Cheng Tian

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Cheng Tian (程天)
Alias(es)	Shield Guardian; “Scallop Warrior”
Species/Race	Earth Human Race
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Chosen Evolution Space; temporarily partnered with Erin
Occupation/Role	Chosen Player; sugar painting artist and certified intangible-cultural-heritage inheritor
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Initial Chosen Player	2	Began with Strength 10, Agility 10, Spirit 12, Charm 9, HP 100, MP 120, and the Game Expert talent.
Vampire Hunter template loaded	4	Activated his first documented template, gaining proficiency with the Vampire Killer whip and the ability to collect Innocent Souls from defeated monsters.
Arthur’s Proof inherited	9–11	Inherited Arthur’s mission and gained the knight’s implicit throwing techniques, enabling weapon-based Knight Throwing.
Knight Armor equipped	10	Acquired armor with one instance of absolute damage negation; its destruction ejects the wearer and grants three seconds of Phase Shift.
Hundred Demons’ Night Parade acquired	15–16	Crushed the Red Imp Heart to obtain the skill, then raised Strength enough to increase his HP cap from 100 to 140.
Post–Demon Village build	26–27	Allocated points to meet the Cyclops Head Shield’s requirement; self-allocation and equipment bonuses later raised his Strength to 20.
Crystal Option +4	34	Invested nearly all available funds into reinforcing the Crystal Option to +4 before entering the Gotham mission.
Captain America template loaded	37–38	Gained Captain America’s Shield and Shield Master; the latter doubled the Cyclops Head Shield’s Strength bonus, temporarily bringing Cheng Tian to 24 Strength.

Background / History

Cheng Tian was a young sugar painting artist before becoming a Chosen Player. A certified inheritor of the craft, he modernized his stall’s designs with popular characters while treating the work as both a livelihood and a hobby. He lived frugally, did not smoke, drink, or gamble, and had enough savings to live independently for several years. His master also works in the same profession. 33 34

He was pulled into the Demon Village novice trial immediately after leaving the bathroom, explaining his initial shorts-and-slippers appearance. While the other newcomers panicked, Cheng Tian recognized the graveyard scene as the opening of the NES version of Ghosts ’n Goblins and became excited by the prospect of exploring a game world made real. 1 2

After finding Arthur’s remains, Cheng Tian promised to help defeat Demon King Astaroth if given the opportunity. Arthur’s remnant soul accepted the promise, passing on a limited-time storyline, a map to the Demon King’s Castle, and Arthur’s legacy. 8 9

Appearance

Cheng Tian initially appeared in only shorts and slippers, having been taken into Demon Village without time to dress. He later changes clothing and disguises as situations require, including a Deadpool mask and cowboy outfit on Space Island, a gentlemanly businessman cover identity in Gotham, and Moth Gang clothing during infiltration. 1 28 37 40

• Initially wore strawberry-patterned underwear after inheriting Arthur’s storyline; the pattern lost its effect outside Demon Village. 9 28
• Has an ordinary appearance but low initial Charm; strangers often respond to him with unease rather than warmth. 18 37
• Frequently carries mismatched, visually conspicuous equipment, particularly the Cyclops Head Shield and Captain America’s Shield. 27 38

Personality

Cheng Tian is an intensely knowledgeable retro-game enthusiast. He rapidly identifies game references, hidden mechanics, enemy archetypes, Easter eggs, and likely exploits, treating the Chosen Evolution Space as an extraordinary real-world game to be explored rather than merely endured. His fascination can override fear, such as when Arthur’s body dissolved into a skeleton before him. 1 2 21

In combat, he is observant, calculating, and willing to use brutal methods. He studies an ability before committing to it, exploits information gaps, and targets weaknesses rather than engaging enemies on their own terms. Against the Red Imp, he tested whether Polymorph injuries transferred back to the target’s original form, severed its wings, and systematically destroyed its limbs once he identified its vulnerability to blunt damage. 13 14

His pragmatism is selective. Cheng Tian will protect capable allies and values teamwork in games, but refuses to endanger himself for people he considers reckless liabilities, such as Phone Guy. He also prioritizes converting resources into immediate combat power rather than hoarding currency. 10 29

Abilities & Skills

Game Expert

Cheng Tian’s innate talent allows him to load video-game character templates during appropriate instance missions. Template-based abilities and weapon proficiency let him adapt his fighting style to the current game world. 4 28

