《SSS-Rank Template! Becoming The Primordial Dragon As A Side Character》


 Chapter 1 : I Devoured The Goddess

    Chapter 1: Chapter 1 : I Devoured The Goddess"Is this really the end?"


    Dark clouds covered the entire sky, and a gray, destructive mist enveloped the atmosphere.


    Daniel''s armor was shattered, his body drenched in blood, and his bones were completely crushed.


    He looked around. The buildings and skyscrapers were burning in flames. Exhaustion, despair, and regret shone in his eyes.


    At this point, he was the last human¡ªno, the only living being left on Earth. All his friends and loved ones were dead.


    The rest of the heroes had been torn apart by the beasts of corruption, leaving nothing but their skeletal remains.


    "This is it...? All those sacrifices, and in the end, failure?"


    What hurt the most was the senselessness of his friends'' sacrifices. Their deaths had become meaningless and futile.


    At this stage, humanity and the remaining races had sacrificed everything, yet they had still lost. But how could they have possibly won?


    Perhaps his former lover had made the right choice; perhaps betraying humanity was indeed the correct decision¡ªthe only way to survive.


    Still, he had no regrets about his own decision.


    CRACK


    A deafening thunder shook the entire world. The fabric of the sky split in two.


    A crushing pressure descended upon the earth as space-time itself began to fracture.


    The oppressive force made breathing nearly impossible.


    Several gigantic figures appeared, beings so colossal that they eclipsed the sky, each with three heads. Their eyes reflected entire galaxies.


    "Oh God... how were we ever supposed to fight beings like this?"


    Daniel''s voice was utterly hopeless. This battle had been doomed from the very start.


    Suddenly, above those enormous creatures, a face appeared¡ªa breathtakingly beautiful woman, more radiant than anything Daniel had ever seen in his life.


    "Looks like a pathetic ant still clings to life."


    Her voice was the sweetest sound Daniel had ever heard, bringing both a strange calm and an overwhelming sense of death and cold.


    The woman gazed down at him, her expression icy and playful, as though she were looking at a fragile toy.


    "You''re remarkable. Become my servant, and I will spare your life."


    The woman descended closer to him, so close that Daniel could take a better look at her.


    A woman with black hair and eyes as dark as an abyss of eternal void. Her figure was flawless, with seductive curves.


    "What... are you? No... what are you all?"


    Using the last remnants of his energy, Daniel managed to ask the question he had always wanted to.


    "Us? We are gods."


    The woman''s voice brimmed with pride and superiority.


    "Gods? Hahaha. So you''re telling me that all along, the enemies we were fighting were the very gods we worshiped?!"


    Daniel was on the verge of madness; his mental state was on the brink of collapse. He couldn''t accept such a truth.


    The woman''s face finally showed some emotion¡ªdeep contempt and mockery.


    "No? Those are gods, and so are we."


    "Anyway, human, you''re the first¡ªor no, the second¡ªbeing who managed to stand against us this far. Who knows, maybe if you''d had more time, you could have saved your world."


    Daniel shook his head. More time wouldn''t have solved anything. The gap in power was so vast that nothing could bridge it.


    "I can''t kill you, but maybe I can do something else¡ªprove that you so-called gods aren''t invincible."


    "Hahaha."


    Her laugh, even in mockery, made her even more beautiful. Yet it still carried a chilling sense of dread.


    "And what exactly are you going to do?" The goddess took a closer look at Daniel.


    "Can you come closer?"


    The goddess gave him a puzzled look but didn''t refuse. She descended to the ground.


    "Closer. Close enough that I can whisper something in your ear¡ªa secret that will prove you''re not invincible."


    The goddess hesitated slightly, but her curiosity overrode her caution. She wanted to know what had given this human such audacity.


    Slowly, she approached the bloodied Daniel, bending down next to him.


    "So, what do you want to say¡ª"


    Before she could finish her sentence, her lips were sealed by something... another pair of lips? Another pair of lips pressed against hers.


    Daniel kissed her soft lips. He could swear they were softer and sweeter than anything he had ever tasted before.


    So sweet that, in another situation, he might have become addicted to them.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t enjoy them for long. Within less than a second, the goddess pulled herself away.


    "You wretched human, how dare you!"


    Her face turned red for a moment before becoming furious.


    As her anger flared, the entire sky roared, and the earth trembled.


    "Haha."


    Daniel laughed maniacally.


    [Ding... Heaven-Devouring talent activated.]


    [Congratulations to the host for devouring the divinity of the Goddess of Death.]


    [Rank: ??? Unable to measure.]


    Daniel''s true goal wasn''t just to kiss her. He wanted to test something¡ªand it had worked.


    "You¡ª"


    The Goddess of Death suddenly realized something. Her expression shifted to one of terror.


    "What did you do?!"


    She looked at Daniel with murderous intent. Her aura surged, and the world began to collapse.


    Collapse in the most literal sense.


    But before she could act, the world suddenly stopped. Time itself came to a standstill.


    The cycle of life and death completely froze.


    A cicada appeared from nowhere, snatched Daniel''s soul, and fluttered against the flow of the River of Time, unseen by anyone.


    And at the same moment, everything returned to normal.


    "He''s dead? No... this! How dare you interfere!" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2 : Talentless Side-Character

    Chapter 2: Chapter 2 : Talentless Side-Character"Aetheria, Mede, Vorhelm Family"


    "I love you," a young girl with long black hair and blue eyes said courageously. It was clear she had gathered all her bravery for this confession.


    "Haha, that''s a really good joke, Athena," said a young man with short black hair standing before her. Of course, he couldn''t believe that this young girl was serious.


    "Alright, let''s go back. The others are waiting for us," Daniel said as he turned and started to move, but Athena suddenly grabbed his hand. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I-I''m not joking. I truly love you," she said, then let go of his hand and quickly started running away.


    "Huh? She wasn''t joking?"


    "Man, so this is my first confession? And from such a beautiful girl? And not just any girl¡ªthe one I love?" A smile spread across Daniel''s face, and he couldn''t contain his happiness.


    Athena was the girl he had loved all his life. Who would have thought that she would harbor the same feelings for him?


    "Hey, Athena, wait!" Daniel shouted as he started running after her.


    But suddenly, the world around him changed. He found himself in a post-apocalyptic scene, the sky shattered and the world drenched in the blood of living beings.


    "Why?" Blood began to pour from his mouth as he realized that his heart¡ªthe heart that beat only for her¡ªwas torn out of his chest by none other than himself.


    "Haha, isn''t it obvious? Life is above all," a deep, male voice echoed, sounding as though it came from the depths of hell.


    "Humans will do anything to survive. They will even sell themselves. Of course, nothing less can be expected from your lowly kind," the voice continued.


    "Isn''t that right, my dear?"


    Daniel''s bloodied eyes turned to see the one he loved in the arms of another. Rage boiled within him; he wanted to tear them apart with his bare hands. But, unfortunately, he couldn''t.


    His thirst for vengeance manifested as a killing intent that completely erupted. Sadly, this dream world couldn''t withstand such an intense intent, and it collapsed.


    Huff, huff.


    In a somewhat luxurious room with an ancient European architectural style, a 14-year-old boy opened his eyes.


    "That nightmare again," he muttered, panting as he reached for the glass of water on the bedside table and drank it.


    The boy had a plain face, light brown eyes, black hair, and a height that seemed slightly above average for his age.


    "One month until my 14th birthday," he said as he got out of bed and walked to the window, looking outside.


    the sky was clear but the chill and the strong gusts of wind could be felt even through the closed window.


    "Fourteen years since I came to this world, and soon my hellish life will begin," Daniel sighed.


    Fourteen years ago, after being killed by the Goddess of Death, he reincarnated into this world. At first, he was confused, unable to understand how he was still alive.


    But soon, he realized everything seemed far too familiar. To his shock, he had been reincarnated into a novel he used to love reading before the apocalypse began on Earth.


    An action-fantasy novel titled The Fall of Gods, set in a medieval world where people possessed superhuman abilities.


    The novel was about a world invaded by creatures called the Beasts of Corruption and a hero who would rise to save it. Strangely, these Beasts of Corruption were the very same creatures that had attacked and destroyed his previous world, Earth.


    In his previous life, he had noticed this strange resemblance but had dismissed it. He had no choice but to.


    But all of that aside, the real problem was the character he had reincarnated into¡ªone of the most pitiful side characters in the novel. A minor character whose sole purpose was to aid one of the novel''s main antagonists.


    This character was fated to be killed by his own brother out of ambition!


    To make matters worse, this character''s only defining trait was his intelligence. He had no talent. On his Awakening Day, he hadn''t even gained a single ability.


    Failing to awaken any talent wasn''t unheard of, but this character was the son of one of the world''s most powerful men¡ªa man known as the Guardian of the Continent.


    On top of that, the blood of the prestigious Vorhelm family flowed in his veins. A family with a history spanning thousands of years, founded by a hero and, beyond that, a demi-god.


    Although his mother was a commoner and a mere servant, at worst, he should have awakened a low-level talent. But instead, he awakened none.


    "Awakening Day is next week. If things go as they did in the novel, my end will be the same as my previous life," Daniel sighed.


    He didn''t care about this world. He had no emotional attachment to it. He had no friends or family to care for.


    Yet his "dear" brother in this body would eventually come for him. Even if Daniel didn''t act first, that man wouldn''t leave him alone.


    Because of that prophecy, he would undoubtedly kill him¡ªsooner or later.


    More importantly, Daniel had no intention of letting those gods who caused the fall of his world and the deaths of all his loved ones get away with it.


    If the source of the Beasts of Corruption in this world was the same as in his own, then he had a chance¡ªa chance for revenge and to kill all those gods, especially her.


    "If only I could awaken the same talent I had in my previous life..."


    As Daniel was lost in thought, a sudden sound pulled him back to reality.


    Knock, knock!

 Chapter 3 : Template System

    Chapter 3: Chapter 3 : Template SystemKnock knock.


    "Come in." Daniel didn''t even bother turning his head. Only three people lived in the mansion: him, the caretaker, and his mother.


    "Good morning, young master." The door opened, revealing an elderly man in his seventies with short white hair and a beard.


    At first glance, he looked exactly like a kind grandfather who enjoyed giving candy to his grandchildren. However, he was the perfect example of why you should never judge a book by its cover.


    "Good morning to you too, Auguston," Daniel greeted him with a smile.


    "Young master, breakfast will be ready in half an hour. Your mother sent me to wake you."


    "Well, I woke up a bit earlier today," Daniel said with a chuckle.


    He wasn''t in the habit of waking up early and usually slept in a bit. Because of this, his mother often sent Auguston to wake him up.


    "Well, you''ve made my job easier. As per your usual morning routine, the hot spring is ready. I suggest you visit before breakfast is served."


    "Got it. Thanks, Auguston."


    With a polite nod of acknowledgment, Auguston excused himself and left.


    Daniel took one last look out of the window before leaving his room, heading toward the hot spring.


    Inside the hot spring located in the mansion''s courtyard, Daniel lay submerged in the soothing water. His expression remained indifferent and emotionless, as he was deep in thought about his future¡ªa future that might never exist.


    Fourteen years ago, after being reborn, he realized he had a chance to take revenge on those damned gods. However, after learning the identity of the character he reincarnated as, all his hope had been crushed.


    He was utterly exhausted. For the past fourteen years, he had been searching for ways to enhance his talent but had found nothing.


    Worse still, he didn''t even know why this character was completely talentless and had failed the Awakening. In the novel, little information was given about him, but it was hinted that there was a significant reason behind it¡ªone that was never revealed.


    Ridiculous. Absurd!


    He couldn''t and wouldn''t spend his life in vain.


    "A second chance at life, huh? This is nothing but mockery and mental torture." A bitter smile appeared on his face.


    For fourteen years, he had been pondering how he had been reincarnated and, more importantly, why he still had his memories.


    He was certain those bastards would destroy everything about him and never allow him to reincarnate.


    As he sank deeper into his thoughts, his eyes slowly closed, hoping for a brief moment of rest.


    However, it seemed fate wouldn''t allow him that luxury.


    [Ding... System reactivation... System initializing.]


    [Congratulations to the host on your second chance at life.]


    Hearing an unfamiliar voice in his head, Daniel slowly opened his eyes. He neither panicked nor attempted to run.


    Whoever could send their voice directly into his head without Auguston noticing was undoubtedly far stronger than his caretaker. Running away from someone like that was impossible for him in his current state.


    Besides, it wasn''t just a voice in his head¡ªthere was some sort of floating blue screen hovering before him...?


    "Who are you?" The words escaped his lips calmly, though they were laced with a terrifying intent to kill. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Host, please remain calm. I am the Template System. I have been with you even in your previous life, though I was not yet activated.]


    Daniel''s rage subsided slightly. Being a young man from the 21st century, he was naturally familiar with the concept of a system.


    After all, he had already seen plenty of bizarre things: the Corruption Beasts, the apocalypse, gods, kissing a goddess, dying at the hands of a goddess, and now reincarnating into his favorite novel.


    Compared to all that, a system seemed relatively mundane.


    "So why are you activating now... No, wait¡ªreactivation?"


    [The system activates when the host is in a situation of inevitable death. It first activated just before your death in your previous life and saved you by triggering Protocol L23-S.]


    "I see... Wait, you saved me? But how exactly did you save me?" Daniel asked suspiciously, eyeing the floating screen in front of him with caution.


    Interfering with reincarnation wasn''t a trivial matter. Yet, this so-called system claimed to have the power to do so.


    [This information is classified.]


    Daniel narrowed his eyes, becoming even more cautious toward this so-called system.


    [Host, your current strength is very weak. Even at your peak in your previous life, your power was insignificant against a god.]


    [Once you are strong enough, you will uncover the truth yourself.] The system explained, sensing Daniel''s heightened guard.


    "I guess that makes sense. Anyway, since every system has a function, what do you do?"


    [...]


    [You can obtain one Template at random. This is a one-time opportunity, and you may only choose one Template.]


    [Each Template contains the talents, abilities, treasures, and even memories of mythical or ancient beings who have died for various reasons.]


    "Are you serious?" Daniel''s eyebrows raised slightly.


    If this were true, wasn''t this completely overpowered?


    [Would the host like to view the Template list?]


    Two icons, Yes and No, appeared before him. Without hesitation, he clicked on Yes, and the floating screen changed.


    A massive list of options appeared before him. Each entry included a picture and a name, with additional information accessible upon clicking.


    Death''s Prophet, Celestial Priest, Shadow King, All-Father Dragon, The Originator Vampire, The Endless of Dreams, Undead God, Celestial Sword Emperor, and countless other Templates.


    The descriptions of each were more awe-inspiring and terrifying than the last. This was far beyond anything Daniel had imagined.


    With the system''s help, revenge seemed to be just a matter of time.


    "Do the Templates have any ranking system?" As Daniel browsed, he noticed a word beside each name that seemed to indicate some kind of rank.


    [Yes. From weakest to strongest, the rankings are: Common, Grand, Heavenly, Legendary, Mythical, Godly.]


    Daniel nodded in understanding.


    If he could truly use the abilities and talents of these Templates, revenge would no longer be a mere dream. He could slaughter those bastards with his own hands.


    "What are the conditions to unlock the Templates?"

 Chapter 4 : Primordial Dragon Template

    Chapter 4: Chapter 4 : Primordial Dragon Template[The Template is unlocked randomly. If you wish, you can open the Lucky Chest now.]


    "Oh? Then I''ll do it," Daniel said, his tone unchanged, expecting that obtaining a Template wouldn''t be easy.


    [Would the Host like to open the Lucky Chest?]


    "Yes." Daniel clicked on the Yes option.


    [Confirmed.]


    [Opening the Lucky Chest...]


    [Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the Primordial Dragon Template.]


    [Rank: Godly.]


    [Would you like to awaken it?]


    Once again, two options appeared before Daniel. However, this time he didn''t click without hesitation and instead decided to check the information on the Template.


    "I see, this is really..." He couldn''t find the words to describe this Template.


    The abilities and physical, spiritual, and mental powers it offered were beyond anything he had imagined.


    He finally clicked the Yes option.


    [Awakening process initiated.]


    [Fusion starting...]


    [1%...25%...67%...99%...100%...]


    [Fusion complete.]


    As soon as the voice echoed in his head, the surroundings began to tremble violently.


    The clear sky turned black, and dark storm clouds covered it entirely.


    The ground¡ªno, the entire continent¡ªbegan to quake.


    Daniel''s body suddenly started swelling as if it were a balloon being inflated.


    His veins turned golden, and his irises and pupils became completely black, resembling an endless void.


    Lightning tore through the sky, and the thunderclaps were so loud it felt like the heavens had split apart.


    A blinding white light radiated from his eyes, instantly evaporating the entire hot spring.


    The process took about ten minutes before it finally concluded.


    [Awakening successfully completed. Congratulations on obtaining the Primordial Dragon Template.]


    [Ding... You have successfully acquired the Primordial Bloodline.]


    [Rank: ???]


    [Status: Sealed (100%).]


    [Ding... You have successfully acquired the Heart of Chaos.]


    [Rank: ???]


    [Status: Dormant (100%).]


    [Ding... You have successfully acquired the Eyes of the Origin.]


    [Rank: ???]


    [Status: Dormant (100%).]


    [Ding... You have successfully acquired the Core of Chaos.]


    [Rank: SSS.]


    [Status: Requires Chaos Energy to awaken.]


    Daniel ignored the notifications and stood up, examining his body carefully. His physical form had undergone significant changes.


    He had grown taller, his skin looked flawless, his hair had become jet black, and the symmetry of his muscles had drastically improved.


    Even more bizarre was the immense physical and spiritual power coursing through his veins. His mind also felt sharper and clearer than ever before.


    His veins, once turquoise, now gleamed golden.


    "..."


    Then he glanced at the notifications and frowned. All the abilities he had gained were unusable.


    "Are you kidding me? How am I supposed to unlock these abilities? And where am I even supposed to get this Chaos Energy?"


    [Host, your current body is incapable of containing the power of the Primordial Bloodline. You will need the Primordial Bloodline to unlock the Heart of Chaos. Additionally, unlocking the Eyes of the Origin requires awakening the Core of Chaos.]


