Henry was a PhD researcher in Applied Engineering — a blend of civil design, communication systems, and automation. One day he might be designing modular roadways for smart cities, the next debugging a prototype network relay or rewriting half-broken code just to make the sensors talk to each other.
It wasn't glamorous work — endless coffee, endless deadlines, and too many bugs, both mechanical and digital. But he loved it. Creating order out of chaos was his craft.
After another exhausting day juggling simulations and system errors, he trudged back to his apartment, his brain fried but his heart oddly light.
Tonight wasn't about research or innovation. Tonight, he had a mission — one far more important than debugging or answering yet another useless email.
Lauma.
The new waifu was finally on the feature banner in Genshin Impact. Henry had been hyped for weeks , reading leaks, and trying to budget his paycheck to afford more pulls. He'd joined the game late — after Fontaine's release — and every time he thought about it, he groaned.
Everyone already had all the characters, their stories, and he was stuck playing catch-up. But somehow, every characters, every background track, every cinematic cutscenes in Genshin had pulled him in like a magnet. It was addicting, enchanting, and infuriatingly beautiful.
As a "forced-to-pay" player — not broke, just financially irresponsible in the name of waifus — Henry tried to pull every new character that appeared, whether they were old favorites or the latest. His wallet hated him for it, but he refused to let that stop him. Usually, this ended in heartbreak, disappointment, and an endless parade of four-star characters and 3 star swords he didn't even want. But tonight… tonight was different.
Tonight, he was going all-in for Lauma.
He sat down, fingers poised over the mouse, heart racing. He clicked the 10-pull button, muttering a prayer under his breath. A golden comet streaked across the screen. His eyes went wide.
"Laumaa! Please come home!"
He leaned closer, gripping his chair like it was a lifeline, waiting for the reveal.
But then… a tiny, familiar silhouette appeared.
Wait.
No.
No, no, no, no, no—
Qiqi.
"NOOOOOOO!" Henry screamed, slamming his desk so hard the glass of water he hadn't touched yet wobbled dangerously.
He froze, mouth open, then ripped the power cord from the socket like it had betrayed him. A wave of frustration, despair, and the faintest hint of existential crisis washed over him. Flopping onto his bed, he sulked having lost his fifth 50/50 in a row. Within minutes, the exhaustion from work, pulls, and life itself dragged him into unconsciousness.
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he felt was pain.
Hard, unyielding pain.
"Wait… why am I on the ground? I slept on my bed… didn't I?"
Before he could fully register his surroundings, a shrill, high-pitched scream cut through the air:
"KYAAAA!"
Henry's head snapped up.
A humanoid creature with a crude wooden mask and a massive club loomed above him, poking the ground like some deranged gardener.
"Shit. Isn't that a Hilichurl?!"
Before he could think further, two more Hilichurls appeared, running straight at him with terrifying speed.
Without thinking, Henry bolted toward the nearest trees, his heart hammering and legs pumping like they had a mind of their own.
"How the f*ck am I here— did I just get isekai'd into Genshin?
And I didn't even get hit by Truck-Kun?!"
As he ran blindly through the forest, a knight in an armor appeared on the path ahead, clearly on patrol. The man's eyes widened as he saw Henry and immediately rushed forward, sword drawn.
"Finally! Someone else here!" Henry shouted, relief flooding him. But before he could fully call for help, a chime echoed inside his mind.
Ding!
A translucent blue panel shimmered into existence before his eyes.
Teyvat OmniQuest System Activated!
YESS!!!! I HAVE A SYSTEM!
Mission: Kill the Hilichurls
Reward: Foundation of Flesh
The beginning of physical transformation — establishes baseline human strength, coordination, and endurance.
Penalty: Physical De-Enhancement ( Strength Level decreased to newborn baby level)
"What the f*ck is this penalty?!" Henry blurted.
System can increase penalty if user isn't satisfied
"No no no, I'm fine! Totally fine!"
He spotted a club lying on the ground, probably dropped by one of the Hilichurls. With no better option, he snatched it and rushed toward the knight, adrenaline surging.
Swinging the club twice, he connected solidly with a Hilichurl's masked head. The creature collapsed with a muffled grunt.
"Damn… these clubs are actually solid!" Henry said, twirling it experimentally.
The remaining two Hilichurls began digging into the ground, a move he instantly recognized from his many hours of gaming.
"Oh crap… they're gonna throw rocks!"
The rocks flew. Henry ducked just in time. The knight, bolder than Henry could ever hope to be, charged forward, sword flashing. Henry circled behind and slammed one of the Hilichurls on the back of its head with a satisfying thwack.
Ding!
Mission Completed!
Reward Granted:Foundation of Flesh
The beginning of physical transformation — enhances muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility.
Strength +20%, Stamina +25%, Reflex +10%, Fatigue Resistance Slightly Increased.
Henry grinned as a strange warmth spread through his limbs. It wasn't pain — more like an awakening. His muscles felt denser, heavier with controlled power, and the dull fatigue that had been gnawing at him since morning faded.
His breathing grew deeper, steadier, and when he clenched his fists, there was a subtle yet undeniable strength behind them. He felt lighter on his feet too — not faster exactly, but more agile, more coordinated, as if his body had finally caught up to his mind.
[See? Be nice to me, and I will give great rewards] a smooth, sarcastic voice echoed in his head.
"Wait— you can talk? Are you sentient?"
[I can also hear your thoughts, host. Comes with the package]
"Hey! That is an invasion of privacy!"
[Relax. You can block me whenever you want]
Before he could argue further, the ground trembled beneath him. A deafening roar split the air.
A massive Thunderhelm Lawachurl stomped into view, towering and ferocious.
"Oh hell no! Run!" Henry shouted, instinctively turning toward the knight… only to see the guy was already sprinted away.
"That cowardly bastard!" Henry growled through gritted teeth.
The Lawachurl roared again and charged, its fists raised to smash him into paste.
"Are you kidding me?! I just got isekai'd and I'm already dying?!" Henry yelled, panic surging through every vein.
Then, a cold, commanding voice cut through the chaos:
"Vengeance will be mine."
A flash of icy blue blurred past him. In a single elegant slash, the Lawachurl fell, cleaved clean in two. Its roar died mid-bellow.
Henry blinked, dumbfounded. Standing before him was a woman with long, pale-blue hair that shimmered like frost in the wind, and eyes so cold they could freeze a man in place. Her form was lithe and athletic, radiating deadly precision wrapped in effortless elegance.
The tight dark suit she wore clung perfectly to her frame, hugging her curves and accentuating the roundness of her hips, while the high-cut design left a tempting strip of pale skin exposed above her stockings — just enough to draw the eye to her thick, snow-white thighs.
A single name came into his mind.
Eula.