*****
Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well,
A man with long, poisonous-green hair sat cross-legged outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, quietly meditating.
He wore a set of stylized black robes, and although his posture appeared completely relaxed, an invisible aura emanated from his body.
It was an aura that an ordinary person would never be able to perceive.
This man was none other than the infamous Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo.
'The sound of fighting has finally stopped.'
Dugu Bo slowly opened his eyes and looked toward a particular direction.
He had been staying in this place for quite some time, and although the fighting had caught his attention, he hadn't bothered to investigate.
This was the Sunset Forest, after all.
Fighting between Spirit Beasts—or even Spirit Masters—was nothing unusual here.
'Hmph... just how bold is this person?'
Dugu Bo's brows gradually furrowed.
He could sense that whoever had been fighting earlier was continuing to move toward his location.
More precisely...
They were heading directly toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
'Are they deliberately coming here?'
A trace of vigilance appeared in Dugu Bo's eyes.
He couldn't accurately gauge the strength of the approaching individual.
That alone was enough to make him cautious.
Dugu Bo might have a reputation for being ruthless and cruel, but he wasn't reckless.
He wouldn't attack someone simply because they had entered his territory without first determining who they were and what they wanted.
'I'll see who this person is first.'
Dugu Bo stood up and waited.
Not long afterward, a figure dressed in a black cloak appeared in the distance.
It was Lev.
He had been traveling toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well at full speed.
Along the way, he had encountered several vicious Spirit Beasts.
Normally, Lev would have taken the opportunity to experiment with his abilities.
But today, he had no time to waste.
He simply dealt with them as quickly as possible before continuing toward his destination.
As Lev approached, his eyes suddenly narrowed.
Someone was standing in his path.
'Someone's here.'
Lev slowed down and eventually stopped.
The man standing before him had long, poisonous-green hair and a powerful presence.
Even before seeing his face clearly, Lev already had a good idea of who he was.
Dugu Bo's gaze swept over Lev's body.
"I've seen that you're brave enough to venture this far into the forest."
His voice was cold and carried a faint warning.
"Who are you?"
As he spoke, a powerful spiritual pressure spread toward Lev.
Dugu Bo deliberately restrained his pressure.
He wasn't trying to kill the young man.
Rather, he wanted to make one thing clear.
He wasn't someone who could be casually provoked.
After all, the person standing before him appeared to be no older than a teenager, yet he had managed to venture deep into the Sunset Forest alone.
From the aura he could sense, the boy seemed to be around the level of a Spirit Emperor.
That made Dugu Bo even more suspicious.
'Why would a Spirit Emperor dare to come this deep into the forest alone?'
There were only a few possibilities.
Either the boy had some kind of ulterior motive...
Or he was simply an idiot.
Dugu Bo remained prepared for either possibility.
However, the spiritual pressure he released had almost no effect on Lev.
Lev merely stood there calmly.
He then raised his hand and pulled down his hood.
"Junior greets the famous Poison Douluo."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"My name is Lev."
Lev carefully studied the man before him.
Although he had already been almost certain of the man's identity, he still hadn't wanted to jump to conclusions.
But now, everything lined up.
The location.
The man's appearance.
His poisonous aura.
And, most importantly, the way he had referred to the area as though it were his own territory.
There was little doubt left.
The man standing before him was indeed Dugu Bo.
A genuine, living Titled Douluo.
And, more importantly...
The owner of the treasures Lev had traveled all this way to obtain.
Seeing Lev's face for the first time, Dugu Bo's eyes widened slightly.
He was young.
Far too young.
For someone who appeared to be only a teenager to possess such a powerful aura was already astonishing.
However, the surprise did not distract Dugu Bo for long.
He continued maintaining the spiritual pressure he had released.
He had lived for many years and encountered countless geniuses throughout his life. Therefore, although Lev's talent was astonishing, Dugu Bo wasn't naive enough to believe that there were no other monsters like him in the world.
Instead, a particular organization immediately came to mind.