    "..."


    "You''ve got to be kidding me."


    [The system does not joke.] S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How do I even find Chaos Energy to awaken the Core of Chaos? What is Chaos Energy anyway?" Daniel, despite his vast knowledge, had no clue what Chaos Energy was.


    [Chaos Energy is a special energy present in Corrupted Beasts. By slaying them, the system will assist you in absorbing their Chaos Energy.]


    "Killing Corrupted Beasts?" Daniel frowned. Normally, an ordinary human wouldn''t stand a chance against a Corrupted Beast, even one of the weakest kinds.


    But he no longer considered himself ordinary¡ªor at least he hoped not.


    Besides, with the power he felt in his veins, this task didn''t seem impossible.


    Still, the presence of Chaos Energy in Corrupted Beasts raised several questions in his mind. Neither he nor humanity had ever had any idea such energy even existed.


    Until he could interact with Chaos Energy himself, he wouldn''t be able to fully understand it or answer his questions.


    "What exactly is the Core of Chaos?"


    [It is similar to the spiritual core of humans, but the Core of Chaos belongs to Divine Beasts. Essentially, it is their source of power.]


    "Divine Beasts and not Corrupted Beasts? Then how does this energy exist in Corrupted Beasts?" Daniel frowned deeply.


    Naturally, he was familiar with Divine Beasts¡ªcreatures like dragons, golden tigers, phoenixes, celestial lions, heavenly serpents, and more.


    These were the apex predators and the noblest bloodlines among all beasts.


    [Access to this information is unavailable.]


    "..."


    "Forget it," Daniel sighed. Naturally, he would figure it out sooner or later. As long as this system was his ally, everything would be fine.


    "Oh, right, I almost forgot about the phenomenon," Daniel muttered, glancing around and scratching his head.


    His mother and caretaker probably noticed, didn''t they?


    [Host, there''s no need to worry. The system has concealed all causality, and no one will suspect that this phenomenon is related to you.]


    Daniel let out a breath of relief. For now, he had no plans to reveal his power. While he disliked pretending to be weak, it was a necessity until the day of reckoning arrived.


    He returned to his room, changed clothes, and then headed to the manor''s dining hall, where his mother and caretaker were waiting.


    "Oh-ho, you''re finally here? I''ve missed you so much, my darling boy." The moment he entered the dining hall, a figure hugged him tightly.


    "Ugh, Mom, I''m gonna suffocate!" Daniel groaned. Even after fourteen years, he still hadn''t gotten used to this daily ordeal.


    He had fought in countless battles and emerged victorious, but unfortunately, he had never won against the overwhelming force of his mother''s "two mountains."


    "Oh-ho, what am I supposed to do? It''s not my fault I love my son so much," Philendra teased, clearly enjoying how flustered her son was, showing no intention of letting go.


    Daniel had no choice but to endure for a few minutes until his mother finally released him.


    "Hoof... Hoof..." He panted, catching his breath.


    "Is it just me, or did you get taller?" Philendra squinted at her son. Just yesterday, he had been shorter than her, and now he was taller.


    Daniel glanced at his mother. She was a woman with long black hair, golden eyes, and flawless, fair skin. Her voluptuous figure and seductive curves could captivate any man, while her long legs and shapely hips were equally mesmerizing.


    "Mom, you''re imagining things. I''m the same as always," Daniel said, lying with pride.


    "Augustus, doesn''t he seem taller to you as well?" Philendra wasn''t convinced.


    "Yes, my lady. He appears much taller than he was yesterday. His hair looks darker, and his physique seems more muscular as well," Augustus said.


    "..." As expected from the old caretaker, Daniel thought. Even knowing his true background, he hadn''t expected Augustus to be so perceptive.


    "You didn''t do anything dangerous, did you?" Philendra''s eyes turned threatening, worried her son had done something reckless due to the humiliation he had faced.


    Daniel sighed. He had never expected to hide the changes in his body successfully; it was practically impossible.

 Chapter 5 : The Time

    Chapter 5: Chapter 5 : The Time"Didn''t do anything dangerous, did you?" Philendra''s eyes turned sharp and threatening. She feared her son might have done something reckless in response to the humiliations he''d faced. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Daniel sighed. He hadn''t expected to fully conceal the changes to his body¡ªit was practically impossible.


    "Mom, honestly, I think I might have a unique bloodline." Of course, he didn''t intend to reveal the full truth.


    Philendra frowned and grabbed her son''s hand, sending her aura into his body to examine it thoroughly in an instant.


    "I can''t feel anything," she muttered, still holding onto him. She tried a second time but once again, it yielded no results.


    "Are you lying to me?"


    Daniel shook his head indifferently. He had no intention of explaining further. He mentioned the bloodline as a convenient excuse¡ªsomething to fall back on in case any future changes or incidents happened.


    His mother''s inability to detect the bloodline was, of course, due to its sealed state.


    "Forget it," Philendra said, turning back and taking her seat. She couldn''t force her son to talk, only silently vow to keep a close eye on him.


    Daniel smirked and sat across from his mother.


    "Anyway, Mom, if you''re done with your questions, can I ask mine now?" he said, placing a piece of steak in his mouth.


    "What questions?" Philendra smiled and pinched his cheek. While Daniel didn''t enjoy it, he had no choice but to endure it for now.


    "Alright, my turn for questions. When are we going to main estate?" he said, swallowing the steak.


    "Young Master, we''ll leave next week. Would you prefer to rest during this week, or will you continue with your training schedule?" Augustus, standing respectfully to the side, answered.


    "I''ll continue training. I''ll give you a list; please prepare everything on it for me."


    Even though Daniel was entirely talentless, it didn''t mean he avoided training. To maintain his body''s strength, he trained diligently every day.


    "Understood, Young Master."


    Next week was the time to head to the Vorhelm family''s main estate. At the age of fourteen, one could begin the awakening process.


    Besides Daniel, there were many other descendants of the Vorhelm family also preparing to undergo the awakening process.


    Between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, children could awaken. Children of noble families typically underwent the process at fourteen to have more time to familiarize themselves with their talent and begin training.


    The Vorhelm family selectes one specific day in a particular year for all eligible descendants to undergo the awakening process at the main estate.


    Any prodigies who awakened high-level innate talent would be accepted into the family''s main branch and nurtured.


    "Are you sure you want to participate?" Philendra asked her son with a serious gaze.


    "Mom, you don''t need to worry. Nothing will happen to me." Daniel could see the concern in his mother''s eyes and was genuinely grateful for it.


    The awakening process in this world was somewhat different from those in other fantasy novels. This process could truly lead to death.


    If, according to the mother system''s conditions, one wasn''t at least sufficiently intelligent and powerful, they would undoubtedly die during the process. Another essential requirement was a minimum 15% mana compatibility.


    "I know, my dear, and I don''t intend to stop you. But remember, it''s never too late to change your mind," Philendra said with a sigh.


    She knew her stubborn son well and realized she couldn''t persuade him to give up.


    Of course, she had every reason to worry. Her son''s mana compatibility was 0¡ªsomething recorded only three times in history, known as the Curse of Fate.


    Those born with the Curse of Fate were destined never to pass the awakening process or become a Authority Holder


    This anomaly was strange even to Daniel. Although the character he reincarnated as was talentless, in the novel it was wrtten that he has 7% mana compatibility. Yet, he had absolutely none¡ªcompletely zero.


    Unfortunately, he hadn''t found any reason for this difference yet.


    The room filled with a somber silence.


    Neither Daniel nor his mother nor Augustus spoke further.


    Daniel pondered the system and his future, while Philendra thought about the strange phenomena that had occurred earlier. From what she had observed, low-level awakeners and mortals noticed nothing.


    To them, everything seemed normal, as if nothing had happened. However, Authority Holder had noticed it all, though none could find the cause and effect behind it


    "Mom, I need to get back to my training. I''ll take my leave now. Augustus, make sure to buy everything I''ve listed as soon as possible." After finishing his breakfast, Daniel left the dining hall and headed to the training room.


    "My Lady, do you think he is truly the one mentioned in the prophecy?" Augustus asked once Daniel was gone. The atmosphere in the room shifted entirely.


    "If you had asked me before, I''d have said no. But now... I''m not so sure," Philendra replied, her aura and demeanor completely changed.


    Moments ago, she was just a mother who loves her son. Now, she resembled an empress surveying the skies with dominance.


    "Watch over him carefully. Even if he is the prophesied one, he''s still my son..."


    "As you wish, My Lady" Augustus said with a respectful nod and exited the dining hall.


    "By the way, investigate those phenomena. See if you can uncover anything," Philendra commanded with an authoritative tone. Augustus bowed and left, leaving her alone in the room.


    She crossed her legs, the motion briefly revealing her black underwear. Her large, voluptuous breasts pressed together, creating an alluring sight.


    Her golden eyes glowed brilliantly, resembling pure gold.


    "Ah, everything is becoming more chaotic. First, the Second Great War, then the prophecy, and now phenomena with no cause or effect..."

 Chapter 6 : Present And Future

    Chapter 6: Chapter 6 : Present And FutureIn a training room lined with various magical arrays, Daniel sat cross-legged on the ground, appearing to meditate.


    Of course, what he was doing wasn''t simple meditation. This practice was designed to strengthen his mind. Over the past two years, starting at the age of twelve, Daniel had begun his training.


    The body and the mind¡ªof course, the soul existed as well, but until he underwent the awakening process, he couldn''t access it.


    Thus, he spent his time nurturing his body and mind, both of which were extremely important, especially the power of the mind, which had a significant impact on the strength of the soul as well.


    Unfortunately, since he hadn''t undergone the awakening process, he couldn''t use mana to refine and train his mind and body. He had to rely on alternative methods.


    Worse still, due to his zero mana compatibility, he couldn''t use mana at all.


    The two techniques he used were called Mind Refinement and Body Refinement. These techniques were created by one of his genius friends in his previous life.


    Daniel had memorized the details of both techniques from his past life, even though they were of no use to him back then. However, things were different now.


    The Mind Refinement technique greatly enhanced his perception and processing speed, while the Body Refinement technique shaped the symmetry of his muscles.


    At first glance, these techniques and their usage might seem trivial, but that was a mistake. His mental processing speed and comprehension in this body were mediocre at best¡ªcloser to below average.


    In other words, his mental capabilities were unacceptably weak by his own standards.


    Of course, with the acquisition of the Primordial Dragon Template, this had changed significantly.


    As for the body, muscle symmetry and placement were crucial. Mana flowed through the body, passing between tissues and muscles.


    The more symmetrical and precise the muscles and body structure, the smoother and faster the flow of mana and other energies, ultimately leading to improved attack speed and better execution of offensive techniques.


    Initially, Daniel planned to find a way to increase his mana compatibility. However, after merging with the Dragon Template, his plans shifted entirely.


    According to the system''s explanation, better muscle symmetry made it easier to absorb chaos energy.


    Of course, this was merely one benefit of a perfect physical structure for others. Daniel''s goal wasn''t just to absorb chaotic energy more effectively; he intended to use the energy pathways and channels in his body to wield the Power of Authority.


    "Finished," he muttered, taking a deep breath and opening his eyes.


    "I guess this is the limit of these two techniques. Progressing further isn''t possible," he thought. He could feel that the effects of the techniques were no longer as impactful as before.


    His plan had been to bring his body and mind to their peak potential before undergoing the awakening process, but it seemed that wasn''t feasible.


    Both the Body Refinement and Mind Refinement techniques, like most others, relied on mana to function effectively. Daniel had modified them to work somewhat without mana, but their effectiveness was minimal¡ªtoo limited for his needs.


    Still, it didn''t matter anymore.


    "Should I try another method?" he wondered aloud. Despite the limitations, he wasn''t ready to give up on reaching the peak of mortal physical potential. His mind and body could still improve.


    "Though, with my current state, it might not be possible," he admitted. He had methods to bring a mortal human body to its peak potential.


    However, with his current body, he wasn''t so sure. He doubted he could still be considered human. His mental processing speed and comprehension were at least a thousand times greater¡ªand what was even more fascinating was that he hadn''t fully transformed into a dragon yet.


    "Well, they don''t call them the strongest race under heaven and earth for no reason," Daniel chuckled.


    "Augustus will probably object, but with my current physical strength, it shouldn''t be an issue," he decided to test the method regardless. Besides, it would help him better understand his evolved body.


    He stood up, left the training room, and headed for the bath. After every training session, he would take a cold bath. Once done, he went to the library.


    Although he wanted to speak with Augustus as soon as possible, the butler was currently out buying the items on his list. For now, all Daniel could do was wait.


    "They''ve really used all of the hero''s ideas, huh?" Daniel remarked, skimming through the news.


    The world was becoming more peaceful by the day, and humanity was slowly transforming into the strongest race.


    All of these advancements were thanks to those five individuals, though every single one of their actions was based on the ideas of the hero¡ªthe protagonist of the novel.


    Humanity''s weapons were also improving day by day¡ªnot guns, tanks, or missiles, of course.


    The advancements were in bows and swords, with greater attack power, accuracy, and some other enhancements.


    Technological progress in this world was slow, primarily because many races opposed it.


    "How laughable," he muttered, barely containing his laughter.


    "Human rights? They''re going way overboard with this." Though he''d read about it in the novel, seeing it from the perspective of this world made their actions seem absurd.


    Due to those five individuals, humanity had become one of the strongest races in the world.


    Other races, like vampires and elves, had been heavily suppressed. In the past, there were more than nine elven empires, but now only three remained. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Logically, becoming the strongest shouldn''t be an issue.


    However, suppressing other races in such a manner was completely wrong and foolish. It could be extremely dangerous in the long term, especially in a world where a concept named [Fate] exists.


    Even Daniel didn''t fully kbow what [Fate] is, as the novel only briefly mentioned it.


    According to the author''s explanation, disturbing the balance too much could anger the gods of this world. At that point, humanity would likely lose [Fate], which would then be given to a race capable of suppressing humanity and restoring balance.


    In the novel, these events occurred, plunging humanity into an era of chaos until the hero returned and resolved the crisis.


    However, for all of that to happen, Daniel would need to join forces with that bastard brother of the character he had reincarnated as.


    Unfortunately¡ªor perhaps fortunately¡ªhe had no interest in joining that bastard''s group.

 Chapter 7 : Present And Future II

    Chapter 7: Chapter 7 : Present And Future II"Will this [Fate] interfere?" Of course, Daniel had his concerns.


    He didn''t know exactly how powerful this [Fate], which acted as a kind of mechanism to maintain balance in the world, truly was, and that was precisely what worried him.


    Would this Fate force him in some way to join that other one to ensure that everything unfolded as it did in the novel, without any deviation?


    He couldn''t say for sure... although it was merely a worry for now. He was determined to ensure that everything went according to his own will.


    Even if it was [Fate], he would destroy it if necessary. After all, there were people in the novel who managed to destroy it.


    "Next meeting of the Guardian Council," he muttered while switching to the next piece of news on a screen projected from a magical artifact, forming a blue holographic display.


    "Heh, things really aren''t looking good." A small smirk appeared on his face. Four Calamities that had disappeared three centuries ago had now begun to show signs of reappearing.


    Or at least, traces and hints of their emergence had been discovered. This wasn''t a matter concerning only humanity but required a collective decision from the Seat Holders of the Guardian Council.


    Of course, such a thing wasn''t unexpected, and the novel provided a completely logical explanation for their reappearance.


    Three hundred years ago, the Hero had been the one who stopped them, preventing them from attacking humanity and the world. But after the events of three centuries past, everything had changed.


    The time of the contract had ended, and now, no one existed who could stand in their way.


    The Guardian Council was essentially this world''s version of the United Nations, but with a critical difference: this organization was built upon a fragile alliance among races to counter the Beastkin of Corruption.


    The superpowers of each race held a Seat in the Council, granting them the right to vote and decide on issues that affected the fate of all races and the world itself.


    However, there was a catch: the voting power and influence of each superpower were not equal. Those with greater strength and authority naturally had far more significant sway.


    "Even though I can''t fully underestand why, the Church is at peak," Daniel murmured as he glanced at a list of the most influential individuals in the world, including the one who held the highest authority among the Council''s Seat Holders.


    In the early Chapters of the novel, when the Guardian Council was first introduced, both Daniel and the readers had assumed that the Hero''s old friends held the greatest influence within the Council. But reality hit like a harsh slap to the face: the highest authority belonged to the Pope.


    "Not surprising," Daniel thought aloud, analyzing the situation. The five new human superpowers were, directly or indirectly, under the control of the Church.


    Even one of the three ancient superpowers, which was on par with the Vorhelm family and had existed since the era of the second Hero, had been founded by one of the Knights of Light.


    "The Dwarves... hmm, if my memories of the novel are correct, the Church has plans for them," he mused, thinking about the renowned race of Dwarves¡ªmasters of forging weapons and magical artifacts.


    This race wasn''t particularly skilled in combat, which had historically made them the slaves of humans, vampires, and dragons.


    However, in the current era, things had changed dramatically. Thanks to their heavenly talents in crafting and the establishment of one of the world''s largest organizations, they now wielded considerable influence over the global economy.


    But only a fool would believe their rise was solely due to their hard work and talents. Such a notion was utterly na?ve.


    "I''ve forgotten so many details about this novel," Daniel sighed. It had been a long time since he''d last read The Fall of Heroes, and he couldn''t recall every minor detail.


    However, he was fairly certain that the Church played a significant role in the Dwarves'' ascent.


    Speaking of Dwarves... S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Maybe I should find that father and son..." Two characters from the novel came to his mind¡ªa father and son who had forged the Hero''s sword, the greatest masterpiece in history.


    "They''d make excellent pawns. With their help, I could grow stronger more efficiently. I might even gain some control over the global economy."


    Daniel''s ambitions were far from modest.


    If he truly intended to destroy the gods responsible for Earth''s destruction, he had to reach the pinnacle of power¡ªand to achieve that, he couldn''t afford to leave any stones unturned.


    But revenge wasn''t enough for him. For all the deaths of those he loved, he wanted to make the gods feel anguish and fear in every fiber of their beings.


    Only such an elaborate vengeance would satisfy him¡ªa revenge that would strip his enemies from their peak and etch terror into their very souls.


