So you're new to PIDW, Huh?!

brambles and thorns

"Mn..."

Y/n slowly awoke to a crisp chime in their ear.

[Welcome user 003 to Proud Immortal Demon Way. The System is here to help you receive an in-depth experience with the story, and—]

"Wait— waitwaitwait wHAT?!"

Y/n shot up in shock. They had just finished reading Scum Villain's Self Saving System when...

Brow furrowing, y/n tried to remember what happened after that, but it was blank. Nothing, nada, a white haze.

But now they were... in the novel. The very one that had so ROYALLY screwed up Shen Yuan, the og.

Panic set in. Did y/n get transported to the beginning again, or...?

[user 003 will not have to repeat the storyline of user 002]

Oh thank god. Y/n didn't think they could handle being the shizun that lived, died, rinse and repeat.

Y/n blinked, and looked down at their body. They were dressed in white disciple robes, with sleeves that tapered into arm braces. This was—

[Uniform for disciples of Bai Zhan Peak] The system piped up.

"Stop interrupting me" Y/n grumbled to the automated voice. They could FEEL the system's eyeroll, but they were too busy thinking to pay any mind to the system's sass.

"System, am I an inner disciple? Where am I?"

[No, you are a newcomer from last year. Your body's past inhabiter has not completed the foundation for their golden core yet]

[You are at Cang Qiong Mountain Sect]

"Uhm, okay. So what do I do?"

[Event QUEST CHAIN unlocks once user 003 has met with their assigned Peak Lord and been given an evaluation]

"And... because of my uniform, my assigned Peak Lord is...?"

[Character LIU QINGGE of Bai Zhan Peak]

Y/n didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Sure, they've written page upon page about the badass but tsundere War God on online forums, but that didn't mean they wanted to get the shit beaten out of them so soon?! Maybe it was karma for reading all those fanfics...

"Well, I better start walking." Y/n sighed, rubbing their face.

......

Y/n had to admit, the view was beautiful.

Along the mountain path, the clouds were painted with a golden light from the setting sun, and the scenery around them rustled with the soft, cool breeze. They took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air, and felt their heart stir at the smell.

Y/n walked along the path, taking everything in. They plucked a leaf from a nearby bamboo tree, and twirled it between their fingers. Y/n stared at the slight shine from the light, and the detail of each vein. It felt so..... real.

How did Airplane Bro create a world so realistic?

THWACK!

Y/n almost flew backwards from running into something solid. A strong hand reached out to grab the front of their robe's collar to steady them.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't—" y/n rushed to apologize, before they truly registered who caught them.

His eyes were a sharp and piercing gray, with delicate features and a brow that seldom rested from a scowl. There was a faint beauty mark under his left eye, adding more charm to his already beautiful face. His lips were full and set in a perpetual frown, just like all the fanart they'd seen.

And those intense eyes.... were trained on THEM.

Liu Qingge released y/n after making sure they didn't fall, and nodded in greeting.

Y/n was still dumbstruck. He was even hotter in person than they thought he'd be—

"Sorry." Liu Qingge said, as he averted his eyes and moved to walk around them, on the other side of the path. It appears that neither of them had been paying attention to where they were going...

Y/n spotted the folding fan unsuccessfully hidden in Liu Qingge's hand, and immediately understood.

Y/n suddenly remembered they had a mission, so they whirled around. "Wait, Shizun!"

Liu Qingge stopped. "Mn?"

Remembering what the system said about "evaluations," they brace themselves. "Can I test my strength?"

Liu Qingge's eyes glinted and he was a blur of white robes as he began his barrage. y/n barely had time to dodge a punch to the stomach. They weren't so lucky the next few times as they feel their head snap back from the force of another blow, and a kick that sent y/n flying.

Y/n was launched into a thorny bush, but before y/n could even groan in pain the Peak Lord was already stepping onto his sword.

He looked back briefly, and said with an unimpressed voice, "Train harder. You're still very weak."

He was gone as soon as the last word was uttered, and y/n was stuck trying to pick themselves out of brambles.

"Stupid system, even *I* knew I was gonna get my ass beat in two seconds!! Why the fuck would I need an evaluation to prove it??"

[Mission Complete: Peak Lord Evaluation. New mission given: "Train harder." Accept mission?]

Y/n stared at the pop-up window in disgust. Now they were starting to understand why Shen Yuan was ready to throw hands with the damn thing 24/7.

Y/n looked at the yes and no options. Did they really have a choice?

"Yes."
Y/n was greeted with another crisp chime and a new list of objectives in their window.

Y/n raised an eyebrow. Well, this was sure gonna be interesting.

....

author's note: idk if anyone'll read this at all, i just thought it'd be fun to write an indulgent fic ig lol