his voice cold. "As a reminder to other servants who forget their place." Through the haze of pain, Rudra stumbled toward the grass fields, making his movements even more pathetic than they already were. "Please..." he whimpered, falling to his knees. "Mercy..." The disciple followed him into the grass, contempt radiating from every movement. "Begging already? Typical servant." Rudra collapsed completely, curling into a ball. His hand secretly gathered a fistful of dirt . The disciple stood over him, probably planning where to land his next blow. "At least face your punishment with some dignity¡ª" Rudra spun, throwing the dirt directly at the disciple''s face. But this time, he didn''t aim for the eyes. He threw it at the disciple''s open mouth as he was speaking The young man choked, instinctively inhaling in surprise. Dirt went down his throat, triggering a violent coughing fit. His perfect stance broke as he doubled over, trying to clear his airways. Rudra saw his chance. His body moved on instinct, closing the distance in a heartbeat. His blade cut through the air, aiming for flesh¡ªbut before it could land, a sharp kick slammed into his stomach. The force sent him flying backward, his body hitting the grass with a heavy thud. Pain flared through his ribs as he gasped for air, his fingers digging into the dirt.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Dammit¡­" he muttered, wiping his mouth. "All that effort¡­ and I barely scratched him." He let out a shaky breath, his chest rising and falling. "No wonder they call him a martial artist." But even as the ache settled in his bones, his widened his eyes . He saw a another apportunity Rudra didn''t hesitate for a second He tackle-charged forward, using his full weight to drive them both down. They fell hard, and Rudra heard the disciple''s head crack against a hidden rock in the grass. The young man''s movements became uncoordinated, his eyes unfocused Rudra moved his hand over the third-class disciple¡¯s head injury, his eyes filled with genuine concern. ¡°What the fuck are you doing¡­ and what¡¯s with that look on your face?¡± the disciple spat, his frustration evident. He let out a loud, mocking laugh. ¡°Are you actually worried about my injury? Just a few minutes ago, you were trying to cut me down with a blade, and now you¡¯re making that face? What the fuck is your deal? Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll spare you just because you look guilty.¡± Despite being pinned beneath Rudra, the disciple was still a martial artist¡ªone with far more battle experience. Suddenly, without warning, a powerful kick struck Rudra¡¯s stomach. The impact sent him flying across the grass field. He crashed onto the ground, his body aching from the blow. Panting, he muttered to himself, Even after all that, he still had the strength to pull off an attack¡­ The third-class disciple, though struggling to stand, forced himself onto his shaky legs. Even though his body swayed and his breath was ragged, he pushed forward, refusing to fall. But just as he closed the distance, his knees buckled, and he collapsed. ¡°What did yo¡­ u¡­ huff huff¡­ do to me?¡± he gasped, his breaths heavy, his body trembling. Rudra slowly pushed himself up, his body screaming in protest. His legs wobbled, but he forced himself to stand, silently watching his opponent struggle. "You¡­ you! What did you do to me?!" the disciple roared, his voice cracking. He coughed violently, blood spraying from his lips. His expression twisted in horror as realization dawned on him. His voice was hoarse now, desperate. ¡°What the fuck did you feed me?!¡± Rudra¡¯s expression remained calm, eerily so. In a slow, measured tone, he spoke. ¡°Do you know about the Green Sun?¡± A flicker of confusion crossed the disciple¡¯s face before something clicked in his mind. ¡°The Green Sun¡­ You mean that poisonous plant that started appearing randomly just a month ago?¡± Rudra stood motionless, his gaze distant. "In my past life, this plant started appearing around this time¡­ Eventually, it became one of the most valuable materials for refining elixirs. But that process won¡¯t be discovered until five years from now¡­" The disciple¡¯s breathing grew more labored. His body trembled violently as he tried to force out another question. ¡°Whe...n did you feed me¡­?¡± Rudra tilted his head slightly. ¡°Are you asking when I fed it to you?¡± His voice was cold, emotionless. ¡°I didn¡¯t feed it to you directly. But I did feed it to you.¡± ¡°How?!