Li Tian’s mind raced as the shadowy figure whispered those chilling words:

> "You’re not supposed to be here, anomaly."

The words lingered in the air, thick with malice. Li Tian’s instincts flared, and his body tensed. His hand reached out to grab the spear that wasn’t there. A surge of dread washed over him, not from the figure’s presence, but from the implications of the warning.

The figure remained shrouded in darkness, barely visible, their form almost ethereal. A cloak obscured their face, and their presence felt more like a disruption in the fabric of reality than that of a physical being. The coldness that permeated the air was unnatural, as though the figure itself was an anomaly, out of place in this world just like Li Tian.

Li Tian’s heart pounded, but his expression remained calm. The System had branded him with a D-Rank, but he was no stranger to danger. The encounter with the figure felt like a test — a warning — and something told him this would be just the beginning.

The figure took a step forward, the soft rustle of their cloak breaking the silence. "You don’t belong in this system," they said, their voice carrying a strange authority. "You are an anomaly, a glitch in the code of this world. The System will find you."

Li Tian’s eyes narrowed, and his voice remained steady. "I’m not afraid of your System."

The figure smiled, but it wasn’t a pleasant smile. It was insidious, as if they knew something Li Tian did not. "You will be."

Then, just as quickly as they had appeared, the figure turned and vanished into the shadows, leaving Li Tian standing there, feeling the lingering weight of their words.

---

Li Tian took a deep breath, shaking off the uneasy feeling that had settled in his chest. He had faced down divine tribulations, fought immortal beings, and even transcended mortal limits. But something about this world — its System and its strange, hidden forces — unsettled him.

"Anomaly," the figure had called him. It was clear that he didn’t belong in this world. But what was this System, and why did it feel so invasive, so controlling? Was it the System that had brought him here, or had something else caused this strange shift in reality?

Li Tian walked on, his footsteps slow but deliberate. He had no answers yet, but he wasn’t about to let fear dictate his path. He needed to learn more about this world, about the forces that controlled it, and about his place within it. He would break free of this System — just as he had broken free from the heavens in his past life.

His musings were interrupted by the sudden appearance of a glowing screen in front of him, a holographic interface that materialized without warning. The words flickered across the screen:

> [Mission Assigned: Combat Training]
[Rank Advancement Trial Available]
[Failure to Complete Trial Will Result in Permanent System Shutdown]

Li Tian stared at the words, an eyebrow raised. Combat training? The System was offering him a trial to advance his rank? As a D-Rank, he had no choice but to comply if he wanted to find out more. But the threat of system shutdown was unsettling, especially after the warning from the mysterious figure.

"I don’t need your trials," Li Tian muttered, but the words on the screen didn’t disappear. Instead, they flickered again, this time showing a countdown clock:

> [Trial will begin in 10 minutes.]

---

Li Tian sighed, realizing he had no choice but to accept. He was in a world governed by this System, and it seemed to be his only way forward. But there was something else — something deeper at play. The encounter with the shadowy figure had left him with more questions than answers. Who was that figure? Why had they called him an anomaly? And why did the System seem so determined to keep him in line?

He glanced at the screen one last time, then turned and made his way toward the combat arena. If this was the System’s way of testing him, then he would face it head-on. The trials of this world were no different from the trials he had faced before. And he would rise above them all.

---

As Li Tian entered the combat arena, the atmosphere changed. The air was charged with anticipation, and the energy in the room felt tense. A group of students was gathered, their attention focused on the arena’s center, where a training session was already in progress. The holographic targets whizzed by, flickering in and out of view as the students performed basic combat drills.

Li Tian stood at the edge of the arena, observing the students. Their movements were stiff, rigid — there was no flow to their strikes, no true mastery. They were simply following orders, bound by the System’s constraints.

He shook his head. These are not true warriors, he thought. This System controls them, just as it controls everything in this world.

---

The countdown on the screen reached zero, and the System's voice boomed over the arena. "Trial Initiated: Combat Training." A figure appeared in the center of the arena, their face obscured by a visor. They wore the standard uniform of a C-Rank student, the same as Kim Dojin.

"Prepare yourself," the voice instructed, as the figure raised their weapon, a glowing spear.

Li Tian stepped forward, his body fluid and focused. He had faced many battles in his previous life, and he would face this one with the same resolve. His movements were calm, precise — he didn’t need the System’s approval. He fought for himself.

The figure lunged at him, the spear coming at him with incredible speed. Li Tian sidestepped effortlessly, the spear missing him by mere inches. He struck back with a counter-attack, knocking the figure’s weapon out of their hands in a single, fluid motion. The students watching gasped in awe, the energy in the room shifting.

"You... you’re too strong!" the student gasped, their voice filled with disbelief.

Li Tian didn’t respond. He turned, his mind already racing with the realization: this world, this System, was not as it seemed. And he was no longer just a player in the game. He was going to change the rules.

---

Before Li Tian could leave the arena, the System’s voice interrupted him once more:

> [Trial Result: Success.]
[New Rank: C-Rank Assigned.]
[Next Trial: Advanced Combat]

But just as the screen flashed the results, a strange pulse surged through the arena, and a dark shadow appeared at the exit. The figure from earlier — the one who had warned him — was back, standing at the edge of the arena. Their voice echoed through the room:
"This is just the beginning. The System will not let you go so easily."

Li Tian’s eyes narrowed. This time, he wouldn’t run. He would face whatever threat was coming head-on.