The sect disciple shouted, "Where are you from? Can't you see our uniform? We are from the Zura Sect!"
"I don't give a shit about your sect or your uniforms," Laizer replied.
He braced himself for a fight—though he did not yet understand how powerful these disciples might be. The men were low-rank disciples of Zura, and each was trained in martial techniques far beyond his comprehension.
"Flower Scattering Slash!" one disciple shouted, charging at him while his blade glowed with a pale pink light. As he raised his sword, petals—like spectral flowers—burst forth and scattered across the air.
Laizer watched, stunned. These were martial techniques, real effects he had never imagined.
Prior to his response, the sword came smashing down on him. Pain exploded through his arm—he screamed as the strike severed his appendage. He fell to the ground, clutching the ruin where his arm had been. Blood was everywhere.
"Ha! He's trash—doesn't even know basic martial arts and dares oppose us?" one of the disciples jeered.
Laizer forced himself to stand. Huffing, coughing from shock and pain, he spat through gritted teeth, "Is that all you've got? Huff… huff… You brag about your sect too much, but this is all you have? You can't even finish me with one attack. Useless." Laizer said this to provoke him.
"Brother, stop! Don't—this is pointless. Nothing will change. This is fate," the girl sobbed, clutching her wounded brother.
"Fate?" Laizer grunted, with his voice muffled by both the pain and fury he felt. "I don't give a cold hell about fate." Nothing would stop him now; not a rule, and not fate. This was the second chance he had received, and he was not going to let anything prevent him from living his life as he pleased. One way or another he would prevail and stand proud at the top of the world. Nothing would prevent him from achieving his lifelong dream. Laizer said everything with a look of resolve on his face.
A disciple tried to attack from behind. At the last moment—suddenly, the disciple's head flew off. His body was split into pieces and scattered everywhere, blood splattering like rain across the dust.
Silence fell over the square.
All those present were shocked. They couldn't think straight after seeing such a brutal sight. Most villagers fainted; others were shivering, their legs frozen. Their expressions looked as if they had seen a real devil, a true demon, descend from the upper realm.
The other disciples were equally stunned. They couldn't dare approach Laizer now because of the scene they had just witnessed. In their minds, only one thought echoed: If we go near this man, our state will be the same as his.
Laizer himself was too surprised. Ho…how? This man died so mercilessly.laizer wonder. In a matter of seconds, his attention returned to the environment, what happens? Why does everyone seem motionless? The world around him was frozen in place; time was stopped. Everyone was motionless as they stood there.
Laizer didn't understand a single thing. His blood loss was too severe. Ugh shit I am getting dizzy because of too much blood loss. No, this cant be just because of blood loss. Laizer doubt like something is missing here.
Still, Laizer hadn't given up. He somehow mustered his last bit of strength. First I have to somehow treat my wound otherwise I will die. Laizer muttered faintly. I don't know what to do right now, but I have to leave this village first and find a doctor. Laizer voice was fainting, and his vision was already blurred enough as he can't see clearly. Blood had already loss too much.
Laizer walked… walked… walked straight. After some time, he lost consciousness, but his body kept moving, step after step. Eventually, his body drained dry because of too much blood loss.
Once again—he died.
Ding: Congratulations.
Ding: Certain conditions have matched.
Ding: Candidate has successfully unlocked the system.
Ding: System start loading.
Ding: 60% loading…
Ding: 80% loading…
Ding: 99% loading…
Ding: System installation complete successfully.
Ding: Congratulations.
Ding: System recognizes its master.
Ding: Auto-healing start.
A storm of notifications came, but Laizer was unconscious. He couldn't hear anything. His body lay where he had fallen, at the end of the high mountain peak.
Laizer slept there for seven nights. Days passed, nights passed, but he didn't move. After a whole ten days, Laizer opened his eyes. The sun was just rising.it was a beautiful morning. And slowly, slowly, air was flowing.
Laizer open his slowly, his head splitting with pain. Suddenly, he remembered the village scene. Wait !that girl. Laizer shout in panic. And realized he was far from her village, he was confused. After some time, he collect his thoughts clearly. He remembered everything that happened in the village. Likewise, he remembered the moment time stopped… after that, nothing.
"Ugh, my head hurts too much. What's going on?" Laizer said with an annoyed expression.
Ding: It is because of forced recovery. Pain will fade shortly.
"Ahhh! What the hell!" Laizer screamed in shock. "Who… who's there? Who talked just now?"
Ding: Master, it's me.
"Who are you? And what's this weird screen before me?" he asked with curious face, leaning towards.
Ding: It's my way to talk to you.
"Huh? System? Wait! Aahhhhh, systemmmmm?laizer shout with spreading his arms openly looking towards sky. Waitttt… the hell? Is this a novel? That bastard old geezer cheated on me—teleported me into some novel, not a real world. But wait! If you're a real system, why didn't you appear the moment I arrived here? Why now?" Laizer asked in urgent.
Ding: Master, you misunderstood. I am not any pre-designed system that you got. I am a Heaven-tier artifact that only unlocked after certain conditions were met.
"Ohhh! So you're saying you're a system, but not exactly the system I know?" Laizer reply with calm voice.
Ding: Yes. I am a Heaven-tier artifact now connected with your soul.
"Wait! You said you activate only after certain conditions were met. So what conditions did you unlock under now?" Laizer was curious about system so he was asking questions without breathtaking.
Ding: I am designed to activate only once, and if I shut down after activation, I will vanish. The conditions required to activate in someone's soul are: Heavenly Iron Will—this is the first condition. After you got injured and poisoned, you didn't give up but kept moving forward. Even though your body shut down, you still walked. That was a miracle, and it proved your iron will. That fulfilled the first condition.