The world Soobin found himself in was ruled by two opposing forces: spirit energy and shadow energy. Spirit energy was life, vitality—the very essence of living beings. It fueled everything from everyday tools to the powerful artifacts wielded by warriors. It was the energy of growth, strength, and power, drawn from the living and used to enhance weapons, defenses, and even the world’s technology.
But shadow energy was something else entirely.
Born from decay and death, shadow energy was the antithesis of spirit energy. Where spirit energy came from life, shadow energy thrived on death, pooling in areas where tragedy and destruction had occurred. Every time someone or something died, their remaining life force would slowly convert to shadow energy, and while it coexisted with spirit energy, it was far less common.
Monsters, on the other hand, once were normal creatures that had become corrupted by an overflow of shadow energy. They were drawn to places rich in death and decay, where shadow energy was thick in the air. The monster's’ nuclei cores, once spirit energy cores, would become twisted by shadow energy, making the creatures stronger and far more dangerous. Yet, despite their danger, these cores were highly prized. When processed, they could yield purified spirit energy or be used to craft powerful artifacts, though the process was unstable and risky.
Just opposite to them are the spirit beasts, In this world, not all creatures are corrupted by shadow energy. There are also spirit beasts—creatures that live in harmony with the world’s spirit energy.
Unlike monsters, spirit beasts aren’t twisted or dangerous; they thrive in places abundant with life and pure spirit energy. Their existence is a vital part of this world’s ecosystem. People hunt them too, not for survival, but because their cores too are incredibly valuable.
Spirit beast cores are already filled with uncontaminated, pure , stable spirit energy. They don’t require the same purification process as monster cores, but they might still be refined for specialized uses, such as in high-grade artifacts or advanced alchemy. Due to their purity, spirit beast cores are likely more valuable in higher-tier crafting, especially in creating delicate, precise artifacts where untainted spirit energy is critical..
As these thoughts swirled in Soobin’s mind, he made his way to the metro station, glancing down at his watch for directions. The glowing screen showed a clear path to his destination.
'Damn, I still can’t get over how crazy this place is...'
The metro station itself was clean and modern, with polished floors and bright digital screens displaying arrival times. There were luxury food stalls all around, in an metro station. He looked around, taking it all in. In his old world, metro stations were noisy, overcrowded, and smelled of sweat and exhaust fumes. Here, everything was orderly and efficient, with people moving calmly about their day.
Soobin checked the time. His train was still a while away. With some time to kill, he decided to take care of something that had been on his mind.
He scanned the area, his eyes landing on one of those luxurious food stalls nearby—though calling it a stall didn't quite fit. It was more like a high-end restaurant disguised as a pit stop for travelers. The outside was sleek, with polished glass doors and a glowing neon sign that gave it an almost futuristic feel. Hesitating for a second, Soobin walked in, feeling a little out of place in his casual clothes.
As he stepped inside, the interior took his breath away. The place was enormous, like stepping into a five-star hotel dining area. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting soft light over modern tables that were neatly arranged, each set with fine silverware. The walls were decorated with holographic displays that shifted between calm nature scenes and elegant artwork. People sat around, enjoying their meals quietly, the air filled with the hum of low conversation.
A waiter soon approached him, dressed sharply in a clean, pressed coat. His movements were precise, his demeanor professional. "Good evening," he said, giving Soobin a courteous nod. "What would you like to order?"
Soobin glanced at the menu, his eyes scanning the various dishes, many of which were far too expensive for his liking. His heart raced a little, feeling more out of place than ever. But he managed to keep his composure.
"Uh... can I get some chicken soup to go?" he asked.
The waiter didn’t miss a beat. "Of course, sir. I’ll have that prepared right away." He bowed slightly before heading off to relay the order.
As Soobin waited, he took a moment to appreciate the sheer size and luxury of the place. Spirit energy must have been powering everything—the soft ambient music, the subtle glow of the lights, and even the food preparation itself. It was a world beyond what his old life had ever offered, and yet here he was, caught somewhere between feeling like an outsider and wanting to belong.
