The world smelled of rotting vegetation and stagnant death.
Sung Jinwoo cracked his neck as he materialized in the new Penalty Zone — a massive swamp stretching endlessly under a suffocating mist. The ground sucked at his boots, thick with black mud. Strange, crooked trees jutted from the swamp, their roots like skeletal claws.
[Warning: Current Zone Difficulty — Top Tier A-Rank!]
[Recommendation: Caution advised! You may encounter opponents comparable to low S-rank monsters.]
The System's alert popped up with a blaring flash, but Jinwoo only grinned wide, a wolfish smile tugging at his face.
This wasn't fear in his chest. It was hunger. The stronger the prey, the sweeter the rewards: battle experience, template integration, fusion rate, level-ups... all packed into one glorious bloodbath.
He activated Observation Haki, feeling the swamp ripple. Movement. Predators, lots of them, coordinating like a hive mind.
---------
Status:
Name: Sung Jinwoo
Level: 29
Template Fusion: Peak Garp (27%)
HP: 74,236 MP: 177,656
Strength: 265 | Agility: 257 | Stamina: 276 | Intelligence: 392 | Sense: 300
Unspent Stat Points: 18
Skills:
(New)
Shave: Void Step — Modified Soru; moves in unpredictable zig-zags to evade enemy prediction.More mobility Than before.
Finger Pistol: Fire Lance — Adapted Shigan; finger-thrusts that launch piercing flame bullets.
Flame Tempest— Advanced Rankyaku; spin-kick that unleashes a tornado of flaming wind blades.
---
SCREEEE!
Two new types of swamp monsters burst from the fog.
First, Bog Striders — sickly tall humanoids made of swamp muck and algae, their limbs elastic and stretchy, capable of slingshotting themselves at Jinwoo. Their eyes glowed sickly green.
Second, Venomjaw Leeches — massive black leeches, the size of motorcycles, slithering along the ground with glistening fangs. Their synchronized movements made it feel like the swamp itself was alive.
They moved as one.
Not random. Not wild.
This swamp... was theirs.
The monsters struck in eerie synchrony—the Howler lunging low, the Reaper spinning high, their attacks forming a deadly pincer.
Jinwoo's smile stretched even wider.
"Good. You actually know how to fight."
He moved.
Not with Soru this time, but with a new skill—Void Step—a modified, unpredictable version of flash step that left trails of spiraling flame in his wake. The Howler's jaws snapped shut on empty air as Jinwoo blurred sideways, fire licking at its slimy flesh.
Flame Spiral Dash ignited mid-movement, launching him like a flaming missile at the Reaper.
CRACK!
His fist, wrapped in Armament Haki and cloaked with roaring Devil Flames, shattered the creature's reed body in an explosion of burning shrapnel.
The swamp screamed.
The Bog Howler gurgled in rage and charged. Jinwoo met it head-on, ducking low.
Razor Strike!
An adapted version of Rankyaku—this one delivered not with a kick, but a cutting-edge palm strike, sending a burning shockwave that split the Howler straight down the middle.
Blood, guts, and steaming ichor rained down.
[You have defeated Bog Howler and Venomous Reaper!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
"They think they own this swamp?" Jinwoo cracked his knuckles. "Let's see who owns who."
Without hesitation, he shot forward — using Void Step, his form blinking unpredictably through the mist.
Another Bog Strider lunged.
BOOM!
Jinwoo drove a flaming fist right through its chest, Iron Fist: Bullet Barrage following in rapid bursts, reducing the monster to molten chunks. He pivoted on his heel, sensing the giant leeches converging.
One leapt — venom dripping from fangs.
Jinwoo didn't dodge. Instead, he twisted mid-air, using Geppo, leaving behind a burning afterimage. The leech bit smoke and got a flaming uppercut instead, sent rocketing into the sky trailing fire.
The swamp erupted into chaos.
Monsters charged in terrifying synchrony — but it wasn't enough.
Jinwoo became a demon in the mist.
His kicks tore the air, Flame Tempest unleashing flaming tornado blades that shredded everything caught inside. His fists shot Fire Lance bursts with finger thrusts, picking off monsters that tried to stay at range.
The more they came, the more brutally he responded. His body was a machine of haki, flame, and raw brutality — adapting mid-battle, inventing new combos on instinct.
[System Observation: User displays increasing battle-mania tendencies.]
[Note: Mental Health Check recommended. Results: Ha ha, you're screwed.]
"Shut up," Jinwoo laughed madly, crushing a Bog Strider's head under his boot. "This is therapy!"
----
The massacre began.
Another beast lunged from the mire—Rotclaw Mirebeast—a six-legged crocodile the size of a truck.
Jinwoo launched himself into the air using a modified Moonwalk technique —Flame Jet Leap—kicking off the air while boosting with fire jets.
He slammed down with a fiery axe kick—Flame Tempest Kick —right into the Mirebeast's skull.
BOOM!!
The swamp trembled.
[Skill: Flame Tempest Kick has leveled up to Lv.3!]
The beast didn't even get a chance to scream.
---
Another hour of relentless hunting followed.
