Renji walked through the district with slow, steady steps. His clothes were still stained with beast blood, but no one dared stop him. Instead, the whispers came in hushed waves behind his back.
"Didn't he awaken just a few days ago?"
"Wait—wasn't he Bronze yesterday?"
"He cleared a gate? Alone?"
"What's his beast type?"
He kept his head low, ignoring them. His legs moved on autopilot, but his mind replayed the scene over and over.
That thing.
That dark figure behind Mr. Ain.
It had only appeared for a second—just as the gate collapsed and the boss's body dissolved into data and dust—but it was there. Watching. Lingering like a shadow burnt into the back of his mind.
Renji shook his head as he arrived at his apartment. The door creaked open with a push, and the silence inside welcomed him like an old friend. He tossed off his jacket, collapsed onto his bed, and finally let out a deep breath.
"Let's see it…"
A soft chime echoed as he opened the system panel.
SYSTEM PANEL :
Name: Renji Kurozawa
Rank: F (Silver)
Level: 6
Beast Type: Honey Badger
Talent: Adaptive Evolution
Beast Resonance: 5%
Stats:
• Strength: 7
• Speed: 20
• Perception: 15
• Endurance: 8
• Vitality: 7
• Luck: 7
Unused Stat Points: 8
Skills:
• [Feral Claw – Level 1]
• [Predator's Gaze – Growth Skill (F Rank)]
• [Passive: Fearless Tenacity]
• [Copied: Dash – Level 1]
He nodded slightly. His growth was fast—faster than it should be. That thought alone would scare most rookies. But not him. His instincts told him to push forward. Always forward.
"Assign 4 points to Strength," he muttered. "And 4 to Endurance."
The system pulsed in acknowledgment. His body surged with warmth, a dull pressure in his bones as strength poured in. His heartbeat steadied. His limbs felt heavier… in a good way. Tighter. More compact. Like something was coiling within, waiting to spring.
Stat Update Successful!
Strength: 11
Endurance: 12
(Unused Points: 0)
He exhaled, then blinked as another prompt lit up.
LOOT GAINED:
• Beast Core [F-Rank – Bright Blue]
• 2x Beast Fangs [F-Rank – Hardened]
• Basic Healing Potion (Auto-added to inventory)
The loot floated in front of him within his system inventory. The core pulsed like a heart—pure energy encased in blue crystal. The fangs looked like sharpened ivory, rugged but deadly. Perfect materials for a future weapon.
He held his hand over the core but didn't absorb it just yet.
"I'll save that for later…"
Another thought crossed his mind—an idea. One day, he'd need a weapon that worked with his instincts. Something brutal and fast. Something like…
Some Knuckle weapons.
He could already imagine them—fangs forged into heavy striking gear, fitted over his fists. Quick. Savage. Relentless. Just like the honey badger in him.
But for now, that was a plan for another day.
Renji leaned back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He was still a F (Silver-rank) rookie in a dangerous world. Still far below the monsters out there. But now…
Now he had momentum.