An Argument

My legs dangled from the tree branch, swinging up and down, showing my complicated mood.

"Rose!"

*The sudden voice*

She is here, isn't she?

"What?!"

I answered back.

*The sound of hurried footsteps*

"So here you are. Do you have any idea how long we have been looking for you?"

Said the petite, blond-haired woman. Her face was marked with a disapproving expression as she looked at me.

Despite her question, I didn't answer back; only swinging my legs more vigorously, showing my current emotional state.

"Hey! Look at me, I know that she started it, but you shouldn't have reacted so violently. You almost broke her arm."

"Natalie, are you blaming me? Would you keep letting her insult us?!"

I said, unable to hold it anymore, almost laughing from anger.

Another year passed. Counting the previous one. It has been two whole years since my transmigration.

It was busy, but uneventful. This year's most specific difference is that Natalie, a woman below me, joined our small friend group.

It happened in a rather natural way, as I had already been talking with her before. However, it is only recently that she has truly become fully integrated with us.

Compared to Nico and Emily, she isn't a nameless character in the story.

Although not a prominent role, it is still important, going with my earlier analogy of the existence of a heroine. Then Natalie should be supporting the female lead.

There are no more important characters in my current class. By the time groups are sorted next year, I will have met the main cast.

"Rose, I know, she was acting like she owns a place, but you will get into trouble because of this…"

Natalie said, easing her tone.

Leaping from the tree, I spun once in the air before landing safely on the ground.

"It's not about that. I'm pissed off because you are all protecting her."

My voice was layered with irritation.

"It's not like that. We were just shocked for a moment…"

Natalie said, a bit tentatively.

"That's why you said I should have apologized to her!"

"She will not snitch; she is too proud for that and me apologizing? Keep dreaming."

I said what I wanted to say, leaving Natalie standing there, unsure what to do.

"Hey! Wait, let's talk!"

She shouted behind me, but I was already gone. My higher cultivation carrying me with a speed impossible for a normal human.

What I did was to protect the group, but I guess I was foolish and should have just stayed silent, allowing her to insult us.

That's why I am so frustrated. I wanted to do well, but people see it differently.

'Well, f*ck that. The more I think about it, the angrier I get. Let's find someplace to chill out.'

I thought, ruffing my pink hair and running to my hidden spot.

>>>>>>>>>> 

The old gazebo, with its once vibrant color and elegant look. Stands now abandoned and forgotten, silently amidst a heart of secluded waterfalls.

However, this is merely an optical illusion; in reality, the gazebo sits on an elevated slope, creating the appearance that water flows harmlessly through its structure.

Sitting here, looking at the falling water, feeling the wind ruffling my long hair and the damp air clinging to my skin. It has a strangely calming effect on me.

Leaning my head in my right hand, I started thinking, forgetting about my argument with my friends for now.

'Well, I guess I should stop my body aging.'

Even though I previously had an idea to keep my body to like 24 or 25 age, I changed my mind.

Reason?

I was getting fat…

I mean fat in certain places.

Exactly my bottom and chest area.

Shouldn't women only grow up to eighteen years old? Apparently, I am special in that regard.

One time when I was changing my clothes, Nico called out to me about how big my ass was.

This could seem like a trivial problem, but wouldn't I have a problem wielding my spear if I had such an encumbering ballast?

So, twenty years is it then, I suppose...

'Having a face that is no longer childish and is a mix of an innocent and seductive look doesn't sound that bad.'

I comforted myself.

>>>>>>>>>> 

Minutes passed. A woman who seemed to come straight from the fairytale lazily gazed at the waterfall. Her pink luminous hair waved lightly in the wind. Her body was perfectly hugging the robes she wore, giving much to imagine, blending perfectly with the color of her hair.

Yet, that wasn't the most attractive aspect of the woman; The well-proportioned face held an irresistible allure able to charm the most devoted monk.

Depending on her mood, her smile has the power to be either innocent or seductive, allowing her to present herself in any way she desires. However, one thing was certain: regardless of the expression she wore, she was always unbelievably beautiful.

Currently, the little fairy frowned, her phoenix eyelashes fluttering and eyes that seemed to hold the entire galaxy shimmering as if making a serious decision.

Seconds after; the fairy's eyes suddenly closed. The dainty hand loses strength, and the head falls on the support. Seemingly immersed in her eternal sleep.

 >>>>>>>>>>

POV: Rose

[Looking for a suitable memory fragment]

[Data collecting…]

[Data reorganizing…]

[Data Compiled]

Messages ringed one after another in my mind. Nevertheless, I appeared half-conscious, barely registering them.

Suddenly, I saw a flash of light, and my five senses returned.

A grassland, blue cloudy sky, twenty rugged men, looking aggressive.

Yet nobody was moving.

Everything seemed suspended in time—the bird, the falling leaf, even I was frozen in place.

[Body Reconstruction 1st layer challenge will start in 60 seconds]

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[Challenge mission]

{Main objective: defeat the forest bandits}

{Optional objective: protect the villagers}

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As it was my first attempt at challenges given by a system, I was still a bit confused. Yet, with clear goals, I calmed surprisingly fast.

[Challenge will start in 40 seconds…]

[Challenge will start in 14 seconds…]

[Challenge will start in 5 seconds…]

[Challenge will start in 3 seconds…]

[Challenge will start in 1 second…]

Sixty seconds passed in the flash and the world seemed to come alive again.

