00005 Prologue. =========================================================================
The system message announcing my resurrection appeared before my eyes, cruelly dragging me back to reality.
No sooner had I regained my senses than the door shattered, sending wooden splinters flying through the air.
The door teetered and crashed down with a thud. Amid the rolling wooden debris on the floor, that same man—the one I'd thought had smashed my head just moments ago—reappeared, stepping on a chunk with a crunch.
'Hello, little one. Were you sleeping? I hope I didn't wake you... What happened after that?'
"Hello, little one. Were you sleeping? Sorry if I woke you. I'll just grab my stuff and go, so stay quiet, alright?"
My mind remained bizarrely calm even in this situation, letting out a hollow chuckle. A bitter taste filled my mouth.
So, this meant I had to take down the opponent, or this scenario would loop forever.
"That's too much. Really, really too much."
In a game, you could just click your mouse to defeat someone, but here I had to kill them with my own hands. In other words, unless I killed him, I'd be stuck repeating this moment eternally. Like it or not, I had no choice but to follow Sian's design.
I looked up at the approaching man and murmured the skills I'd just read and memorized.
It wasn't about whether I could do it—survival instinct drove me to try something, anything. Rage boiled inside at Sian for dragging me into this world, but I pushed it aside for now. Zone out again, and I'd get my skull split open.
[Entering combat.]
[Shadow Sword Arts 1st Form - Potential Release activates during battle.]
A message appeared saying my physical abilities had partially increased, and an uncontrollable surge of power flooded my body.
This must be what they call baseless confidence. I took a deep breath and prepared to move. At the same time, I activated three skills.
Shadow Heresy Arts
1st Form - Shadow Deployment
2nd Form - Demon Eye Open
4th Form - Lesser Black Artifact Creation, Dagger
The shadow at my feet spread widely across the room. I felt my dynamic vision sharpen and my skin's sensitivity heighten. In my hand formed a dagger—long as a greatsword to a child. Forged from gathering black essence, it had a satisfying weight.
Though I'd never held a bladed weapon in my life, it didn't feel unfamiliar. My mind was astonishingly clear.
No excitement or elation. My reason remained sharply focused. The top priority was surviving this unscathed and claiming victory.
"Hoo."
Right. Time to move.
I still didn't know what was what, but first, let's get through this moment.
+++
Judah kicked off the ground and lunged at him. All he'd learned in his original world was taekwondo.
So he had no idea how to swing a sword effectively to subdue or wound an enemy.
He didn't know where to stab for a fatal blow that would disable a limb.
But some inexplicable, sharp instinct told him exactly what to do, even as he gripped a sword for the first time. His body moved naturally as he thought. The man swung the axe slung over his shoulder with derisive force. Ducking low brought the heavy blade whistling sharply over Judah's head.
'Good, I dodged it.'
Cold sweat trickled down, his breath growing ragged. He pressed forward. Close combat was dangerous. So what now? A skill flashed in his mind—one that let him attack without fully closing in. He took exactly two more steps forward and pulled the dagger to his chest.
"..."
A glance at the man showed surprise on his face, but he was readying his next attack. Frowning at how close the child had come, the man stepped back and swung the axe haft at Judah's head. He figured a kid would drop the dagger and start bawling from the pain.
Matching the incoming haft, Judah thrust the dagger into empty air.
The mercenary, Jack, who had eyed the dagger's formation earlier, watched in confusion as it stabbed at nothing with distance still between them.
This time, the black energy he'd seen before gathered around the blade.
Judah narrowed his eyes and said,
"You made a mistake."
"What?"
—Shadow Sword Arts
—3rd Form - Single Point
The surrounding black energy clung to the dagger, transforming it into a thick, conical spear tip too massive for a child to wield.
Jack flinched at the sudden change. The conical spear blade pierced his solar plexus with the same momentum it had stabbed the air.
"!"
Even knowing where it was aimed, even thinking to swing his axe and deflect it...
Jack could only stare as the spear tip plunged straight into him.
Puk!
Jack's eyes trembled in disbelief before losing focus.
The skill having landed true, the spear reverted to dagger form.
Around Jack's solar plexus—where the spear had punched through—was a bullet hole of devastation. Ghastly. Muscle, bone, blood, organs—all exposed inside. Revolting. Blood sprayed from the wound, splattering Judah's face.
'...Hot.'
Unpleasantly hot. He wiped his face with the back of his hand, but the blood smeared instead of cleaning off. Jack's body swayed and toppled backward. The thud echoed terrifyingly loud.
Judah looked down at the corpse, then at the blood on his hand.
Killing a person for the first time felt real, but no other turmoil came.
Instead, gazing at Jack's wide-eyed, staring corpse stirred a strange thrill in his body.
Before he could question the sensation, heavy footsteps thudded from below, someone climbing the stairs to the second floor.
"Jack! What was that noise?"
The moment someone stepped on the shadow spread across the floor, Judah sensed their position and approximate build.
Ah, so this is the effect of 'Shadow Deployment.'
What he'd understood intellectually clicked physically too.
Impressed, he turned to face the newcomer.
Compared to the fallen one, this man was smaller.
Spotting Jack's body, he drew the sword at his waist and gripped it with both hands.
Judah felt the wary glare.
The man alternated looks between the dagger in Judah's hand and Jack's corpse.