• Loaded the Vampire Hunter template in Demon Village. 4
• Retained the ability to reload the Vampire Hunter template in future Demon Village missions after the talent’s settlement. 28
• Loaded the Captain America template during the Gotham mission. 37 38
• His game knowledge also lets him identify enemy mechanics and recognize references that other players miss. 1 14 47

Vampire Hunter Template

The Vampire Hunter template gave Cheng Tian combat proficiency with the Vampire Killer whip and an instinctive hostility toward vampire creatures. 4 6

• Vampire Killer — Efficiently dispatches zombies and other nearby monsters; can confer limited holy damage when applied to unsuitable weapon types. 4 11
• Hit Evasion — A passive skill that allowed him to phase through a Vampire Magician’s Polymorph projectile and retreat roughly three meters. 6
• Soul Salvation — Lets him collect Innocent Souls from defeated enemies; Souls can replenish consumed projectiles or substitute for MP costs. 8 22 28
• Innocent Souls remain after unloading the Vampire Hunter template, allowing them to fuel Arthur-derived Knight Throwing. 22

Arthur’s Proof and Knight Throwing

Arthur’s legacy grants Cheng Tian implicit access to the knight’s throwing techniques. He can use a currently held weapon as a blueprint to create thrown attacks. 9 11 25

• Knight Throwing costs 5 MP per use, or can be offset by Innocent Souls. 22
• Thrown weapons can retain added holy damage from the Vampire Hunter template. 11
• The Cyclops Head Shield can serve as a throwing blueprint for 5 MP or 2 Innocent Souls, with a chance to launch fireballs. 27

Polymorph (Duck)

Through the Bloodline Gentleman’s Cane, Cheng Tian can fire a hexagram-shaped magic missile that transforms a target into a duck unable to attack. 8

• Requires a one-second channel, costs 20 MP, and has a ten-minute cooldown. 8
• Lasts five seconds on ordinary enemies; stronger template types resist it to varying degrees. 8
• Cheng Tian discovered that injuries dealt to a target’s duck form can transfer back to its original body. 13
• Used it to disable the Red Imp’s flight and to create openings against the Cyclops. 12 13 24

Hundred Demons’ Night Parade

A skill acquired by crushing the Red Imp Heart. It can alter a target into a monster-associated form through a judgment influenced by Cheng Tian’s Spirit and Charm relative to the target. 15 19

• Added to Cheng Tian’s skill bar with three remaining blank skill slots. 16
• Successfully transformed a Specter Armor after a 59% judgment chance. 19
• Its use on the Demon Cicada separated the creature from its previous Specter Armor template and left it as a Pokémon-like being. 21

Captain America Template

The Captain America template provides Cheng Tian with Captain America’s Shield and shield-focused combat skills. 37 38

• Shield Master — Improves coordination with shields and doubles their performance, including the Cyclops Head Shield’s Strength bonus. 38 39
• Captain America’s Shield can deflect ranged attacks and ricochet through groups of enemies. 39
• Both equipped shields can return automatically to Cheng Tian’s hands within range. 39
• Blitz Charge — Allowed Cheng Tian to phase through Batman and escape his attempted capture. 41

Survival and Tactical Skills

• Uses game-derived knowledge to identify enemy weaknesses, such as the Red Imp’s susceptibility to blunt weapons in Stone Form. 14
• Prioritizes food, clean water, supplies, inventory space, and safe routes during prolonged instances. 17 18 27
• Searches systematically for Easter eggs but avoids activating potentially harmful ones before completing critical objectives. 21 28
• Plans to develop counters for high-Agility enemies after failing to pursue the fleeing Yasha. 48

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bloodline Gentleman’s Cane — Green Excellent one-handed magic cane; grants Spirit +2, increased physical damage against undead, and Polymorph (Duck). 8
• Knight Armor — Green Excellent full-body armor inherited from Arthur; negates one instance of damage regardless of strength, then shatters and grants Phase Shift. 10 24
• Cyclops Head Shield — Silver-chest reward; grants Strength and can be used defensively, offensively, or as a Knight Throwing blueprint. 26 27
• Captain America’s Shield — Template weapon used for defense, ricocheting attacks, and firearm deflection. 37 39
• Crystal Option +4 — Reinforced to +4 before the Gotham mission. 34
• Ring of Charged Bolts — Green Excellent magic ring given to him by Erin after Guiji’s death. 50
• Demon King’s Castle Map — Inherited from Arthur; intended to allow a direct confrontation with Astaroth’s true form if Cheng Tian survives to reach him. 9

