Chapter 5: The Core of Survival

Chapter 5: The Core of Survival

The air had turned sharp and cold. Winds swept fiercely in every direction, making the trees groan and sway. 

The grass was ripped from the ground, and I staggered as I crouched low in hiding.

A sudden gust threw me off balance, exposing my position.

My eyes were drawn to the center of the river. 

What I saw left me breathless.

A small ball of compressed air, about the size of a basketball, spun furiously.

The pressure around it built until it shattered the sound barrier with a deafening roar.

My body froze as fear took over.

 I could only watch in silent awe and confusion.

“What is that ball of air?” I murmured. 

My long hair whipped wildly around my face. 

I immediately activated my divine vision, narrowing my focus to study the energy at its core. 

Then I saw it.

The violent wind was fueled by pure natural energy, pulled into the sphere from its center.

 It was an impossible sight, raw and terrifying, like a force of nature being born.

This phenomenon could become a disaster if it continued, but I was more intrigued than afraid.

I didn’t care about the destruction it might cause.

What mattered was understanding how such a thing had appeared out of nowhere. It made no sense.

 And yet, as I turned my eyes to the goblin nearby, I noticed something. It recognized the phenomenon.

There was a strange awareness in its eyes.

But I couldn’t afford to investigate.

My life came first.

“I need to leave. Revenge can wait. The situation is out of my control. That thing will deal with the goblin for me,” I thought.

Slowly, I stepped back. 

My body tensed as I activated my physique, compressing my presence so I would vanish from awareness. I needed to get away. I needed to survive.

I took off without looking back.

Among the skills I had copied from the goblins, there was one that proved perfect for this moment. It was called Rotation Gap Movement.

A simple yet brilliant technique that used short bursts of rotational force to open small gaps in space.

 These gaps allowed the user to dodge, feint, or reposition during close combat.

But I realized it could do more.

It could help me run.

I activated the skill. Mana surged through my legs, and wind coiled around my ankles.

My body shifted with the momentum, twisting sharply. 

In an instant, I shot forward, slicing through the trees like a phantom caught in a gust.

The forest blurred past me as I sprinted faster than ever before.

I turned my head once.

The ball of wind remained by the lake. It hadn’t followed me. Instead, it hovered near a dark red smear of blood on the ground. It had noticed me. 

I could feel it. But it wasn’t chasing. It was only interested in that single drop of blood.

I didn’t understand what it was. And I didn’t want to.

All I could do was run.

Time slipped away as I fled through the trees.

An hour passed.

My mana had thinned to dangerous levels. Even with a mid-tier physique, my energy reserves were not endless.

My speed slowed.

My limbs ached.

 Rotation Gap Movement, while powerful, demanded precise timing and incredible control. It drained my stamina far faster than I had expected.

Eventually, I reached a place surrounded by thick bushes and dense foliage. My legs gave out, and I dropped to my knees, gasping for breath.

“Ha... ha... let’s stop here,” I whispered to myself.

The green leaves around me trembled in the soft breeze. 

I closed my eyes, gathering focus, and used my physique again to blend seamlessly into the environment.

 I had escaped. For now.

Even though I had survived, I remained on edge. I slowed my breathing as much as I could. I had no desire to ever encounter those unknown beings again.

“I survived,” I whispered in relief. 

It had been a close call. If anything like that happens again, I will avoid it at all costs.

I will never throw away my life just to witness something so strange and deadly.

Still, something good had come out of it. My body was rapidly repairing the damaged tissues within my muscles.

I could feel the aching pressure deep inside, the kind that comes from pushing beyond your limits. It was adapting. Growing stronger.

Not only that, but I had unconsciously tapped into the full potential of the low-grade skill I had learned earlier, Rotation Gap Movement. 

Through pure instinct and refined mana control, I had elevated it slightly, almost reaching mid-grade level.

The effort had not been wasted; it was a minor breakthrough.

“Hehehe... now I just need it to improve a little more. Surely it will get better again,” I whispered softly, unable to contain my excitement.

 It might seem like a small thing, but to me, it was something I had earned with my own hands. Even the smallest victory feels meaningful when it comes from personal effort.

Back in my old life, I used to ignore opportunities like this.

I rejected small offers, dismissed ideas that seemed insignificant. I thought they were a waste of time. But I learned the hard way.

What you overlook today could rise to greatness tomorrow. 

And when that happens, all you’re left with is regret.

“I was such a fool back then,” I said to myself, a trace of guilt in my voice.

 Memories flooded my thoughts. I wanted nothing more than to return to that world.

I hated the system for dragging me into this unfamiliar place, but I had no choice.

 I could not fight it. Not yet.

I sat cross-legged in silence, staring ahead as if suspended between two worlds.

My mind was still deep in thought when the system’s voice suddenly broke through.

