In the Forest of Imosul, Noah's body lay motionless on the damp ground, his face turned sideways as his chest pressed against the cold earth. Slow breaths escaped from his nose, steady yet faint, while his hollow eye sockets made him appear less human despite his perfectly toned physique.
Time passed slowly as the night stretched on, the rain gradually fading into silence. Darkness eventually gave way to dawn, and as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the sky, they fell upon his still body, warming his skin.
His fingers twitched slightly, almost imperceptibly, yet enough to signal the return of life within him. Though he had no eyes to see, he could feel the warmth of the sunlight spreading across his damp body, slowly drying the remnants of rain.
His consciousness stirred from its deep slumber, rising sluggishly as fragmented thoughts began forming within his mind. A single question echoed faintly as he struggled to gather himself, his awareness still hazy and incomplete.
'Where...am I?'
His senses returned gradually, expanding outward as he pushed himself up from the ground. Sitting upright, he perceived everything around him clearly within his mind—the forest, the wet earth, and the corpses of the orcs scattered lifelessly nearby.
The memories flooded back into him without warning—the chase, the overwhelming strength of the Orc leader, and the moment his life had nearly ended. Then came the awakening, a hazy yet powerful recollection that lingered vividly within his thoughts.
'Ahhh...I was fighting those orcs, Then the system said something about Talent Awakening, After that I don't remember much. Oh well, it's good that these Orcs are dead...And somehow no monster attacked me while I was unconscious.'
Before he could dwell further on his thoughts, the system activated once more, its presence echoing inside his mind with mechanical precision, flooding his awareness with multiple notifications that appeared one after another without pause.
[Talent: Sword Of ??? has Awakened]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000EXP acquired!]
[Levelled up!]
[LV.- 1 (0000/2000 EXP)]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000 EXP Acquired!]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000 EXP Acquired!]
[Levelled Up!]
[LV. - 2 (0000/5000 EXP)]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000 EXP Acquired!]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000 EXP Acquired!]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000 EXP Acquired!]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000 EXP Acquired!]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000 EXP Acquired!]
[The host has Killed an Orc, 1000 EXP Acquired!]
[Levelled Up!]
[LV. - 3 (1000/100000 EXP)]
[Strength has increased significantly!]
[Vitality Has increased Significantly!]
[Agility Has increased Significantly!]
[Perception Has increased a small Amount!]
The system messages echoed repeatedly within his mind, each one stacking upon the previous without pause. Noah stood still as a surge of strength rushed through his body, washing away fatigue and replacing it with a newfound sense of vitality and power.
His breathing steadied, becoming smoother and more controlled as his mind cleared significantly. His body felt lighter, faster, and more responsive, while his perception sharpened further, allowing him to sense even the faintest disturbances around him with incredible precision.
Then he noticed something else within himself, something unfamiliar yet strangely similar to what he had sensed from the orcs before. His brow furrowed slightly as realization began forming within his thoughts.
'This? This is similar to the Aura the orcs emitted...is this related to Awakening a Talent?'
His thoughts became sharper and more analytical, processing information at a much faster rate than before. However, his attention was quickly drawn toward the name of his talent, particularly the unfamiliar symbols that appeared once again.
'What? "???" marks Again?'
Although confusion lingered, he chose not to dwell on it for too long. Instead, he focused on gathering more information, deciding to directly question the system regarding the details of his newly awakened talent.
"System, can you Show me The description of my Talent?"
[Of course Host.]
[Talent: Sword of ???]
[Description: A Sword talent that perceives all Sword Talents in it's very core, The Essence of this Talent is said to be only 'One' in this entire Universe. Even The primordial Records don't have Information On this Talent]
[Awakened Skills: Basic Swordsmanship(Lv.1)]
[Acquired Abilities: Invisible Slash(Lv.1)]
[Acquired Techniques: Sword God Art - Chapter 1, Intent Hand Sword]
Noah absorbed the information silently, his mind carefully analyzing every detail presented before him. Although excitement stirred within him at the thought of gaining such abilities, a lingering sense of suspicion toward the system remained deeply rooted.