Jinwoo met a Swampshade Panther, its body half-corporeal and covered in misty darkness.
It tried to phase through his attacks.
Bad mistake.
He infused Observation Haki into his strikes, predicting every ghostly movement, and struck with Fist of the Sea King amplified by flame ignition.
KA-THOOOM!
The entire swamp rippled outward.
[Skill: Fist of the Sea King has leveled up to Lv.2!]
Jinwoo met three more new swamp beasts:
Siltreaver Crabs: Massive armored crabs with bone-crushing pincers.
Ghoul Willows: Haunted trees that used vine-tentacles to strangle prey.
Mire Serpents: Snakes made of mud and poison, blending into the swamp.
Every new encounter ended the same — overwhelming force, devastating creativity, merciless efficiency.
When a Siltreaver tried to crush him, Jinwoo grinned and caught the pincer with Armament Haki, bones creaking but not breaking, before he used Seismic Blaze Arts — a ground-shaking fireblast — blowing the crab into chunks.
When a Ghoul Willow tried to entangle him, he unleashed a Tempest Cyclone Kick followed by Flame Spiral Dash, spinning through the vines like a fiery tornado.
When Mire Serpents slithered from the muck, Jinwoo grinned and pinned them to the ground with Fire Lance shots before stomping them into oblivion.
---
Finally, after a brutal beheading of a huge Swamp Widow Spider — its bloated body bursting into flames — a notification popped.
[Level Up!]
Later, a Toxic Marsh Kraken rose from the swamp depths—tentacles the size of trees, dripping venom.
Jinwoo grinned like a lunatic.
"Finally, a real opponent!"
He unleashed everything: Flame Spiral Dash to zip between tentacles, Flame Tiger Lariat to slam one down, Razor Edge Strike to slice through others, and finally a point-blank Seismic Blaze Arts blast at its core.
The Kraken screamed once...then collapsed in a heap of burning, twitching flesh.
[You have defeated Toxic Marsh Kraken!]
[Level Up!]
[System:Congrats You got Yourself A fish Friend ]
--------
[Congratulations! Template Fusion Peak Garp has reached 30%!]
[You have earned new Passive Skill: Invincible Body.]
[Invincible Body (Passive):
Enhances physical resistance dramatically. Blunt, impact, and cutting attacks deal reduced damage. Haki fusion improves effectiveness further.]
Jinwoo flexed his arm, feeling the raw, indestructible sensation hum through his bones.
"Hah... This feels good."
The System chimed sarcastically.
[Yeah, yeah. Flex more. That'll really help when you're dead.]
"Shut it," Jinwoo chuckled. "I'm just getting warmed up."
And then he was off again, sprinting through the swamp like a one-man army.
[Devil Fruit Fusion Progress: 62%]
The flames clinging to Jinwoo's body burned hotter and bluer, indicating even greater control and destructive capability. His Flame Tempest Kick now left molten craters wherever it struck, and his Flame Spiral Dash became a Flame Cyclone Blitz — spiraling towards enemies with overwhelming force.
---
Just as Jinwoo incinerated the last lingering Mire Serpent, the world seemed to still.
A new notification blinked before him:
[Special System Alert: Qualification achieved.]
[You have been recognized.]
[Job Change Quest is now available!]
[Note: What the hell are you even changing into?! You're already a monster!!]
Instead of dread, Jinwoo chuckled darkly.
"Finally," he whispered. His fists clenched with anticipation. "Something even crazier waiting for me."
The mist thinned slightly — the swamp trembling under his dominance.
His next path awaited.
-------
A cold, electric shiver ran down Jinwoo's spine — a signal he had learned to trust without question. Observation Haki, now honed to Level 2, whispered in his ear like a phantom, tugging at the edge of his consciousness.
Movement. Lots of it.
His eyes snapped toward the approaching disturbance.
Through the faint mist of the dungeon, a horde of towering reptilian figures marched with disciplined aggression. At least twenty-five of them, easily. They stood roughly 2.5 meters tall, their scales a glimmering patchwork of green, bronze, and deep blue. Each wielded cruel weapons — jagged spears, cleavers, twisted bows — and bore an unmistakable aura of feral pride, like knights of an ancient, draconic order.
Above them, bat-like wings twitched and flared, kicking up gusts of stale dungeon air. Their slit-pupiled eyes glowed with a cunning hatred, their forked tongues darting out as if already tasting the hunt.
And at the rear of their formation...
An even more ominous presence.
An especially massive lizardman — nearly three meters tall, armored in bone and scaled hide — lumbered forward with the regal bearing of a warlord. A jagged crown of twisted horns framed its cruel face. Mana, thick and oppressive, rolled off him in waves strong enough to make the stone floor groan beneath his steps.
Beside him shuffled a lizardman shaman clad in patchwork robes, a crooked staff crackling with green witchfire. Four lesser mages, each muttering guttural spells under their breath, flanked the elder sorcerer like a personal honor guard.
Jinwoo raised an eyebrow.
"...Okay, that's new."
[System Message: Incoming Hostile Entities Detected!]