Before long, the waiter returned with a sleek, high-tech package. "Here’s your order, sir," he said, handing over the soup. The package was warm to the touch, and as Soobin held it, he noticed it , it wasn’t just any regular takeout container. It was designed to maintain the temperature, keeping the soup hot for hours.
"dont these thing keep the soup hot always?!" Soobin muttered, turning the container over in his hands.
"Yes, sir," the waiter explained with a professional smile. "This packaging uses integrated spirit energy to keep your food at an optimal temperature. It’s quite efficient, especially for long trips."
Soobin nodded, impressed. This was exactly what he wanted, and what he had come for. He had remembered it being mentioned in the novel when the og mc had to take some food for home.
"Thanks," Soobin said, paying for the order with his watch and heading out. He carefully placed the container in his bag, where his sword was also kept.
As he descended the escalator into the station, he marveled at the sight of the train itself—it didn’t have tracks. The sleek, silver carriages floated just above the ground, their undersides glowing faintly with spirit energy. The whole thing was suspended in the air as if defying gravity, gliding through the tunnels silently. These looked twice as cool and beautiful than the Japanese bullet trains in earth
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'Floating trains huh ' he thought, shaking his head in disbelief. 'This place keeps surprising me.'
He reached into his metro card, but as he approached the ticket gate, a man in a blue uniform stepped forward, his expression professional but friendly. “Excuse me, young man. Would you mind showing your ticket or watch for verification?”
Soobin blinked. “Uh, yeah, sure,” he muttered, lifting his wrist to show his watch.
The guard scanned it with a small device, nodding as the light on the scanner blinked green. “All good! First time on the metro?”
Soobin hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah... It's a bit different from what I'm used to,” he admitted.
The guard chuckled. “You get used to it. They’ve been upgrading the system to run entirely on spirit energy. Smooth ride, no more loud noises or vibrations. You’ll enjoy it.”
“Right... Thanks,” Soobin replied, offering a small smile as he passed through the gate and made his way to the platform.
When the train arrived, he stepped inside. The seats were comfortable, and the carriage was spacious, with large windows offering a view of the city as the train began to move. He found a seat by the window, resting his head against the glass as the world outside blurred past.
The cityscape was impressive. Towering buildings lined the streets, their facades a blend of sleek, modern designs. Buildings of pure glass, huge skyscrapers, hovering billboards projected advertisements into the air, and floating cars moved gracefully just above the ground, as though gliding on invisible currents.
As the train sped through the city, Soobin took it all in. 'It’s like someone mashed up futuristic tech with old-world charm,' he thought, watching the streets below. The air buzzed with energy—both literal and figurative—as spirit energy powered everything around him. " this is exactly what those scientists that said 'we will have flying cars in future' must have imagined the current earth to look like, lol" he giggled at the thought.
The train made a few stops, more passengers boarding as others got off, and before long, Soobin’s stop arrived. He stepped off the train and headed up to the street level, where he hailed a hovering cab.
The cab driver, an older man with a friendly face, greeted him with a smile. “Where to, kid?”
“Take me to the outskirts, near Dreadwood Expanse,” Soobin said, recalling the name from the novel. He knew the original protagonist had ventured into the forest that bordered that area, and it seemed like the best place to start his search.
The driver raised an eyebrow but didn’t ask questions. "Alright"
As they drove, the city around them slowly gave way to a more natural landscape. The buildings grew smaller, the roads less crowded, and soon, Soobin found himself near the edge of the city. The cab stopped in front of a dense forest, its trees looming like silent sentinels. Above the entrance was a large sign that read: "Dreadwood Expanse — Danger: High Shadow Energy Zone. DO NOT ENTER."
Soobin stepped out, paying the driver through his watch. The cab sped off, leaving him alone at the edge of the forest. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. The air here felt thick, heavy with an oppressive energy. Even though he couldn’t see it, he could feel the shadow energy in the air—it was unsettling.
'This place… It’s definitely where the original protagonist found that ring.'
Without hesitating further, Soobin stepped past the warning signs and into the forest. The deeper he went, the darker and more twisted the surroundings became. The trees seemed ancient, their branches gnarled and reaching out like claws. The air was damp, and the smell of earth and decay filled his nostrils. While most forests in this world had a beautiful view when inside, like glowing orbs, glowing plants etc due to the spirit energy in the air, this place was totally the opposite. Dark and damp, with a bad stench.
