Opening his eyes slowly, Shadow finally woke up.
For a brief moment, his vision was blurry, his mind sluggish as if it had yet to catch up with reality. He blinked a few times, trying to gather his thoughts, trying to remember what had happened.
He looked around, attempting to figure out where he was—but before he could make sense of anything, a faint blue glow flickered into existence right in front of his eyes.
A translucent holographic screen appeared.
System installation is successful. ]
Shadow froze.
Then—
"It worked… I actually did it." His voice trembled slightly, not with fear, but with disbelief. "The invention that would break all known limits… has been created by me."
His eyes were locked onto the transparent screen, reflecting its soft blue light as awe slowly filled his expression.
"Future historians better remember this moment…" he muttered, before pausing. "…Well, not that they're going to find out anytime soon."
This wasn't just another magical device.
No—
this was *the* magical device.
And Shadow knew exactly what it meant.
\[ The system installation is successful but it can't function properly without equipping it with enough life force. ]
His expression stiffened.
"What does that mean?" Shadow frowned, the excitement from moments ago immediately dampened.
\[ The system's inner functions are designed to help the user bypass the regular limits set by this world. Even though it was successfully installed, it requires a huge amount of life force to function properly as a separate entity within the host. ]
Shadow let out a slow breath.
"There's always a catch. Always." He shook his head slightly before continuing, "And how do I get the life force needed?"
\[ There are multiple ways, but the system will analyze the easiest method based on the host's current situation. ]
Shadow narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Please say something reasonable…"
A brief pause followed.
Then—
\[ Based on the analysis, the host needs to collect 1,000,000 magical beast cores. ]
Silence.
"What??!!!!!!!"
"…Ah."
"…I see."
"…So death it is."
Shadow stood there, completely still, as if his soul had momentarily left his body.
He felt like he had just lost a few years of his lifespan simply from hearing that number.
"Are you kidding me?" he snapped, his voice rising. "You think getting one million magical beast cores is something I could achieve in my current situation?!"
A vein throbbed faintly on his forehead.
"…You know what? Let's just uninstall the system."
"…I regret everything."
\[ The system cannot be uninstalled or removed. ]
Shadow stared blankly at the screen.
"Did you accidentally add extra zeros? Please tell me you added extra zeros." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Because that's not a requirement—that's a lifetime subscription to suffering!"
\[ It is impossible for the system to make a mistake. ]
He went silent for a second.
"…I'm not sure whether I should be proud of my ultimate invention not making mistakes… or deeply regret it."
He exhaled slowly.
"I swear, something up there has a personal grudge against me."
---
**Author's note:**
Don't worry, my guy. I've got plenty of clichés waiting for you. A little suffering at the start is necessary.
---
After a moment of silence, Shadow calmed himself.
"Can you tell me where I am right now?" he asked.
\[ The host has warped to a different continent from his last location. However, due to certain functions being blocked, I cannot pinpoint the exact location. ]
Shadow clicked his tongue softly.
'I should stop whining… it's not like I have a choice. Nobody said it was going to be easy.'
He clenched his fist slightly.
Then, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Alright then…" he muttered.
"Let the hunt begin."
Without hesitation, he turned and exited the cave.
The moment he stepped outside, a vast forest unfolded before him.
Towering trees stretched endlessly toward the sky, their trunks thick like pillars, their leaves forming a dense canopy that filtered the sunlight into soft green rays. The air was rich, filled with the scent of earth and life. Exotic plants covered the ground, some glowing faintly, others twisted into unnatural shapes.
It looked beautiful.
Peaceful.
But appearances were deceiving.
Unbeknownst to Shadow—
this forest was considered one of the most dangerous places for any human to roam.
---
.
.
.
**Seven years later**
---
In the heart of the forest, a clear, flowing river cut through the land like a vein of crystal.
Or at least—
it used to be clear.
Now, it was stained red.
Blood spread across its surface, carried by the current as the aftermath of battle lingered in the air.
Flames burned fiercely atop the water, refusing to be extinguished. They crackled and roared, sustained not by fuel—but by mana itself.
Four massive beast corpses floated lifelessly along the river.
The fifth—
still lived.
Barely.
On the riverbank stood a boy.
No—
a young man.
Sixteen years old, with long, wild black hair that almost reached his ankles. His gray eyes now glowed with a deep crimson hue, reflecting the burning beast before him.
Shadow.
Seven years.
Seven years of survival.
Seven years of hunting.
Seven years alone.
He had lived in this forest, driven by a single goal—
to collect one million magical beast cores.
Through trial and error, pain and near death, he had refined his methods. Rune magic became his weapon of choice—he carved, built, and constructed deadly traps capable of turning the environment itself into a killing field.
Every step he took…
was calculated.
Every hunt…
planned.
And this—
was no different.
The five wolves had been lured here intentionally.
The river wasn't an obstacle.
It was part of the trap.
The moment they entered, hidden rune arrays activated, releasing waves of intense fire from every direction. The flames, born from mana, ignored the water completely—burning relentlessly, devouring everything caught within.
The last wolf let out a weak, dying growl.
Then—
it fell silent.
Ding~~
\[ Ferocious Wolf (Rank C) has been killed. ]
A brief pause followed.
Then—
Ding~~
\[ Collect magical beast cores: 1,000,000 / 1,000,000 ]
Shadow's eyes widened slightly.
"…Finally."
For the first time in years—
he allowed himself to breathe.
Ding~~
\[ Congratulations to the host. The required amount of life force has been met. All system functions are now unlocked and available for access. ]
A new interface unfolded before him, more complex, more detailed than before.
Shadow stared at it.
A faint smile slowly formed on his face.
'Finally…'
The real beginning—
was now.