Chapter 1: The Rebirth and the Reject (Part
Pain.
That was the first thing he felt. It wasn't the sharp pain of a truck hitting him, or the dull ache of overwork. It was a strange, burning heat that pulsed through his blood, specifically at his temples.
Ren gasped, his eyes snapping open.
"Where...?"
He wasn't in his small apartment in Tokyo anymore. He wasn't on the asphalt of a busy intersection. He was lying on cold, damp dirt.
Above him, the sky was a bruised shade of purple, swirling with unnatural clouds that looked like spilled ink. Giant trees, their bark black and twisted like agonized muscles, towered over him, blocking out most of the dim light.
Ren tried to sit up, but his head throbbed violently. Instinctively, he reached up to rub his temples.
Hard.
His fingers didn't touch skin. They touched something cold, jagged, and bone-like.
"What the...?"
Ren froze. He traced the shape. They protruded from his forehead, curving slightly backward. Two of them.
Horns.
"Am I... hallucinating?" Ren muttered, his voice sounding deeper than he remembered. He looked down at his hands. They were pale, almost grey, but clearly human-shaped. He was wearing tattered rags that looked like potato sacks.
Panic started to rise in his chest. I died. I remember dying. So, is this hell? Or...
Suddenly, a mechanical, gender-neutral voice echoed directly inside his brain, startling him so badly he nearly fell backward.
[System Boot Sequence Initiated.]
[Welcome, Host. Integration of 'Human Soul' and 'Demon Vessel' complete. Success rate: 50%. Error: Genetic instability detected.]
Ren scrambled backward, looking around frantically. "Who's there?! Show yourself!"
[Answer: I am inside your neural network. You may refer to me as the Strategic Ultimate Guidance Assistant. Or S.U.G.A. for short.]
"Inside my... head?" Ren blinked. "Wait. Are you... a cheat skill? Like in those web novels?"
[Correction: I am a Unique Origin Skill. I am far superior to a mere 'cheat'. I am your survival guide. Currently, your survival probability is calculated at 2%.]
"Two percent?!" Ren yelled. "Why?!"
[Answer: Look behind you.]
Ren turned around slowly.
Standing about ten meters away was a wolf. But calling it a wolf was an insult to nature. It was the size of a minivan, with three red eyes and drool that sizzled like acid when it hit the ground. It was staring right at him, growling low in its throat.
[Analysis: Red-Eye Direwolf. Threat Level: E-Rank. Host Level: 1. Recommendation: Run.]
"You don't have to tell me twice!"
Ren scrambled to his feet. His body felt lighter than he expected—much lighter. He pushed off the ground, and the earth exploded beneath his feet. He shot forward like a bullet, slamming face-first into a tree five meters away.
Crack!
"Ow!" Ren slid down the tree trunk, clutching his nose. "What was that?!"
[Explanation: You are a Half-Demon. Your physical stats are currently uncalibrated. You used 100% force for a movement requiring 10%. Please stop embarrassing us.]
The Direwolf didn't wait for him to figure out his legs. It roared and lunged, jaws snapping at Ren's head.
[Alert: Enemy Attack Incoming. Initiating Auto-Assist Mode.]
Ren's body moved on its own. His vision seemed to slow down. A blue grid appeared over the wolf, highlighting its trajectory. Ren's legs bent, and he ducked under the wolf's bite with impossible speed, rolling to the side.
He stood up, panting. "Okay... okay, I can do this. S.U.G.A., do I have a weapon?"
[Inventory is empty. Suggestion: Use your horns. Or punch it. You have hands.]
"Punch the giant acid-wolf. Great advice," Ren gritted his teeth.
The wolf turned, ready for a second pass. This time, Ren focused. He could feel a strange energy in his gut—Mana.
"Help me aim!" Ren shouted.
[Target Locked. Weak point identified: The center eye. Calculating punch trajectory...]
Ren didn't run this time. As the wolf leaped, Ren stepped forward, channeling that strange heat into his right fist. It glowed with a faint, ominous purple light.
"Haaah!"
He swung.
Pause.