'There is only one place capable of producing a monster like this.'
Spirit Hall.
The thought immediately made Dugu Bo's expression turn colder.
"You said your name is Lev."
His voice was low and threatening.
"Then tell me your purpose for coming here."
Dugu Bo's eyes narrowed.
"I doubt you simply got lost. So choose your words carefully."
His killing intent grew heavier.
"Otherwise, you'll regret ever coming to this place."
It was the first time in a long while that Dugu Bo had encountered a situation like this.
Assassinations and conflicts were nothing unusual in the current continent. However, he hadn't experienced an assassination attempt against himself for quite some time.
The fact that someone had apparently sent a mere Spirit Emperor to deal with him made him feel both insulted and humiliated.
'They actually sent someone this young?'
Dugu Bo couldn't help but feel contempt.
Lev, however, remained calm.
"Something was telling me that there were treasures and valuable medicinal herbs deeper inside the forest."
He spoke honestly.
"That's why I decided to venture further despite knowing the risks."
Lev paused.
"I simply didn't know that this area belonged to the great Poison Douluo."
His tone remained respectful.
If possible, Lev genuinely didn't want to fight.
He had actually been hoping that Dugu Bo wouldn't be here.
After all, his original plan had been simple.
Enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Take some of the precious medicinal herbs.
Then leave.
Unfortunately, his luck seemed to be terrible today.
He had traveled all this way only to run directly into the owner of the place.
"Presumptuous!"
Dugu Bo's roar suddenly echoed throughout the forest.
"Even if there were treasures here, they already belong to me!"
His expression became murderous.
"Don't think you can fool me with such petty tricks. I've lived for long enough to see through people like you."
His eyes became cold.
"Spirit Hall dog."
The moment those words fell, nine dazzling Spirit Rings suddenly emerged around Dugu Bo.
Nine Spirit Rings.
The terrifying aura of a Titled Douluo erupted from his body.
The surrounding trees trembled under the pressure, and the air itself seemed to become heavy.
"Your talent is enviable..."
Dugu Bo's eyes were filled with killing intent.
"But unfortunately, your life ends today."
Boom!
His spiritual pressure crashed toward Lev.
Lev's body trembled.
The pressure was genuinely overwhelming.
"Senior Dugu..."
Lev gritted his teeth as he struggled to remain standing.
"How about we talk this out peacefully?"
His voice remained respectful.
"If possible, I'd like to apologize for trespassing. Please let me leave this time."
His body continued trembling under Dugu Bo's pressure.
Yet his eyes remained surprisingly calm.
Lev wasn't afraid of fighting a Titled Douluo.
But Dugu Bo was different.
The System had already classified certain individuals as exceptions when calculating his battle power.
And Lev wasn't foolish enough to assume that everything would always follow the original storyline.
'If Dugu Bo is stronger than he was in the original story...'
'Then I need to be careful.'
That was why Lev had no intention of provoking him unnecessarily.
Dugu Bo's eyes widened.
Despite the terrifying pressure he was releasing, Lev was still standing.
Not only that...
There wasn't even a trace of genuine fear in his eyes.
'How is this possible?'
Dugu Bo's expression became increasingly grim.
A Spirit Emperor shouldn't be able to withstand his pressure like this.
And yet this young man was doing exactly that.
Instead of making Dugu Bo hesitate, however, it only strengthened his determination to kill Lev.
'He must have an extremely important position within Spirit Hall.'
'If I let him leave alive, who knows what kind of trouble he'll cause in the future?'
Dugu Bo's eyes turned bloodshot.
"Enough talking."
He raised one hand.
"When you die, you can complain to the Spirit Hall that sent you here."
Killing intent erupted from his body.
"You can tell them yourself how you failed."
Dugu Bo was about to attack.
But then—
BOOM!
An overwhelming pressure suddenly erupted from Lev's body.
Dugu Bo's expression changed.
"What?!"
He immediately stopped and instinctively retreated several steps.
His entire body became tense.
His eyes locked onto Lev with unprecedented vigilance.
