This was his confidence. The foundation of survival in foreign lands. Only with big strong muscles could he feel a sense of security.

His requirements weren't high. He didn't need to ascend to godhood in a few years like other unreasonable protagonists. But if he could not achieve sufficient self protection power after nearly two decades, could he still be qualified to be called a reincarnator?

The bullshit novels, mangas, and animations in his previous life are all lies. There was no god granting him an attribute system panel. No truck-kun sending him to other worlds. And not even a fox sealed in his body or some mysterious extraterrestrial monkey bloodline.

After 16 years he had not even seen a trace of elves or beast ear maidens. His martial arts could not even fire a blue beam.

He was just a “slightly” more talented newbie martial artist.

Unfortunately this was reality. And reality meant the intertwining of various unpredictable factors.

But he wasn’t some weak chicken anyone could easily bully.

No. Not enough…Now all that was left was…

“Darkness blacker than black and darker than dark, I beseech thee, combine with my deep crimson. The time of awakening has cometh!”

Ahem.

Now all he had to do was unearth his hidden potential to truly have the confidence to survive in this world. Squeeze out every ounce of strength his body has to offer!

Listed on his self-built attitude panel it was [???].

Like all occasions with [Unity], through the heightened connection with his body, he could feel the potential in his body was like a dormant beast. He has not reached his limit yet! It was like his body was pregnant with something. It was there but he just couldn't squeeze it out.

Speaking of its origins…

Dugu Yun glanced at his reflection in the water.

Although he was only slightly less handsome than the mysterious eyes watching him from across a fourth dimension barrier.

There were hideous scars that ran down his body that took away some of his elegance and added some ferociousness. They were like demons entrenched on his body. Hideous and bloodthirsty snakes that branched out from the base of his neck wrapping around his back and torso much like tattoos.

It had already been three days since his return and he could remember the vivid shock on his parents faces when he first took off his shirt.

His mother Lily almost backflipped on spot vowing to go through fire and water for revenge. It took his dad 110% of his power to restrain her.

It took a lot of effort for Dugu Yun to convince his parents that it was the impact of intense martial arts training not an enemy conflict.

Only he knew that the real truth was a little unbelievable.

Dugu Yun what the scars were.

Lichtenberg figures.

An electric current passes through the body creating superficial linear burns resembling the branches of a tree.

Yes, Dugu Yun was struck by lightning. And he even survived.

It was a stormy day a year ago at the hidden dragon temple and lighting arcs etched the sky with a bright blue hue. The past was like smoke, and the memories of his previous life was still a hazy dream. At that time he happened to glance out the window and catch sight of an orange cat stuck on a tree. God knows how the orange species still hasn’t faced extinction yet.

In his previous life he also had an orange cat but during a visit to an indigenous tribe, it was accidentally caught and sacrificed in a ceremony.

So out of the sudden unfamiliar nostalgia in his heart, he climbed up the tree to rescue the poor little thing. Well…the rescue was successful but in return god struck him with a thick beam of lightning. (an: don't go near trees during storms children!)

By a stroke of luck and his strong physique, Dugu managed to survive and it seemed that the lightning might have stimulated his brain allowing him to break the thin veil separating his past and present lives reawakening his memories.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

It was then realization struck.

I’ve been cheated!

The critical moment of realization occurred when he was reviewing the secret technique of the hidden dragon temple. At first, he was full of anticipation, after all, which earthling does not yearn for the extraordinary?

But upon opening the pages of the book, the words were like the book of heaven…incomphresenpsible. Was this something humans can understand?

The text was just a bunch of garbled patterns jumbled together as if an elementary schooler had written them. He tried bringing his doubts to his master but the next moment the old man disappeared on the pretext of solving an urgent matter leaving young Dugu all alone in the temple.

The Dugu before awakening did not suspect anything was strange at all and simply attributed all things he couldn’t understand to the mysteriousness of the sect.

Can cast spells? Wow! As expected of a super master!

Can’t understand the techniques? As expected of a supreme martial arts scripture! It’s so difficult! Definitely not fake at all!

Disappearing master and sect members? Wow! As expected of a mysterious hermit master!

No latrine? It couldn’t possibly be that the temple is too poor to build one right? It must be that a strong man does not need to shit!

The stubborn young man accustomed to learning martial arts with a glance simply stared at the heavenly scriptures day and night not knowing how to admit defeat or ask for advice.

But now that he was awakened, the doubts led him to carefully review his past interactions with the hidden dragon temple..

Fuck!

The temple was built in a safe location two states away from Su Harbor City so Dugu Yun simply took the opportunity to refamiliarize himself with the world and the abilities that awakened along with his memories before leaving. Not to mention he also had to recover from the injuries brought by the storm.