¡± The disciple¡¯s face was turning paler by the second. He clenched his fists, as if trying to fight back the poison with sheer willpower. Rudra could see the thoughts racing in his mind¡ªwas he stalling for time? Planning something? Or was it just pure desperation? The disciple coughed again, his body swaying. ¡°It wasn¡¯t in the dust you threw at me¡­ And it wasn¡¯t on your blade. The cut you gave me wasn¡¯t deep enough for poison to spread this fast¡­ Then how? Huff¡­ huff¡­ Tell me¡­!¡± Rudra¡¯s gaze darkened. His cold eyes stared down at the dying man¡ªwere they truly directed at the disciple, or at himself? Then, in a voice void of warmth, he said, ¡°When I was checking your injury¡­ did you really think I was concerned for your well-being?¡± He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. Then, his lips curled into a faint smirk. ¡°I dropped a few drops of the poison onto your wound.¡± Silence. Then, a look of pure terror spread across the disciple¡¯s face. Rudra continued, his voice deathly calm. ¡°And I don¡¯t need to explain how fast a poison spreads when it¡¯s placed near the brain, do I?¡± The disciple opened his mouth, as if to say something¡ªbut no words came out. His body convulsed, his strength fading rapidly. Rudra didn¡¯t hesitate. Gripping his fallen blade, he drove it straight through the disciple¡¯s throat. The steel scraped against bone. Blood gushed over his hands, hot and thick. The disciple''s eyes widened in shock, trying to comprehend how a mere servant had defeated him. His hands clutched at the blade, but his movements were weak, uncoordinated. Blood bubbled from his lips as he tried to speak. "The difference between us?" Rudra whispered, watching the life fade from his victim''s eyes. "You fought for your ego and I fought for my life ." Rudra released him, his hands trembling as he stared down at the lifeless body before him. The boy¡¯s eyes were wide open, frozen in a look of disbelief. Rudra¡¯s stomach churned, bile rising in his throat. He had just killed someone. A boy. Someone who had done nothing to deserve this. ¡°I¡­ I had no choice,¡± Rudra whispered, his voice shaking. ¡°I had to survive. I had to¡­¡± But the words felt hollow. No matter how he justified it, the weight of what he had done pressed down on him like a mountain. He had taken a life. A young, innocent life. And for what? To save his own? Was he any better than the heavenly demon who had treated human life as a bug ? Rudra collapsed beside him, his own body screaming in pain. His three broken ribs, a fractured collarbone, internal bleeding, countless bruises and cuts. But he was alive. A familiar ting sounded above the ringing in his ears. [Quest complete] [Reward: skill] [Do you like to open the skill box? y/n] Rudra stared at the floating text, unable to focus on it ¡°Was survival worth this?¡± he wondered, his gaze fixed on the crimson stains that seemed to seep into his very soul. Was it survival that drove him, or something darker? Something more primal, more selfish? The line between the two blurred in his mind, leaving him adrift in a sea of doubt. "Does morality matter when your life is on the line?" he whispered to the stillness around him, his voice trembling with the weight of the question. "Or is it just a luxury for those who have the privilege of safety?" A part of him longed for the simplicity of his old life, when his choices weren''t even his in his new life , He thought of the system, the cruel, unyielding force that had thrust him into this task of killing It demanded strength, demanded sacrifice. But did it demand his humanity as well? Was that the price of survival¡ªto become something less than human, something capable of killing without remorse? He clenched his fists, the blood on his hands drying into a dark, cracked veneer. "I had to survive," he said, more to himself than to anyone else. "I had no choice." But even as he spoke the words, he felt the lie in them. There had been a choice. He had made it. And now, he had to live with the consequences. he had crossed a line from which there was no return. And as he rose to his feet, the blood on his hands shining bright red With trembling fingers, he reached out and pressed ''y''. [Skill: shape ] "Shape ?" Rudra muttered, still trembling from the fight. "What kind of pretentious name is that?" He opened the skill description, expecting something mundane after such a grandiose title. As he read, his trembling stopped. His eyes widened. The blood drained from his face. "This... this skill..." The words caught in his throat. "What the fuck... WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?" The wind rustled through the blood-stained grass as Rudra stood frozen, staring at the text before him.