Reincarnated with Trash Talent But It's actually OP

A storm of pain struck Yuto's consciousness as he awoke from his long slumber. Like a drum being pounded relentlessly, he groaned, feeling a heavy weight pressing down on his body.

"Uuph!"

Yuto's eyes snapped open. His body tensed as he felt something filling his internal organs.

In a natural response, his stomach contracted, forcing the water out of his body.

"Bleerg!"

A clear liquid, slightly salty and bitter, came out along with blood from his scraped throat.

The world spun with pain that began to hammer his body down like nails.

"Cough, cough, aakh, cough..."

However, all of it was proof that Yuto was still alive. He breathed a sigh of relief, having won the gamble of luck.

His body collapse pulled by gravity into a shallow puddle.

'Ugh, it's killing me.'

His brow furrowed deeply, feeling a pain that spread like a thousand hot needles piercing his lungs and skin, penetrating deep into his bones.

Yuto had no strength to move even his fingers, which were slowly turning cold, not from being wet, but the caress of death was approaching him.

He closed his eyes, sinking into himself.

His consciousness awoke in eternal darkness. There, a massive vessel like a star stood before him. Its light dimmed, leaving a tiny blink that could go out at any moment.

As if waiting for its owner, the light flickered cheerfully, weak but burning with a fierce will to life, igniting a fire in Yuto's heart.

'Okay, let's do this from scratch!'

Yuto took a deep breath, his face twisted in agony from the searing heat in his lungs.

Still, he continued, slowly absorbing natural Qi energy from the atmosphere.

First, he focused on channelling the energy from nature into his lungs to speed up the healing process.

Because that organ was crucial for filtering raw Qi energy before it was converted into refined Qi to be stored in his dantian.

The orange sky above sank into the western horizon, pulling a deep black curtain to cover the sky, accompanied by thousands of gleaming stars. 

Watching over him in the silent night.

Yuto lost track of time and was immersed in his cultivation.

When the night was at its peak, significant changes began to occur in Yuto's lungs.

Every filtration process became smoother and efficient, making it easier to refill the Qi in his empty dantian.

'Let's begin.'

Filled with hope, Yuto transferred the refined energy toward the vessel in his lower abdomen.

A warm feeling settled down in his stomach before it spread throughout his body, giving him the strength to move.

He turned to face the night sky, making it easier for him to breathe.

His brows twitched in astonishment as he realized that his Qi energy had turned from white into a dense colour of sky blue.

The energy flowing through his meridians felt purer, accelerating the healing process even further.

'...'

Time passed in silence. Yuto lay still, then flinched as a warm, golden light caressed his pale, healthy skin with a rosy hue on his cheeks.

His eyes opened, shining with pure vitality.

His breath exhaled a white mist, the leftover Qi that could not be stored in his dantian.

Yuto clenched his hands, ensuring that his body had returned to normal.

He crawled up to a sitting position, seeing half of his body still submerged by the shallow river that saved his life.

"I'm recovered."

Yuto leapt to his feet. His gaze wandered around, lost in the wilderness—a place where powerful monsters like the large cat from yesterday roamed.

To his right, the thundering sound of rumbling water echoed from towering cliffs. A great waterfall tumbled down, forming a beautiful natural bridge.

Below it, a massive crater was formed from the relentless pouring of water. The river flowed endlessly towards the east. 

Yuto sighed, his only saving grace was.

'Luckily there are no monsters around me.'

Indeed, strangely, Yuto felt no presence of life other than himself in the surrounding area.

A stark contrast to what he experienced when entering Verdant Hollow.

That was also why he was able to cultivate all night undisturbed.

Towering trees lined up beside the crystal-clear river like sentinels. Their trunks swayed by the strong wind, creating a calming rustling sound that soothed the heart.

After a moment of silence, Yuto looked to his left waist, seeing an empty scabbard as his sword was lost somewhere along the river.

He set his goal and started following the river's stream. His steps halted when he saw a small plant growing near the riverbank.

"Isn't that!?"

Yuto stepped closer, his eyes widening at the sight of green plants. Its small leaves and stems were adorned with silver veins under the sunlight.

"Luminous Herbs."

One of the herbs that was needed to make healing potions. Also, the herbs Yuto sought for the completion of his quest.

He crouched before it and plucked the herbs without lifting their roots from the soil. With this technique, new herbs would grow, preserving the natural order.

"There's thirty-six in total. Lucky me."

Yuto glanced around and saw small plants with thin, elastic stems. He used it as a makeshift rope.

He continued his exploration. While occasionally picking blueberries to fill his stomach.

'Pretty sweet.'

Taking a few more, Yuto walked for several minutes until he finally stopped with a sharp breath.

In front of him, right at the river's mouth. A stone path crafted by human hands led him into the deeper forest.

Yuto swallowed the lingering sweetness down to his throat. He hesitated for a moment, but decided to trust his instincts.

Following the path, the surroundings became increasingly strange.

Strange as in the sense of a peaceful atmosphere. Even though it was right in the middle of the dangerous forest within the imperial territory.

The wind whispered cheerfully, as if warmly welcoming Yuto's arrival.

"What in the world!?"

He stood in the middle of a green grassy field. A simple wooden hut stood quietly.

Yuto felt no lurking presence nearby, neither beasts nor humans. 

He stepped forward and stood directly in front of a brown door, seemingly worn by time.

When he knocked softly, the door creaked open loudly, exhaling an accumulated dust from inside.

"Cough, cough, whose house is this!?"

Yuto covered his nose while coughing. His eyes narrowed when he saw a human skeleton resting on a wooden bed, dressed in unfamiliar clothes, yet it left a deep impression on his mind.

His gaze shifted to the skeleton's hollowed abdomen, where it clutched several old, well-preserved books.

He stepped inside, whispering.

"...Sorry for disturbing."

The house had only one room, with a bed and a wooden table near a window covered by black curtains.

On the table was a small leather pouch, perhaps the skeleton's personal belongings.

Yuto turned to the window and opened the curtain wide, letting warm sunlight flood the cold cabin.

A moment of peace lingered. 

His eyes continuously looked at the skeleton resting peacefully. He clapped his hands together before bowing. Yuto offered the respect the man deserved.

Then, for some reason, his eyes were drawn towards the pile of books. As he picked one at the top, causing the skeleton's arm to fall apart.

He froze, as his expression turned white as a sheet.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."

But his words trailed off when he read the title of the thin book in his hand.

[Heavenly Demonic Path]

A fateful encounter brought together a boy with a special circumstance and a forgotten legacy on the path to becoming a Heavenly Demon. 

This meeting would have a profound impact on the world in the future.