    "Perhaps I should devise a plan similar to the Hero''s," Daniel thought, pulling his gaze away from the holographic screen.


    In the novel, after regaining her memories, the Hero decided to establish her own force¡ªa legion that would dominate the world''s economy and politics.


    A Corps.


    Although the Corps was merely an auxiliary force for the Hero, it played a crucial role in her growth. In the novel, this legion controlled both the bright and dark sides of society.


    Daniel contemplated whether he should establish a similar force or simply exploit the opportunity and seize control of the Hero''s Corps when she created it.


    "Either way, there are more pressing matters to deal with first." He set aside thoughts of the legion for the time being.


    "I need to figure out what to do about the prophecy. Even if my brother don''t come after me, those five certainly will," he muttered, feeling a slight headache coming on.


    While Primordial Dragon Template granted him the potential to become the strongest, it would take time.


    "Maybe I should track down the Hero''s master?"


    He wasn''t sure whether that person was still alive after three centuries. Even in the novel, the Hero intended to seek out her master but couldn''t due to unforeseen events.


    In the novel, her master was one of the strongest beings in the world and had taught her swordsmanship.


    Looking at the Hero''s life, this master was one of the few individuals Daniel could consider a true friend.


    He had a lead on where the master might reside, thanks to clues uncovered by the Hero in the novel, but that was irrelevant.


    "Oh? So he''s finally back. Time to return to training." Hearing Augustus''s telepathic voice, Daniel left the library and headed to the training room.


    At the same time, he instructed Augustus to meet him there, believing his presence would reduce the risk of accidents.


    "Did you get the rune pen?"

 Chapter 8 : Rune Pen

    Chapter 8: Chapter 8 : Rune Pen"Did you buy the rune pen?"


    "Yes, young lord, but why do you need a rune pen?" Augustus extended his hand, and a red pen adorned with ancient carvings appeared in his palm.


    "Mana control," Daniel replied, taking the rune pen and inspecting it, analyzing it carefully.


    ''Not bad. It''s actually better than the version we had on Earth.'' This pen was one of the Hero''s ideas, though he had also capitalized on it in his previous life, having suggested its creation.


    "Excuse me? Mana control?" Augustus stared at him with wide eyes, utterly unable to grasp what Daniel meant.


    Though a possibility crossed his mind, he dismissed it. Surely, his young lord didn''t have a death wish, right?


    Daniel didn''t answer. Instead, he removed his shirt, revealing his athletic physique. His muscles weren''t overly bulky, but it was well defined


    Using the pen, he drew symbols on his abdomen, arms, legs, chest, and finally on his forehead¡ªa "III" as the background, with the image of a stag''s antler in the center.


    "These symbols..." Augustus frowned as he recognized them. He knew these runes, but how was Daniel able to replicate them so accurately?


    These runes were used to control various types of energy. However, only Awakened individuals were supposed to use them.


    "Channel your mana into my body," Daniel said, tossing the pen to Augustus, who caught it.


    "Young lord, have you lost your mind? Your body will explode!" Augustus''s tone was serious and full of warning. If anything happened to Daniel, that woman would undoubtedly slaughter him.


    "Theoretically, yes. But don''t worry¡ªI can stabilize the mana flow," Daniel replied calmly, fully aware of the risk of his body exploding.


    To unlock the full potential of this body, he needed to take such risks. If he succeeded, his body and mind would reach the peak of mortal limits.


    What gave him the confidence to undertake this perilous act was his enhanced body, strengthened after receiving the Primordial Dragon Template.


    His current physique was robust enough to endure and control the flow of mana using these runes.


    "Young lord, you''re not the first to attempt such a foolish thing. Throughout history, millions of geniuses have tried to temper their bodies with mana as mortals, and ninety-nine percent of them died gruesome deaths."


    "But one percent succeeded," Daniel countered.


    "This is absolute madness!"


    "Enough. If you''re unwilling to help, leave. There are other ways to channel mana into my body," Daniel said, feeling a headache coming on. He understood Augustus''s concern, but Augustus didn''t know everything about him.


    Augustus looked into Daniel''s eyes and, seeing his unwavering determination, sighed deeply.


    "Very well, young lord. I''ll help you. But the moment I sense you''re in danger, I will burn the mana inside your body to protect you."


    Burning mana within a mortal''s body was incredibly dangerous, capable of destroying internal organs. But it was better than an explosion and certain death.


    Daniel said nothing, instead clearing his mind. The slightest mistake in controlling the mana flow could pulverize his brain and trigger his demise.


    Augustus stepped forward, placing his hand on Daniel''s shoulder. A colorless, imperceptible energy flowed from his fingertips into Daniel''s body.


    As mana entered his body, Daniel''s face turned pale, and his eyes flushed red. The mana coursed through his veins, capillaries, tissues, and skeletal structure.


    Simultaneously, an excruciating pain engulfed him, so unbearable that he was certain if he lost consciousness from the agony, he would never wake again.


    He quickly took control of the mana flow, gritting his teeth against the overwhelming pain. His body began to turn crimson.


    His entire being trembled from the torment, and fear threatened to consume his mind. Even though his mental fortitude had been greatly enhanced through the fusion with the Template, it was still barely enough to withstand such suffering. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Controlling the mana flow, he began circulating it through his tissues and bones, tempering them carefully while ensuring no mana leaked out.


    "His heart rate has slowed dramatically," Augustus murmured, his frown deepening. He was prepared to intervene at any moment to save Daniel.


    Hours passed as Daniel tempered his tissues and bones. Then came the most critical and delicate phase: the brain.


    The slightest mistake could cause his brain to explode. Carefully, Daniel directed the mana flow toward his brain.


    The moment the mana entered his brain, the pain he felt intensified tenfold, and his vision began to blur.


    His consciousness wavered, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. Part of him yearned to give in to the darkness, where there was no pain.


    But another part of him¡ªthe part that remembered his friends'' deaths, the humiliation he had endured, and the mocking laughter of his enemies¡ªurged him to push through.


    He clenched his teeth harder, focusing on tempering his brain. Every nerve center, cell, and layer of his brain was adjusted with painstaking precision.


    Due to the brain''s sensitivity, he had to proceed even more cautiously, extending the process by several more hours.


    Augustus glanced at the clock. Over twelve hours had passed, and he hadn''t left Daniel''s side for a single second.


    His worry had reached its peak. He had watched Daniel grow up and, more than a young lord, considered him akin to a son.


    "He''s fine," Augustus muttered after examining Daniel''s condition. To his disbelief, Daniel truly seemed to be okay.


    More importantly, the mana inside his body was nearly depleted. It wouldn''t be long before the process was complete.


    As Augustus had guessed, Daniel''s body gradually returned to its original state.


    Exhausted, Daniel collapsed to the ground, barely able to stay conscious. Seeing Augustus rush to his side, he managed a faint smile before finally closing his eyes.


    "Did the young lord really succeed?"


    "He succeeded... he really did," Augustus said, unable to believe what he was witnessing. Daniel''s muscle structure and symmetry had improved significantly, even surpassing his prior state.


    While history had seen individuals achieve such feats, they were extraordinarily rare¡ªfewer than eight people in five thousand years.


    And today, before his very eyes, another had joined their ranks.


    "I can''t wait to see their faces," Augustus said with a smile, recalling how the Vorhelm family''s Elder Council had discarded Daniel as though he were trash upon discovering his low mana compatibility.


    Adding insult to injury, thanks to the meddling of two other patriarchs'' wives, Daniel and his mother had been exiled to the worst region under the Vorhelm family''s rule, where they had lived for the past fourteen years.


    "Perhaps he truly has a chance during the Awakening process," Augustus thought, his opinion of Daniel''s potential completely changed.


    After today, Augustus realized just how terrifying Daniel''s physical strength was. Perhaps it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call him the strongest mortal alive.


    But one question lingered in his mind: how had the young lord''s body become so powerful?

 Chapter 9 : Runes

    Chapter 9: Chapter 9 : RunesRune: The Magical Symbols


    Runes are essentially magical symbols based on the ancient language of the gods. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each rune acts as a medium, allowing its user to borrow the power of various laws. However, no one truly knows the primary source of the runes'' power.


    In the past, there were people in this world who tried to research the runes, and some even managed to gather information. But all such information remained incomplete and full of gaps.


    Before the current era, in ancient times, Rune Masters were exceedingly rare. There was no innate talent or special trait directly related to runes.


    To use these symbols, one had to learn the ancient language of the gods and, importantly, must not be a devotee of any religion.


    The first requirement for becoming a Rune Master ¡ª learning the language of the gods ¡ª was incredibly difficult. This language, much like a specific unique language from Daniel''s past life, consisted of more than 729 million characters.


    Moreover, different characters existed for each word and meaning. Without a predisposition toward science, knowledge, or even archaeology, mastering this language was nearly impossible.


    Thus, Rune Masters were rare and incredibly valuable. Daniel still remembered how churches were willing to pay billions of riels to hire even one of them.


    In Daniel''s world, he proposed this concept after being inspired by a novel. His goal was to put forth a great idea, and within three to five years, it became widely adopted.


    After the corruption beasts attacked, all humans awakened a talent bestowed by the Mother System, gaining supernatural powers.


    According to the Mother System, these powers stemmed from the laws. Even Daniel himself wasn''t entirely sure what the laws truly were.


    However, by sheer chance, he and his friends discovered an ancient tomb containing a method to decipher the language of the gods.


    After decoding the inscriptions, they learned how to create magical symbols using this language, giving birth to the idea of runes. That was when Daniel proposed the concept of rune magic.


    "Damn it, Rune Masters are so expensive," said Daniel as he strolled through a beautiful garden alongside Athena.


    "Unfortunately, there''s no way around it. We really need one of them," Athena replied, holding her fianc¨¦''s hand with a frustrated tone.


    Sigh "Maybe I should just learn the language of the gods myself," Daniel''s eyes glimmered with an idea. Despite being the one to propose the concept of runes, he had never learned the gods'' language due to its difficulty.


    "But then you''d spend less time with me, and I won''t allow that," Athena said firmly.


    "Don''t be mad, my lady. Instead of spending 18 hours a day with you, I''d only spend 12 hours," Daniel teased.


    "No, absolutely not!"


    "Are you sure? This way, you''d get more rest." Daniel was addicted to training and becoming stronger. But this obsession stemmed from fear ¡ª the fear of the same fate that befell the protagonist and his world in the novel happening to him and his loved ones.


    "I want to stand by your side as the strongest woman in the world when you become the strongest man," Athena said, her eyes shining with determination.


    Daniel stopped and looked into her beautiful eyes. He could see endless love within them. Leaning in slightly, he kissed her lips.


    Athena didn''t resist and returned his kiss.


    "Well, I don''t want to upset my lady. How about this? Instead of learning the gods'' language, let''s invent something that allows us to use runes without knowing the language," Daniel suggested with shameless confidence, blatantly stealing the idea from his favorite novel.


    "Something like what?" Athena asked as she walked beside him, her cheeks flushed.


    "Runes themselves act as a medium. So why not create another medium to channel runes?" Daniel smiled.


    "But how? The concept of runes is still in its infancy, and it hasn''t developed much yet. How can we suddenly create a tool to use them?"


    "Let''s first think about what the tool should look like," Daniel proposed.


    "A pen, maybe?" Athena pondered for a moment before suggesting.


    "Brilliant! Since runes are essentially symbols, they need to be drawn on the target area for activation," Daniel exclaimed.


    "To create such a tool, we can use the Creation Authority. We''ll just need the help of the leader of the Awakened Organization," he explained.


    "But that''s not enough," Athena added. She agreed that the Creation Authority could forge a pen capable of creating or channeling runes, but for that to work, the person with the Creation Authority would also need to learn the gods'' language. Otherwise, the so-called Rune Pen would face limitations.


    "That''s not necessarily true. We could engrave all the gods'' language characters onto the pen itself. Of course, we''d have to make them extremely small and layer them on top of each other," Daniel said.


    In the novel, such a method was exceedingly complex. But in this world, where the profession of Rune Masters was still primitive and limited, there would be no issues. Unlike the novel, where runes could summon armies of the undead, here, even creating a simple teleportation portal was a daunting challenge.


    At most, only ten to fifteen runes had been discovered on Earth. Meanwhile, in the novel, there were millions of them.


    "That might work, but doesn''t that mean you''d still have to learn the gods'' language?" Athena frowned, thinking the outcome would remain the same.


    "No, we could just ask that girl for help," Daniel suggested.


    "Absolutely not! I''d rather we both learn the gods'' language together!" Athena firmly rejected the idea, her mind immediately conjuring an image of someone she didn''t want involved.


    "But¡ª" Daniel started to explain, only for Athena to bite him out of frustration.


    "Hmm? another dream...?" Daniel slowly opened his eyes, finding himself in the same room he had woken up in every morning for the past ten years.


    "Young Lord, are you well?" Augustus, seated in a chair beside him, asked.


    "How long was I asleep?" Daniel''s mind felt sharper and clearer than ever before. Even his vision had improved slightly.


    The strength he felt in his muscles had multiplied. He now had complete confidence that no one in his age group could rival him.


    "One full day," Augustus replied.


    "You stayed here the whole time?" Daniel glanced at him.


    Augustus merely nodded.


    "Thank you," Daniel said briefly before shifting his attention to his own body. Just as he had suspected, his physical and mental capabilities had drastically improved.


    ''Five days remain. I should be able to push this body to its limits within that time,'' he thought. Although he hadn''t yet reached his peak, he was confident in his potential for further growth.


    Afterward, he got out of bed, took a shower, ate breakfast, and finally convinced Augustus to let him resume training.


    As before, he etched rune symbols onto his body, and Augustus infused his mana into Daniel''s form.


    This routine continued for five days until Daniel had to stop his training to travel to The Vorhelm family''s main estate.


    "Young Master, it''s time to leave," Augustus announced as he entered the training room. Looking at the small monster in front of him, he couldn''t help but be impressed.

 Chapter 10 : Vorhelm Eastate

    Chapter 10: Chapter 10 : Vorhelm EastateVorhelm Estate ¨C The Main Residence


    Magnificent palaces and opulent mansions, each more splendid than the last.


    A grand and regal wall surrounded the entire main estate of the Vorehelm family, guarded by numerous sentries.


    Daniel cast a glance at the estate, which resembled an empire from the outside. His expression remained impassive.


    "It''s even more majestic than it was described in the novel," he sighed. It was his first time seeing the place with his own eyes.


    Unfortunately, due to his status, he had never been allowed inside.


    "Young Lord, shall we enter?" Augustus asked respectfully. At first, he thought the child was overwhelmed by the grandeur of the Vorhelm family. But after seeing the indifference in Daniel''s eyes, he realized he was wrong.


    "Let''s go." Daniel took one last look around. The entrance was bustling with activity.


    Some arrived by carriages, others in flying ships, and a few through portals. But they all had one thing in common¡ªwhether it was a carriage or an airship, none were allowed to cross the walls into the Vorhelm estate. Everyone had to disembark outside their vehicles.


    They approached the entrance gate. After registering their identities, they were finally granted entry.


    Crossing the threshold felt as if the entire world around him had changed. The view that had seemed grand beyond the walls now appeared even clearer and more vivid.


    "Young Lord, two rooms have been assigned for our stay. Shall we go there first, or would you like to explore the area?"


    "It''s better if we explore first." He wanted to see if there was any opportunity to meet the younger generation of the Vorhelm family.


    "By the way, did you inform James to come?"


    "As you instructed, he will arrive tomorrow," Augustus replied, though a hint of concern laced his tone.


    "Don''t worry. There won''t be any problems," Daniel said confidently.


    With that, a silence settled between them as Daniel began walking around the estate. They passed by palaces, admired the gardens, and even visited the guards'' and soldiers'' training grounds.


    However, there wasn''t much to see. It felt more like a decorative space. Daniel speculated that the area might have been used for duels by guards and soldiers in the past.


    Currently, most of the Vorhelm family''s military forces resided in barracks scattered around the estate and even across the world.


    "These marks¡ªthey''re from the Flagbearers, right?" He examined the walls in the area. Some of them bore symbols, clearly created by attacks.


    He could still sense the potent energy within those marks. If he wasn''t mistaken, these symbols were at least several years old.


    Yet, they still carried traces of the aura of their creators. Such a high level of attack could only have come from Authority Holders.


    "Yes, Young Lord. These symbols were created during duels between the family''s Flagbearers."


    "This one¡ªwho made it?" One of the indents in the wall, shaped like a dragon emblem, caught his attention.


    "The second son of the Patriarch, Nicholas Vorhelm."


    "Oh? That makes sense," Daniel said, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. This particular indent, this symbol, exuded an extraordinary level of Authority. The difference between the lingering aura here and the others was vast.


    Nicholas Vorhelm, the current Patriarch''s second son, was one of the most famous figures in the world.


    Rumors claimed that he possessed a Supreme-tier talent. Although there was no proof to confirm it.


    the rumors were true, early in the novel, it was revealed that Nicholas indeed had an extraordinary Supreme-tier talent¡ªDeath''s Emissary. Not only that, but he was also a contender for the family''s succession.


    "Have you ever met him?" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lord Nicholas? Yes."


    "What''s he like?" Daniel asked as they resumed their stroll.


    "He''s like a leader. When needed, he''s cold and indifferent, but when the situation calls for it, he can be generous. However..." Augustus paused.


    "However?"


    "I feel like he''s trying to hide his true nature¡ªa monster sleeping deep within him," Augustus said after some thought.


    Daniel remained silent. Nicholas''s talent was related to death. Individuals with death-related talents were almost always plagued by mental and personality issues.


    In fact, if not for these psychological flaws, Nicholas wouldn''t have been exploited so easily by that person. He might have secured the family''s succession for himself.


    Unfortunately, in the final battle, both Nicholas and the family''s eldest child lost to that person


    ''Though I won''t let that happen this time.'' Daniel wanted to meet the eldest child if possible. That way, he might have an easier time dealing with that person and limit him


    "Young Lord, this is the training ground. Almost all the children from the family''s branch lines train here," Augustus said suddenly.


    They had arrived at an open field the size of a football stadium.


    No walls surrounded the area. Parts of the ground were dirt, while others were made of wood and metal.


