Reincarnated With The Degenerate System

Thud!

I dropped to one knee, gasping for air, chest heaving. There was no way I imagined any of that.

"Sir, are you alright!" Adam quickly ran towards me.

"I'm fine…" I forced the words out between rough breaths.

There was no point telling him what I just gone through. Not that anyone would believe me if I started rambling about time freezing and some smug monkey acting like he rivaled heaven.

Instead, I exhaled slow, steadied myself, and started talking to the system like it was the only sane thing left in the room.

'System… hey. What happened?'

[Host, you have encountered a higher lifeform in the same level as the demon woman you faced from before.]

I rubbed my temples. 'Yeah, trust me, I noticed.'

"Who's stronger between the two?" I asked, curiosity pricking at me, because that demon woman was no slouch either.

[Host, it's hard to compare them because you met them in their weakened states, and they barely used their power, so there isn't enough data.]

'What the fuck. That was them barely using their power?'

I felt like an idiot for ever thinking my growth was outrageous. I was like a tadpole suddenly proud of becoming a frog, while the real predators looked down from their pedestals, not even seeing me a threat.

It made me feel small, but at the same time, it shattered my complacency. Now, I was more determined than ever to grow stronger.

Just as I was about to stand, another question popped into my head. First the demon woman, now that arrogant monkey—this was way too much of a coincidence.

'Why do I feel like that guy's also a prisoner of this tower? What the hell is going on? Why are all the godlike beings I meet locked up in one way or another? Who the hell is responsible for all of this?'

[Host, you lack the authority to know.]

'And when will I have enough authority?' I asked feeling a bit insulted.

[Host, when the time is right.]

Great. So my system knew and was intentionally keeping me in the dark. I could keep pestering it, sure—but I doubted it would budge an inch.

'By the way… what happened to the cultivation art he gave me?'

[Host, it has been converted into a card. The system has also made revisions, as the original version was designed for a god‑tier physique. Cultivating it directly could have resulted in the host's death.]

I already expected that much, so I wasn't exactly shocked. A being with an ego that big probably figured that if I died trying, that was my problem—not his.

'System, can't you just reconstruct my body like last time?'

[Negative, Host. Unlike the system made cards, this one came from an external source, so the system can only assist by revising the cultivation art to match your current physique. ]

[Fortunately, you already possess Heavenly Spring Physique and Willow Vein Physique. Adding more physiques in the future will allow you to fully maximize the cultivation art.]

I nodded in understanding and checked the card's details.

[Immortal Great Sage Body]

Just the name alone was enough to show how overpowered this technique was.

[Immortal Great Sage Body: Grants the host a body of unparalleled resilience and agility, capable of withstanding extreme physical and magical attacks. Unlike traditional cultivation techniques that progress the lower, middle, and upper dantian in sequence, this technique allows simultaneous cultivation of all three, drastically cutting down the steps.]

[Enhances reflexes, speed, and overall combat potential, enabling the host to execute advanced cultivation techniques and channel high-level Qi with ease]

I read the description and was more than satisfied. The benefits were beyond anything I could have asked for—maybe even more valuable than an actual celestial weapon in the long run.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to test it right away—Adam's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Sir, we found something inside the boss's stomach. You should check it out."

My eyes snapped open, and I hurried over to the crowd. They were all gathered around a silver metal block—some kind of box covered in intricate patterns that looked eerily like circuitry.

No one dared lay a finger on it without my say‑so. Fair enough. I had carried this entire raid on my back; the loot was rightfully mine.

At least they weren't stupid or greedy. Or maybe they were just scared—figuring that stealing it from under my nose without the strength to back it up was a great way to die unpleasantly.

I took it with me and slipped away, putting some distance between myself and all the curious eyes.

Behind me, the others were already tearing into the boss's corpse—harvesting everything they could. Its hide, core, bones… all worth a small fortune once we got out of this place.

I didn't even need to be there. I could just take whatever I wanted. It's not like anyone could say no to me.

My priority was whatever was inside this block; it mattered far more than a pile of monster parts. I pressed the button on top, and the circular patterns glowed with a soft white light.

click!

A moment later, the entire block unraveled like watching horizontal puzzle pieces shift into place, until it completely vanished.

Left behind was… a dried paw.

Great. Exactly the kind of thing you want to find after dealing with a smug immortal primate.

[DING]

The system chimed the moment my fingers brushed it.

[Monkey Paw: Allows the user to make five wishes inside the tower, but the effects are not guaranteed and depend on the difficulty of the wish.]

[Each wish causes one or more fingers to curl depending on how outrageous the request is.]

[If all fingers curl, the host will take 200% more damage from any beast related to this tower, while those beasts take 150% more damage from the host. If a wish exceeds the item's limit, it will be rejected entirely.]

I gripped the thing tighter, not sure whether to laugh or slam it into the ground. This was a double‑edged sword in every sense—sure, I'd deal more damage, but one clean hit from anything tied to this tower could send me straight to the afterlife with express delivery.

Still… the wish mechanic tugged at me. What could I get away with?

My blood ran hot as I imagined the possibilities.

"I wish to be the strongest in the entire universe."

The paw trembled in my hand, a faint vibration buzzing through my fingers—then stilled.

Not a single finger curled.

Rejected.

I wasn't surprised. Just… very disappointed.

Damn it… this would've been way better if I'd gotten seven orange crystal balls instead of this thing.

"I wish to be the strongest in the world."

Nothing.

I tried again, scaling it down—world, continent, country, city… and finally, the strongest in the tower. Still nothing.

After trying relentlessly, I ended up only wasting my time and saliva.

'Forget it,'

For now, I decided to tuck the Monkey Paw into my pocket. Best to save it later.

"Big Brother!" Hai-Min's sweet and innocent voice called out.

With the boss defeated, the barrier at the entrance also vanished.

I straightened up, smiling. "See? I took care of it like I promised."