Parting my eyelids, the darkness of my cell comes back into view. The dampness feels refreshing, a subtle eerie wind lovingly caressing my face. Grunting as I do best, my head is spinning, a splitting headache aggressively shattering all reason. "Hurf... fucking hell... my head!" No matter how much I wipe my now closed eyes or massage my hairy skull, it won't go away.

After some time, I struggle myself out of bed, falling on my butt. Resting against it, my head hangs low.

Time slowly moving forward, ignoring my pleas of suffering, I succeed in opening my tightly closed eyes what feels like hours later. "Fuck..." Memories surge in and out of my brain, soon reminded of what happened. My immediate reflex is to open the system history tab. After scrolling up and down a little, I start reading.

The quest was completed, even receiving a direct increase to my soul stat. After double checking, it is indeed so.

As for the reward, it was surprisingly good. I can't tell quite yet how much more useful it'll get at higher levels, but aware of how important Daos are in such stories, I'm brimming with anticipation. Even though the first level is... peculiar.

"Could be useful..." I remind myself before giving a poor attempt at getting back on my feet. I can't even get my knees straight before slumping back down like a drunken mess.

There were a few other messages I did notice, a particular one picking my interest.

[Due to your awakened Dao, you are now able to perceive traces of Dao Intent.]

After some questioning, which didn't bear many fruits, I discovered this Dao Intent to be out of my reach still. The system only told me the Dao Intent perception to be nothing more than recognizing it. I cannot do anything with it for now. Though to be completely fair, I have no clue what it even is in the very first place.

Could be like bloodthirst or something to do with art. I have no idea, but I'll figure it out as I go. With this system, even if Earth crumbles, as long as I cultivate diligently, I'll survive.

Because the more I think about it, and the more I read previous messages, the more it is confirmed for cultivation to peer beyond the stars. This sort of gave me a sense of arrogance, one hard to explain or properly grasp.

Which brings me to another message I read a few seconds ago.

[Your mentality has evolved.]

I find this quite strange. I don't feel different, but at the same time remember the Martial Boost Pills. I can't understand the system's influence on me, but for now it isn't bothersome. You have to be grateful of what is given to you. Therefore, I feel no urge to clash with said system. Not like I have the level. Maybe when my Immortal stats are S-Rank or around there, will I think about it.

"At least I'm free now, I'll go get myself a slice of cake." I believe Jenna brought a chocolate cake for everyone yesterday, so might as well. "If she didn't have the habit of screaming about food, I wouldn't even have known. Your loss hehehe." Rubbing my palms like a B series villain or more accurately a meagre fly, the headache is replaced by insatiable hunger for sweets.

As I make my first few steps, I'm interrupted by the system. "What now? Why are you spamm- wait..." Reading them, I feel blood draining from my face. "But..."

"But I'm tired!!"

[Time has run out.]

[Initializing Tier-3 Challenge, 'Hunting for opportunities'...]

My vision immediately changed from darkness to a vibrant forest. There only was green trees and lush grass anywhere I looked, rarely able to peek at the distant blue sky.

Hunting for opportunities

Challenge (T-3)

>Objective : Explore the forest and find three treasures.

>Current progress : [ 0 / 3 ]

>Difficulty : Fated

>Mission Difficulty : None

>Mission Failure Penalty : Random stats slightly diminished for 30 days.

[Good luck. And may Fate be with you.]

Smells refreshing at least.

[Initialization successful. The host's body has been stabilized.]

[You may pronounce or think 'Status' to obtain more information at any given time.]

"Here we go again... status..." I want to fucking cry. I want to eat chocolate and go to sleep!

Soul Name : Jack Heltros

Name : ???

Age : ???

Immortal Cultivation : Foundation Establishment Realm (Fourth layer : Center Pillar)

Immortal Title : None

HP | ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ | (67 / 67)

DT | ⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿⦿ | (67 / 67)

STR : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ F+

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

SPD : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ F+

END : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ F+

SEN : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ F+

SOUL : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ F+

WISD : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ E-

LUCK : ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ E-

Skill : Qi Manifestation - lv.7 [+]

Great. This time I'm a whole three layers stronger it seems, which doesn't bode well. However, I can't help but be curious about the mission difficulty. Or more like the lack of it.

"Does no difficulty imply I won't be thrown off a cliff or ravine? Will I not be ambushed by four absurdly strong opponents that somehow aren't capable of letting go of a bowstring?"

"Did I finally get a well deserved break?"

After some time I stop flailing my arms and sigh. "Alright..." Nothing much going on, so I just start walking.

.

.

.

After a while, I loudly think to myself as I read back the messages. "Find three treasures... find. Find? Not collect?" With how precise these prompts and messages are, I don't let go of such a nuance. If I'm not wrong, this is making my life easier. I love these kinds of quests and missions! What a great challenge, should be more of them!

Strolling around, I can't help but wonder where the fuck I even am. It honestly looks like Earth. Blue sky, green vegetation. I mean the trees are a bit tall, but that exists on Earth as well. Now, if this is indeed Earth, I don't think I'll find much, which is worrisome to say the least.

Because right now I'm wandering inside a plain forest. What am I supposed to find? Should I have brought a metal detector? The system asked something, so it should be possible to accomplish. That I'm sort of sure about.