    Several training dummies stood around, animated by magical arrays and runes to act like robotic sparring partners. While they seemed advanced, they were far from it.


    The most advanced dummies had sentience, but only the direct descendants and prodigies of the main bloodline were allowed to use them.


    "I thought there would be private training rooms instead of open fields."


    "They do exist, Young Lord, but only the main bloodline descendants and acknowledged prodigies are permitted to use them," Augustus explained.


    Private training chambers of the highest caliber, equipped with advancements not yet available to the public.


    "So, the main bloodline descendants have an advantage right from the start, huh?"


    "That''s true, but I still don''t think they could defeat you, Young Lord," Augustus said with a smile. It wasn''t flattery; he genuinely believed it. Even the main bloodline children couldn''t match his Young Lord.


    He hadn''t always thought this way, but the past week had convinced him.


    Daniel said nothing. Augustus was right. Even without training, his experience from his past life alone was enough to defeat all of them¡ªwell, perhaps not the top prodigies of the main bloodline.


    "Hmm? That girl? Those features... Inborn Spirit?"

 Chapter 11 : Inborn Spirit

    Chapter 11: Chapter 11 : Inborn Spirit"Let''s go," Daniel turned to leave. He found nothing here that could pique his interest.


    Though...


    "Hmm? Those features... Inborn Spirit?" As he turned his body, he noticed a girl at the edge of the training field practicing alone.


    A girl with long pink hair, brown eyes, and an average height for someone who had already gone through puberty.


    "Oh? Young Lord, you noticed as well?" A smile appeared on Augustus'' face.


    "Who is she?" Daniel ignored his remark and instead asked the question, simultaneously combing through his memories of the novel.


    He couldn''t recall this girl''s character.


    "I don''t know her either, but the last time I came here, she was here as well. However, one thing is certain¡ªshe''s not of the Vorhelm bloodline," Augustus explained.


    "She seems to be in a much better state now."


    "A better state? Was she being bullied?" Daniel frowned. It wasn''t hard for him to infer Augustus'' meaning.


    This girl was not of the Vorhelm bloodline, and someone with an Inborn Spirit was practically useless during the early stages of their life, especially before awakening.


    "Indeed, Young Lord. The last time I saw her, her body was covered in bruises."


    "What are those old fools thinking?" Even Augustus and Daniel could discern this girl''s talent, so naturally, the elders and officials of the Vorhelm family would have noticed it too.


    Yet they allowed her to be bullied. That could only mean one thing: her life held no value to them.


    "Can you gather her identity and background information?" Daniel asked as he watched the pink-haired girl.


    He still couldn''t recall this girl from the novel, but his intuition told him she was significant.


    "Of course, Young Lord. I may not have the same influence as before, but I still have a few connections."


    "By the way, don''t you want to speak with her?"


    "Not yet. There''s something strange about her. Her aura feels overly incomplete. I''ll consider it after you find her information."


    As a mortal, Daniel could identify her Inborn Spirit just from her incomplete aura.


    People born with this type of talent were inherently incomplete in their existence. It wasn''t a mental or psychological issue; rather, a part of their being remained dormant. Only after undergoing the awakening process could their existence be completed, and their incomplete aura vanish.


    In his previous life, Daniel had encountered someone with a similar nature. That girl had even become one of his closest friends, though she was tragically killed by one of the Four Apocalypse Priests.


    As for Augustus? As a former Authority Holder, he could see the entirety of this girl''s being at a glance.


    After one last look at her, Daniel and Augustus left the area.


    Their path back was relatively quiet. Neither Daniel nor Augustus spoke, and Daniel continued to sift through his memories of the novel. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They made no stops and headed straight for the palace where their accommodations were located.


    "Which one''s my room?" Daniel asked, scanning the doors around him.


    "Room 121." Augustus glanced around. Though it seemed like just a simple glance, he was actually scanning the entire palace.


    "This way, Young Lord." Augustus took the lead, and Daniel followed him from behind.


    They climbed the stairs to the second floor of the palace, where Daniel''s room was located. From where he stood, Daniel could see the entrance to his room.


    "Hey, watch it!" Suddenly, his shoulder bumped into someone else''s.


    "You dog! Where do you think you''re from to dare bump into me?"


    "Hah, another dog dares insult the Young Master!"


    "Indeed. Don''t these fools know that the Young Master belongs to one of the great families?"


    "Why does that old man seem familiar?"


    "Isn''t that Augustus?"


    "Yeah, it''s him! The one who used to be known as one of the greatest warriors of his time."


    "Then the one with him, who bumped shoulders with Young Master Alex, must be that illegitimate son, right?"


    "The one rumored to be the most talented child in the entire history of the family? Hahaha, imagine how lucky we are to meet such famous trash!"


    "Haha! So, you''re not actually a dog, but an illegitimate brat? Haha!" The voice of the boy referred to as Alex echoed loudly.


    "Hey, little illegitimate brat, I''ll give you a chance. Kneel before me and apologize right now, and maybe I''ll forgive you." The laughter of Alex''s entourage erupted behind him.


    Augustus glanced at this Alex. If he wasn''t mistaken, Alex was one of the subordinates of the Patriarch''s youngest legitimate son.


    He looked at Daniel with curious eyes. Augustus didn''t care in the slightest about the words of these children. What intrigued him was how Daniel would respond in such a situation.


    Daniel was undoubtedly an unparalleled genius. But being a genius didn''t mean one could act invincible and domineering in every scenario.


    Hmm? However, Augustus was taken aback by Daniel''s expression. He still wore the same cold and indifferent look.


    "Are you done? Sorry, but only a dog would care about the barking of other dogs," Daniel replied as the laughter of Alex''s entourage abruptly ceased.


    Alex and his companions'' faces twisted in anger.


    "As for apologizing, you''re lucky I''m an advocate for environmental preservation and against hunting animals. Otherwise, I wouldn''t just break your shoulder¡ªI''d crush your head," Daniel said, ignoring their furious expressions as he walked past them toward his room.


    "Hey, you¡ª!" Alex turned, his tone filled with rage as he tried to stop Daniel.


    However... suddenly, a hand reached out and gripped his neck, lifting his body into the air.


    "Oh, right. I have a message for you to deliver to your master," Daniel said coldly, staring into Alex''s terrified eyes.


    Alex''s body trembled in fear as he desperately slapped at Daniel''s right hand to free his neck, but it was futile.


    Daniel''s current strength had reached the peak of what a mortal could achieve. Moreover, he was no longer entirely human, and his power could even rival that of low-level Awakened beings.


    Alex, just a twelve-year-old boy, was utterly incapable of resisting.


    "P-please... let me go..." He gasped for air and turned toward his companions for help, but Augustus had already blocked their path.


    "Testing opponents to gather information and find potential weaknesses isn''t a mistake, but be mindful of the consequences of your actions," Daniel said before throwing the terrified Alex to the ground. Without another glance, he walked toward his room.


    Augustus, maintaining his calm demeanor, smiled and bid farewell to the group before following his Young Lord.


    "Monster..." Alex gasped for air, struggling to calm himself. It had only been a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to him.


    Worse still, as he looked down at his pants, he realized he had wet himself.


    Alex tried to suppress his fear, but he failed miserably. The near-death experience and those cold eyes were more than a child like him could endure.


    "I-I have to... I have to inform the Young Lord."

 Chapter 12 : The Twins

    Chapter 12: Chapter 12 : The Twins"How did you figure it out, Young Master?" Augustus asked Daniel curiously.


    "Hmm? It was simple."


    "Based on what those foolish followers of his said, I wasn''t the only one to cross paths with Young Master Alex."


    "At first, I concluded he was just an idiot who enjoyed being flattered. But when his followers praised him, there was no trace of pride or excitement in his eyes."


    "As a fourteen-year-old boy without a particularly high position, I was confident he wouldn''t have the ability to conceal his emotions."


    "Additionally, one of his followers mentioned that he''s a subordinate of that person. So I deduced that he''s intentionally acting this way to study others'' behavior," Daniel explained.


    Of course, aside from all the reasoning, Daniel already knew about Alex. In the novel, Alex was a notorious sycophant¡ªa loyal dog of the Patriarch''s youngest legitimate son.


    "I see," Augustus remarked, looking at him as if he were a monster. He hadn''t expected his Young Lord to process all of that in just a few seconds.


    "Anyway, who is that person?" Daniel asked. Although he already knew, he had forgotten much of the information about them, including their name.


    "Young Lord, Alex is a subordinate of the Patriarch''s youngest legitimate son."


    "The youngest legitimate son?"


    "Yes. He''s sixteen years old and the first child of the Patriarch''s third wife. Both he and his sister are regarded as prodigies among the younger generation."


    "They haven''t awakened yet, but they''re still considered prodigies?" Daniel found that intriguing. In this world, it was rare to label someone as a genius¡ªor trash¡ªbefore they underwent the Awakening process.


    He began searching his memories to see if he could recall why the twins were considered prodigies.


    "Yes. In truth, I don''t have any information about why they''re called prodigies. The Council has hidden all details about them."


    Daniel frowned slightly, but his expression quickly returned to its usual calm.


    "The twins... If I''m not mistaken, both of them are killed by that person just because they dared to compete for succession." He vaguely recalled who they were.


    He also remembered why they were labeled as prodigies. According to this world''s standards, they truly were exceptional.


    "I guess I should pay a bit of attention to those kids. Is there anyone else worth noting?"


    "Well, there are a few individuals from the family''s branch line who have shown great potential. But in the end, until they undergo Awakening, nothing is certain."


    Daniel nodded. It didn''t matter how much talent or potential someone displayed as a mortal¡ªit was irrelevant.


    His main concern was overlooking a dangerous individual because he couldn''t remember the entirety of the novel.


    Although his current strength left him with no need to fear his peers, caution was still essential.


    "By the way, Young Lord, I''ve never met the Patriarch''s youngest legitimate son. But I''ve heard he has a vengeful personality. If he becomes angry, what will you do?"


    "So what if he gets angry? I don''t care. But if he wastes my time and behaves like some annoying animal, I won''t mind breaking a few of his bones."


    After that, Daniel asked Augustus a few more questions about the twins, and the latter left after two hours.


    "Tomorrow is finally the day," he murmured to himself, curious about what kind of talent he would awaken.


    The chance of him awakening without talent was slim. He had all the necessary conditions to participate in the Awakening process, and the Mother System would undoubtedly allow him to proceed.


    If he could pass the test with exceptional results, he would surely awaken a high-level talent.


    In the end, it all depended on the Mother System. If he were lucky enough to face a nightmare, he was confident in obtaining a supreme talent


    However, if he ended up in a dream, he doubted he''d awaken even a celestial-level talent.


    More importantly, he was worried that his compatibility with mana might cause him trouble...


    Vorhelm Family, Royal Palace


    "So, someone figured it out? And it was none other than that illegitimate brat?" A commanding yet youthful voice echoed throughout the room.


    "Heh, looks like your little plan doesn''t work on everyone, brother," a sweet, feminine voice teased.


    Liam, a handsome teenager with short blond hair and blue eyes, ignored his sister''s words and cast a cold gaze at Alex.


    "How did he figure it out? Don''t tell me you couldn''t keep your mouth shut?" He grabbed Alex''s hair, forcing him to look up. Liam''s expression was indifferent and utterly calm, as though he cared for nothing.


    "I don''t know, Young Master! I swear, I didn''t say anything! He figured it out on his own! He''s a monster¡ªI-I didn''t tell him anything!"


    "Please forgive me," Alex stammered, terror consuming every cell of his body. He knew that the moment Liam deemed him useless, he''d be killed.


    "Explain everything to me from the beginning," Liam demanded, releasing Alex.


    After composing himself, Alex recounted every detail of the encounter. Of course, he didn''t forget to relay Daniel''s message as well.


    "Hahaha. His name was Daniel, right? Brother, it seems you have a rival," Emma, a girl with long blond hair and blue eyes matching her brother''s, said in a mocking tone.


    "Shut up. How could an illegitimate brat like him ever be my rival?"


    "And you, pathetic worm! While he was warning me, you just stood there watching him? How dare you! You should''ve beaten him within an inch of his life to teach him respect!" Liam struck Alex''s stomach with his foot.


    "Young Master¡ªplease forgive me!"


    "I was wrong, please¡ª" Alex''s voice trembled.


    "Get lost," Liam said, barely managing to control his anger, and dismissed him.


    After bowing, Alex fled the room as quickly as possible. He couldn''t understand why he was so unlucky to encounter two monsters in a single day.


    "What are you going to do now?" Emma asked, watching her brother, who was gazing out of the palace window.


    "What can I do? The Awakening ceremony begins tomorrow. Whatever I want to do will have to wait until after that." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That kid¡ªhe''s illegitimate and only fourteen, right? He hasn''t had access to proper training facilities or the money to buy resources," Emma reasoned.


    "And yet, he managed to terrify Alex, who''s fourteen and trained in the family, without even lifting a finger... He''s truly strong. And Mother won''t be pleased to hear about it."


    Hearing her final statement, Liam''s body tensed for a moment. If his mother found out what had happened, she would make his life miserable for a while.


    "You''d better not tell Mother anything," he warned, glaring at his sister.


    "Oh? And why not?"


    "What do you want?" Liam sighed, feeling a headache coming on. He wanted to threaten her, but doing so would only result in another beating from his mother.


    "Haha, I''ll tell you later. For now, you owe me one," Emma said, grinning mischievously.

 Chapter 13 : Refiner Vorhelms

    Chapter 13: Chapter 13 : Refiner VorhelmsThe day had come to an end, and the blazing sun had given way to the moon.


    In the training ground, Daniel held a wooden sword as he performed peculiar movements. These movements were not combat techniques but resembled a type of dance.


    The wooden sword in Daniel''s hand became an extension of his being, dancing in the moonlight. Each swing and step was a choreography of power, his movements sketching a unique image within the elements.


    With every twist and turn, Daniel felt the rhythm of the world. The wind whistled past his ears, and anyone watching from afar might think he was battling invisible enemies. His senses heightened, his heart beat in harmony with the symphony of existence.


    As the moon''s glow intensified, Daniel''s Dance of the Zephyr reached its peak. He concluded his performance with a flourish of energy and grace.


    Breathing deeply, he stared at the moon. These movements were done for two reasons:


    First, they helped him attune his body to the flow of the sword. This way, his body would grow accustomed to wielding it.


    Second, they calmed his mind and balanced his psyche.


    He still remembered the early years after his rebirth, where controlling the madness and bloodlust born from his hatred was nearly impossible.


    Though he appeared normal now, the pain of losing all his friends, the betrayal of the woman he loved, and ultimately dying at the hands of the gods had left him with profound despair.


    He had tried countless methods to quell his bloodlust and ease his mind. Unfortunately, all of them failed¡ªuntil he created the Sword Dance.


    The Sword Dance, while appearing like a simple dance, was a culmination of psychological techniques for emotion control, mental calmness, and focus.


    And it worked. Or rather, it worked to a degree. There were still moments when he couldn''t control his hatred and bloodlust.


    Like earlier that day¡ªhe had barely restrained himself from killing Alex.


    Clap. Clap. Clap.


    Hearing the sound of clapping, Daniel slowly turned his head, his face indifferent, as he gazed at the young girl standing a few meters away.


    "That was an amazing dance. Truly, I never thought a dance could be so emotional," she said.


    She was a young girl with short, light brown hair and ordinary brown eyes. Her skin was fair, and her height was average.


    She hadn''t fully matured yet¡ªher chest was somewhat flat, and her hips were non-existent, flatter than a cushion.


    "Thanks," Daniel replied, noting how he hadn''t sensed her presence. Though he was still a mortal, his senses were at their peak¡ªbeyond what a mortal could normally achieve.


    Yet, he hadn''t detected her approach. This either meant she was skilled or protected by some artifact.


    "May I ask your name?" the girl asked with eager curiosity.


    "If you want to ask someone''s name, you should introduce yourself first," Daniel responded indifferently. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh? My apologies. My name is Olivia, from the Worehelm Refiners."


    "I''m Daniel Zephyr, the illegitimate son of the patriarch."


    Unlike what many might think, he didn''t care much about his identity. Perhaps he had been concerned in the beginning, but not anymore.


    Even then, he had been more worried about his future


    He took a moment to recall his memories of the Refiner Vorhelms. The Vorhelm family was divided into many branches and subordinate bloodlines.


    One such subordinate bloodline was the Refiner Vorhelms¡ªa group known for generations of crafting weapons and magical artifacts.


    As for Olivia, if he wasn''t mistaken, this girl would become one of the hero''s closest friends.


    "Ah, so you''re the famous one," Olivia said with a smile, her curiosity about this boy growing by the second.


    "Famous? I didn''t know I was famous."


    "Well, you''re the only illegitimate son of the patriarch, so you''re naturally well-known among the upper circles. Not to mention, a zero compatibility with mana will definitely cause a stir."


    "How interesting. It was nice meeting you, goodbye," Daniel said, uninterested in spending more time with her.


    He wasn''t much of a talker, only speaking when necessary.


    Besides, her identity was somewhat special.


    Not everyone could become the hero''s close friend, yet she did. It wasn''t just due to her talent but also her skills in crafting and her abilities in direct combat.


    But none of that mattered, he just didn''t like the girl''s childish personality.


    "Wait! How about a duel?" Olivia clenched her fists, determined to regain some of her lost confidence by defeating Daniel.


    Daniel glanced at her. For her age, she had some muscle¡ªnot overly bulky but still well-defined.


    "What''s in it for me?" he asked. He didn''t care why this girl wanted to fight him, though he could easily guess the reason.


    She wanted to gauge his limits and potential, likely at the request of her family. The reasoning was simple: her family had placed their hopes in her. Besides that, she also wanted to regain some of her lost confidence.


    "Huh?" Olivia stared at him blankly, completely unprepared for such a question.


    "Nothing? Goodbye."


    "Wait, wait! How about a tour of my family''s controlled territory?" She truly had nothing else to offer.


    "Alright." While her proposal might seem foolish, it actually aligned with Daniel''s goals. Her family''s territory bordered the land of the dwarves, giving him a perfect excuse to visit.


    "Great!"


    "What are you fighting with?"


    "A spear."


