The villagers whispered long into the night.
Arata leaned against the crumbling wall of the hut he had been given, listening. Through the cracks, he heard fragments of their hushed conversations.
"…Killed a beast with nothing but wood…" "…Could he be… a cultivator?" "…No, impossible. He has no aura." "…Then what is he?"
Their suspicion was almost tangible. They feared him—but they also needed him.
Arata lay on the hard floor, staring up at the rotting beams above. His body still ached from the fight, but the System's cold screen hovered before him.
[Stat Points: 5 Available.] [Distribute Now? Y/N]
Arata hesitated. "If I spread them evenly, I'll be a little better at everything. But if I stack them…" He thought back to the way the beast had almost overpowered him. His strikes hadn't been strong enough, not decisive enough.
"…Strength. All into Strength."
[Strength +5. Current: 15.]
A subtle heat spread through his body, like fire in his veins. His arms felt heavier, denser, filled with coiled force. He clenched his fists, marveling at the way his grip crushed the old wood floor beneath his hand.
If this keeps up… maybe I really can survive here.
But his optimism shattered with the sound of hooves at dawn.
The villagers gathered at the entrance of the settlement, kneeling as three figures approached.
They were not like the broken men and women of the village. These people radiated presence. Each wore long robes, their sleeves embroidered with silver threads. Swords hung at their waists, but it was not the steel that unnerved Arata—it was the aura.
He could feel it, a pressure in the air like standing before a storm.
"Cultivators," someone whispered, trembling.
The leader, a tall man with sharp eyes, dismounted his horse. He scanned the village with disdain, then barked, "Report."
The elder of the village hobbled forward, bowing low. "Honored Envoys, thank you for coming. The beasts have grown bolder. We lost five more souls this week. But… there is news."
The man's gaze sharpened. "Speak."
The elder hesitated, then pointed toward Arata. "This outsider arrived yesterday. He fought a Hunger Beast… and killed it."
A ripple of shock passed through the villagers. The cultivators' eyes turned on Arata.
He felt his throat tighten. Their stares were knives, dissecting him.
The tall leader smirked faintly. "With that twig?" He gestured at Arata's crude weapon.
Arata's jaw tightened. "I… managed."
The cultivator stepped closer. His aura pressed down like a mountain, forcing Arata to his knees. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His Strength meant nothing here.
"Interesting. No aura, no spirit roots… and yet you killed a beast. Either luck, or trickery."
Arata wanted to shout back, but his body trembled under the man's presence. He couldn't even lift his head.
The System chimed suddenly:
[Emergency Mission: Endure the cultivator's suppression.] [Reward: +1 Hidden Attribute Unlock.]
Arata's eyes widened. Endure? That's it?
The pressure increased. His lungs burned. His vision darkened. The leader's smirk widened as he watched Arata struggle.
I won't… break.
Arata forced his palms into the dirt, nails digging deep. His muscles screamed, blood dripped from his nose, but he stayed upright.
Seconds dragged into eternity.
Then—
[Mission Complete.] [Hidden Attribute Unlocked: Willpower +1.]
A sudden clarity washed over him. His breathing steadied, his eyes sharpened. The crushing aura still weighed on him, but no longer smothered him completely.
The cultivator raised an eyebrow. "…Hmph. You're not ordinary, that's clear."
He withdrew his aura, and Arata collapsed, gasping.
The leader turned to the elder. "We'll take him."
The villagers murmured in shock.
Arata's head snapped up. "Take me? Where?"
The man's smirk returned. "To the sect, of course. If you can survive the journey. If not…" His eyes glinted coldly. "…the beasts will finish what fate began."
Arata's pulse thundered. The sect. The heart of cultivation. The place where monsters and gods walked.
He clenched his fists. This was it—the path forward.
But deep inside, he knew: the System would not make it easy.