Chapter Four
My pale white skin had become even fairer, my eyes now a striking crimson hue, and my once-messy hair now fell in beautiful locks. Even my lips, which had been an orange tint, had turned a rosy pink...
Had I become a girl?
I quickly reached down to check—but my "little brother" was still there.
"If my previous appearance was considered handsome, I can proudly say my new look is insanely cute."
[The most beautiful person in the world has an Appearance stat of 72.]
When the System's voice chimed in, I realized just how extraordinary this appearance was.
"What happens when the Appearance stat reaches 100?"
The System didn't respond.
Honestly, I liked my new look—but I had no intention of acting feminine.
This was the last shred of my dignity as a man.
Now, I had to consider every possible scenario to make the heroines fall for me.
Especially since this was a pure love novel, meaning I'd have to compete with five protagonists.
The heroines who would meet their love interests this year would be difficult to sway. Childhood friends and arranged marriages? That would take serious effort.
Luckily, I still had at least two months before the story began.
Some might wonder how I could tell the difference between the game world and the novel. But I knew I was in the novel because of the garbage dump—a recent addition to the story.
This was the advantage of being an experienced player.
After inspecting the house, I went to check the traps.
Since I'd set up so many, I should at least be able to prepare dinner.
But as I walked—
"Rustle."
A sound from the trees made me jump. I grabbed a stone from the ground.
The rustling grew louder.
Something was approaching.
If this were Korea, I'd have assumed it was a rabbit. But in a world filled with magic? *No such luck.*
From the trees emerged a black tiger with crimson eyes.
Its appearance was nauseatingly terrifying—razor-sharp teeth that could shred flesh with a touch, a body covered in lethal scars and wounds.
With every movement, it left behind pools of blood.
Even wounded, it was horrifying. But I *recognized* this creature.
"System, bring out the knife."
A white knife I'd purchased earlier materialized in my hand.
I gripped it tightly and *lunged straight for its eye.
The blade sank in with a sickening squelch.
Perhaps because the tiger was already weakened, it couldn't dodge in time.
All it could do was scream in agony and flail wildly.
Seeing its chaotic thrashing, I backed away quickly.
Even half-dead, it could *easily tear apart* my frail body.
As I retreated, the tiger staggered away from the river.
Once it was gone, I collapsed to the ground.
My legs couldn't handle the shock. *Countless scenarios raced through my mind.*
What if the tiger had been at full strength?
"I'd have died before the academy even started."
I didn't chase the wounded tiger—that would've been suicidal, especially with this weak physique.
But this only strengthened my resolve to train over the next two months.
After checking the traps and gathering food, I returned home.
I cooked over the firewood, and while waiting, I hurried to the bathroom.
My body was drenched in sweat, my clothes soaked.
I stripped and stared at myself in the mirror.
"I'll have to push myself beyond limits if I want to survive and reach the heroines."
I turned on the shower.
As the cold water hit my bare skin, a shiver ran through me.
The sensation was the only way to *clear my mind after today's events.
After showering, I changed into comfortable clothes and checked the food.
I brought a spoonful slowly to my lips—
"Hot—! Aah... damn it!"
The soup *burned my tongue.
After that, I made sure to blow on every bite.
Once finished, I stepped outside for fresh air.
The crisp scent tickled my nose.
I approached a large tree, took out a knife, and began carving.
An hour later, the tree bore a grid of squares, each containing notes.
"Finally, my training schedule is complete."
I could've written it on paper, but carving it felt more satisfying.
The schedule outlined two months of brutal daily training.
I'd have to give it everything.
For these two months, I focused on physical strength and abandoned Mana.
Mana required years of training—I only had *months*. Strength was my priority.
"Shop."
I spent my remaining points on *training equipment and protein supplements*.
I didn't want a bulky, intimidating build—just *lean, balanced muscle* to appeal to the heroines.
"Alright. Time to work hard."
───── **Two Months Later** ─────
Finally, it was time to see the results of my efforts.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! ( *´ω｀* )
---