Although the system seems to want me to go fight a life or death battle with someone... I'd honestly rather not. So I started training with my new bokken, swinging it 1000 times, or until the system tells me to stop. Needless to say, I've never been so bored in my entire life. That and the system kept track of my swings, or the ones I did properly. The tediousness was mind breaking to say the least, but I dealt with it, in order to not die again I needed to be at least a little strong.

During my long routine, I ended up asking the system a few questions, like why the change in my mindset? Why was I selected for a system? or if there was magic in this world. The only answer I got was for my change in mindset, which the system said was a passive I got just from the system called Mushin. Apparently in can get stronger or weaker depending on my mindset, and even change completely. The system even put it in my skills so I could know about it. 1000 sword swings later, I finished the Contract

*CONTRACT: Practice completed

Reward: Basic Sword Mastery 1/10

Rough Kimono

Rough Hakama

Rough Geta

STR +2

DEX +2

CON +2

Seeing the rewards for the mission made me giddy. I could finally leave these tattered old robes behind. I immediately stripped out of my old getup and wore my new one and got a nice notification.

*Full set worn, +2 CHA

I did notice that I got no new contracts and the system answered before I could even ask.

*The Ronin System is only in its preliminary stages, you must complete the other active contracts before you advance any further.

So... I need to fight someone to the death, i'll do that later. Either way, I need to find out where I am so I think west is always the way to go. And so my journey began, until I realized how hungry I was. Turns out, exercise takes a lot of energy, so I had to find some food. I'll forage on the way, no rush.

At least I thought that until I found a bear. Staring at the beast in front of me I started to actually realize that this wasn't Earth. This bear was HUGE, almost twice the size of normal bears. and so, while just stopping from pissing myself, I slowly and quietly make my way backwards, trying not to alert the monster that I was there... but I stepped on a branch. The snap resounded in the quiet forest as the bear turned to look at me and I got to know what death actually looked like. Its coarse black hair matted with blood from a recent kill coated its face. Black eyes with seemingly no pupils almost seemed to stare inside of me as its gaping maw opened, its breathing ragged.

"Shit" I turn tail and book it in the opposite direction, not daring to look behind me after I heard the roar of what I assume to be anger and the thumping of its footsteps.

*Fleeing from combat is a highly dishonorable act. If host continues, stats will be reduced by 5.

This fucking system...

Realize I don't have much choice in fighting, I look around for something that could give me an advantage. I feel a hot breath on my back I act on instinct. Seeing a thick tree in front of my I jump and plant my foot, vaulting off of it, and somehow going over top of the bear, who collides with the tree. Landing behind it, I draw my 'Sword' and get ready to fight. The bear turns around and I nearly wilt at the thought of fighting such a thing.

*Conditions met, Mushin activated

I blank out, the closest thing to describing how I feel would be thinking... without thinking. It was like a state of absolute focus. The beast of impending doom didn't even bother me anymore. In fact, I even knew exactly how to beat it. Rather than waiting, I rush forwards and swing my sword down towards its skull. Upon feeling contact, I quickly retreat out of range, narrowly dodging a swipe at my torso. Watching as blood flows from its head I move to engage again, but the bear swipes first, so I move with the blow, arriving beside it and hitting practically the same spot, this time hearing a crack. It lets out a ferocious roar as I retreat again, charging toward me. I sidestep the charge, twisting my feet and quickly loosing another blow while it runs by. The final blow causes it to collapse forwards, skull crushed after 3 precise blows.

*Opponent slain

*Level up

*Level up

*Mushin Deactivated

Looking at the corpse, my body feels heavy as I watch the notification pop up in front of me.

"Status"

*Name: Qui Bai

Race: Human

Class: Ronin

Age: 19

Level: 3

XP: 0/100

HP: 38/38

SP: 20/20

STR: 12

DEX: 12

CON: 12

INT: 13

WIS: 9

CHA: 4

Skill Points: 4

No Current Lord

Skills: Mushin- The mind without mind

(Calmness is the cradle of power)

Basic Sword Mastery 4/10

"System, how do I usually level up?"

*Host can defeat enemies or complete tasks assigned by others in the world.

Thinking slightly, I decide to put all of my points into Dexterity, if I don't get hit I can't lose. Not wanting to waste the perfectly good meat, I try to start a small fire... and fail miserably for quite some time. When I finally saw the sparks fly and embers flourish I literally let out a cry of victory. Using one of the blades I got from the dead soldiers from before, I cut up some of the meat and cooked enough to last me a day or so. By this point night had fallen so I set up a little shelter from sticks and leaves to spends the night in. My first day in this new world wasn't so bad, only 1 life of death battle so far.

Drifting off all I can think of is if I can live peacefully in this life, or if I really will have to fight to survive.