He restrained himself from experimenting immediately, prioritizing survival over curiosity. His expression remained calm as he expanded his perception once more, focusing on locating a possible route out of the forest instead of indulging in his newfound powers.
'My first priority is escaping this damned forest, Not mingling in these Abilities for Hours.'
His senses spread outward, covering a wide area around him as he mapped the environment in detail. However, despite his efforts, he found nothing but endless forest stretching in all directions, offering no clear path toward escape.
'Damn it, It might be because I ran really deep into the forest when that rabbit chased me?...Think, Think Noah!'
He suppressed his frustration quickly, forcing himself to remain calm as he searched for a solution. After a moment of thought, he arrived at a simple yet risky conclusion.
'What if I only walked towards one route straight? Won't it lead me to a Human kingdom at last? ....I don't really see any way out of this except doing that...hah.'
With his decision made, Noah began walking in a random direction without hesitation. His steps were silent against the wet grass, his movements steady as he continued forward without looking back.
However, the wind brushing against his face caused discomfort around his hollow eye sockets. The sensation irritated him slightly, prompting him to address the issue before continuing further.
'ughh...I should cover my eyeholes, Hmm....this would do'
He tore a portion of his clothing and fashioned it into a thick strip of cloth. Wrapping it around his head, he covered his eye sockets completely, tying it securely to prevent the wind from disturbing him again.
With that done, he resumed walking through the forest, his senses guiding him instead of sight. His perception was far superior now, making his lack of vision almost irrelevant in comparison.
Time passed as Noah traveled across uneven terrain, encountering various monsters along the way. However, none of them dared approach him, their instincts warning them of the overwhelming aura surrounding his body.
To Noah, his aura seemed comparable to that of the orcs he had fought earlier. Yet in reality, it was far more oppressive, causing even distant creatures to tremble in fear as he passed through their territory.
As he continued walking, a sudden realization struck him, causing him to pause momentarily as a thought surfaced within his mind.
'Wait...I haven't eaten food for a while right? Why am i not getting Hungry then?...Is this the effect of my Physique?'
For a brief moment, he expected silence as usual. However, to his surprise, the system responded to his question, providing an explanation that immediately caught his attention.
[The Host is not getting Hungry because of the Energy known as 'Ether' is Flowing in the Atmosphere, Your body Unconsciously sucks small amounts of this 'Ether' to keep itself filled with Energy]
Noah raised his brow beneath the cloth covering his eyes, clearly surprised by the response. His thoughts quickly shifted as he tried to understand the reason behind the system answering him this time.
'What? It answered me?...Hmm, is this because it is related to My body?'
His suspicion deepened further as he continued analyzing the situation, considering different possibilities regarding the system's behavior and its connection to his growth and abilities.
'Or...is this because it is related to my Growth somehow?'
However, no further response came from the system, leaving his question unanswered once again. Just as he was about to dismiss it, another realization struck him, causing his body to stiffen slightly.
'Wait...i hadn't said anything aloud, could it be that it can read my mind?'
[Yes Host]
Noah froze mid-step, his entire body going rigid as unease spread through his thoughts. The implications of such an ability were far too dangerous, forcing him to become cautious instantly.
Despite his concerns, he chose not to pursue the matter further at that moment. Instead, he cleared his mind and resumed walking, focusing only on his surroundings while suppressing unnecessary thoughts.
Then—
His senses reacted instantly.
A presence entered his perception, roughly twenty meters away from him. It was moving, approaching him steadily, its form gradually becoming clearer within his mind.
It had four legs, resembling a tiger in structure, yet far larger in size. Its body radiated power, but what truly caught Noah's attention was the overwhelming aura surrounding it.
That aura—
Was far stronger than the Orc leader he had fought before.
Stronger—
Even than his own.
For the first time since awakening—
Noah stopped moving.