[Approximate Danger Level: A-rank Class.]
The System's voice was uncharacteristically... shrill.
[Warning: Hostile Mana Signatures Equivalent to S-rank Detected!]
[Recommending Immediate Retreat!]
Jinwoo tilted his head slightly, watching the horde advance like an unstoppable tide.
Was he worried?
No.
But... dealing with a high-level magician and a heavily guarded warlord at once would be a pain in the ass, even for him.
And more importantly — he wanted his damn job change.
Priorities, people.
Then a devilish grin spread across Jinwoo's face as a mad idea bloomed in his mind.
Why not take care of the job quest first... and then come back to recruit this delightful little army into his growing empire?
The thought practically screamed brilliance.
The System, still listening in to his mental monologue, went utterly, utterly silent.
[...Processing Thought Pattern.]
[...ERROR.]
[User Logic: Maniacal. Dangerous. Incomprehensible.]
There was a long pause before the System finally added, sounding almost resigned:
[...Affirmative. Initiating Job Change Protocol.]
Ding!
A heavy, ornate key materialized out of shimmering blue light, dropping into Jinwoo's hand with a sarcastic little pop.
[Here. Take your damn key, you maniac.]
Under its breath — or at least Jinwoo felt the System muttering spitefully through gritted teeth — he caught:
[Crazy bastard... dragging A-rank monsters like they're Pokémon…]
Jinwoo just smirked, twirling the key between his fingers with a casual flick.
"Appreciate it."
The lizardmen were almost upon him now, hissing and clattering their weapons, their brutal faces twisting into sneers of anticipated slaughter.
And right as the lead warrior lunged forward, blade raised high—
—Jinwoo jammed the key into thin air like unlocking an invisible door.
A blinding flash of light engulfed him — and he vanished.
POOF.
The leading lizardman crashed forward in confusion, hacking at empty air where his prey had been standing just moments before. A cacophony of hisses and confused snarls broke out as the horde stumbled to a halt.
The lizardman shaman croaked something in their guttural language.
"Graak-cha?"
Which loosely translated to:
"...Did he just fucking teleport??"
---
The world shifted.
Jinwoo landed softly, boots tapping on cold, polished stone.
Immediately, he recognized the scene — a wide, shadowed throne room of ancient design. Black banners fluttered from broken columns. Skeletal remains lined the walls like grim decorations. In the center, atop a grand throne carved from obsidian, sat a figure.
A knight.
But not just any knight.
His crimson armor gleamed under the dim light, etched with battle scars and long-forgotten oaths. A massive sword, almost as large as Jinwoo himself, rested point-down in the ground beside him. His helmet tilted slightly, as if he'd been waiting. Waiting specifically for Jinwoo.
It was none other than—
Igris, the Blood-Red Commander.
Jinwoo's smile widened.
"Nice," he said, cracking his knuckles. "System, you really are looking out for me."
There was a pause.
Then the System practically screamed in his mind:
[IDIOT! I DROPPED YOU IN FRONT OF THE FINAL BOSS TO SLOW YOU DOWN, NOT TO HELP YOU!]
[You're supposed to struggle, question your existence, maybe piss your pants a little!]
[Not — not — THANK ME!]
Jinwoo tilted his head thoughtfully.
"You really gotta have more faith, buddy."
[...You're a menace. A full-fledged disaster wrapped in muscles and bad decisions.]
Ignoring the system's hysterics, Jinwoo lowered into a loose, relaxed stance, lifting his fists instead of drawing a weapon. His aura flared — a potent mix of Garp's raw physical might and his own fiery power.
Across the room, Igris stirred.
With a slow, deliberate grace, the Blood-Red Knight rose from his throne.
The scraping of his massive sword echoed like thunder.
And then, without warning—
They moved.
Two blurs.
Two titans.
Jinwoo lunged forward, his fist cocked back with a grin of pure exhilaration.
Igris answered with a swing of his massive sword, aiming to cleave the upstart fool in half.
And right as the two were about to collide — impact imminent, mana crackling between them like a brewing storm—
The scene cut to black.
-----------
Author's Note:
AND THAT'S HOW YOU TURN A SWAMP INTO A BARBECUE PIT, BABY!
Jinwoo went absolutely feral this chapter — swamp monsters? Charbroiled. Swamp Kraken? Seafood platter. Lizardmen? Uh-oh, looks like they're next on the menu.
Now here's the real question for you, dear reader:
Which moment made you cackle the most?
A) Jinwoo punching a swamp monster into molten kibble.
B) Flame-cycloning through a haunted tree like an angry Beyblade.
C) Roasting a Toxic Marsh Kraken like it's squid on a stick.
D) All of the above because you too crave maximum carnage.
Vote in the comments, or just scream into the void! (Totally valid.)
Also...
You might want to hold onto your seats.
Because someone very important is about to step onto the stage.
A crimson knight.
A silent, towering figure.
An ancient will, waiting... no, testing.
And Jinwoo?
Let's just say... he's about to take his first true step toward something far, far greater.
Ready yourselves.
The real story begins next.
—Author, sharpening plot twists and cackling quietly