    Daniel walked over to where the weapons were kept, picked up an iron spear, and tossed it toward Olivia.


    "You''re fighting with a wooden sword?"


    "Yeah."


    "But isn''t that unfair?"she said


    "Ye, but for you."


    Though Daniel''s tone was indifferent, it carried an air of absolute confidence.


    Olivia didn''t know whether to laugh or get angry¡ªthis guy was practically mocking her.


    "Well, I hope you don''t cry after getting beaten to a pulp."


    This was the first time someone had insulted her like this. Initially, she didn''t want to go too hard on Daniel, as she had taken a liking to him in some way.


    But now, because of his comment, she felt compelled to teach him a lesson.

 Chapter 14 : Teaching A Lesson

    Chapter 14: Chapter 14 : Teaching A LessonOn the training ground, Daniel and Olivia stood face to face, ready for battle.


    "Before we begin, let me make one thing clear: whatever happens to you, I won''t take any responsibility," Daniel said, showing no leniency just because she was young.


    "You!" The veins on Olivia''s forehead bulged as her curiosity and interest in Daniel gradually turned into anger and frustration.


    "Maybe because you didn''t have a father, there was no one to teach you manners! But that''s okay, I will teach you manners as a friend." She took a breath and said with a smile on her face


    "hahaha" Daniel ignored her, raising his weapon. Olivia, too, held her spear in a practiced stance, ready to fight.


    Daniel''s grip on his wooden sword was steady, his stance calm yet deliberate. Opposite him, Olivia clutched her iron spear with a mix of fury and determination to beat Daniel into submission.


    She couldn''t tolerate further humiliation. At the very least, she wanted to pummel this illegitimate brat to feel some sense of relief and satisfaction.


    Daniel moved with slow, deliberate indifference. His movements were fluid and precise, as though the wooden sword was merely an extension of his will. Every strike and motion seemed to anticipate Olivia''s actions before she even made them.


    His sword clashed against Olivia''s spear, forcing her to retreat a few steps. Yet Daniel didn''t give her a moment to recover and pressed the attack. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Their weapons collided again, and Daniel took note of her posture and stance during their exchanges.


    With a single glance, he identified three weaknesses: her left leg, left arm, and her kidney area.


    These three spots had minimal protection. For Olivia to defend against strikes targeting these points, she would need to expend more energy, leading to faster exhaustion.


    "Damn it," Olivia cursed under her breath, frustrated by Daniel''s relentless onslaught.


    His sword strikes were relentless, one after another, delivered with immense power. The worst part was that Daniel showed no sign of fatigue, as if his strength was limitless.


    She attempted to retreat to create an opportunity for a counterattack. Just as she jumped back to gain some distance, she noticed an opening to strike.


    Instead of blocking, she dodged Daniel''s attack and aimed for his chest. However, her gaze inadvertently met Daniel''s eyes.


    For a moment, she saw an abyss of endless chaos and darkness within them.


    It felt as if an ocean of blood was flowing through his gaze. For that fleeting second, Daniel''s entire presence transformed. Olivia could sense an aura of royalty and superiority emanating from him, a feeling of standing before the most exalted being in history.


    Every cell in her body, her entire being, screamed at her to kneel and worship him. It was as if a faint voice whispered in her ears that even looking at him was blasphemy.


    ''Damn it, how do they call him talentless? This bastard is a monster!'' she thought, wanting to cry but unable to shed a tear.


    Fear consumed her as she frantically looked around, unable to believe what she was seeing. When she looked back into Daniel''s eyes, everything seemed normal again.


    But unfortunately for her, in that brief moment of hesitation, Daniel''s wooden sword struck her left leg.


    "Ah! Damn it, that hurts! How can a wooden sword hurt this much?" Olivia cried out in pain.


    Yet Daniel gave her no chance to recover, following up with strikes to her left arm and both sides of her kidneys.


    "Ahhh!" Olivia''s screams of pain echoed as her weapon slipped from her grasp.


    "You''re worse than I expected," Daniel said, looking down at her writhing in pain. Many underestimate the power of a wooden sword, but when used correctly, even a wooden weapon can unleash terrifying strength.


    "You''re a monster!" Olivia exclaimed with a mix of fear and awe as she stared at Daniel.


    In truth, her father had sent her to find and challenge Zephyr. Yet when she first arrived and witnessed his sword dance, she was captivated by it.


    After all, she had already challenged many of the so-called "young geniuses" before Daniel.


    Of all those she had fought, only two had defeated her: Liam and Emma. Even against them, she had managed to put up a fight.


    But against this monster? She didn''t stand a chance.


    In just two minutes, this boy had utterly crushed her.


    She couldn''t comprehend why he was labeled talentless. He was a monster¡ªan absolutely terrifying one.


    "Instead of focusing on physical training, try to work on eliminating your weaknesses," Daniel advised before walking away.


    "Father, do you really expect me to compete with monsters like this for succession?" Olivia muttered, sighing as she watched him leave.


    Deep down, however, she felt a spark of excitement.


    Pride was natural, and she had become arrogant after receiving praise from her father and other family elders for her talents.


    They had all called her the strongest of the younger generation. Of course, it wasn''t entirely their fault¡ªafter all, she had defeated one of humanity''s strongest mortal warriors.


    Yet, in this generation, there would be far too many anomalies.


    She had always felt a sense of emptiness. Being unrivaled and constantly called the strongest had made life dull and tiresome.


    Even yesterday, when she fought those two, she had worn a proud and bored expression, never taking them seriously.


    But after losing three times in two days, she had finally realized she still had a long way to go. There was still a long road ahead to truly becoming the strongest. Most importantly, life didn''t seem so dull anymore.


    "But what was that?" she muttered, recalling that moment again. Even thinking about it sent chills down her spine.


    "Besides, those bastard twins are definitely going to suffer at his hands. Haha, those jerks mocked me," she chuckled to herself, feeling a bit better at the thought of Daniel teaching the twins a lesson.


    The night passed peacefully, and dawn arrived.


    All the young generation of the Vorehelm family, aged between ten and fourteen, stood in an enormous enclosed hall as large as a stadium, neatly arranged.


    The crowd numbered in the dozens, if not hundreds. This was hardly surprising¡ªbeing a family thousands of years old, the Vorehelm lineage had naturally grown significantly over time.


    In another hall, the family''s elders and officials sat watching the young ones through a large floating blue screen.


    "Alright, looks like everyone''s finally here. First of all, welcome to those who''ve arrived over the past few days," said an extraordinarily handsome young man with medium-length black hair that reached his neck.

 Chapter 15 : Benjamin Vorhelm

    Chapter 15: Chapter 15 : Benjamin VorhelmDaniel crossed the threshold and entered the designated area chosen for the awakening process of the younger generation of the Vorholm family.


    Upon his arrival, he immediately attracted attention. Most of the participants had already gathered information about one another, so everyone knew who he was.


    "That must be the illegitimate child, right?"


    "Yeah, I didn''t think he''d actually come. I mean, why would he even bother showing up?" Illegitimate children were naturally despised, and on top of that, he was deemed entirely talentless¡ªa complete insult to the Vorholm bloodline.


    "He''s lucky that Young Lord Liam is preoccupied with his awakening process."


    Especially considering the rumors that had spread since yesterday, it seemed like there was some kind of conflict brewing between Daniel and Liam.


    Most of the participants had already been warned by their families to form good relationships with Liam and Emma under any circumstances. It was unclear why, but the council apparently believed they were prodigies on the same level as Nicholas and Mary Vorholm.


    "As a worthless illegitimate brat, he''ll probably only awaken with a Mortal Rank Talent."


    "Honestly, I doubt he''ll awaken anything at all, hahaha."


    Daniel ignored their chatter. If he had been a ten-year-old child, such remarks might have affected him. It was unavoidable¡ªchildren that age are particularly sensitive.


    However, in his previous life, he had been a champion and the strongest human being¡ªa being of his caliber was nearly impervious to being provoked by others'' words.


    "So, you finally showed up!"


    Daniel heard a familiar and annoying voice behind him. With a calm, indifferent gaze, he glanced over his shoulder.


    "I thought after the beating you got last night, you''d stay away from me. Maybe I should''ve been a little more ruthless."


    "Hey, hey, don''t be like that! If you keep acting this way, you''ll never make any friends," Olivia replied with a wounded expression.


    "Friends, huh? I''ll make sure to keep acting this way, then." To him, the word friend was meaningless.


    He saw no need for friends. Everything he needed, he could achieve by leveraging others.


    In this life, he divided people into two categories: those he could use and those he would kill.


    Well, except for his mother and Augustus. They had helped him significantly, and he wasn''t so heartless as to exploit those he genuinely cared about.


    "Oh, look, it seems Liam and Emma are here too." Daniel glanced toward the front of the crowd, where several people surrounded the two, engaging them in conversation.


    "Have you even managed to befriend those two?" Daniel raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by how casually she referred to them.


    Honestly, this girl didn''t seem like someone skilled at making friends.


    The novel didn''t delve much into this aspect, or if it did, he couldn''t remember. Moreover, even though this girl was one of the hero''s companions, she was more of a supporting character.


    "My father always says making friends is beneficial. It helps spread your roots across the world. Of course, boundaries need to be set with these so-called friends," Olivia explained simply.


    Daniel gave her a sideways glance. Perhaps this girl was more intriguing than he initially thought.


    He generally won''t waste his time analyzing or understanding people unless they were significant to him. That''s why he hadn''t focused much on her before.


    But maybe she could prove valuable.


    "Then why are you telling me all this?"


    "Well, I don''t know? I just feel like befriending you might be worthwhile," Olivia answered nonchalantly.


    Daniel didn''t reply, and a strange silence enveloped the space between them. Olivia wanted to break it, but suddenly, a charming voice echoed across the enclosed area.


    "Well, well, it seems everyone has finally arrived! First of all, I''d like to welcome all of you who''ve gathered here over the past few days," said a young man, extraordinarily handsome, with jet-black hair that fell to his neck.


    Standing opposite the crowd, he floated in the air, addressing them all.


    He exuded an aura of nobility.


    At the same time, a warm, inviting presence surrounded him. Coupled with his dazzling smile, it made people feel drawn to him, eager to engage with him.


    "I''m sure you all know why you''re here today. This marks the day you finally become awakened beings¡ªexistences elevated beyond ordinary mortals."


    "Beings capable of wielding mana and the laws, each with your own [Innate Talent]."


    "For those of you from the branch families, if you awaken a high-level talent, you''ll be accepted into the main family and granted all the rights of a direct bloodline heir."


    "And, of course, you''ll even earn the opportunity to compete for succession."


    Daniel studied the man closely and recognized him instantly. He was the younger brother of the current patriarch and, therefore, Daniel''s uncle.


    He also remembered this man''s character from the novel. While not as talented as the patriarch, he was still a monster in his own league.


    His uncle, Benjamin Vorholm, waved a finger, and suddenly, columns with an ancient Greek architectural design emerged from the ground in front of everyone. Atop each column was a glowing orb.


    "Place your hands on the orbs. They will formally register your identification in the Mother System, and you''ll then be able to begin the test."


    "There are additional instructions, some of which will be provided by the Mother System itself, and the rest I''ll explain once you''ve completed your tests."


    "Good luck with your awakening process." Benjamin glanced at Liam and Emma, flashing them a smile.


    He had high hopes for those two and couldn''t wait to see the results of their tests.


    Such a powerful aura... it''s almost too much for his age, he thought.


    However, his gaze briefly fell on Daniel, drawn to him by the peculiar presence emanating from the boy.


    As far as Benjamin knew, Daniel had zero mana compatibility. But the aura surrounding him surpassed that of any other mortal. More intriguingly, it didn''t feel entirely human¡ªthere was something else mixed in...


    It seems this time, things won''t proceed according to the council''s predictions, he mused.


    Meanwhile, Daniel placed his hand on the orb. Suddenly, the world around him began to spin like a carousel.


    [Personal Identification Under Review]


    [First Login to the Mother System Confirmed]


    [23%... 57%... 99%...]


    [Personal Identification Successfully Registered in the Mother System]


    [Request Type: Awakening Process/Test of Awakening]


    [Eligibility Check in Progress... Ding... Eligibility Confirmed]


    [Daniel Vorholm, welcome to The Nightmare of the Last Winter. The gods wish you success.]


    In the next instant, Daniel found himself in a winter forest, his arms and legs bound by chains in opposite directions. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 16 : The Last Winter I

    Chapter 16: Chapter 16 : The Last Winter IDaniel found himself in a mountainous region, his hands and feet bound tightly with chains, stretched in opposite directions.


    "Hmm?" He calmly surveyed his surroundings. He was positioned right in front of the entrance to a massive cave, large enough for four elephants to pass through side by side.


    Due to being tied up, he couldn''t turn his body to look behind him, but from the direction of the wind, he could tell there was a cliff or precipice just behind him. It wasn''t exactly a drop-off, but something close enough to one.


    "So, three others?" On his left, there were two people, and on his right, one more, all bound in the same way. Their heads were slumped forward, devoid of any spark of hope.


    Daniel couldn''t tell if they were acting or if they had genuinely given up. Not that it mattered to him.


    "So I actually managed to enter the trial," he sighed in relief. Fortunately, he had passed this stage successfully.


    The Mother System verifies eligibility twice: the first time is to confirm if someone is qualified to take the trial¡ªa stage where the character he reincarnated as had failed in the original story.


    The second verification checks if they are worthy of obtaining an innate talent. The stronger a person is, the harder their trial will be.


    Worst of all, if someone dies during the trial, they die in the real world as well.


    His mother had been particularly worried about this, fearing that even if he qualified for the trial, he wouldn''t have the strength to survive and succeed.


    Fortunately, his mother had been aware of his training over the past week, and Augustus had managed to convince her to let him participate. Otherwise, she might have taken drastic measures to stop him from undergoing his awakening.


    "But I have no information about this trial," Daniel frowned, though his expression quickly relaxed. The character he reincarnated as in the novel had never reached this stage.


    In other words, there was no record of what this trial entailed.


    For now, the most important thing was to free himself and escape from this place. Unfortunately, the Mother System never explicitly states the requirements of a trial.


    The key, as the hero in the novel had explained, lies in the name of the trial itself.


    But he didn''t have time to dwell on that now. Judging from the cave ahead of him, it likely housed some sort of beast.


    Based on his knowledge of the novel and his past life, only a few types of creatures required such large entrances in snowy mountains.


    And in his current condition, he didn''t want to encounter any of them.


    He turned his attention to the wooden structure he was tied to¡ªa set of two wooden pillars standing five meters apart, with a blade rigged between them by a rope.


    The blade was the type used for executions, its purpose simple: if he tried to escape or break the chains, the blade would drop and slice him in half.


    Unfortunately, because the trial was calibrated to match his power, he couldn''t simply crush the wooden structure or snap the chains.


    He frowned briefly, but his expression shifted to calm determination after a moment of thought. Escaping with such a blade hanging overhead would be challenging, but its presence wasn''t entirely a bad thing.


    With that, he slowly shifted his body to the right¡ªjust a little, inch by inch. His goal was to grip the right-hand pillar. He glanced at the blade; seeing no reaction yet, he shifted his body a bit more.


    The blade trembled slightly, and he saw its shadow flicker. His next move would have to be the final one. Any further motion would surely release the blade.


    He glanced to his right. If he moved quickly, he could fully shift his body toward the right. However, there was one issue¡ªsomething he was bracing himself for.


    Taking a deep breath, he made his final move, pulling his body sharply to the right and gripping the right-hand pillar with his hand.


    "Aaaghhh! Damn, that hurts like hell!" Daniel''s agonized screams echoed through the mountainous terrain, amplified by the acoustics of the rocky cliffs.


    The other three individuals raised their heads at the sound, their faces filled with alarm as they glanced at the scene to their side.


    "Are you insane?!" one of them yelled, their voice trembling with fear. "Damn it, I think the village sent a lunatic instead of a good guy!"


    The right side of Daniel''s body was drenched in blood. The crimson liquid splattered everywhere, even staining parts of his clothing.


    The blade had fallen and severed his arm clean off at the shoulder.


    The others could see the pale, exposed bone and the pulsating veins in his severed arm, with blood still gushing out.


    "You idiot! Idiot! Idiot! That thing wouldn''t have returned until nightfall, but thanks to your stupid stunt, we''re all going to die sooner!" another captive cursed furiously.


    Ignoring their outbursts, Daniel pushed past the searing pain radiating through every cell in his body and began to stand.


    His left side was now free. He shifted slightly to his left, using the blade to cut through the chains binding his right leg and arm.


    He then tore a strip of fabric from his clothing and wrapped it around his shoulder to staunch the bleeding. His face was pale, and his eyes reddened, but he resisted the urge to scream.


    Just as he was about to move, he suddenly felt a warm breath near his ear.


    His eyes widened in shock, and his entire body began to tremble uncontrollably.


    Immediately, he clamped his mouth shut and even stopped breathing through his nose.


    Sniff.


    The sound of something sniffing and exhaling was right beside his ear. He could feel the fur of the creature brushing against his skin.


    Even the other three captives froze, their faces pale and horrified, not daring to make a sound. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Daniel didn''t even attempt to move his pupils. Any movement now would mean certain death.


    It wasn''t that he was afraid¡ªhe had faced far worse situations in his previous life. But that was him, not this body.


    The only parts of this body that truly belonged to him were its mind and soul. The rest was constructed by the Mother System and operated according to its rules.


    The beast took a slow step forward, coming into view for all of them. None of them had even noticed its arrival.


    The creature''s body resembled that of a tiger, its snowy-white fur shining brilliantly in the light. Its size dwarfed that of an adult elephant, perhaps twice or even three times as large.


    But its face...


    It lacked any of the features a tiger''s face should have, save for a single, enormous blue eye and a gaping mouth.


    The mouth was grotesque, stretching unnaturally wide like the grin of a joker.


    It looked as though its mouth had been torn open and pulled upward, exposing a horrifying smile.

 Chapter 17 : The Last Winter II

    Chapter 17: Chapter 17 : The Last Winter IIDaniel recognized the creature: One-Eyed Winter. It was a winter beast that only appeared in snowy mountains and wintry regions.


