Another set of notifications burst across my vision.
[Channel connected to the Constellation of Gates (GM).]
[The Constellation of Gates has sent you Awakening Gifts.]
Several new windows unfolded rapidly in front of my eyes.
[Gift Received: "Graveveil."]
A weapon materialized in my hand.
It was a slender, slightly curved blade, its dark steel reflecting the pale moonlight like cold water. The edge looked impossibly sharp, and faint patterns ran along the surface of the metal like shadows trapped beneath the blade. The shape reminded me of the traditional swords I had seen in old samurai movies.
The moment my fingers wrapped around the handle, a strange familiarity ran through my arm, as if my body already knew how to wield it.
More notifications followed.
[Skill Acquired: Basic Swordsmanship]
[Strength Enhancement: +1000]
[Rapid Heal: All injuries will regenerate within one minute.]
(Duration: 15 minutes)
[Awareness Vision: All movement within a 500-meter radius can be perceived clearly.]
[Speed Boost: Activated]
[Attack Boost: Activated]
[Hard Body: Activated]
Then one final message appeared.
[No need to thank me. < ]
I blinked.
A weapon… and this many buffs?
So this was what having a sponsor meant.
No wonder my body suddenly felt different.
Another message popped up beneath it.
[You look half-dead, so this should help - - ]
I wiped the blood dripping into my eye and couldn't stop the grin slowly forming on my face.
Hell yeah.
With this kind of power, beating the crap out of these monsters suddenly didn't sound impossible anymore.
But before I could even take a step forward, more notifications flooded my vision.
[The Sovereign of Wind has entered your channel.]
Sovereign of Wind:
"…Wait. What exactly just happened here?"
[The Tyrant of Blazing Flame has entered your channel.]
Tyrant of Blazing Flame:
"Hold on. Did the GM seriously just sponsor someone?"
[The Seeker of Fortune has entered your channel.]
Seeker of Fortune:
"That shouldn't be possible… Is that even allowed?"
Another message appeared, almost mocking the others.
[The Defier of Fate laughs at the other constellations' reactions.]
Defier of Fate:
"The rules never stated that the GM couldn't choose a contractor."
A colder voice followed.
[The Observer of Malice has entered your channel.]
Observer of Malice:
"This is cheating! This is not fair!"
[The Observer of Malice is currently frustrated and wishes for you to slip and die.]
Defier of Fate:
"Oh please. If the rules didn't forbid it, then it's perfectly fair."
Observer of Malice:
"But—."
The notifications kept stacking over each other until half my vision was filled with glowing text.
What the hell were they even arguing about?
I could barely read half of it as new messages kept pushing the old ones away.
And the worst part?
They were blocking my vision.
Meanwhile, the wolves hadn't disappeared.
They were still there.
Still circling.
Still hungry.
They attacked one after another.
Low growls rumbled through the forest.
I tightened my grip on Graveveil, the blade humming faintly in my hand as if responding to the tension in the air.
Everything felt slower.
My body moved almost on its own.
The wolf's jaws snapped toward my throat, but I stepped aside effortlessly. The movement felt light, almost weightless, as if the ground itself had pushed me forward.
My arm swung.
The blade flashed.
A sharp whistle cut through the air.
Then—
SLASH.
Blood sprayed across the forest floor.
The wolf collapsed mid-leap, its body hitting the dirt with a heavy thud.
The blade felt perfectly balanced in my hand, and the knowledge of how to move it flowed through my mind like instinct. Every stance, every swing, every motion felt natural.
The Basic Swordsmanship skill wasn't just information.
It was muscle memory.
Another wolf snarled and charged.
I stepped forward instead of back.
The moment its claws reached me, I twisted my body and drove the blade upward.
The steel tore through its chest like paper.
The monster's momentum carried it forward for another step before it collapsed at my feet.
Silence spread through the clearing.
But it was shattered the moment the constellations started talking again.
Tyrant of Blazing Flame:
"…See that? No one awakens with that much power and skill on their first try!"
Seeker of Fortune:
"Oh my… this might become entertaining."
Observer of Malice:
"Hmph. A temporary advantage."
Defier of Fate:
"Temporary or not… he's interesting."
More messages appeared, overlapping each other.
But honestly?
I wasn't reading them anymore.
I was too busy slaughtering wolves left and right. Adrenaline surged through my veins, and every swing of the blade felt exhilarating.
I didn't even know what kind of expression I was making as I carved through the monsters.
It reminded me of a game I used to play as a kid.
Just like that old Fruit Ninja game I loved when I was seven.
Every slice felt the same.
Back then, it was fruit.
Now it was meat.
Sovereign of Wind:
"He has totally lost it."
I kept slicing and cutting until nothing around me was moving anymore.
Except for me.
I stood there, breathing heavily, my grip on the sword still firm.
The scene around me looked disturbingly similar to what I had witnessed earlier.
Except this time, the ground wasn't drenched in human blood.
It was the monsters'.
Yet my bloodlust hadn't faded.
I kept moving.
I was looking for someone.
One person in particular.
That trash bastard.
I would skewer him like the pig he was.
Tyrant of Blazing Flame:
"Where is he going?"
Defier of Fate:
"To butcher."