Soobin’s mind raced as he tried to remember the descriptions from the novel. Somewhere in these woods, he knew there was the artifact—the ring that could change everything for him. If he could find it…
Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees.
Soobin’s heart skipped a beat. He turned slowly, spotting a creature emerging from the shadows—a Shadowfang Wolf. Its fur was dark and matted, its eyes glowing a deep, unnatural red. Black veins pulsed across its body, the telltale signs of corruption by shadow energy.
'Of course… It’s just like the novel,' he thought grimly.
He knew from memory that these creatures were ugly , but damn. Shadowfang wolves were low-ranking monsters, normally weak , but they were dangerous, especially for someone like him without a spirt energy core and spirit energy to defend himself. But he had come prepared.
With the wolf slowly circling him, Soobin slowly reached into his bag and pulled out the container.
"grrrrrr"
The wolf snarled, crouching low before launching itself at him.
Soobin didn’t hesitate. He flung the container's contents directly at the wolf, the scalding liquid splashing across its fur. The wolf yelped in pain, its momentum broken as it staggered back, disoriented by the heat. The creatures were highly sensitive to heat—something he remembered from the story., which is why he prepared the container.
'Now!' Soobin seized the moment, gripping the sword he borrowed from the guild and rushing forward. His strike wasn’t perfect—the sword was heavy in his hands, and he wasn’t as skilled as the original protagonist—but he managed to land a solid blow. The blade sank into the wolf’s side, and the creature howled in agony.
It wasn’t over, though. The wolf lashed out with a final desperate swipe, its claws raking across Soobin’s arm.
"ughhh" He winced in pain, feeling the warm blood trickle down, but he gritted his teeth and swung the sword again. This time, the blade found its mark
THUD
With a sickening thud, the wolf collapsed to the ground, its body twitching once before going still.
Panting, Soobin knelt beside the creature and slashed at its heart. He felt like vomiting, it was the first time he was doing something like this. Carefully extracted its nuclei core—a small orb of shadow energy, pulsing faintly in the dim light. He tucked the core away and pressed forward, he needed that for later , his thoughts focused on the artifact he sought.
After a few more minutes of navigating the forest, he came to a clearing. At its center stood an ancient, towering tree, its bark blackened and twisted as though corrupted by shadow energy. In front of the tree, half-hidden by overgrown roots and foliage, was a small statue. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable—a simple stone figure, weathered by time and almost entirely consumed by the forest. But Soobin’s heart raced.
'This is it,' he thought. 'The statue from the novel.'
The statue stood about waist-high, carved in the shape of an ancient figure, with a opening in its base .It was a detail easily missed by anyone passing by, but Soobin knew it was the key to unlocking something greater.
Kneeling before the statue, Soobin couldn’t help but mutter, "So this is where it all started…" He glanced up at the massive tree behind the statue, its bark twisted and dark, radiating shadow energy. “It looks just as eerie as I imagined.”
His fingers brushed over the small opening in the base of the statue. "just a little more " The tension in his voice betrayed his nervousness. He pulled the wolf’s nuclei core from his pocket and stared at it for a moment, its surface glowing faintly with dark energy. His heart pounded in his chest as he held it over the opening.
'Here goes nothing,' he thought, placing the core inside.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, without warning, a low rumble shook the ground beneath his feet. A sudden thud echoed through the clearing, and before he could react, the ground opened up beneath him.
"Shit!" Soobin yelled, but it was too late. The earth swallowed him whole as the land collapsed, sending him tumbling into the darkness below.
He hit the ground with a hard thump, groaning as he rolled over onto his back. His body ached, but nothing felt broken. As he lay there, staring up at the faint outline of the hole above, he let out a breathless laugh. “Well... that was one hell of a trap.” he felt confused, 'this was not written in the novel at all'.
The air down here was cool, damp. He could hear the faint drip of water somewhere in the distance. Slowly, Soobin sat up, his eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the hole above. His heart was still racing from the fall, but a strange sense of excitement welled up within him. Now he recognized the place.
He was exactly where the original protagonist had been—right at the cusp of something extraordinary.