    Its eye was blind during the day and only functioned at night, which was why the creature would sleep during the day and hunt at night. Additionally, its eye possessed a unique ability.


    This creature could wield the power of the Law of Destruction. Its eye acted as a conduit, channeling the destructive power through it.


    A being on par with the strongest of the awakened¡ªthose in the B-Rank tier. Beneath the authority of the Holders, this beast was undoubtedly among the most formidable.


    This Beast of corruption existed in both the novel and his past life. They were savagely bloodthirsty and merciless.


    He could hardly stop himself from cursing fate, how could he be so unlucky as to encounter such a monster? And as a mortal!


    "Sniff." The One-Eyed Winter turned its head again, lowering it right above Daniel.


    A droplet of saliva fell from its mouth onto Daniel''s head. After sniffing him for a while longer, the beast pulled its head back and moved toward the blade.


    Using its head, it nudged the blade aside and sniffed around the area. It picked up Daniel''s severed arm, then returned to its cave.


    With the beast gone, Daniel and the other three exhaled deeply in relief. Although the creature''s vision wasn''t weak, the scent of blood and the severed arm had distracted its senses.


    Daniel slowly stood up, making his way to the cliff''s edge. The distance to the ground was at least a thousand meters. In his current state, if he jumped, he''d undoubtedly die.


    He glanced at his severed arm. It was still bleeding, but the cloth he had tied around it managed to stem the flow for now.


    "Please, save us too!"


    "He''s right, please! You don''t want to leave us here to die, do you?"


    "Please, I beg you! Let us go!" Their voices rose, soft yet desperate, the tone of pleading clear.


    Daniel ignored them, analyzing the situation instead.


    ''Even if I escape, that little tiger will find me by nightfall.'' He frowned. By night, the entire mountain would become that beast''s domain.


    By then, his condition would have worsened, and the One-Eyed Winter would easily track him using the scent of his blood.


    ''Ah, of course.'' He suddenly glanced at the other three.


    "I''ll save you now," he said, doing his best to sound heroic and righteous.


    He approached them and began untying their ropes. Given his current state and the need to be cautious not to alert the beast, the process took a while.


    "Thank you so much! We''re really grateful to you!"


    "I''m so sorry for cursing at you earlier!"


    "I want to thank you too, but how are we going to escape from here?"


    "Pull one of the wooden posts out from the snow," Daniel said, eyeing one of the posts buried nearby.


    The three didn''t understand his meaning but followed his instructions without questioning. They removed the post from the snow and laid it on top of the frozen ground.


    "We''re going to use this to get down."


    "What? But we''ll definitely die that way!"


    "The drop is over ten thousand meters! There''s no way we''ll survive!"


    "Do you have any other options?" Daniel gave them a cold stare, silencing them immediately.


    He was right; there was no other way to escape.


    After some internal struggle, the three eventually climbed onto the post. Before sitting on it himself, Daniel glanced around once more, committing the location to memory.


    "We''re not going to die, right?" The fear in their voices was palpable.


    "Don''t worry," Daniel reassured. The cliff face had a slope, and with the snow, it could almost be considered a form of sledding. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wooah!" They pushed off, and the post slid down. Gravity pulled at their faces, contorting their features upward as the post began its descent.


    The post hit the slope, stabilizing their speed.


    Gradually, their fear began to fade. But a dark glint appeared in their eyes as they exchanged glances with each other¡ªand then from the corners of their eyes, they looked at Daniel.


    "Oh, right. Don''t take this personally¡ªit''s just to make sure the beast doesn''t come after us," Daniel said suddenly, his tone cold and indifferent.


    "Huh? What do you mea¡ª" Before he could finish, blood sprayed from his chest.


    "What the hell are you doing?!" One of the other two shouted in horror, his body trembling with fear.


    Daniel didn''t respond. He pulled the piece of wood out of the man''s chest and, in a swift motion, decapitated him. The man''s eyes, filled with confusion, stared blankly even in death, unable to comprehend why he had been killed.


    Ignoring the horrified stares of the remaining two, Daniel grabbed the severed head with all his strength and threw it to the right. He then hurled the body in the opposite direction.


    Blood splattered everywhere, staining the snowy slope and rocky cliffside. Of course, this had been his intention all along.


    "It didn''t fly as far as I wanted." With only one hand, he hadn''t been able to throw the body as far as he''d liked.


    "You... you''re a monster! Damn it, why did you kill him?!" One of the others stared at Daniel as if looking at a true demon.


    What kind of monster could kill someone so coldly, so ruthlessly, without hesitation?


    "Are you stupid?"


    "To ensure our survival, someone had to be sacrificed. Tonight, the beast will follow his trail of blood instead of ours."


    "Would you prefer to take his place? No problem¡ªtwo would work better than one."


    Both of them fell silent. Daniel''s reasoning was sound, but the sheer cruelty of killing a human without batting an eye¡ªit was too much for them to process.


    They didn''t dare speak further, too afraid that Daniel might kill them next.


    Meanwhile, Daniel smirked inwardly.


    Did these fools really think they were clever...?


    They were nothing more than three idiots¡ªno, now two idiots¡ªwhom he intended to use to kill that beast.

 Chapter 18 : The Last Winter III

    Chapter 18: Chapter 18 : The Last Winter III"We''ve arrived," Daniel glanced ahead of them. They were almost there.


    Within a few seconds, the group reached the base of the mountain. Daniel grabbed the wooden stick he had found while exploring the area around the cave. He stood up from the stone, holding it firmly.


    The other two exchanged a glance and stood up as well. The fear was still evident in their eyes, but at this point, they had no choice but to follow Daniel if they wanted to survive.


    Minutes passed as they walked in silence, an eerie stillness enveloping the space around them. Daniel scanned the surroundings as though searching for something.


    The blazing sun was slowly disappearing, and sunset was near.


    "What exactly are we doing?" one of them finally broke the silence. Hunger gnawed at him as much as curiosity.


    It wasn''t just him. The other man was also hungry. They hadn''t eaten anything since morning. The terror and stress had numbed their appetites earlier, but now that they were safe, the hunger had returned.


    Daniel didn''t answer, causing the questioner to feel a bit embarrassed.


    "Here," Daniel pointed ahead. It was a frozen lake.


    "Here? What do we need here?"


    "This will be the monster''s grave."


    "What?" Both of them stared at Daniel with wide, horrified eyes. They had been on the brink of death because of the monster, and now this lunatic wanted to lure it back here?


    Daniel ignored their reactions and adjusted the bandage on his injured hand. He didn''t discard the blood-soaked cloth but instead tucked it into his pocket.


    "We''re all hungry, and from what I''ve seen, we have a long way to go to escape this mountain. Night is also approaching. At night, this entire mountain becomes the monster''s domain. If you don''t want to die, we must kill it."


    Silence returned. Daniel''s words made sense again. Though they didn''t want to take such a risk, they had no other choice if they wanted to survive.


    Seeing that they seemed to agree, Daniel began explaining his plan. They needed to set a trap to kill the monster.


    The two men went to gather the items Daniel instructed, while he went in search of some supplies and food.


    It took almost an hour for everyone to regroup by the lake.


    "Good, it''s time to build the trap." Daniel and the two others worked on the trap, which took another hour to complete.


    Afterward, Daniel lit a fire and prepared food for them.


    "Ah, come to think of it, I don''t think we know each other''s names yet. Haha. Anyway, my name is Victor," said Victor, a young man with short brown hair and glasses, as he introduced himself.


    "My name is Jamal. Nice to meet both of you," said Jamal as he rotated the mushrooms over the fire.


    Then both of them turned to Daniel.


    "Zephyr."


    "Nice to meet you, Daniel."


    "By the way, why were you tied up in front of the cave?" Daniel suddenly asked, catching them off guard.


    "Well, I''m from a village near this mountain. In my village, people believe in something called the Mountain God. Every year, they offer someone as a sacrifice to the Mountain God to keep the village safe from calamities," Victor explained as he adjusted his glasses.


    "I''m also from a nearby village. My people also believe in the Mountain God and sacrifice someone every year," Jamal added.


    "What were your professions?" Daniel glanced at the sky. The time was nearing.


    Both of them frowned slightly and exchanged looks.


    "Well, I was a hunter. You could say I was somewhat responsible for gathering food for my village," Jamal replied.


    "I was a teacher, responsible for educating the children in my village," Victor said. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before speaking, Daniel popped a mushroom into his mouth. Seeing that their mushrooms and potatoes were thoroughly cooked, Jamal and Victor removed them from the fire and began eating.


    "So, your villages sacrifice important and well-regarded individuals? Is there a specific tradition for it?" Daniel asked, picking up a nearby fruit resembling a coconut and drinking its juice.


    This fruit wasn''t a coconut; it was called Bayanus. Its juice had the property of altering a person''s body odor, making it a valuable tool for hunters. However, Jamal seemed unfamiliar with it; otherwise, he would have begged Daniel for some of its juice.


    In their current situation, this fruit''s juice was like a life-saving elixir.


    "Well, haha, yes, that''s correct. According to our village''s ancient tradition, the sacrifice must be someone cherished by others," Victor quickly answered.


    "Why is my head spinning? Huh?" Jamal suddenly frowned, stood up, and began vomiting violently.


    Victor, alarmed, rushed to check on him, but then he, too, started coughing up blood.


    "What''s going on here?" They weren''t fools. Their eyes turned to Daniel, who was calmly enjoying his meal with apparent satisfaction.


    "Rest in peace, for this will be the last time you can sleep."


    "You bastard!" Jamal growled and tried to attack him but collapsed to the ground, coughing blood before losing consciousness.


    "How...?" Victor didn''t resist. Blood dripped from his mouth as he fell unconscious, fear flickering in his eyes.


    "It''s time to begin" Daniel muttered as bloodlust gleamed in his eyes.


    Between the trial of "Nightmare" and the trial of "Dream," there is one crucial difference.

 Chapter 19 : The Last Winter IV

    Chapter 19: Chapter 19 : The Last Winter IV"It''s time to start," blood glimmered in his eyes.


    There is a significant difference between the "Nightmare" trial and the "Dream" trial.


    Essentially, Nightmare and Dream represent the difficulty levels of the trials, with Nightmare being the hardest. Only individuals who are extraordinarily powerful as mortals are chosen for this trial.


    In the novel , even Liam and Emma, who were considered prodigies, were not selected for the Nightmare trial¡ªthey didn''t qualify.


    Only the hero, that one, the firstborn and secondborn of the Vorhelm family, and a few other characters were chosen for the Nightmare trial, which highlights their strength.


    In the Nightmare trial, nothing is simulated. Both Jamal and Victor, as well as the One-Eyed Winter, are entirely real, with independent thought and will.


    Moreover, this Beast of corruption is particularly unique. The One-Eyed Winter often hunts other Beasts of corruption.


    This is why this beast of corruption has been shunned by its own kind.


    From the very beginning, he was suspicious of the three creatures imprisoned alongside him in the mountains.


    As a result, he killed one of them without hesitation to confirm his suspicion. As expected, they were indeed beasts of corruption.


    This specific species of beasts of corruption possesses an extraordinary ability to shapeshift. They can transform into any being¡ªbe it human, elf, or even dragon.


    Like the One-Eyed Winter, these creatures also lives in cold, mountainous regions.


    ROAR!


    "Hmm? Looks like it''s coming," Daniel raised his head slightly and looked at the mountain.


    The sky had turned dark, and now the entire mountainous region was its home. A single mistake would cost him his life.


    Unfortunately, death in the awakening process meant death in the real world as well. If he failed, he would lose both his chance for revenge and his second life.


    One by one, he picked up the bodies of the two corrupted creatures, carried them to the frozen river, and placed them on the ice.


    After glancing around to ensure there were no problems, he retrieved one of the materials he had gathered to build the trap¡ªa liquid known as Black Gold¡ªand drenched the entire surface of the river with it.


    "It smells awful."


    To make sure the stench of Black Gold didn''t trigger the One-Eyed Winter''s instincts or make it sense danger, Daniel used a type of leaf called Mistleaf and placed several of them at the four corners of the river.


    He then stood back and admired his masterpiece.


    "I''m truly a genius," he smirked smugly and then looked up at the dark sky.


    "If I''m not mistaken, the Minor mission must be to kill this beast. Although, if this mission is this difficult, Heaven knows how hard the main mission will be."


    ROAR! ROAR!


    Suddenly, the sound of snapping trees and furious, terrifying roars echoed through the sky.


    "It''s here."


    ...


    The trees crumbled one after another in its path. Its white fur swayed with the wind.


    Its golden eyes gleamed, seeing everything for miles around.


    However, its sense of smell was sharper than anything else at the moment. It could already smell the delicious, juicy meal waiting for it.


    It moved slowly, the distance to the two fleeing demons shrinking with every step.


    They thought they could escape it, but that was just an illusion. The entire mountain was its home.


    There was no escaping way.


    "Hope. The more hope a meal has, the tastier it will be. And fear... ah, the unmatched seasoning," its deep, guttural voice rumbled.


    It could sense the smell of hope and fear. That had to be the scent of the two demons¡ªand possibly the human, right?


    "There it is," it murmured as it pushed aside two trees with its head, revealing a frozen river.


    A frozen river under the moonlight, resembling a heavenly scene.


    In the middle of the river lay the unconscious bodies of the two demons. Their scent was driving it mad.


    A mix of fear¡ªa scent it loved. In such a beautiful scene, it couldn''t wait to rip them apart with its teeth, chew them to pieces, drink their blood, clean its teeth with their bones, and use their skulls as bowls to drink water.


    It stepped forward, its paws and claws cracking the surface of the ice with each step.


    "Oh, it''s truly delectable," it growled, sinking its teeth into Victor''s leg and tearing it off. Blood splattered across its face, painting it with crimson.


    After chewing through the first leg, it moved on to the other, then to the stomach, tearing into the entrails.


    "Human, do you intend to hide any longer?"


    It spoke while licking Victor''s heart with its tongue, its voice indifferent yet chilling to the bone.


    "I truly don''t understand your kind, although fond of devouring other beasts, you seems to prefer only those that resemble humans... Why is that?"


    Daniel knew hiding any longer was futile and stepped out from behind the bushes.


    "It''s because of human organs. We prefer human-like organs to those of others But you humans stink. Eating you is revolting."


    The One-Eyed Winter gazed at the first human ever to escape from it.


    "You sacrificed your hand to escape. I admire your bravery. And on top of that, you''ve prepared such a fine meal and this magnificent scenery for me."


    "As a token of gratitude, I''ll grant you a fast death," it said while cleaning its face with its tongue.


    "Thank you for the generosity, but it won''t be necessary. After all, the one who will die isn''t me."


    Daniel glanced at Victor''s body. Only the head and a few scattered bones remained intact. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Heh, make sure you don''t regret this later."


    Before the beast could launch an attack, Daniel pulled a small piece of wood, no larger than a gold coin, from his pocket.


    Although it appeared to be an ordinary piece of wood, it was anything but. This was a fragment of the Pyroash tree¡ªa type of wood that, when in contact with Black Gold, triggers an explosion.


    "That...? You human!" Of course, the One-Eyed Winter realized it immediately.

 Chapter 20 : The Last Winter V

    Chapter 20: Chapter 20 : The Last Winter V"Ha, you''d better not regret this later."


    Before the Beast of Corruption could launch an attack, Daniel pulled a small piece of wood, no bigger than a gold coin, from his pocket.


    Although it looked like an ordinary piece of wood, it was anything but. This was a fragment of the Pyroash tree¡ªa type of wood that explodes upon contact with Black Gold.


    "That...?! You, human!" Naturally, the One-Eyed Winter immediately recognized it.


    Without hesitation, Daniel threw the piece of wood toward the demon. It landed on the river.


    BOOM!


    Before the creature could react, the entire river erupted into an explosion. Daniel quickly hurled himself behind a tree to shield himself from the blast wave.


    Black mist and smoke filled the air.


    Victor''s head and Jamal''s body, which had remained intact until now, were violently shattered and scattered in different directions. One of their eyes even landed right in front of Daniel.


    "Ugh¡ªthe blast was stronger than I expected."


    Part of Daniel''s face and arm had been completely burned by the explosion, but he didn''t have the luxury to care about that now.


    After a few seconds, he stood and looked back toward the river.


    The frozen river had melted, now flowing like an ordinary stream, while nearby trees were ablaze.


    Although the explosion was powerful due to the excessive amount of Black Gold, its range wasn''t too wide.


    This was one of Black Gold''s features: its limited dispersal range. Daniel had ensured beforehand that the blast wouldn''t spread too far.


    He''d learned about this material thanks to the descriptions provided in the novel.


    As the smoke and mist slowly dissipated, the figure of the One-Eyed Winter emerged.


    "Hm...? This? Damn it!" As Daniel expected, the beast was still alive. Worse, it attacked the moment the smoke cleared.


    "Damn it!" Daniel cursed. He dodged as quickly as he could but wasn''t fast enough. His shoulder¡ªthe same side where he''d lost his arm¡ªwas completely ripped off.


    "You wretched human! Because of you, I''m in this state! I swear by the Mother Goddess, I will tear you apart with my teeth!"


    The One-Eyed Winter screamed with fury and hatred.


    Daniel pressed his remaining hand against his shoulder in a vain attempt to stop the bleeding.


    "It looks like you''re not in good shape either."


    Half of the demon''s body was completely burned away, exposing its bones. More importantly, part of its heart was visible.


    All demons possessed a kind of immortality: unless their core was destroyed, they couldn''t die.


    For beasts of corruption, the core was their heart¡ªa radiant, pure white organ.


    Daniel had never expected to kill such a monster with just one explosion.


    The One-Eyed Winter''s golden eyes turned red. Without giving Daniel any chance to flee, it unleashed its Eyes of Annihilation, targeting him.


    A blinding beam of light erupted from the demon''s eyes, striking Daniel. His stomach was completely pierced, the beam continuing through him to carve a hole in the icy mountain behind them.


    Daniel''s half-dead body was flung by the impact, crashing into a large chunk of frozen rock.


    "Wretched human! This is your punishment for what you''ve done! An ant should never dare challenge higher beings! Know your place, you worthless dog."


    The One-Eyed Winter glared at Daniel''s half-dead body with contempt and scorn.