Relationships

• Arthur — Cheng Tian inherited Arthur’s mission after promising to help defeat Astaroth and save the Princess if possible. 8 9
• One-Ear — Fellow Demon Village newcomer who fought beside Cheng Tian and later followed his lead for survival; Cheng Tian acknowledged his courage and returned weapons to him after the trial. 4 10 26
• Scab — One-Ear’s college friend and a Demon Village survivor; assisted Cheng Tian with supplies and weapon retrieval during the Cyclops battle. 17 25 26
• Demon Cicada — A temporary companion created through Hundred Demons’ Night Parade; followed Cheng Tian, helped blind the Cyclops, and parted from him amicably after free exploration. 21 23 27
• Greenie — A veteran guide in Demon Village whose aggressive behavior made Cheng Tian unwilling to engage with him afterward. 1 32
• Cheng Tian’s master — His sugar-painting mentor, who communicates with him about new design subjects such as Ultraman. 33 34
• Batman / Bruce Wayne — Pursued Cheng Tian as an alleged antisocial criminal and attempted to confine him in Arkham; Cheng Tian escaped using Blitz Charge. 41 42
• Erin — Archer player who recognized Cheng Tian as a Shield Guardian, paid to form a team with him, killed Guiji during their encounter, and gave him the Ring of Charged Bolts. 42 43 48 50

Story Role / Major Arcs

Demon Village Novice Trial

Cheng Tian enters Demon Village as an unprepared newcomer but immediately identifies its Ghosts ’n Goblins basis. He loads the Vampire Hunter template, defeats the Vampire Magician, inherits Arthur’s mission, and obtains the Knight Armor. 1 4 8 10

He kills the elite Red Imp by combining Polymorph, limb-targeting, and a Great Hammer against its gargoyle form. The victory grants him Hundred Demons’ Night Parade and resources that support the rest of the trial. 12 16

With One-Ear, Scab, and the Demon Cicada providing limited support, Cheng Tian blinds and defeats the Cyclops, completing the main quest. The settlement credits him with 99% contribution to the team mission. 23 26

After the trial, he uses the available exploration time to collect all first-level Easter eggs, including an additional Knight Armor and a King Statue, causing Game Expert to settle and unlock Soul Salvation. 27 28

Space Island and Preparation

In the Chosen Evolution Space, Cheng Tian manages his inventory, equipment, and funds with a focus on increasing immediate combat capability. He learns trial and bounty-mission procedures from Auntie Custer, accepts the Data Collection bounty mission for the ’89 Batman instance, and reinforces his Crystal Option to +4. 29 32 34

’89 Batman Bounty Mission

Cheng Tian enters Gotham and quickly investigates the Moth Gang after overpowering two attempted robbers. In a Moth Gang bar, he loads the Captain America template and uses two shields to defeat the gang members while collecting combatant files for his bounty. 35 40

Batman confronts Cheng Tian over the bar’s killings and judges him fit for Arkham Asylum. Cheng Tian rejects Batman’s authority, deflects a missile, and escapes through Blitz Charge with indirect assistance from an unknown archer. 41 42

Erin recruits Cheng Tian as her shield-oriented teammate. Together they confront Red-Name twins Guiji and Yasha, who had tracked Cheng Tian for his Demon Village equipment; Cheng Tian exposes their copied Streets of Rage 3 strategy, and Erin kills Guiji while Yasha escapes. 43 50

Notable Quotes

“Buddy, I can't guarantee I can save the Princess, but if I have the chance, I'll definitely help you take down the Demon King.” 8

“When I die, it'll be your turn! Gahaha!” 23

“People? Aren't these just social garbage?” 41

Trivia

• Cheng Tian prefers retro games and considers 8-bit pixel aesthetics more appealing than modern high-fidelity graphics. 2
• He initially viewed Arthur’s death scene as exciting because it resembled finding a rare game Easter egg. 2
• He dislikes rings and accessories because they interfere with gripping cookware and weapon handles, despite accepting Erin’s ring. 50
• His appetite increased substantially after becoming a Chosen Player; he once ate five steamers of beef soup dumplings and three large bowls of congee in one morning. 34
• He orders milk in bars. 37