Slowly growing restless, I escape the forest to find more forest. After the forest is more forest, and after that one there is, you guessed it, more forest.

.

.

.

It's been hours... still nothing. At this point I'm concerned about my real body. Is it safe?

But the more concerning to me is whether or not I'll die from some poisonous atmosphere, because, clear from the lack of sun, this bright place isn't Earth. "If I control an alien, I get the perks that go along right? I'm breathing alien air, right? It's non toxic, high quality premium air? Right?!" Kicking a tree stump, I gaze at another, slightly cracked one a few meters away. "I swear..." Without a sun, I don't know how this light comes and goes. So I'm not only thrilled but also fearful when I notice a glint from the corner of my eye.

Making my way a few meters across, I kick it a little bit, before pocking it with a random branch I found. "Safe?" Examining it closely, I see numerous cracks on it, some larger than others. And lodged deep into the largest one, right down the center, I see something metallic. "Gold ingot? In a tree??" I'm not quite sure, but it's something at least. "Hopefully it counts." About to retrieve it, I see it vanish. "What?!" Quite scared, I soon get a message.

[You have found : Dragon Palace Token]

"I found... what? That was... the ingot?" Pressing on it, I'm excited by the colorful rank catching my eye.

Dragon Palace Token (E+)

A token made from Spirit Meteorite Chromatic Gold, with the word 'Dragon' engraved on its surface.

This token grants the owner an entry to the Dragon Palace located on the Severed Garden Draconic World.

The Severed Garden Draconic World is one of many where the famous Dragon Race prevails. Its most important location is the Dragon Palace rooted in its core area.

Dragons!

What screams more epic than motherfucking dragons? "Would someone think I was talking about dragons fucking moms if I said that out loud?" Letting out a shrug, I suppose it could happen. On another note, while I definitely aren't gonna search for that palace, it being E+ makes it worth the walk. But since I won't get into said palace, was it truly?

"Hey, at least it's one down. Two more to go~"

Summoning the challenge message, I see it updated.

>Current progress : [ 1 / 3 ]

"This isn't so bad after all. Especially if I can get some more rank boost crystals!"

What excites me about dragons is that I've never seen one before. With my lowly rank, I wasn't really able to go into tougher dungeons and portals. But even so, dragons are rare. Really rare. All videos on the subject are also very hard to find.

.

.

.

Running around excitedly, I breathe in the fresh alien air and jump around, ready to find more incredible treasures and get this shit over with. I wanna sleep goddammit!

"Where are you~ oh my dear treasure~ I will find you and- urff!" Tripping on something, as I was looking at the tree branches, I get my face out of the grass and look behind. "Huh? Jackpot!" It's red, which is a big contrast with the surroundings. Obviously I wouldn't have tripped if I wasn't looking at the sky. I'm not that clumsy.

Even I don't trust my own thoughts on this.

"What is it this time?" Giddy, I make my way toward this thin red stick. "Looks pretty intricate- hey!" I wanted to pull it out, but it disappeared instead. At least give me the satisfaction! This system wouldn't be good at peeling plastic films from new glass and screens. Heck, it would probably pop all the bubble wrap before I could touch it.

"What is this time? A red dild- huh I meant stick? Would a stick count? Looked like handle of- ah, well I was right."

[You have found : Red Draconic Sword (Damaged)]

"My slip of the tongue was blasphemous, wasn't it?"

Red Draconic Sword (Damaged) (E-)

A red hilted sword made for the Dragon Race foot soldiers. It is made of Fiery Dark Steel coated with a faint layer of Stellar Iron. The hilt is fully made of Wyvern Leather. The hilt has been painted red with Dried Wyvern King Blood. It is a commodity of the Dragon Palace from the Severed Garden Draconic World.

Its formerly sharp edge has been dulled, while the upper portion of it shattered. The remains lack the Dragon Palace's glory.

Due to its condition, the Qi pathways have been severed and severely damaged. Any Qi channeled within will lack its prior optimization.

"Wow. Can I keep this one? Well actually it's broken pretty bad, never mind." Pressing on the newly updated challenge message, I raised my brows at a small inventory space. There were only three slots, with two filled total.

"I can..." Pressing my finger on the red hilted sword, it appeared in front of me before falling onto the grass. "At least let me grab it..."

Holding it in my right hand, it feels a bit heavy, but overall usable. What surprised me a little more though was the size. From the description I expected a little more. Because right now I can wield this so called draconic sword with one hand. It's indeed bigger than normal, a good half a meter long in this pathetic state, but the long hilt isn't outside human standards. Shaking my head, it was pointless to think about.

Injecting some Qi within, the uneven broken edge glowed from turquoise to fiery red before I hastily stopped it. "Holy shit, talk about greedy. How much fucking Qi does it eat up? Almost took everything I had. I don't even know how to regenerate DT apart from waiting. How long is it gonna take this time?"

[You can recover DT by cultivating.]

"..."

"Did..."

"Hum..."

"So, let me get this straight..."

"You couldn't tell me that when I was testing shit, waiting for hours on end, but you can tell me now when I honestly don't give a damn? Are you trying to make fun of me or something?" Long gone was the gratitude toward the system's generosity.