"What the—did you take down Jack?"
He seemed incredulous. As if entranced, Judah stepped toward him. No fear now. Like a beast, he closed in and drove the dagger into the man's heart. Literally—just walked up and stabbed the heart.
"Wha...t?"
Meeting those glowing red eyes froze his thoughts for a moment.
When he snapped to, the small boy was already on his knees, plunging the dagger into his heart.
Like he'd been possessed. He tried to swing his sword to behead the boy, but his body wouldn't obey.
His legs gave way, and he crumpled.
"Cheat."
Judah murmured, staring at his hands.
He'd beaten foes incomparable in physical ability and experience.
He'd taken two lives, yet no mental fatigue or shock lingered.
That disconnect felt eerie.
"..."
He just wanted to sleep. But there was still work to do.
He carried his father's corpse—unknown name and face—to the first floor.
At the entrance sat a woman's body. Probably his mother.
She'd collapsed near the door, likely stabbed the moment she opened it.
Her eyes stared wide in what seemed like冤屈.
Seeing it weighed on his heart.
What to do with them? He wanted help, but everyone who could was dead. Judah smiled bitterly, then dragged the two mercenaries' bodies downstairs too and searched their pockets.
They'd come here for one reason, he presumed.
'The Black Claw secret art I wield.'
That was the setup, after all.
But beyond Judah the character's initial traits, most details were omitted.
Makes sense—this Judah was a rival NPC, not player-controlled.
From the two bodies, he got silver tags and some gold.
Naturally, the tags marked them as Mercenary Guild members.
One side bore a coffin-like elongated shield shape; the other had name and origin engraved.
He pocketed them roughly, then dumped the bodies out front.
Someone would find them at dawn.
──────────────────────
「Quest」
[Completed Character.Yuda's Tutorial.]
└Reward: +3 Levels, Dead Mercenaries' Possessions.
──────────────────────
「Status Window」
[Name: Judah Arsher]
[Title: None]
[Level: 4]
[Job: Black Claw _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden A)]
[Revival Count: 1]
[Strength: 20 (D) / Potential A]
[Stamina: 15 (F) / Potential S]
[Agility: 15 (F) / Potential SS]
[Mana: 30 (D) / Potential B]
[Magic Resistance: 50 (C) / Potential S]
[Luck: 75 (B) / Potential A] ◀ Special
[Remaining Points: 3]
──────────────────────
Level, huh.
Judah didn't want to deal with it now and skimmed before closing the window.
He could check later; no rush.
Sighing, Judah sat in a living room chair. The blood on his body was drying stiff and uncomfortable. Being a kid made the tall chair awkward too.
Gazing at his parents' cold corpses sprawled on the floor by the table, he thought simply: I've really changed. In this short time, I've changed so much.
Back in his original world, he hadn't been this detached.
He couldn't even look properly at roadkill animals, and on fishing trips, he'd avert his eyes from fish yanked out gutted by hooks.
Blood had given him inexplicable chills.
Now his body reeked of it, surrounded by corpses, and he felt nothing.
Had game dev consumed him to the point of madness? The fear flickered briefly. Confusion swirled.
Sure, this detachment was vital for surviving this world...
"I don't know."
That was his honest feeling.
What to do next...
.......
...
...
Funnily enough, that night he dreamed of laughing with his original world's parents over dinner.
* * *
──────────────────────
Tip3. Mercenary Tags are divided into Copper, Silver, White Silver, Gold, and Platinum.
Copper tags are for novice mercenaries starting as apprentices.
Silver tags for skilled ones.
White Silver for the elite among skilled.
Gold tags go to White Silver holders selected for leadership, character, and honor—qualified to form mercenary bands. Most owners lead companies.
But the highest, Platinum tag, is true glory—only for [Spirit Sword Owners].
Even nobles and knights who disdain mercenaries change tune for Platinum holders. They might lavish favors to win them over.
──────────────────────
「Status Window」
[Name: Judah Arsher]
[Title: None]
[Level: 4]
[Job: Black Claw _ Shadow Magic Swordsman (Hidden A)]
[Revival Count: 1]
[Strength: 20 (D) / Potential A]
[Stamina: 15 (F) / Potential S]
[Agility: 15 (F) / Potential SS]
[Mana: 30 (D) / Potential B]
[Magic Resistance: 50 (C) / Potential S]
[Luck: 75 (B) / Potential A] ◀ Special
[Remaining Points: 3]
──────────────────────
========== Afterword ==========
Oh, first question already. Cool.
Q. Does Potential mean the limit? Or can quests break potential and let it go higher?
A. In the chapter, I accidentally overwrote my original draft, so some was omitted.
──────────────────────
「Ability Grade Table」
0-19 F
20-39 D
40-59 C
60-79 B
80-89 A
90-99 S
100-109 SS
110 SSS
──────────────────────
This is it. Potential is the max stat achievable naturally through actions or feats without points.
E.g., A Potential means it'll rise to 89 somehow. But for 90+, you need points. From 100, no points allowed—only special feats raise it.
Special-marked stats can't be raised with points even if distributed.
If Potential is high enough, you could raise naturally without points, but it'd be tough. Once at Potential cap like A, it barely budges without effort.
read at NovelsHub.org up to 600 chapters