That pressure...
It wasn't Spirit Power.
It was something completely different.
Lev slowly raised his head.
"I never thought I'd have to use this ability this soon."
His expression became serious.
"But you leave me no choice."
The aura around him intensified.
Dugu Bo's pupils contracted.
Something had changed.
Lev's arms were no longer human.
His right and left arms had been completely covered in magnificent nine-colored dragon scales.
The scales shimmered with an ancient and imposing radiance, and an overwhelming dragon aura permeated the surroundings.
Lev slowly clenched his fists.
This was one of the abilities granted by the Dragon God's Right and Left Arm Soul Bones.
Dragon God Claws.
For the first time since their confrontation began, Dugu Bo felt something he hadn't expected to feel.
A genuine sense of danger.
[Right Arm Soul Bone: Dragon God]
[Description: A Soul Bone extracted from the Dragon God, the progenitor of all Spirit Beasts and the creator of the Divine Dragon Domain.]
[Skills:]
[Dragon God Claws (Active)]
[Description: Transforms the host's right arm into the arm of the Dragon God. While active, the host temporarily gains a Dragon God Constitution, greatly increasing overall strength and defense.]
[Dragon God Light Cleave (Active)]
[Description: Creates a powerful light-element attack capable of purifying and diminishing dark forces. The host can also imbue their attacks with the power of light.]
[Dragon God Light Shield (Active)]
[Description: Creates a claw-shaped shield imbued with the power of light, capable of blocking powerful attacks.]
[Left Arm Soul Bone: Dragon God]
[Description: A Soul Bone extracted from the Dragon God, the progenitor of all Spirit Beasts and the creator of the Divine Dragon Domain.]
[Skills:]
[Dragon God Claws (Active)]
[Description: Transforms the host's left arm into the arm of the Dragon God. While active, the host temporarily gains a Dragon God Constitution, greatly increasing overall strength and defense.]
[Dragon God Dark Cleave (Active)]
[Description: Creates a powerful dark-element attack capable of purifying and diminishing light forces. The host can also imbue their attacks with the power of darkness.]
[Dragon God Dark Shield (Active)]
[Description: Creates a claw-shaped shield imbued with the power of darkness, capable of blocking powerful attacks.
"Senior, I may be young..."
Lev slowly raised his transformed arms.
"...but I'm not weak."
His voice was calm.
After all, the confidence he possessed wasn't baseless.
For nearly six years, Lev had experienced countless battles and life-or-death situations.
He had been chased by Spirit Beasts.
He had fought enemies stronger than himself.
He had suffered injuries.
He had killed.
And he had survived.
Those experiences had forged his instincts and confidence to a level that couldn't be compared to an ordinary teenager.
When it came to surviving, Lev was confident that very few people could surpass him.
He had another reason he couldn't afford to die.
He wasn't living solely for himself.
There were people waiting for him back on Earth.
He couldn't afford to die in this world.
Therefore, if Dugu Bo was truly determined to kill him...
Lev was prepared to fight.
He had already decided that there was no point in trying to reason with the old man anymore.
Dugu Bo was clearly convinced that Lev had been sent by Spirit Hall, and no amount of explanation seemed capable of changing his mind.
'Then we'll settle this with strength.'
Lev's eyes became sharp.
But just as he was preparing to make his move...
He froze.
"Huh?"
Dugu Bo was no longer standing.
The infamous Poison Douluo was currently kneeling on one knee.
His entire body was trembling.
Lev stared at him in complete disbelief.
"...What?"
Dugu Bo lowered his head.
He didn't dare to look directly at Lev.
"T-This young master..."
His voice trembled.
"Please forgive this old man!"
Lev's eyes widened.
Dugu Bo continued desperately.
"I beg you to spare my life!"
He swallowed hard before quickly adding,
"In return, you can take anything you want from this place!"
"..."
Lev was speechless.
What happened to the terrifying Poison Douluo from moments ago?
What happened to the man who had been threatening to kill him?