DING

🧠🎯【YOUR DECISION AND DISCIPLINE IN AVOIDING DISASTER HAVE BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED. THE SYSTEM REWARDS YOU WITH THREE CHOICES.】

 🎁 【PLEASE SELECT ONE REWARD BELOW】

🔢🪄 Reward Type📝 Description

1️⃣🌀 Combat Style: Phantom Spiral

2️⃣🤸‍♂️ Innate Ability: Apex Acrobat

3️⃣🔰 Core Grade: Basic Core

I stared at the message, startled.

 “So that works too?” I whispered to myself. 

My thoughts raced as I analyzed how the system functioned.

 It seemed that this twisted system granted rewards when I made the right decisions during critical moments.

Or perhaps it responded to something similar. 

That was all I could figure out.

I had no idea what other functions could trigger rewards, and I refused to believe this was its only capability.

I was determined to discover more.

With a mix of curiosity and excitement, I focused on the rewards in front of me.

“What should I choose?” I murmured, contemplating the options the system had presented. 

The first choice, Phantom Spiral, was a combat style. It sounded powerful, but I already had close-combat skills. I did not need another fighting technique right now.

The second option, Apex Acrobat, seemed designed for graceful movements and acrobatic stunts. It felt flashy and almost theatrical, the kind of thing that would look beautiful when performed, especially in the air. 

But in reality, it seemed inefficient, even foolish, in the middle of a real fight. It might shine in form, but not in function. I dismissed it.

 I needed practicality, not performance.

This place was unforgiving, and even the smallest mistake could get me killed.

I sighed. “Definitely not this one.”

 It would be useful for evasive maneuvers, but this was no ordinary place. 

Every creature here could tear a person apart in seconds.

 I could not afford the risk.

I would keep it in mind for the future, but for now, I had to focus on survival.

Turning my attention to the third choice, I asked the system for a detailed explanation. Instantly, a description appeared, and I understood it clearly.

The third option seemed ideal. It was exactly what I needed. According to the system, the core would store and circulate mana. 

That was crucial. 

During my earlier escape, all the mana I had managed to gather was contained within my physical body. I had also drawn in scattered natural energy, believing I was compatible with all elements because the system had stated as much. 

But I quickly learned that compatibility meant nothing without a proper method to process it.

When I tried to convert the raw natural energy into usable mana, I sensed impurities in the flow. 

I immediately stopped. I was shocked to realize just how toxic and unrefined the natural energy truly was.

I could not force it into my body. If I had tried, the unstable mana would have caused a backlash.

The toxic clash of elemental forces would have destroyed me from the inside out.

The thought alone filled me with dread.

I believed it was possible to absorb natural energy, but only with the right technique. 

Even though all five elements resonated with me, they were useless unless I could refine them into their purest form.

 I had no way to do that yet.

So for now, relying on a core to store mana was my best option.

My body already carried scattered mana in my veins.

Storing it in a core would make everything more efficient. 

Even if that mana faded over time, my physique would naturally replenish it. With a core, I could preserve that mana and draw upon it in critical moments. 

In this deadly environment, having a reservoir of power could mean the difference between life and death.

With a firm and focused decision, I made my choice.

“Okay, let’s do it,” I said quietly but with resolve.

The system responded once more.

DING

🧿🔥【YOU HAVE CHOSEN THE THIRD OPTION: BASIC CORE.】

【THE SYSTEM WILL NOW GENERATE A CORE AT THE CENTER OF THE HOST’S BEING. PLEASE PREPARE FOR INTERNAL ADJUSTMENTS AND ADAPT ACCORDINGLY TO MINIMIZE DISCOMFORT.】

Within seconds, a throbbing sensation began to stir deep in my chest.

I was still sitting cross-legged, but an itchy feeling spread across the area, forcing me to clutch at my chest. 

My hands instinctively pressed against my breasts, and the unexpected softness made it feel as though I were squeezing two balloons.

The moment startled me, and an involuntary moan escaped my lips.

“Ahhh...?” I gasped.

I immediately covered my mouth, mortified by the feminine sound that came out of me.

The embarrassment hit me hard. As someone who had once been a man, hearing that soft, shameful voice from my own mouth felt unbearable. 

I stopped myself at once, cheeks burning.

“What the hell? Why am I that sensitive?” I muttered, blushing furiously.

 I felt a surge of frustration at my body. 

I had planned to remain hidden in the bushes, moving with stealth and silence, but this ridiculously sensitive body had just ruined that.

“It’s all the damn system’s fault,” I spat, seething.

Yes, this was all the fault of that rotten system. I had once been a dignified man, a professional manager running a major company.

I had never behaved in such a disgraceful way. 

Now, this body was betraying me. Could it be because I was a woman now? And pregnant? Was that the reason my body reacted this way?

I sat in silence, mentally reeling at the thought.

I was still caught in my own furious contemplation when I failed to notice the chilling wind that I had tried to avoid earlier creeping in again.

Suddenly, I froze.

The temperature around me dropped sharply, and I recognized the sensation immediately.

“Damn it. That ball of wind is here again. Shit.”