"Old man, you better surrender. Maybe then we will spare your granddaughter!"

Shouted the apparent leader of the bandits with his big, crooked nose and yellow teeth. He looked quite hideous.

"I may be old, but I am still a cultivator. You lot better retreat before forcing me to exercise these old bones."

The words spilled from my mouth without my control only now realizing that I have somehow become this old man.

I couldn't do anything, but I could still sense the surrounding situation.

In front of me were eighteen bandits. None of those were cultivators, but they didn't seem so simple either.

Most of them seem to be practicing some sort of body cultivator method.

Cultivators are separated based on their emphasis on either the physical or spiritual aspects.

I am a spirit cultivator.

The spirit cultivators are usually overwhelmingly more powerful than those that only focus on the body.

That's because of the existence of Qi. Body cultivators can't use it. Cutting off their path to immortality.

Qi not only grants you the power to cast spells. It even boosts your physique, so body cultivators basically have no advantage.

However, what is important to remember is that sects or other powerful forces completely monopolize spirit cultivation methods.

So, some simple forest bandit being able to become a body cultivation is already quite a feat.

"Hahahahahahahah!!! Old man, I was trying to be nice, but you didn't accept my kindness. You shouldn't blame me later for being ruthless!"

"Lads, take him down. After that, bring me his granddaughter. Let me get a taste first!"

The bandit leader shouted, drawing his broad machete, and rushing in the direction of the old man with the other bandits.

The aged man took the last peek at the village behind his bending aged back.

In the face of impending doom, children and women clutched farmer's tools, their trembling bodies filled with fear. The old man was aware that he was the only one capable of protecting them. However, his age posed a problem. Even during his prime, he would have struggled to match the strength of so many opponents.

Yet in the face of incoming death, he was filled with determination.

'Take as many of these bastards as I could to hell with me.'

At that moment, my emotions were incredibly complex. It was as if I was stuck inside the grandpa's soul. I could sense his intense anger and unwavering determination. His thoughts were completely transparent, and I comprehended them with absolute clarity.

I was a bit confused about the role I was playing here. Am I just the observer? But my mission.

My doubts were quickly evaporated when…

The physical sensation suddenly flooded my mind, and my trusted spear appeared in my hands. I mean in the grandpa's hands, gaining complete control of his body.

I was surprised, but not too much. After all, my mission goal was clear.

'Close combat is impossible…'

I thought, and executed the technique from the manual the Elder gave me.

The energy gathered at the tip of my spear then…

*WHOOSH!!!*

The thunderous sound resonated in the grassland. The shock wave crashed into the bandits. Yet, some of the bandits who were momentarily scared looked confused, feeling that the wave barely affected them.

That was intentional as the bandit leader and his closest subordinates were directly blasted with the compressed shock wave crashing into the tree line.

Half of my spirit's energy was gone like that. Body reconstruction 1st layer, it seems my cultivation regressed to that of the old man.

Not letting in any distracting thoughts anymore. I rushed at the bandits, who were still dazed after my spell.

Reaching the first one, he tried to block my attacks. Unfortunately for him, my long spear easily bypassed his defenses, going through his throat.

He choked on his own blood seconds later, and I did not even give him a second glance as he died in anguish.

My mind entered a strange state; only thinking about how to complete my mission without any disturbing thoughts.

It seemed to have quite a positive effect because seconds after. Another body with a gaping wound on its neck lay at my feet.

"Surround him! Don't take him on one!"

Someone shouted, but I didn't care, closing in on two bandits nearby.

They were alert, protecting their necks. I didn't mind it at all because this left the rest of their bodies completely unguarded.

Using the advantage of the length of my spear, I pierced the lung of the bandit on the left, seeing that the bandit on the right tried to counterattack…

He was too late as I retrieved my spear in time to sidestep, promptly lunging my weapon into his heart.

'Who would have known that the biology lessons that I hated so much in my old world would come in such a clutch now?'

I joked in my mind, dodging the blade intended for my neck and delivering a powerful strike that skewered him and his friend behind him.

Pulling out my spear, I distance myself quickly, not wanting to get encircled.

"Idiots!!! You can't take care of even one old man!"

The leader sounded enlarged, with only 3 injured subordinates around him.

'Six dead by a spear, three by my early blast. There are nine left.'

My eyes become icy cold. The spear vibrated in my hand, shining brightly. Then I threw it at the leader of the bandits.

He looked completely shocked but managed to dodge to the side by sheer instinct.

Just as he looked triumphant, happy at the loss of my weapon. The spear in the air changed slightly direction passing through his gaping mouth, leaving the fireworks of blood.

"Aaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

Some bandits shrieked in horror. Only for the returning spear to pass through their body like tofu. Before returning to my hand, covered in blood.

It was a complete massacre after this, simply as killing a chicken, seeing their leader dead, they decided to flee.

In the end, they couldn't outmaneuver me, falling like flies one after another, staining the surface of my spear with their blood.

"The last one…"

I said aloud, making the injured bandit crawling on the ground shiver.

"P-please spare me I have a wife at home. They…t-they forced me to join them. I didn't want to hurt anybody!"

The young bandit looked at me pleadingly, tears rolling down his eyes.

"Hum…Do you want to repent?"

I asked as if considering it.

"Y-yes, yes, I want, I will become a better man. I swear, just let me go!"

"Then..."

I murmured.

Desperate cries resounding throughout the forest suddenly stopped, returning the woods to its tranquil state.

[Challenge complete]