Dugu Bo wasn't afraid of fighting Lev.
He simply couldn't bring himself to do it.
The moment he saw the nine-colored dragon scales covering Lev's arms, something deep within his very soul had reacted.
It wasn't merely fear.
It was instinctive submission.
The bloodline of the Dragon God was something that no Spirit Beast could easily resist.
And although Dugu Bo was a human, his martial spirit and years of cultivating poison had brought him into close contact with the world of Spirit Beasts.
The moment that ancient dragon aura descended upon him, his very spirit began trembling.
It instinctively recognized the supreme existence standing before it.
The Dragon God.
Dugu Bo's pride, arrogance, and killing intent had all disappeared in an instant.
There was only one thought remaining in his mind.
Submit.
Lev looked at the kneeling Dugu Bo.
For a moment, he didn't know whether to laugh or remain serious.
He had prepared himself for a life-or-death battle.
He had even prepared to reveal one of his strongest trump cards.
And now...
The battle was already over before it had even begun.
Lev stared at Dugu Bo, completely dumbfounded by what was happening before him.
He had been prepared for a fierce battle.
Instead, the infamous Poison Douluo was kneeling before him and begging for his life.
'What the hell is going on?'
After thinking about it for a moment, however, Lev gradually came up with a reasonable explanation.
He recalled everything he knew about Dugu Bo.
His martial spirit was the Jade Phosphor Serpent, a powerful serpent-type martial spirit.
'A snake-type martial spirit...'
Lev glanced at the nine-colored scales covering his arms.
'Could this have something to do with the Dragon God Soul Bones?'
He wasn't completely certain.
But the timing was far too coincidental.
Before activating the Dragon God Claws, Dugu Bo had been filled with killing intent.
The moment the Dragon God aura appeared, however, his entire attitude had changed.
There was only one way to find out.
Lev walked toward Dugu Bo.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Dugu Bo remained completely motionless.
Even when Lev stopped directly in front of him, the old man didn't dare move.
Lev looked down at the kneeling Titled Douluo before slowly reaching out his hand.
He placed it on Dugu Bo's head.
Dugu Bo's face instantly became pale.
His body trembled even more violently.
'I'm going to die...'
That was the only thought occupying his mind.
All of his previous assumptions had completely disappeared.
He no longer cared whether Lev was from Spirit Hall.
He no longer cared about his purpose for coming here.
He only wanted to know what kind of existence he had offended.
Dugu Bo had lived for many years and experienced countless dangers throughout his life.
Yet never had he experienced such overwhelming instinctive fear.
He desperately wanted to resist.
He wanted to run.
He wanted to fight.
But his body refused to obey him.
It was as though every cell in his body was screaming at him to submit.
And the more he tried to resist that instinct, the more powerless he became.
'I still can't die.'
Dugu Bo's thoughts suddenly became complicated.
He still had someone he needed to protect.
Someone he couldn't simply leave behind.
But despite his strong will to survive, his body remained completely frozen.
He could do nothing.
Lev, meanwhile, eventually withdrew his hand.
"Stay here while I look for what I came here for."
His tone was casual, almost as though he were giving an ordinary instruction.
Dugu Bo's eyes widened slightly.
"Yes..."
His voice was barely audible.
Lev deactivated the Dragon God Claws, and the nine-colored scales covering his arms gradually disappeared.
The terrifying Dragon God aura also vanished.
The moment the pressure disappeared, Dugu Bo's body finally relaxed.
He released a long sigh of relief.
"Haah..."
He almost collapsed from exhaustion.
Lev glanced back at him.
Seeing Dugu Bo's complete submission, he no longer felt the need to remain cautious.
Whatever the reason behind his reaction, his actions had already spoken louder than words.
Lev turned around and walked past him.
His destination was directly ahead.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
'Now that I don't need to worry about Dugu Bo anymore...'
A faint smile appeared on Lev's face.
'Let's see what kind of treasures are hidden here.'
With that thought, he continued forward without looking back.
