บท 56: Anomaly Ryou [I have left my note at the end]

"Are you the will of Earth?" Ryou asked the system, planning to clear his suspicion.

"No. I am far beyond the will of such a low-level world," the system replied in its usual monotone, but Ryou could sense a hint of pride in its response.

"Does that mean humans can come into this world in batches?" Ryou asked, worried about the possibility. He knew the kind of chaos and destruction that would follow if humans flooded this world.

"No," the system answered calmly. "Only 'four' humans can enter a Level 1 world like Demon Slayer World at any given time. I have imprinted all relevant information into your mind."

Immediately, a surge of knowledge flooded Ryou's consciousness. He took a moment to sort through the information, piecing together the larger picture.

About five months ago, everything on Earth had changed. Animals, Plants, and humans began undergoing rapid evolution.

Strangely, animals seemed to be influenced by some otherworldly force, viewing humans as enemies, with the exception of pets and some inherently good-natured animals.

At the same time, humans awakened something akin to a game-like character panel, which allowed them to track their growth. They also discovered a crystal known as "Source Crystals," brought about by the world's evolution.

These Source Crystals enabled humans to travel to alternate worlds—fictional realms born from anime, movies, series, games, and novels. These worlds are referred to as the "Imaginary World," "Phantom World," or "Original World."

By completing missions issued by the World System in their mind within these worlds, they could receive various rewards.

Humans could clear the world by completing the Primary mission or Objective of the World. Once a world was cleared, the people who cleared the world became the owners and had the ability to create copies of it, similar to a game environment, where others could enter and play without affecting the original world.

However, the rewards in these copies were significantly diminished compared to those earned in the original world.

This means that humans who acquire a Source Crystal have a high chance of becoming incredibly powerful due to their prior knowledge of the fictional worlds.

The rewards from these missions are generous, but so are the dangers, as death in the Original World results in permanent death—unlike the safer Copy World.

Furthermore, once a person clears the Original World and becomes its owner, they may be targeted by powerful humans on Earth if they lack strong backing or protection.

What really caught Ryou's attention was the Human Power Level system. After clearing a Level 1 Original World or even a Copy World, the rewards received vary based on performance, and those who achieve something exceptional may gain special abilities.

If they do, they ascend to the rank of a '1-Star Bronze Human,' which signifies the point where a person has finally stepped into the realm of superhuman strength.

But reaching this level isn't easy.

For example, all breathing techniques, aside from Sun Breathing, Transparent World, Selfless State, and some weak Blood Demon Arts—are classified as Bronze-level abilities.

However, abilities like Sun Breathing and certain Blood Demon Arts of Upper Moon Demon surpass that, reaching the Silver or Gold level.

The humans who had tried to assassinate him were all Bronze Humans, people who had obtained abilities from their experience in imaginary worlds.

"I see," Ryou murmured.

As for why they had called him an "Anomaly," the reason became clear: Earth's will had labeled him so because he didn't rely on the Earth's power to transmigrate into this world.

In its eyes, Ryou was an invader, a being who had come from outside its domain without permission.

"System, can't you do something about this Anomaly label? You know I'm from Earth, right?" Ryou asked. It's not a good feeling to be labeled as Anomaly by the home world.

"I can change it forcefully," the system responded, "but there's no need for that. Once you travel to another world, your trace of existence will be forgotten by the Earth's Will. In the next world, I will hide your presence entirely."

Ryou sighed. "So, I'm stuck with this 'Anomaly' status until I leave this world… Now, how should I deal with those guys? Their primary target seems to be me, and they know the plot of this world."

The system responded, "You don't have to worry about them. They are bound by the Original World Rule: they cannot share information about the real world or their knowledge of the plot with the inhabitants of this world. If they attempt to do so, they will be forcibly expelled from the world."

Ryou nodded, "That's what put me at ease. If not for that, things may get messy!"

He wasn't too worried about those guys; they were weak. If not for the sudden attack and the element of surprise, they wouldn't have gotten so close to him.

Meanwhile, in a dimly lit traditional wooden house far away, four human figures emerged as if by magic. Their expressions were grim and filled with irritation, the failure of their assassination attempt evident on their faces.

"Ah... We wasted a precious Teleportation scroll. We prepared for this attack hundreds of times... Fuck! How the hell did we miss it?" The human who could transform into a werewolf punched the wall in annoyance, the wooden wall shattering under his punch.

The human, who had struck at Ryou first, crossed his arms and grumbled, "Facing him was completely different from what we rehearsed and simulated in our minds. Our information on him is limited, but he's ridiculously strong."

The one with a Super Speed similar to Teleportation nodded, "He's like a steel beast. My sword couldn't even pierce his muscle."

"It's like Tekkai... no, it is Tekkai," Kazuki, the leader of the four muttered, his eyes narrowing as he suddenly found a resemblance to Ryou's hard skin.

Everyone's eyes lit up in realization. "Tekkai? No wonder... it all makes sense now. But how is it possible?" one of them voiced in disbelief.

"Don't forget, he's an 'Anomaly'," Kazuki reminded them, his voice cold.

At the mention of "Anomaly," the atmosphere changed. "If an 'Anomaly' gains control of the Demon Slayer world, the consequences could be catastrophic," one of them said, his voice filled with worry.

A vivid vision of a particular incident related to an 'Anomaly' flashed through their minds, disturbing their heart.

Suddenly, a notification echoed in their minds at the same time.

[~ Kill Anomaly Ryou –

Reward: Sun Breathing + Superhuman Physique ~]

Author:

Hi Guys,

I'm feeling a bit confused right now. It seems many of you aren't fond of the 'Earth Human' concept, which I didn't expect. I've planned out a lot with a clear plot, but the negative feedback has me unsure of how to proceed.

To address this, I'm running a poll [On my Patreon Page]. Please help me with this by giving your honest thoughts.

Since our MC will soon travel to the Naruto world, I'd like your opinion on how I should proceed.

On Patreon, the Demon Slayer world arc is almost complete, with just one chapter remaining. Based on the poll and feedback, I'll adjust the storyline accordingly.

Thank you for your support!

Patreon: FanficMortal(20+ Chapters)