    From the beginning, Daniel hadn''t even tried to run¡ªfor two reasons.


    First, escape was utterly impossible. He was just a half-human mortal with no special powers. Even being at peak of mortal physical potential, the monster before him was equivalent to a Rank B Awakened.


    In every way, the One-Eyed Winter outclassed him, especially in speed.


    He was, comparatively, no more than an ant.


    Second, and more importantly, he didn''t need to escape. His goal from the start had been to kill the beast, even if it meant enduring this level of pain.


    As his eyes struggled to stay open, he watched the One-Eyed Winter step closer and closer.


    "Though I detest eating humans, I suppose I can make an exception for you."


    It licked its lips, staring at Daniel with hunger and anticipation.


    "Besides, you destroyed my other meal, so you''ll have to take responsibility, won''t you?"


    With its crocodile-like tongue, the beast licked Daniel''s face, tasting him slightly.


    In its eyes, while his flavor wasn''t as exquisite as that of corrupted beasts, it wasn''t entirely bad either. Especially because it could sense his lingering hope.


    Could this foolish human really still hope to survive? Truly, as the Mother Goddess had said, humans were arrogant creatures. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I... I..."


    The words barely came out of Daniel''s mouth, his energy completely drained, and death creeping closer.


    "Ha, are those your last words, human? Go on."


    The One-Eyed Winter grinned, and with its wide, eerie mouth, the grin looked even more terrifying.


    It moved its head closer to hear what the human had to say before tearing him apart and roasting him with its Annihilation Beam.


    "I... I never lose¡ªnot in this life..."


    Suddenly, its instincts kicked in, and a wave of fear hit it. Something deep inside warned it: its life was in danger.


    But before the demon could react, Daniel used the last bit of strength he had left to pull a small ball from his pocket and shove it into the One-Eyed Winter''s mouth.


    The beast didn''t even have time to speak before the ball¡ªfilled with Black Gold¡ªexploded, blowing its head to pieces.


    Smoke and steam filled the air once again.


    "It''s not enough," Daniel whispered.


    Daniel didn''t stop. He reached out and pulled out the monster''s heart. Due to the earlier explosion that had destroyed half of the demon''s body, the heart was left completely unprotected.


    He looked at the glowing white heart in his hand and, without a moment of hesitation, crushed it.


    One-Eyed Winter''s body collapsed lifelessly onto the ground, drenched in blood. In its final moments before death, it felt regret.


    The Mother Goddess had said one more thing about humans: never underestimate them, their arrogance is not without reason...

 Chapter 21 : Talent Awakening

    Chapter 21: Chapter 21 : Talent AwakeningThe Mother Goddess had said something else about humans: never underestimate them, and their arrogance is not without reason.


    "Heh."


    Daniel, however, was completely drenched in blood. A large hole had appeared in the middle of his body¡ªhis stomach¡ªand one of his shoulders and arms had been completely torn off.


    The skin on his face and his other hand was badly burned. Pain had spread all over his body, and if it weren''t for the willpower from his past life, his mind would''ve already collapsed.


    The light of life in his eyes was slowly fading. He hadn''t expected to face death this closely again.


    But at that moment, a sudden voice echoed in his head.


    [Congratulations to the participant for successfully completing the Minor Mission.]


    [You have successfully gained the chance to Awaken.]


    [Mission Completion Rank: SSS.]


    [Awakening process begins.]


    Before his eyes, his body began to heal quickly¡ªfrom the large hole in his stomach to his severed arm and burned skin.


    However, at the same time, another pain struck him.


    It felt like someone had stabbed a needle straight into his eye and twisted it, but a hundred times worse.


    The awakening process had started, and a spiritual sea was beginning to form.


    The spiritual sea was created within his head, at the barrier that separates body and soul.


    That barrier shattered completely, and a new space formed deep in his mind¡ªa space that connected the two dimensions of his body.


    A massive sea began to take shape there.


    Without hesitation, Daniel focused all his attention on the spiritual sea as it formed¡ªa vast, lively sea.


    The sea stretched about ten thousand miles, and at its center, a core was forming. It was a cycle¡ªa cycle of death.


    "This...?"


    But it wasn''t just the cycle that caught his attention. It was the water of the spiritual sea.


    The water was entirely black, something that shouldn''t be possible.


    [Congratulations, you have successfully completed the Awakening.]


    [Processing data... Participant''s body scan complete.]


    [Participant''s soul has been fully scanned.]


    [Participant''s existence has been fully scanned.]


    [Ding... Host possesses the Divinity of Death.]


    [Warning... Warning... Warning...]


    [A mortal has obtained an Divinity. Consulting higher authorities.]


    "What the hell is going on?"


    Seeing the red light suddenly surround his body, Daniel couldn''t help but curse.


    The Divinity of Death? Wasn''t that what he had received from the Death Goddess? He hadn''t expected to still have it in this life.


    Or maybe... could this divinity be connected to his regression?


    He hadn''t ignored the possibility, but he hadn''t had time to think about it until now. And now that he did, everything seemed far too strange.


    His mind raced through countless possibilities in an instant, but unfortunately, none of them mattered. At the moment, there was nothing he could do.


    Luckily, it seemed like there was no need to worry¡ªor at least, that''s how it appeared.


    [Alert! Alert! Alert!]


    [External interference detected! A foreign force is tampering with the Mother System.]


    [Ding... Mother System restarting.]


    [The Divinity of Death confirmed.]


    [Congratulations on acquiring your first innate ability.]


    [Name: Dormant Chaos.]


    [Rank: SSS/Transcendent.]


    [Description: Heralds of Death, similar to Angels of Light, but instead serving the Fallen. You can summon the souls of Heralds of death from the Abyss.]


    [Note: To summon a herald of death soul, you need a body for it to inhabit.]


    [Current Limit: 0/10.]


    "...What?"


    Daniel stared in awe at the notifications in front of him. The innate ability he had just awakened was nothing like what he had expected.


    In fact, something like this wasn''t even mentioned in the novel.


    "The Divinity of Death...?" He seemed a bit skeptical.


    He hadn''t expected the divinity of death to still be with him. This was an unbelievable surprise.


    Focusing more closely on the floating blue screen in front of him, Daniel realized this was the first time he had seen anything like it.


    He turned his attention to his innate talent. Rank SSS, also known as Transcendent Rank.


    Among all of humanity¡ªand all other races¡ªsuch a rank was almost unheard of. Perhaps in the entire world, throughout history, only a handful of people had awakened innate abilities of this rank.


    And now, he was one of them.


    "Herald of Death?"


    His gaze shifted to the lifeless body of One-Eyed Winter. According to the Mother System''s explanation, he could summon souls from the Abyss to serve him.


    He wasn''t sure what exactly the Abyss referred to, but the ability reminded him of Beast Tamers or Necromancers.


    Daniel stood up and walked over to the lifeless body of the beast. If he wanted to test his innate ability, One-Eyed Winter was the best choice.


    However, he wasn''t sure it would work. After all, the creature was a Corruption Beast.


    Throughout history, ever since the Mother System''s emergence, no one had been able to tame Corruption Beasts or use their corpses as Undead.


    In both the novel and his previous life, such a thing was deemed impossible.


    No one knew exactly why, but it seemed to be an unbreakable limitation.


    So he wasn''t confident that he could turn this monster into a Death Harbinger.


    But trying didn''t cost anything.


    He glanced at the word required to activate his ability, then slowly spoke it out loud:


    "Rise from death and serve me."


    "...."


    Before he could react, a sudden light appeared from the sky and enveloped One-Eyed Winter''s entire body.


    A purple light, radiating a certain unique allure.


    [Attempting to summon a Herald of Death.]


    [Error: Awakening level too low... Attempt failed.]


    [Retrying.]


    [A Herald of Death.has responded to Dormant Chaos.]


    [Error: Awakening level too low... Attempt failed.]


    [Final attempt.]


    [...]


    [Attempt successful!]


    [You have successfully summoned a Herald of Death]


    The light around One-Eyed Winter faded, revealing an entirely different being.


    Its fur was no longer white but the color of the night sky¡ªdark yet radiant.


    Its body had grown larger and more muscular, and around its head was a mane like a lion''s, shimmering with a violet lightning hue, giving off a brilliant glow.


    Its eyes were still golden, but they now emitted a moving light that instilled awe and fear¡ªa misty and eerie glow, yet its presence was overwhelming and terrifying.


    [Please choose a name for it.]


    "Vorak." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a moment of thought, Daniel chose the name.


    [Name Vorak selected.]


    [His panel is now complete. Would you like to view his panel?]


    Before he could look at the notification, Vorak bowed respectfully before him.


    "I have seen my Lord."

 Chapter 22 : Chaos Core I

    Chapter 22: Chapter 22 : Chaos Core I"I have seen the Lord."


    Daniel placed his hand on its head, gently stroking it. He didn''t know why, but ever since he saw the One-Eyed Winter, he had felt an urge to do so.


    "..."


    It seemed Vorak didn''t mind it either.


    "Show me its panel."


    [ Confirmed ]


    _______________


    Name: Vorak


    Race: Herald of Death


    Rank: Minor Herald


    Power Level: Comparable to a B-Rank Awakened


    Abilities: Eye of Annihilation, Light of Annihilation, Death Light, High-Level Regeneration


    Loyalty to Dormant Chaos: 100%


    _______________


    "A Minor Herald? On what basis are the Heralds of Death ranked? if this creature, comparable to a B-Rank Awakened, is juast considered just a Minor, than what would be the strongers?"


    Daniel felt a twinge of curiosity. If a corruption beast as strong as this was only a Minor Herald, how powerful were the strongest of their kind?


    However, it seemed the Mother System had no interest in answering his questions, leaving him to uncover the truth himself.


    Not that he cared too much about it.


    "So, I really can turn corruption beasts into my own subordinates? Although there are limitations now, it''s likely that the number will increase as my rank grows."


    Even the thought of it felt like a dream. Wouldn''t this allow him to build an army of corruption beasts and use them against others of their kind?


    If the world ever found out, humanity and every other race in this world would likely unite with the corruption beasts for the first time just to hunt him down.


    "Finally, after fourteen years, I''ve become an Awakened." Daniel turned his attention away from Vorak and began examining his own body.


    He could feel the power coursing through him. All the bonds and restrictions that once defined him as a mortal had vanished.


    "Even though I''m only an F-Rank Awakened, my raw power rivals that of a C+ Rank." He smirked.


    Unlike xianxia novels, fighting people at higher levels in this world was entirely meaningless. Only the hero could manage such feats.


    Yet, by his own estimation, his current raw strength was already comparable to that of a C+ Rank Awakened.


    Speaking of Awakened, both in this world and in his previous life, they were divided into six main ranks:


    F, C, B, A, S, and Demigod.


    Awakened of Rank A and S were known as Authority Holders. To reach A-Rank, one needed to pass an additional trial.


    Unlike the initial awakening, this trial didn''t unlock another talent; instead, it granted Authority.


    Above S-Rank were the Demigods, extremely powerful and rare beings. The leaders of this world were all at this rank, but their numbers were scarce.


    His current father, for instance, was one of the most powerful Demigods in the world.


    In his previous life, Daniel had reached this rank as well. Yet, compared to true gods, even Demigods were akin to mere insects.


    Each rank also had two sub-levels, represented by a plus sign, such as C+ or A++.


    "My spiritual sea is black." Daniel glanced at his spiritual sea, frowning. A spiritual sea was supposed to resemble a vast ocean, with a representation of one''s talent floating at its center.


    His, however, was entirely black.


    "Could it be related to the Divinity Of Death ? Or maybe due to my zero compatibility with mana...?" His frown deepened.


    The spiritual sea was directly linked to mana and its quantity. The liquid comprising the sea was mana itself; the more mana one had, the fuller their spiritual sea would be.


    Its color depended on the person''s compatibility with mana¡ªgreater compatibility meant purer mana absorption, resulting in a bluer hue.


    Yet his spiritual sea was entirely black, like an endless void.


    "It''s probably because of both." He sighed, feeling a headache coming on. His current body''s condition was far too strange.


    He had never expected to still possess the Divinity Of Death. More importantly, he had no idea about its abilities.


    All he could do was hope it would prove useful and not become a source of trouble.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t realize that this divinity had already drawn the attention of many divine beings.


    "In any case, where are you? Isn''t it time to form the Chaos Core?" He seemed to be talking to himself, but he wasn''t.


    [ Ding... The Template System is in active mode. ]


    [ Rescanning host... ]


    [ Host has successfully awakened and managed to either kill and enslave a corruption beast. ]


    [ Conditions for forming the Chaos Core have been met. Do you wish to absorb its Chaos Energy? ]


    [ Note: Absorbing its Chaos Energy will greatly weaken the One-Eyed Winter. ]


    Daniel didn''t respond immediately. Instead, he pondered for a moment. If Vorak''s strength diminished, it would undoubtedly be a significant loss for him.


    however, according to the system, Chaos Energy was similar to mana, and mana was crucial. Without it, he couldn''t utilize his full potential.


    Moreover, even if he had once hoped to improve his mana compatibility, seeing his spiritual sea had dashed all such hopes.


    His spiritual sea was completely dry and withered, making it impossible to turn it into a spiritual palace.


    "Is it possible for its strength to increase again in the future?" Daniel asked after finishing his thoughts. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [ The Dormant Chaos talent is highly unique. After turning them into a Herald, their existence becomes tied to yours. ]


    [ As you grow stronger, so do they. ]


    Daniel exhaled in relief, his eyes flashing with excitement. He hadn''t expected his talent to be this powerful.


    The Mother System never gave detailed explanations about talents, but fortunately, he had a personal system.


    If this were true, wasn''t this more than heaven-defying? If a creature as powerful as Vorak could reach A or S Rank, it would become an unstoppable monster.


    Moreover, among the beasts of corruption, the Vorak is considered only average to below average. There exists creatures far more terrifying and powerful than it.


    This led him to wonder if it might be possible for the Heralds to become demigods


    "Do it."


    [Confirmed]


    [The host is advised to sit in a cross-legged position.]


    Daniel sat cross-legged on the ground.


    [The process of forming the Core of Chaos begins.]


    Before he could react in the slightest, his eyes suddenly turned completely black again, shifting from their normal state.

 Chapter 23 : Chaos Core II

    Chapter 23: Chapter 23 : Chaos Core II[Confirmed]


    [The host is advised to sit in a cross-legged position.]


    Daniel sat cross-legged on the ground.


    [The process of forming the Core of Chaos begins.]


    Before he could react in the slightest, his eyes suddenly turned completely black again, shifting from their normal state.


    The veins across his body suddenly bulged as if they were about to burst, turning golden.


    Vorak, sensing the changes in his master, wanted to approach to check on him. However, he suddenly froze in place as purple energy strands began emanating from the pores of his body.


    He couldn''t even make a sound as he entered a complete trance¡ªa state that also applied to Daniel, whose consciousness was caught between wakefulness and unconsciousness.


    His pupils turned purple and started glowing. Ethereal strands of purple energy flowed through his body, passing through him and entering within. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Daniel''s spiritual sea began to crack, as though it could collapse at any moment. The chaos energy entered his spiritual sea, utterly annihilating it.


    A terrifying pain coursed through his entire being, and his veins burst, golden blood dripping from his eyes.


    He wanted to scream with all his might, but because he had no control over his body, he couldn''t even do that.


    Something new began forming in the part of his brain responsible for the connection between the two dimensions of living beings.


    A black-and-purple core, glowing brilliantly, radiated an aura of death and destruction.


    In its center, the wheel of death and life reappeared, albeit with one simple difference¡ªit emitted a far more magnificent and terrifying aura.


    Most of the chaos energy was consumed in the formation of the core, while the remainder flowed into it, like water filling an ocean.


    But this was not the end. The core connected itself to his circulatory and nervous systems.


    The chaos energy coursed through his veins, tissues, and intercellular spaces, adjusting and enhancing every muscle and tissue in his body.


    It completely eradicated all impurities, dangerous microbes, and viruses within him.


    This process continued for an hour until finally, the chaotic energy fully fused with his body.


    [The Chaos Core has been successfully formed.]


    Daniel slowly regained control of his body. His veins and eyes returned to normal, as though nothing had happened.


    "This power... it''s truly intoxicating." Daniel couldn''t contain his amazement and disbelief.


    Opening his eyes, he examined his body. Although his outward appearance hadn''t changed much, his strength had increased exponentially.


    Comparing his current self to who he had been just an hour ago was utterly impossible.


    "Now I understand why both corruption beasts and divine beasts are so powerful." In neither his previous life nor this one had anyone ever discovered why corruption beasts were so immensely strong.


    But now, feeling the chaos energy within himself, he could finally comprehend why.


    This energy was overwhelmingly potent. Even more terrifying was that his core only contained a minuscule amount of chaotic energy.


    If he were to confront One-Eyed Winter with his current power, he could fight on even footing without the need for traps or tricks.


    Though, victory would still be challenging.


    "Still, with my spiritual sea destroyed, how exactly is my power measured now?" Daniel frowned slightly.


    The power of an Awakened was determined by their spiritual sea. The larger it was and the more mana it contained, the stronger the individual.


    The spiritual sea was divided into three realms, each blocked by a barrier. Awakened beings could fill their spiritual sea with mana using various techniques, treasures, and methods, breaking through the barriers.


    When the barriers of all three realms were shattered, an individual would need to pass the second trial to become an Authority Holder.


    At that point, their spiritual sea transforms into a spiritual palace, and advancing ranks at that level became a completely different process.


    Unfortunately, due to Daniel''s zero compatibility with mana, he could never absorb mana under any circumstances. Despite successfully awakening and gaining an extraordinarily powerful talent, he might never be able to advance in rank.


    However, with the Chaos Core, the situation was different.


    By killing corruption beasts, he could collect chaos energy and potentially grow stronger.


    Still, he wasn''t entirely sure if the mechanics of the Chaos Core were similar to that of a spiritual sea.


    More importantly, to others, he didn''t even appear as an Awakened. They couldn''t sense the presence of a spiritual sea within him or detect any mana from him.


    "So, in their eyes, I''m currently just a pathetic mortal, huh? Should I laugh or cry?" Daniel chuckled. Such a detail didn''t matter to him.


