Wei Tian: How much did you get from the reward?
Lim He: 60,000, and I got promoted one level. What about you?
Wei Tian: I also got promoted one level. I got 130,000. Go, take 10,000 and buy some food and drinks at the supermarket.
Lim He: Why?
Wei Tian: Just go.
Lim He: Alright, alright, I got it.
Lim He handed the remaining 10,000 to Wei Tian and headed to the supermarket.
Wei Tian: (I'll go to the weapon shop.)
---
Meanwhile…
Xuan Lan: The sky… is cracking?
In the forest…
A fast-moving figure was darting through the woods.
Lie Yan: I need to be faster… I have to reach it before it descends.
The cracking sky made all the "Chosen Ones" increasingly uneasy.
Meanwhile…
Xiang Lang: They're still quite far away.
He sped up, rushing toward the others.
---
A while later…
Wei Tian pushed open the door of a weapon shop.
Shop Owner: Welcome! What do you need? We have all kinds of weapons here.
Wei Tian: Show me around.
Shop Owner: Of course. Look, this is the Hunter's Bow. Only C-rank or above superhumans can even draw it.
The shop owner pointed at a bow.
Wei Tian: Next.
Shop Owner: Alright… this is the Crimson Sword. Its attack power is extremely high.
Wei Tian said nothing, continuing to scan the shop.
Shop Owner: (This customer is hard to please…)
Wei Tian's eyes landed on a katana.
Wei Tian: How much is this?
Shop Owner: The materials are very ordinary… are you sure you want this?
Wei Tian: Yes.
Shop Owner: (Just another poor customer.) 50,000. No bargaining.
Wei Tian: Deal. Here's 50,000. (Maybe I should let Lim He get one too.)
---
Back home…
Wei Tian: Lim He, come out. We're going to buy something.
Lim He: Huh? Again? It's already 6 PM! We haven't even eaten, and we just carried all that food back.
A pile of groceries was behind him.
Wei Tian: Weapons.
Lim He: Weapons?! Why didn't you say so earlier? Where? Take me there!
Wei Tian: Somewhere cheap.
---
8 PM…
Wei Tian: I didn't expect you to buy two swords. I bet you'll end up cutting yourself.
Lim He: Impossible.
Wei Tian: Enough. We don't have much time—let's get used to them quickly.
Lim He: Why don't we go train at Spirit Mountain? There are strong monsters like demon wolves there.
Wei Tian: True. There's no suitable training ground here, and it's too safe. Spirit Mountain is a good choice. Let's go tomorrow.
Lim He: Then let's go now!
Wei Tian: No. We need rest—physically and mentally. And it's night in a forest; visibility is too low. Even a tiger would be dangerous to deal with. Tomorrow.
Lim He: Oh…
---
Next day…
Wei Tian: Pack food and weapons. Let's go.
Lim He: Why am I the one carrying everything…?
After some time…
Wei Tian: We're here.
Wei Tian looked at Spirit Mountain.
Wei Tian: Lim He, once we step into this mountain, we will carry the fate of protecting this world.
Lim He: Can you stop with the dramatic lines? Hurry up. Do you know how heavy this is?
Wei Tian: ...Let's go.
---
Disaster Alert Room…
Zhang Liu: Have you found the cause of the sky cracking and its danger level?
Investigator: Chairman… we still can't determine the cause. However, we used the highest level of technology to enter the rift, and discovered that it's not only Earth that is cracking—multiple locations across the universe are tearing apart. What we've seen is only the tip of the iceberg. Because it spans almost the entire universe, we estimate this is the highest-level "Crimson Disaster."
The investigator spoke nervously, sweating and trembling.
Zhang Liu: I understand. Notify all B-rank and above superhumans. Prepare defensive measures. Do not cause public panic—and keep this information classified.
Investigator: Understood!
---
Meanwhile…
A giant hamster roared.
Giant Hamster: ROAR!
It swung its paw at Wei Tian.
Wei Tian: Hmph.
He leapt onto its arm.
Wei Tian: Lim He!
Lim He: Got it!
Lim He jumped onto the creature's head.
Lim He: It's your honor to see me before you go blind.
He thrust both swords into its eyes.
Giant Hamster: SQUEEEEEE!
Lim He pulled his swords out and landed on the ground.
Lim He: Holy crap… that scream.
Wei Tian, while the creature flailed wildly, jumped onto its chest. He formed an ice blade in his left hand and drew his katana with his right, pressing it against its throat.
Wei Tian: Die!
The monster tried to grab him.
Wei Tian: Too late.
Boom! The giant hamster's head fell.
Lim He: What even is this thing? A mouse but not a mouse? It's huge—bigger than a tree.
Wei Tian: It's a hamster. Spirit Mountain is rich in energy; it must have absorbed too much and mutated.
Lim He: Look, there's a river over there.
Wei Tian: Then we'll settle there for now.
Lim He: I'll go buy a tent.
Wei Tian: No. We'll survive using what we already have—and our abilities.
Lim He: Should we start a livestream? Title: "Day 1 of Survival in Spirit Mountain."
Wei Tian: You don't even have a phone.
Lim He: …Right.
Wei Tian: Let's find food first.
Lim He: Isn't mutant hamster meat enough?
Wei Tian: ...Forget that thing already.
---
Wei Tian: We still have about two weeks to prepare.
Lim He: A month has 30 days. Today is the 9th—shouldn't it be three weeks?
Wei Tian: This month is February.
Lim He: What's the difference?
Wei Tian: …Forget it.
---
Meanwhile, on a quiet highway…
Yu Ran: Huh… why am I by the road? Yu Tian? Why are you carrying me?
Yu Tian: Ahahaha… you suddenly fainted, so I was taking you to a city hospital.
Yu Ran: Isn't there one in the village?
Yu Tian: The city hospital is more reliable.
Yu Ran: I'm awake now. Put me down, let's go back to the village.
Yu Tian gently set her down.
Yu Tian: Actually… we can't go back. We're lost.
Yu Ran: Yu Tian… you're hiding something from me, aren't you?
Yu Tian: Of course not! Trust me!
Yu Ran: Then explain why you're carrying a weapon and a big bag just to go to the hospital.
Yu Tian: That's… for emergencies. Hunting food.
Yu Ran: Fine, fine. I'm going back.
Slap.
Yu Tian grabbed her hand.
Yu Tian: Sorry… I can't let you go back. If you insist, I'll knock you out again.
Yu Ran: So it was you who knocked me out earlier, huh?
Yu Tian: Oh no, I said too much!
Yu Ran: Yu Tian… have you eaten the courage of a bear? Or a tiger? Or a lion?
Yu Tian: …Sigh, I give up.
Yu Ran: You think you can just do this? I raised you for years, my youth is gone because of you—AND—(mumbled angry ranting)…
Yu Tian: Sorry… but can you please not go back?
Yu Ran: …Even though I don't know what's going on, you're my brother. If I can't stop you, I'll just stay and protect you.
Yu Tian: Thank you.
---
Two weeks later…
Lim He: Wei Tian… it's almost time for battle. I'm a bit nervous.
Wei Tian: Don't worry. After these harsh days of survival, we're no longer the same D-rank and E-rank we were before.
Lim He: You're D-rank?
Wei Tian: Yes.
Lim He: I can't accept that.
Wei Tian: I don't sense much "non-acceptance" in your tone.
Lim He: I'm just nervous…
Crack! Bang!
Lim He: Who set off fireworks?!
Wei Tian: Idiot! Look at the sky!
The cracks in the sky rapidly expanded, and the bright sky darkened.
Wei Tian: It's coming…