Behind him, Dugu Bo remained kneeling in place.
For the first time in many years, the infamous Poison Douluo found himself wondering just what kind of existence had entered his territory.
*****
Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well,
The moment Lev entered the area surrounding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, his eyes widened.
Before him was a peculiar hot spring.
The pool itself wasn't particularly large, but what made it extraordinary was the strange division within its waters.
One side was milky white.
The other was a deep vermilion red.
Despite occupying the same oval-shaped pool, the two waters remained completely separate. Neither side encroached upon the other, as though an invisible barrier existed between them.
The sight was far more breathtaking in person than anything Lev had ever seen through a screen.
'So this is the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well...'
Lev couldn't help but marvel at it.
The surrounding vegetation was equally astonishing.
Rare medicinal herbs grew throughout the area, each one possessing an aura that made it obvious they were anything but ordinary plants.
'System, help me locate all the precious herbs in this place.'
[Scanning the surrounding area.]
[Scan complete.]
With the System's assistance, Lev quickly began collecting the precious herbs scattered throughout the area.
He carefully harvested each one and stored it inside his inventory.
Among the treasures he obtained were:
Crystal Blood Dragon Ginseng.
Beautiful Silk Tulip.
Aromatic Silk Beauty.
Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
Daffodil Jade Flesh Bone.
Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.
Eight Petal Immortal Orchid.
Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.
Infernal Delicate Apricot.
Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.
Yearning Heartbroken Red.
And many other rare and precious medicinal herbs.
Each one was a treasure that could cause countless Spirit Masters to fight desperately over it.
Yet Lev simply collected them one after another.
"Done."
After making sure he hadn't missed anything valuable, Lev looked around the area.
The once-abundant collection of precious herbs had been thoroughly searched.
Or, to put it more accurately...
He had practically plundered the entire place.
'Well, I guess that's enough.'
Lev smiled.
He had originally come here simply to obtain a few treasures.
Instead, he had walked away with nearly everything he could possibly need.
"Time to head back."
Lev turned around.
He had spent quite some time inside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and admiring the wonders of the place.
However, there was still one matter he needed to settle before leaving.
Dugu Bo.
More specifically...
His identity.
Lev didn't want to leave Dugu Bo with the misunderstanding that he was a Spirit Hall assassin.
That misunderstanding might have been useful earlier, but now that he had taken a considerable number of treasures from the old man's territory, leaving without an explanation would be somewhat troublesome.
'I should at least make things clear.'
With that thought, Lev began walking back toward the entrance.
Soon, he would have to face the Poison Douluo once again.
**********
—Thirty minutes after—
After settling everything with Dugu Bo, Lev finally returned to the place where he had been living for the past several years.
At the moment, he was peacefully enjoying a delicious breakfast with Tsunade.
The meal consisted of meat from the Spirit Beast Lev had hunted the previous day, and despite its simple preparation, it tasted surprisingly good.
Everything should have been peaceful.
Unfortunately...
The atmosphere was anything but peaceful.
It wasn't only Lev and Tsunade sitting at the table.
Dugu Bo was there as well.
The infamous Poison Douluo was sitting directly across from them, eating the food in front of him like a starving beast.
"Nom... nom... nom..."
Lev stared at him for a moment.
'...How did things even end up like this?'
Only half an hour ago, Dugu Bo had been kneeling before him and begging for his life.
Now, the old man was casually sitting at his table eating breakfast.
The situation was so awkward that even Lev didn't know what to say.
Dugu Bo, however, seemed completely unconcerned.
He continued eating without holding back.
But while his mouth was busy, his mind was anything but calm.
'So that's the truth...'
Dugu Bo's thoughts raced as he recalled everything Lev had told him.
Fortunately...
He was still alive.
That alone was enough for Dugu Bo to feel grateful.
Although everything Lev had told him sounded absurd, there was one thing that prevented him from doubting it.
His own Spirit.
The moment he saw the nine-colored dragon scales on Lev's arms, his Jade Phosphor Serpent Martial Spirit had instinctively submitted.