This process lasted for a year before he had the confidence to travel back home alone.

It was also then he discovered the foreign substance lurking in his body.

If he wasn't bored enough to carefully inspect every inch of his body he would have never found it!

Although [insight] told him there was something mysterious part of him, Dugu didn’t know specifically what. And [Unity] wasn’t omnipotent either…

It was mostly just limited to structures containing nerves. All muscular structures and a few non-muscular structures were under his control. If he could control blood or energy substances out of thin air, [Unity] would no longer be just a talent but a supernatural power!

Every strand of muscle could be freely mobilized with precision for example contracting the heart to pump blood more efficiently but how could he control something that wasn’t connected to his brain? Let alone controlling that mysterious substance, it was already pretty awesome to discover it.

It wasn’t until later when he familiarized himself with the presence of this ‘sustenance’ that he realized it was very familiar.

As for the nature of the substance? He suspected it was…lightning!

A tiny strand of lightning nestled within his cells left over from the lightning strike. The culprit that almost sent him back into reincarnation.

He felt there was something pretty eerie about the lighting of this world as if it contained a certain primordial power.

Anyways, now that there was lightning deposited within his cells, his instinct told him that it would be of a great benefit to his self protection power1

But if he wanted to awaken this strand of lighting and incorporate it into his own power, theoretically that would require some external help.

He had a vague suspicion that he would need to be struck by lightning again in order to carefully understand its power or mobilize it.

Damn it! This was not a task suitable for a human…

Fortunately he had a background in science.

After racking his brain, Dugu decided he had to take matters into own hands and build his own equipment to resist lightning.

Lightning rods, insulator suits, faraday cages, etc.

This was also the primary reason to return home…to use…ahem..borrow the family fortune!

He could only "reluctantly" embark on an arduous journey home to accept a life of corruption and wealth with tears.

If you can’t beat the capitalists, then join them! Go back home to inherit the family background! What’s the use of working hard! Why would he suffer if he could win lying down? Researching and acquiring resources to build equipment was very expensive not to mention martial arts practice.

It's just…he didn’t expect he would still have to work hard to defend the cult…ahem..family even after being reborn. The novels are all lies! （>﹏<）

Dugu’s wandering mind slowly returned to the river water.

After a few more random punches, he ended his daily martial arts practice.

There was a common saying in this world left by the Dawn Martial Saint that, “If you don’t practice you will regress.

Martial artists had to seize their golden years to develop their body or their vitality would decline as they age making it harder to break through their current realm.

Dugu Yun left the river, casually wiped his body, and received a spare change of clothing from his maid.

Oh..what a corrupted life! But soon he quickly integrated into it. After all, if you can’t beat the hateful capitalists then join them!

“What time is it?” he curiously asked the maid while putting on the super luxurious extra large shirt.

The maid reluctantly peeled her eyes off Dugu Yan’s upper body. ‘Oh what a pity’ she thought.

She had been secretly commissioned by a few people to carefully observe Dugu and replicate his majestic figure with her great artistic skills. A harmless matter that earned money, why not accept it?

Such a well proportioned body. Coupled with the boy’s “scars of war” enveloped by a soft golden glow. Under the dazzling morning sun, the coat of moisture remaining on the skin glistened, presenting a stunning artistic conception full of heroism.

Ughh, it was perfect for a drawing. Why cover it?!! How could she memorize the figure for drawing that way?

The maid lamented with agony but she didn’t forget to respond.

“Young master, it’s almost noon. The second lady should be back from her morning classes. She said she would show you around the town today.”

Dugu Yun paused. Second lady? Oh right… The cousin who doesn’t have enough self protection power…

He had promised to accompany her around town today. He also wanted to see how the city had changed during his absence. Since his return, he had been holed up in the Yun family manor waiting for a possible “demon attack” as well as investigating the whereabouts for necessary sniper building materials. The demon never reappeared and he hadn't had the chance to revisit the city so now was the perfect opportunity to go shopping and make some preparations along the way.

It was unknown if the night demon would ever return so he had to prepare as much as possible in the meantime.

Now the situation was tight and many people were depending on him. Although the pressure was a bit high, he couldn't afford to show any weaknesses.

His reputation couldn't ward off enemies forever. In this world where fist speaks, eventually he would be exposed.

“Let go,” Dugu hummed while taking big strides towards the setting sun.

“Yes, young master.” the maid responded and trotted along.

Wait a minute. Huh?

“Young master, you're heading the wrong way.

“Oh shit. Thanks”

“....”

“Would you believe it if I said I was planning to take the long way…”

“....”

--------This chapter wasn’t my favorite but I'm trying my best to narrate dugu’s tale and share with you <3! If the pace is too slow you can feel free to go ahead and save it and wait till more chapters to return!-----------