    Even more, though others might not sense any mana from him, they wouldn''t dare underestimate him. The aura radiating from his body was terrifying to those on his level.


    Though Olivia, Alex, and the rest of his peers couldn''t sense his aura before their awakening, things would drastically change after they passed the Awakening Trial.


    "Vorak, you should get some rest," Daniel said, glancing at his Herald, who looked exhausted and out of breath.


    Vorak nodded before turning into a light and retreating into Daniel''s Chaos Core.


    "Well, I didn''t expect that," he muttered with a small laugh before closing his eyes to inspect the Chaos Core with his awareness.


    "While it resembles a spiritual sea, there are striking differences," Daniel examined the core both internally and externally.


    Its appearance might bear some similarities to a spiritual sea, but its aura was far more noble and fearsome.


    He could feel a kind of presence emanating from it that he had never seen or felt before.


    No... He had felt such an aura once before.


    "The Goddess of Death... She exuded a similar presence," Daniel frowned. Could it be that the source of the gods'' power was also a Chaos Core...?


    Before he could ponder further, he felt something. His eyes shot open.


    "Hello," came a voice, his accompanied by a pair of striking eyes and a feminine figure standing before him.

 Chapter 24 : Divine Bleesing

    Chapter 24: Chapter 24 : Divine Bleesing"Hello" said a sweet feminine voice, unfamiliar to Daniel.


    Daniel glanced at the girl standing before him¡ªa girl with long blond hair, sky-blue eyes, a medium-sized breasts, and curvaceous hips that clearly owed their shape to rigorous physical training.


    Her legs were long and alluring, and although her figure was stunning, her face appeared to belong to a girl no older than fifteen or sixteen.


    She wore a tight white outfit that emphasized her private areas, leaving little to the imagination.


    "Oh, perhaps you don''t know me! Let me introduce myself. I''m Em¡ª"


    "I know you, Lady Emma," Daniel said with a faint smile, rising slowly to his feet.


    However, despite his calm demeanor, his mind was a bit unsettled. How long has she been here? Did she witness the awakening of my Chaos Core? How did I not notice her presence?


    "Hahaha, I didn''t expect to be this famous!" Emma laughed, casting a glance at her half-brother.


    She had stumbled upon this place entirely by chance, hearing some commotion as she passed nearby. Yet, she hadn''t expected to stumble upon such an intriguing surprise.


    "I suppose there''s no one in the Vorhelm family who hasn''t heard of you," Daniel replied nonchalantly, scrutinizing the girl standing before him.


    The aura radiating from her body was strong¡ªstronger than that of a typical Rank F Awakened. But it still didn''t surpass that level.


    So, how didn''t I notice her presence? Daniel wondered. Could it have something to do with her talent?


    Since the test prohibited the use of artifacts or treasures not originating from here, Daniel was confident that she was relying solely on her innate abilities to mask her presence.


    Meanwhile, Emma was also assessing her half-brother. She hadn''t noticed it before, but the aura emanating from Daniel was terrifying for someone at their level.


    How does he radiate such an overwhelming presence? she thought. Moreover, she couldn''t sense any power from him at all, as if he didn''t possess any rank.


    "Lady Emma, may I ask what you''re doing here? Are you perhaps here for revenge?" Daniel asked, a simple yet ruthless smile gracing his face, his eyes briefly glinting with murderous intent.


    Although he couldn''t kill her, if she was here to cause trouble, he wouldn''t mind teaching her a lesson.


    "Isn''t my little brother a bit too suspicious? I just happened to pass by," Emma said with an innocent expression, widening her eyes slightly for effect.


    "..."


    Hearing the phrase "little brother" gave Daniel an odd feeling; he hadn''t expected anyone to address him in such a manner.


    "However, you embarrassed my brother in front of everyone, didn''t you? And even called him an animal? As his sister, shouldn''t I avenge him?" The atmosphere around her suddenly grew colder and more serious.


    "If you want revenge, why not?" Daniel''s demeanor also shifted entirely¡ªbecoming indifferent and icy.


    For a moment, an icy chill ran down Emma''s spine.


    Even though her instincts warned her to avoid confronting this monster, she felt an undeniable urge to fight him. She wanted to test the strength of her cheap half-brother.


    Daniel''s eyes gleamed dangerously, the air around him growing heavy, making it slightly harder to breathe.


    He was eager to test his newfound strength, and who would have expected this girl to show up in front of him?


    However...


    "Although I''d love to make you a good dog like Alex, now isn''t the time," Daniel muttered as the oppressive atmosphere dissipated, returning to normal.


    "Oh? Is my little brother scared? Haha," Emma mocked, a playful glint in her eyes.


    "The Great Trial is about to start. I don''t have time to waste fighting a child," Daniel said, glancing at the brightening sky.


    "Hah, just admit you''re scared. Not that I''d expect much from the son of a whor¡ª"


    Before Emma could finish her sentence, a terrifying killing intent enveloped her entirely, suffocating her.


    Her bones quivered, and every cell in her body screamed in terror.


    "Watch your tongue," Daniel warned in a voice dripping with murderous intent.


    Under the weight of his killing intent, Emma nodded quickly, signaling her understanding. Only then did Daniel suppress his aura.


    "Hah... Hah... Hah..." Gasping for air, Emma looked at Daniel in fear. She hadn''t expected him to wield such an overwhelming killing intent.


    It was far more terrifying than anything she had ever encountered. How could a mere fourteen-year-old possess such a monstrous killing intent?


    "Anyway, where is your brother?" Daniel asked casually, as though talking to a friend.


    "Why do you want to know?" Emma asked coldly, her tone devoid of the playful demeanor she had shown earlier.


    "He has something I want," Daniel answered bluntly, unbothered by her change in attitude.


    The reason Liam and Emma were hailed as geniuses by the Woreholm family council was due to their divine blessings.


    Just like in xianxia novels, some extremely fortunate individuals in this world were born with golden fingers, such as unique physiques or spirits, akin to Innate Spirits.


    However, one level above these was divine blessing¡ªa mark granted by a god to mortals.


    The Hero herself had possessed such a golden finger before she was betrayed and murdered by her dearest companions¡ªthe Transcendent Blessing.


    The Transcendent Blessing meant possessing the divine blessing of all the gods in this world. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emma and Liam were also born with divine blessings, making them unique and highly valued. Moreover, their blessings were extraordinarily rare.


    If Daniel''s memory of the novel was correct, Emma had been born with the blessing of the Shadow God, while Liam possessed the blessing of the Tyrant God.


    These divine blessings had similar marks like marks of innate talent but existed within the soul.


    Those who bore a divine blessing could, upon awakening, utilize the powers of their respective god at lower levels.


    It was as if these individuals were representatives or messengers of the gods¡ªakin to heroes or saints but on a lower tier.


    Daniel wanted to do what the Hero had done in the novel¡ª acquire a drop of Liam and Emma''s blood essence. This would allow him to use the same technique the Hero had used to obtain the Grail of Heaven.

 Chapter 25 : A Massacre

    Chapter 25: Chapter 25 : A Massacre"I don''t remember my brother taking anything from you," Emma said coldly and her guard rising


    Although she was sure she couldn''t match him after sensing his killing intent, she wasn''t willing to accept defeat without a fight.


    "Oh, don''t get me wrong. What I want belongs to him, but it''ll be mine soon enough," Daniel smiled. He had initially planned to extract Liam''s blood essence first, but perhaps it wouldn''t hurt to start with Emma.


    However, after some consideration, he abandoned the idea. This girl possessed the Divine Blessing of the Shadow God, and her innate talent was undoubtedly related to shadows.


    ''I kind of regret never re-reading the novel,'' Daniel thought, as he had forgotten many details about the twins.


    Nevertheless, he remembered that Emma excelled at escaping and hiding. Before being killed by that bastard, she had even taken control of the Moon Organization¡ªa family-run assassination guild under the Vorhelms.


    Daniel wasn''t sure that even with his current strength, he could prevent her from escaping. A Divine Blessing was no joke; it granted immense power.


    "Are you insane?" Emma looked at him with the same disgust one might reserve for a crazed bastard. And from her perspective, Daniel truly was a madman.


    Daniel took a step closer until he was directly in front of her. Although she flinched slightly, she didn''t back down and met his gaze with icy eyes.


    "Don''t worry. I''m not planning to kill you or your dear brother. You two still have to keep that bastard busy for a while," Daniel said, his lips just inches from hers.


    Both of them could feel the other''s breath.


    Emma didn''t even blink. She didn''t want to show any signs of fear in front of Daniel.


    Boom!


    "Hm?" Both of them turned their heads to the right, drawn by the sound. Smoke and fire were rising from several kilometers away in the forest. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For a moment, they exchanged glances before Emma disappeared from her spot.


    "So that''s how she uses it," Daniel chuckled slightly. This girl could merge into the shadows of objects or beings within her range of control.


    With her current level of power, her effective range was likely just a few meters. However, by continuously transferring through shadows within her range, she could cover significant distances.


    "The fact that she can use such an ability at her age... she''s truly talented," Daniel said before summoning Vorak.


    "Had a good rest, little boy?" Daniel stroked his fur lightly.


    "Do you see anything?"


    Although he was now awakened, Daniel''s rank was still low. Even if his raw power matched that of a typical Rank B awakened, his sensory abilities didn''t extend for miles.


    But Vorak was different.


    "My lord, the charred corpses of humans are burning in the fire."


    Daniel frowned deeply. Charred human corpses? Was this the work of a monster, or were these people simply part of this trial''s fabricated world?


    "Take me there."


    Daniel mounted Vorak, and without hesitation, the beast began to run. Within seconds, they reached the top of a hill.


    Even though Vorak''s power had been restricted, his speed still matched that of a Rank B awakened individual.


    "This is a massacre," Daniel muttered, his frown deepening.


    "So this is your talent?" Emma appeared beside him suddenly. Before looking at the scene, her eyes briefly fixed on Vorak.


    She hadn''t expected Daniel to be a Beast Tamer. However, why did this beast look so much like a One-Eyed Winter?


    As a descendant of the main bloodline, Emma naturally had extensive knowledge about corruption beasts and could easily identify a One-Eyed Winter.


    But how was this possible? Taming a corruption beast was supposed to be absolutely impossible. Such a thing was unheard of.


    ''Maybe the resemblance of this beast to a corruption creature is linked to his talent,'' Emma thought, considering the possibility. With that in mind, she turned her attention to the massacre below and frowned heavily.


    "Such carnage... Could a corruption beast have attacked here?" Emma asked, barely suppressing her nausea.


    Even though she had been trained mentally from a young age to handle such sights, seeing it up close was truly horrifying.


    Daniel ignored her and leaped down the hill, heading toward the corpses.


    Dozens of dismembered bodies lay scattered, their severed limbs burning individually in the flames.


    Blood stained the ground, painting it grotesquely. The nauseating stench of decay permeated the air.


    "Vorak, can you sense the presence of a corruption beast?"


    Vorak didn''t respond immediately. Instead, he sniffed around the area thoroughly.


    "No, my lord. No creatures other than humans have been here."


    ''What happened to them?'' Daniel couldn''t come up with any plausible explanation. His mind was drawing blanks.


    ''It can even talk?'' Emma was startled upon hearing Vorak''s voice. Only beasts or creatures ranked C or higher could communicate verbally.


    She hadn''t expected Daniel to be so talented or terrifying. All those rumors about him being talentless were complete nonsense.


    "Hm?" Suddenly noticing something, she approached one of the corpses to inspect it.


    "These are all descendants of the Vorhelm family," Emma said. Despite the charred condition of most of their faces, she managed to identify a few.


    "All of them?"


    "I can''t say for sure, but at least these two, yes. And if you look at their bodies, you''ll notice most of them are young," Emma explained.


    "What or who could do this to them?" Daniel muttered under his breath, then moved to examine the two bodies whose faces were still recognizable.


    He could faintly sense a weak spiritual sea emanating from them.


    "They had undergone awakening, but their spiritual seas are incomplete. They were likely killed during their spiritual sea''s formation."


    "But how? How could all of them be in one place during awakening?" Emma asked, finding Daniel''s words illogical.


    "Vorak, inspect their bodies," Daniel commanded, as he too struggled to comprehend the situation.


    Vorak moved toward the two corpses, sniffing and examining them closely.


    "Their bodies are not normal. A powerful poison is present in their blood."

 Chapter 26 : 7-Star Nightmare

    Chapter 26: Chapter 26 : 7-Star Nightmare"Vorak, check their bodies," Daniel said. Even he couldn''t understand how such a thing was possible.


    Vorak approached the two corpses, sniffing them and inspecting their bodies.


    "Their bodies aren''t normal. There''s a powerful poison in their blood" Vorak reported.


    "A poison? How could the same poison be in all of them?" Emma frowned. To her, it didn''t make sense. What could cause a poison to be present in all their bodies?


    Daniel didn''t say anything, inspecting the corpses again, this time more carefully and using his abilities. Vorak was right¡ªtheir blood wasn''t pure, and it contained foreign particles.


    But that wasn''t all. Their blood also contained symbols, invisible markings that couldn''t be seen with the naked eye.


    Even Daniel himself wouldn''t have noticed if he hadn''t been examining carefully and wasn''t already familiar with the language of the gods.


    That''s right¡ªthe language of the gods. Their blood contained rune symbols.


    "They''ve been marked with runes. If I''m not mistaken, they''re space-time runes," Daniel said, frowning deeply.


    "That''s impossible!" Emma shouted, unable to believe his words. Using runes was already rare and challenging enough, but space-time runes were an entirely different matter.


    Daniel frowned as well. These types of runes weren''t something just anyone could use. They required incredibly advanced expertise.


    "The reason they were teleported here during their awakening is because of these runes. Although I''m not sure about the poison¡ªit might have been the cause of their deaths." There were countless poisons in this world.


    Some poisons even contained the power of laws. It wasn''t impossible for such a massacre to be carried out with poison.


    "My Lord, aside from you two and the corpses here, there''s the scent of another human lingering in the air. However, that person is no longer here," Vorak said suddenly, causing Daniel to fall into thought.


    Meanwhile, Emma looked at the corpses again. First poison, and now runes... Why would someone go to such lengths to kill these people?


    "Do you know anyone in the Vorhelm family who uses poison?" Daniel asked abruptly.


    "Poison? No. You should know that poison masters, like rune masters, are extremely rare. Not as rare as rune masters, but still uncommon. It''s not a profession many choose," Emma replied.


    Daniel nodded. Poison mastery was indeed rare. It required not only significant resources but also extensive knowledge of chemistry.


    "It doesn''t make sense to go to such lengths just to kill these people. Why? And why them?" Daniel muttered, unable to wrap his head around it. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t recognize them. They''re definitely members of the Vorhelm family, but I''ve never seen them before," Emma added. She couldn''t understand why these particular individuals had been targeted.


    "Maybe that''s exactly why they were chosen¡ªbecause they''re not well-known or influential, and no one would care if they died," Daniel speculated.


    The more he thought about it, the more certain he became of his theory. He began going through his memories, trying to recall if there was any mention of such an event in the novel.


    Or perhaps a character capable of such a thing. But no one came to mind.


    Emma didn''t just stand still. She started searching the area, curiosity pushing her to uncover the reason behind this and the identity of the culprit.


    Especially since such a massacre would have to be reported to the council. If these people had died fighting monsters, the council wouldn''t have cared


    But the death of so many family members at the hands of someone else wouldn''t go unnoticed.


    Especially when they find out that a Rune Grandmaster was involved in their death.


    Runes related to space-time are no joke and hold immense significance.


    Even among all Rune Masters, only a very small number have the ability to use space-time runes, and all of them hold extremely high positions and are known as Rune Grandmasters.


    Coincidentally, there is one such person in the Vorhelm family, one of the main wives of her father.


    "Could it be?" A sweet and innocent face appeared in her mind, she they immediately dismissed the possibility.


    How could she do such a thing? That girl''s heart is purer and kinder than any other living being.


    As they continued their investigation, an announcement suddenly appeared before everyone:


    [ Congratulations on completing the Minor Mission! ]


    [ All awakenings have been completed. ]


    [ Initial participants: 322 / Fatalities: 132 / Survivors: 190 ]


    [ Lowest awakened talent rank: F (Normal) / Highest awakened talent rank: SSS (Transcendent) ]


    As the announcement was read, the eyes of the survivors widened in shock. They couldn''t believe what they were seeing.


    An SSS-rank talent!


    "How is this possible?"


    "Someone actually awakened an SSS-ranked talent!"


    "I thought such a rank was just a myth!"


    "The last time someone awakened such a talent was 300 years ago! And that person was the hero!"


    "Who is it? Young Master Liam? Or maybe young Lady Emma?"


    "It has to be one of them! Only those two have such potential!"


    "And what about the F-rank talent? Probably that useless bastard, haha."


    "You''re giving him too much credit. That trash is definitely dead."


    While discussions erupted across the snowy mountains, Emma stared at the announcement with a deep frown.


    Her own talent was only S-rank. She was certain her brother''s talent would also be either S or A rank. There was no way that idiot could have a talent higher than hers.


    But then, who could have awakened such a talent?


    "Could it be...?" Emma glanced at Daniel from the corner of her eye. He was still inspecting the corpses, his face indifferent, seemingly unconcerned with the announcement.


    If it had been before, she would never have believed it. But after sensing his aura and killing intent earlier... she wasn''t so sure anymore.


    Just then, another announcement appeared, drawing even Daniel''s attention:


    [ Great Mission Information ]


    [ Name: Snowy Graveyard ]


    [ Difficulty: Seven-Star Nightmare ]


    [ Do you wish to participate? (Choosing ''No'' will result in exiting the trial.) ]


    "..."


    "This is a joke, right?"


    "A Seven-Star Nightmare? Does something like that even exist?! I''ve never heard of such a thing in my entire life!"


    "It exists, but it''s been thousands of years since a trial of this level has appeared."


    The entire world seemed to go silent. No one could even speak. Emma''s frown deepened, turning into an expression of disbelief. She couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    A Seven-Star Nightmare! Was the system joking?


    "A Seven-Star Nightmare... I think I''d better exit the trial" Daniel muttered to himself in disbelief.


    "..."