That reaction was something Dugu Bo could never ignore.
If even his own Martial Spirit had acknowledged Lev's overwhelming existence, then there was no reason for him to question what he had witnessed.
However, Dugu Bo's attention soon shifted toward the woman sitting beside Lev.
Tsunade.
The moment Dugu Bo looked at her, a strange feeling of danger immediately emerged from the depths of his instincts.
'She's dangerous.'
Very dangerous.
He couldn't determine exactly how strong she was.
But his instincts were screaming at him not to provoke her.
Then there were the strange beasts scattered around the area.
Shukaku.
Matatabi.
Isobu.
Son Gokū.
Kokuō.
Saiken.
Chōmei.
Gyūki.
And Kurama.
Dugu Bo had never seen creatures like them before.
Yet the longer he observed them, the more convinced he became that none of them were ordinary.
'What kind of spirit beasts are these?'
Dugu Bo swallowed another piece of meat.
He decided it was better not to ask.
Lev, meanwhile, was equally perplexed by the situation.
He had intended to return peacefully after talking to Dugu Bo.
Instead, the old man had somehow followed him all the way back.
And now...
He was eating breakfast at his table.
'This old man is shameless.'
Lev glanced at Dugu Bo before silently returning to his meal.
There was no point in bothering with him.
As long as Dugu Bo didn't cause trouble, Lev didn't particularly care what he did.
He still had a long journey ahead of him.
After finishing his breakfast, Lev stood up and instructed Dugu Bo to return to his dwellings.
"Let's go."
Tsunade nodded.
On the other hand, the nine Tailed Beasts also stopped playing and gathered around.
Lev looked toward the vast forest behind him.
For nearly six years, this place had been his home.
It was where he had trained.
Where he had fought.
Where he had nearly died countless times.
And where he had transformed from an inexperienced child into the person he was today.
Now...
It was time to leave.
Lev turned his back toward the Sunset Forest.
For the first time in almost six years, he stepped beyond its boundaries.
The wider world awaited him.
And this time, he would not be walking alone.
His journey in Douluo Dalu had only just begun.
**********
—A few months later—
Night had already descended upon the city.
At the southern gate of Suotuo City, a young man and a woman dressed in black cloaks quietly entered the city.
Their attire attracted little attention.
Cloaks were common among travelers, especially those who preferred to keep their identities hidden while moving from one place to another.
Lev casually looked around as he walked beside Tsunade.
"After months of traveling, we've finally arrived."
He smiled faintly.
"Looking at the current situation, I probably arrived much earlier than this in the original timeline."
They could have reached Suotuo City much sooner.
However, there had been no reason to rush.
Lev and Tsunade had taken their time during the journey, visiting different places along the way and occasionally stopping to enjoy the scenery.
Before they realized it, several months had already passed.
But now, they had finally arrived at their destination.
Suotuo City.
The city was located within the Balak Kingdom, which occupied the southern region of the Heaven Dou Empire and directly bordered Fasinuo Province.
Although the Balak Kingdom's territory was only roughly four-thirds the size of Fasinuo Province, it was still one of the four great kingdoms under the Heaven Dou Empire.
The current king of Balak Kingdom was Kundela, who also happened to be the younger cousin of the current Heaven Dou Emperor, Aokula.
More importantly, the southern part of Balak Kingdom directly bordered the Star Luo Empire.
Because of this geographical position, Balak Kingdom possessed the strongest military force among the four great kingdoms.
It could even be considered the gateway protecting the southern border of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Originally, the Heaven Dou Empire had ten provinces.
Later, those provinces were divided among the four great kingdoms, leaving six major powers within the empire.
The Heaven Dou Empire directly controlled five provinces.
Each of the four great kingdoms controlled one province.
Finally, there was a single duchy that, although inferior to the kingdoms in status, occupied the smallest province on the eastern side of the empire.
On paper, the four great kingdoms and the duchy were all subordinate to the Heaven Dou Empire.
