Part 1 – The Accident
Ryo was just an ordinary young man, the type of person who blended into the crowd so easily that even the neighborhood dogs didn't bother barking at him. He worked part-time jobs, played too many online games, and had a notorious habit of eating ramen at midnight.
On that fateful day, however, the universe decided to make him the butt of a cosmic joke. As he walked past a small noodle shop, scrolling through his phone, the rusty restaurant sign above the door snapped loose. The massive steel board came crashing down.
"Eh?" was all he managed before—BANG!
Darkness swallowed him.
His last thought was: Damn it, is this how I die? Crushed by a noodle sign? Not even a car accident, not a heroic sacrifice—just ramen justice?!
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Part 2 – Awakening
When he opened his eyes, he wasn't in a hospital. He was lying on a cracked stone ground that pulsed faintly with a sickly violet glow. The air smelled of iron and rot, and far above, the sky looked torn—like someone had shattered glass and painted it black.
"…Where the hell am I?" he muttered, standing up on shaky legs.
A blue screen suddenly appeared in front of him.
[Welcome to the Abyss]
Realm 1: The Black Shards
Survive. Evolve. Conquer.
Ryo froze. "…Huh? Did I get isekai'd by a noodle sign?!"
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Part 3 – First Encounter
His joke died in his throat when he heard guttural growls from the shadows. Out crawled twisted creatures—dog-like but with too many eyes and jaws that split open sideways.
Ryo screamed, picked up a random rock, and threw it.
Thud! The rock bounced harmlessly.
The monster leapt.
Ryo dodged by pure luck, his heart racing. He spotted a broken sword stuck in the ground and yanked it free. It was rusted, chipped, and barely held together. Still, it was better than nothing.
"Come on then, you discount horror movie reject!"
With blind terror fueling him, he swung wildly. By miracle, the blade cut into the monster's neck. It shrieked, dissolved into black smoke, and left behind a glowing shard.
[You have slain a Lesser Abyss Beast]
+1 Stat Point
Energy Core Absorbed → Qi awakened.
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Part 4 – First Power
Ryo felt warmth spreading in his chest. His body tingled, and strange text scrolled before his eyes.
[Qi circulation activated]
Qi: 1/10
He gasped. "Qi? As in martial arts cultivation stuff? Oh my god… I'm an anime protagonist now!"
The joy was short-lived—more monsters appeared.
"Of course…" he groaned.
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Part 5 – Learning the Hard Way
The next hour was chaos. Ryo fought, stumbled, bled, and screamed as he barely survived against one weak monster after another. Each kill left behind shards, which he instinctively absorbed. With each absorption, his Qi grew stronger, his body hardening, his senses sharpening.
He discovered a new ability after his fifth kill:
[Skill unlocked: Etemium Absorption]
Absorb monster energy and make it your own.
Ryo blinked at the glowing screen. "…So basically I'm a walking loot vacuum? Hell yeah!"
But when he tried to celebrate, another beast lunged, and he had to roll face-first into mud to avoid death.
"Note to self: no celebrating until safe!"
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Part 6 – A Bitter Meal
Hunger hit him hard. His stomach growled like one of the monsters. He tried chewing the black shards, but nearly cracked his teeth.
Then, experimenting, he placed one shard in his mouth, willed his Qi to circulate, and—fwoom!—the shard melted into warmth, feeding his body.
"Holy crap, energy snacks. No more ramen needed… though ramen still sounds better."
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Part 7 – The First Breakthrough
After countless struggles, wounds, and near-death experiences, Ryo finally collapsed inside a hollow cave. His Qi had reached its limit, buzzing violently in his veins.
[Qi Capacity: Full]
Breakthrough possible. Proceed?
"Yes… please…"
Agony tore through him as if his bones were melting. He screamed, pounded the ground, and nearly passed out—until suddenly, calm washed over him. His body strengthened.
[Cultivation Stage Advanced: Foundation Layer 1 → Foundation Layer 2]
Ryo grinned weakly. "Level up, baby…"
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Part 8 – Hammer in the Dark
Inside the cave, he stumbled upon a strange object—a broken hammer head buried in stone. When he touched it, a system message appeared:
[You have found: Fragment of the Adamantium Hammer]
Skill awakened: Blacksmithing – Beginner]
Visions flashed in his mind—of forging weapons, shaping metal, creating tools of unimaginable power.
"…Wait, so I can make weapons too? Nice! I'll forge the best… okay maybe not the best yet. But at least better than this rusty butter knife!"
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Part 9 – First Creation
Using scraps of monster bone and stone shards, he clumsily crafted a crude dagger. The process was slow and painful, but when he finished, the dagger shimmered faintly with Qi.
[Weapon Created: Crude Bone Dagger (Uncommon)]
Bonus: +2 Attack]
Ryo pumped his fist. "Yes! I am officially a blacksmith-slash-monster hunter-slash-victim of a noodle sign!"
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Part 10 – The Path Ahead
As he rested in the cave, staring at the glowing shards he had collected, Ryo realized this place wasn't a dream. It was survival or death.
And deep down, he felt a dangerous thrill.
"This world wants me to fight? Fine. I'll fight. I'll survive. And one day… I'l
l become its ruler."
Outside, the howls of monsters echoed, promising endless battles to come.
The Abyss had just begun to shape its future tyrant.