Noah stared at the glitching system interface, his eyes wide as cold sweat formed on his forehead. His teeth clenched tightly while a single thought echoed within his mind—What is happening? The flickering screen pulsed unnaturally, as if alive, resisting something unseen.
He frowned as the Talent message distorted repeatedly, the letters bending and reforming like a living entity. Then his gaze shifted toward the notice—Authority conflict? The words lingered in his mind, heavy with meaning, yet before he could think further, new messages appeared abruptly.
[System has detected an 'Authority' equal to its own]
[System faces difficulty due to Unknown Rank Talent 'Soul Clasier']
[Attempting reassignment of Talent…]
The lines paused briefly—
Then chaos erupted.
[ERROR! ERROR! ERROR!]
['Soul Clasier' is rejecting overwrite attempt]
['Soul Clasier' is forcefully integrating with Participant]
Noah didn't need further explanation.
His widened eyes slowly narrowed as understanding struck instantly. Authority equal to the system…? His thoughts turned sharp, dangerous. Is it what I think it is? Possibilities flooded his mind, each more absurd than the last, yet none could be dismissed.
Before he could process further—
The world changed.
The forest around him distorted violently. Trees twisted unnaturally, their forms stretching like illusions unraveling. The ground beneath him blurred, and within a single instant, everything dissolved into pure white—endless, silent, and absolute.
Time stopped.
Completely.
No wind. No sound. No movement.
Noah's body froze mid-motion, his breath halted, his muscles locked as if existence itself had paused. Yet something remained—his thoughts continued, racing freely in the unnatural stillness.
What is this…? His mind surged with confusion. If time stopped… my thoughts should too. A faint tension built within him as he tried to understand the contradiction, but before clarity could form, the system flickered again.
[Integration of 'Soul Clasier' completed]
[Congratulations Participant Noah]
The text stabilized.
[Achievement surpasses known limits]
[Reward processing initiated]
[Processing may take time]
A pause followed before the final line appeared.
[Returning Participant to Trial Area]
The white space shattered instantly, like glass breaking across reality itself. The forest returned in a single breath—dark, suffocating, and real. Noah's body regained movement as he inhaled sharply, his chest rising violently as control returned.
He flexed his fingers slowly, testing his limbs. Everything responded perfectly. "…So it wasn't an illusion." His voice came out low and steady, though his eyes remained sharp with lingering tension from what had just occurred.
He exhaled once and spoke again.
"Status."
The interface appeared instantly, stable this time, hovering before him with clear, defined text.
[Participant: Noah Novachrono]
[Age: 18]
[Talent: Soul Clasier]
[STR: 8 | STM: 7 | INT: 9 | AGL: 5]
{Human Limit: 10}
Noah scanned it carefully.
"…Same as before."
But his gaze halted on two details. The Talent—and his Intelligence. INT: 9… His previous life had been lower. A faint smile formed as realization surfaced within his mind.
'So it carries over… accumulated intellect from before regression.'
"…Good."
His attention shifted again, locking onto the Talent itself. This was the real change—the unknown variable that even the system had failed to control.
"Talent description."
The interface flickered once before stabilizing again.
[Soul Clasier]
[Authority: Equal to System]
[Effect: Perfect manipulation of 'Soul Energy']
[Growth Rate: 100x Soul Development]
[Further abilities: Locked]
Noah's eyes stopped mid-reading.
'Soul Energy…?' Confusion flickered within him. This term had never existed in his previous life.
'And my soul grows a hundred times faster…?' Something had changed drastically—something beyond normal regression.
Before he could analyze further—
Rustle.
The bushes ahead moved slightly.
Then again—more violently.
Noah's gaze snapped forward instantly, his body tensing slightly. A thin layer of sweat formed again as instinct kicked in. "…So it begins." His voice remained calm, but his focus sharpened completely.
The system flickered again.
[Trial Initiated]
[Objective: Survive and eliminate threats]
[Rewards upon completion]
The bushes exploded outward.
A creature stepped out—a wolf, yet not one that belonged to Earth. It stood upright on two legs, its muscular frame towering, claws extending from its hands, and its massive jaws lined with jagged teeth.
"GRRRRR…"
Its red eyes locked onto Noah, filled with hunger.
Noah met its gaze calmly.
A slow smile formed.
"…You look hungry."
His tone remained steady as one hand slipped into his pocket. "…But I'm not interested in becoming your meal today." His posture remained relaxed, yet his eyes sharpened with quiet calculation.
He pulled out a small pouch.
Salt.
Ordinary, simple salt.
At the same time, the system updated.
[Target: Fallen Wolves – 20]
[STR: 15 | STM: 14 | INT: 8 | AGL: 16]
Noah read the stats quickly.
Stronger. Faster.
Yet his smile didn't fade.
"…Sorry."
He opened the pouch slowly.
"…You won't be eating today." A brief pause followed, his gaze locking onto the wolf. "…Or ever." His tone carried quiet certainty rather than arrogance.
The wolf reacted instantly.
Its eyes turned bloodshot as it lunged forward with explosive speed, closing the distance in a blink. Its claws extended, jaws opening wide as it aimed directly for Noah's upper body.
Noah moved at the last moment.
His hand dipped into the pouch, grabbing a fistful of salt. His eyes sharpened completely as timing aligned perfectly within his mind.
Now.
He threw the salt directly forward.
The grains scattered through the air, striking the wolf's eyes with precise accuracy. A sharp howl erupted as its vision was instantly compromised, yet its momentum continued unchecked.
Noah rolled to the side.
The wolf rushed past him blindly and slammed directly into a massive tree.
"CRRRAAAHH!"
The impact echoed through the forest as its body rebounded violently before crashing onto the ground, rolling several meters before stopping.
It writhed uncontrollably.
Claws scraped against its own face as it struggled to regain vision, its growls turning erratic and pained. Its movements had lost coordination entirely, leaving it vulnerable.
Noah stood up slowly.
A faint smile returned.
"…Still effective."
His voice carried quiet satisfaction. "…Good." His hand moved behind his back as he prepared to finish the fight without wasting unnecessary time.
He pulled out a knife.
Simple. Ordinary.
Yet enough.
He stepped forward steadily, closing the distance as the wolf continued to struggle blindly. It couldn't see. Couldn't react properly. The fight had already been decided the moment its vision was taken.
Noah raised the knife with both hands.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
He drove it down.
Straight into the wolf's head.
"KRRRRRUUUK—!"
The sound cut off abruptly as the blade pierced through. The body twitched violently once, then went completely still. Silence returned to the forest once again.
Noah remained still for a moment, observing carefully.
Then he exhaled.
"…One down."
His gaze lifted toward the deeper parts of the forest, where unseen threats lingered in silence.
"…Nineteen more to go."