In reality, however, things were far more complicated.
These five states had long since become nations within a nation.
Aside from the tribute they were required to provide, they essentially governed themselves independently.
The only thing preventing them from completely breaking away was the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's control over a large military force.
Without that military deterrence, a civil war would likely have erupted long ago.
The Star Luo Empire faced a similar situation.
Although the two empires appeared to be enormous and powerful from the outside, both had already begun showing signs of decline.
Their apparent stability was merely holding together a fragile balance.
If that balance were to be disrupted...
The situation across the entire continent could change overnight.
Within the Balak Kingdom were two particularly important cities.
The first was Balak City, the capital and residence of King Kundela.
It served as the political and industrial center of the entire kingdom.
The second was Suotuo City.
Unlike Balak City, Suotuo City was renowned for being located in the most fertile granary region within the Balak Kingdom.
As a result, it was one of the kingdom's most prosperous cities.
After safely passing through the city gate, Lev and Tsunade continued deeper into Suotuo City.
Their destination was the famous Rose Hotel.
After months of traveling, Lev was more than ready to finally rest somewhere comfortable.
He had become accustomed to sleeping outdoors, remaining constantly vigilant against Spirit Beasts, bandits, and other dangers along the road.
Tonight, however, he wanted something different.
A proper bed.
A quiet room.
And, for once, a place where he didn't need to worry about something suddenly attacking him while he slept.
Lev looked toward the brightly illuminated streets ahead.
"Finally..."
He couldn't help but smile.
"Tonight, we're sleeping properly."
Tsunade simply nodded beside him.
Together, the two continued toward the Rose Hotel.
Neither of them knew that their arrival in Suotuo City would soon draw them into events that would completely alter the original course of the Douluo Dalu world.
**********
—One week later—
It was just past noon.
The blazing sun hung high in the sky, its intense heat beating down upon the streets of Suotuo City.
At the city's western gate, two young figures entered together.
Judging by their appearances, they seemed to be no more than twelve years old.
One was a boy.
The other was a girl.
Neither carried any luggage with them.
These two were none other than Tang San, the protagonist of this world, and Xiao Wu, the main heroine of the story.
*****
Rose Hotel,
Inside one of the peaceful rooms of the Rose Hotel, Lev slowly opened his eyes.
His expression immediately turned annoyed.
'What the hell is that noise?'
Some commotion was coming from the first floor, disturbing the peaceful atmosphere of the hotel.
Lev glanced toward the bed beside him.
Tsunade was still sleeping peacefully, completely unaffected by the noise.
He couldn't help but feel a little envious.
'How can she sleep through all of that?'
Still, Lev couldn't blame her.
After all, last night had been rather exhausting.
Having suppressed his desires for so long, Lev had finally allowed himself to indulge in some intimate time with Tsunade.
Now, he simply wanted to know what was causing all the noise downstairs.
With a sigh, Lev got out of bed, dressed himself, and left the room.
He walked down the stairs.
But the moment he reached the middle of the staircase, his eyes suddenly brightened.
A smile slowly spread across his face.
Downstairs, three familiar figures were currently arguing.
Lev immediately recognized them.
'My waiting has finally come to an end.'
His smile grew wider.
'It's finally the Shrek Academy Arc.'
For the past several years, Lev had been waiting for this moment.
Now, he was finally able to witness one of the most iconic encounters in the original story with his own eyes.
Tang San.
Xiao Wu.
And Dai Mubai.
This was the beginning of the relationship that would eventually bring them together as companions.
Lev quietly found a suitable place from which he could observe without being noticed.
He had no intention of interfering.
For now, he simply wanted to watch.
The argument between the two sides continued for some time.
Eventually, however, neither side was willing to back down.
The disagreement escalated.
And then—
They fought.
Tang San and Dai Mubai had already exchanged several blows.
Dai Mubai activated his White Tiger Body Enhancement, causing his physical strength to surge.
Tang San, however, refused to back down.
The two continued exchanging attacks, each displaying their respective abilities.
