The sun had barely risen when Renji sat cross-legged in his cramped room, system interface shimmering faintly before his eyes.
It was quiet—no howling beasts, no deadly fangs aimed at his throat. Just him… and the power he'd earned.
You have 40 unassigned points.
Would you like to distribute them now?
He took a breath.
"I've been surviving by instincts. But I need to be smarter now… sharper."
He slid five points into Luck. He didn't know how much it actually influenced fate, but something told him to trust the number. Just in case.
Next, he looked at Perception. His eyes narrowed as memories of near-death encounters flickered—close calls, slithering shadows, misread movements.
"Can't afford to blink at the wrong moment," he muttered, dumping ten points in.
Then came Endurance.
"That snake almost crushed me just from one coil..."
Another ten went there without hesitation.
"Strength…" he whispered, clenching his fist. "I'm tired of feeling like prey."
Ten points surged into it.
Finally, he dropped five into Vitality. His breathing eased a little. He wasn't made of glass anymore.
The numbers flickered.
Stat Update Successful:
Strength: 21
Speed: 20
Perception: 25
Endurance: 22
Vitality: 12
Luck: 12
Beast Resonance: 12%
Talent: Adaptive Evolution
Level: 8
Points: 0
Skills:**
— [Feral Claw – Level 1]
— [Predator's Gaze – Growth Skill (F Rank)]
— [Passive: Fearless Tenacity]
— [Copied: Dash – Level 2 (E Rank)]
— [Viper Aura Armor – Level 1]
— [Copied: Shedding – Level 2 (E Rank)]
Beast Resonance blinked unexpectedly.
Beast Resonance has increased to 12%.
Instincts sharpening. Beast link growing.
He blinked. "Huh... didn't even assign anything to that. Must've gone up naturally."
The resonance felt like something stirring deep within his blood—his very DNA. His ears twitched at distant sounds. His nostrils flared. Every part of him felt... alive.
The system faded out.
A sharp bing came from the corner of the room.
He glanced over.
There it was—his cracked, sluggish phone. The one that took forever to open apps but still did its job. He had bought it after surviving his first gate… a small trophy. Somehow, it had become one of his most valuable possessions.
He stood and opened the door.
On the floor lay a heavy paper bag.
Inside—warm takeout in sturdy containers. Rich soup, steaming rice, grilled meat, clean water. Real food. Not scraps or leftovers. Alongside it: combat clothes, durable boots, fingerless gloves, and a set of custom knuckle weapons—sleek black metal with serrated curves.
Renji blinked in disbelief.
That's when he looked at the phone again.
The notification sat on the cracked screen, glowing faintly:
𝘉170,000 received from: AIN, M.
Note: "Spent a little on you. Step outside."
Renji froze.
That wasn't his loot money.
He'd spent his own.why ?
A tight knot formed in Renji's chest. No one had ever done that for him before—not without expecting something back.
Still, he didn't overthink it. He reached down and picked up the gear.
Tucked into the folds of the gloves, a small note peeked out.
"I think this fits you better."
— Ain
Renji stared at the gear for a long moment. Then he smiled, just a little.
"Guess I'll make it worth your investment."