One piece: Without a system, I have to survive!

The jungle erupted in chaos.

The massive black-scaled beast lunged, its crimson eyes burning with raw hunger. Its jagged teeth, each the size of a dagger, gleamed as it opened its maw wide—ready to tear through anything in its path.

I barely had time to think. Instinct took over.

My body moved faster than ever before.

I leaped to the side, my feet barely touching the ground as I twisted mid-air. The beast's jaws snapped just inches from where I had been standing, crushing the earth beneath with terrifying force.

"What the hell is that thing?!" shira voice rang out, sharp with urgency.

Smoker had already drawn his weapon, his cigar still clenched between his teeth. "Damn beast just ruined my smoke break." He exhaled, gripping his jitte tightly.

The woman with the golden mark didn't move.

She simply watched.

Her glowing green eyes studied me—no, analyzed me—as if waiting to see something.

And that's when I felt it.

The mark on my hand burned again, but this time, it wasn't pain. It was power—raw, untamed, and surging through my veins. My vision sharpened, every detail of the battlefield crystal clear.

The beast roared again, its massive tail whipping toward me.

Time seemed to slow.

I saw the attack coming before it even fully formed.

Move.

I ducked, twisting my body as the tail crashed just inches above me, shattering a tree into splinters. The sheer force of it sent a shockwave through the air, but I was already countering.

With a burst of energy, I launched forward—closing the distance between me and the beast in an instant.

And then—I struck.

My fist connected with the creature's hide. A golden shockwave exploded from the impact. The beast screeched, its massive body staggering back as cracks formed along its black scales.

shira's eyes widened. "Ardan… that was—"

But I wasn't done.

The power inside me was still surging.

I stepped forward, my instincts guiding me, and before I even realized what I was doing—I disappeared.

For a brief second, I was somewhere else—moving so fast that even the beast couldn't track me.

And when I reappeared, I was already above it—my arm pulled back, golden energy crackling around my fist.

The beast barely had time to react.

I struck downward.

The impact was like a thunderclap. A massive shockwave tore through the jungle, flattening trees and sending debris flying in all directions.

The beast howled in agony, its colossal frame crashing into the earth with a deafening impact. Dust and rubble exploded into the air, obscuring everything in a thick cloud.

For a moment—just a moment—there was silence.

Then, through the dust, I saw it.

The beast lay there, its body twitching, struggling to rise. Deep cracks ran along its once-impenetrable scales, golden energy still flickering across its wounds.

I exhaled, my heart pounding.

What… was that?

I looked down at my hands, still tingling with the aftershock of the attack. My body felt lighter, stronger, as if something ancient had awakened within me.

And then—

A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the clearing.

I turned.

The mysterious woman—the one with the same golden mark as me—was still standing there, watching. But now, there was something new in her eyes.

Amusement.

Satisfaction.

"You really are waking up," she said, stepping forward.

shira and Smoker were both tense, their hands on their weapons, but I raised a hand—stopping them.

There was something different about this woman.

She wasn't an enemy.

Not yet.

I met her gaze. "Who are you?"

She smiled. "Someone who's been waiting for you."

The air between us was heavy.

Somewhere in the distance, the beast let out one final, weak growl before collapsing completely.

And in that moment, I realized—

This was just the beginning.

Whatever was happening to me…

Whatever this power was…

I was only starting to understand it.

And soon, I would have to master it.

Because something told me—

The world wasn't done testing me yet.