As the battle progressed, Tang San gradually began gaining the upper hand.
Dai Mubai, however, quickly turned the situation around by activating his third Spirit Ring ability.
The battle intensified.
Xiao Wu, who had been watching alongside Tang San, immediately understood the nature of Dai Mubai's third Spirit Ring ability.
Seeing Tang San's situation, she activated her own Soft Bone Rabbit Body Enhancement and prepared to join the battle.
Meanwhile...
Lev's smile grew more mysterious.
One notification after another rang inside his mind.
[Innate Skill: White Tiger Body Enhancement has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: White Tiger Shield Body Barrier has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: White Tiger Intense Light Wave has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Bind has been learned.]
[Spirit Ability: Parasite has been learned.]
[Innate Skill: Soft Bone Rabbit Body Enhancement has been learned.]
[Mysterious Heaven Skill has been learned.]
[Mysterious Jade Hand has been learned.]
[Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track has been learned.]
Lev's eyes gleamed.
'Interesting.'
This wasn't the first time he had learned abilities from other Spirit Masters.
But this time was different.
These weren't ordinary Spirit Masters.
These were abilities belonging to the main characters of this world.
And Lev had managed to acquire them simply by witnessing them being used.
'True God's Talent really is ridiculous.'
The battle continued for a little longer.
Eventually, however, it came to an end.
Dai Mubai returned to his normal appearance and looked toward Tang San.
"I think we'll meet again very soon."
He paused before continuing.
"We're both going to Shrek Academy. If someone gives you trouble there, just give them my name."
A confident smile appeared on his face.
"Evil Eye White Tiger, Dai Mubai."
With that, Dai Mubai beckoned toward the pair of twin young women beside him and began walking away.
His sudden departure left everyone somewhat stunned.
The confrontation had ended just like that.
Xiao Wu couldn't help but stare at Dai Mubai's departing figure.
"How did you know that we're going to Shrek Academy?"
Dai Mubai stopped walking.
Without turning around, he coldly replied,
"You're only twelve years old, yet you've already reached the twentieth rank."
He glanced back.
"If you didn't come here to register at Shrek Academy, then why else would you be here?"
He chuckled.
"Twelve years old..."
His voice carried a hint of emotion.
"I'm already fifteen."
His eyes fell upon Tang San.
"Tang San, I'll wait for you at Shrek Academy."
After leaving those final words, Dai Mubai turned around and left the hotel.
Xiao Wu watched him disappear before snorting.
"That person is really suspicious."
She crossed her arms.
"Just by looking at him, I can tell he's not a good person."
She then looked toward Tang San.
"Little San, even if we're going to Shrek Academy, we still shouldn't associate with him."
Tang San, however, didn't respond immediately.
His attention was focused elsewhere.
He was looking around the hotel.
There was a strange feeling lingering in his mind.
Someone was watching them.
And for some reason...
That feeling was strangely familiar.
Tang San's eyes scanned the surroundings.
'Who is it?'
He couldn't identify the source.
But the sensation was unmistakable.
Someone was observing them.
Someone whose presence gave him an inexplicable feeling of familiarity.
"Little San, what are you looking for?"
Xiao Wu noticed his strange behavior and became curious.
Seeing that Tang San wasn't responding to her, she became slightly annoyed and began looking around as well.
Tang San finally snapped out of his thoughts.
"It's nothing."
He shook his head.
"It must have been my imagination."
He didn't know why, but he had a strange feeling that something unexpected was waiting for him during his stay in Suotuo City.
Perhaps it was nothing.
Or perhaps...
His arrival here had already begun changing something.
For now, Tang San decided not to dwell on it.
He and Xiao Wu approached the hotel manager and finally completed the arrangements for their room.
Neither of them noticed the figure quietly watching from the shadows.
And neither knew that someone had already learned nearly every ability they had displayed during their confrontation.
Lev's journey had finally intersected with the original protagonists.
From this moment onward...
The story was no longer going to follow its original path.