The system chimed within Noah's mind once more, its mechanical tone echoing with cold certainty as it announced his achievement.
[The host has killed a "Mega Beast", 10000 EXP acquired!]
[levelled Up!]
[Lv. - 4 (01000/20000 EXP)]
As the notifications continued, a surge of power coursed through his body, followed by a soft green glow that spread across his entire figure, healing every wound with astonishing speed.
[Strength has Increased a Bit!]
[Vitality has Increased a Bit!]
[Agility Has Increased a Bit!]
[Perception Has Increased a Bit!]
Within mere seconds, his battered body returned to peak condition, muscles tightening with renewed strength as fatigue vanished like it had never existed. Noah exhaled slowly, his senses sharpening once again, clearer and more refined than before, as a faint, satisfied smile appeared on his lips.
He slowly stood up, his posture steady despite the battle he had just endured, and turned his attention toward the lifeless body of the massive creature lying nearby. Its overwhelming presence had vanished completely, leaving only silence behind.
"...Mega Beast? is that it's Name?"
Noah walked toward the corpse, his perception tracing its enormous structure carefully as a thought surfaced in his mind, familiar from countless stories he had once read.
'Can I store it into my Inventory?...Like those Anime showed all the time?'
The system responded immediately, as if it had been waiting for his curiosity.
[Yes Host, you can store anything non-living inside the Inventory]
Noah nodded slightly, his suspicion lingering, yet he chose not to question it further.
Still, another question formed within his thoughts, practical and precise as always.
'But How do I do it?'
The system answered again without delay.
[Place your Hand on it and use the word 'Store', thus it will automatically go into the Inventory]
Without hesitation, Noah stepped forward and placed his palm upon the cold, massive body. His voice came out calmly, devoid of doubt.
"...Store."
A flicker of white light glitched around the corpse, and in the next instant, it vanished completely.
["Mega Beast's" Corpse has been stored into the Inventory]
The confirmation echoed in his mind, and a faint, almost invisible smile curved his lips. He didn't know when it would be useful, but in this unknown world, every resource could become a weapon or a lifeline.
Turning toward his path once more, Noah resumed walking, his steps slow yet deliberate as his senses extended outward, constantly scanning for danger. The forest remained vast and unforgiving, yet his resolve did not waver.
While walking this much distance, his thoughts shifted to his sister…his only reason for living, the one memory that anchored him to his past life.
'I don't even know if those people chased her after my death, Hah...i can only hope she is okay.'
For a brief moment, his pace slowed, an unfamiliar heaviness settling within his chest. The memory of her face, her fear, and the sound of gunfire lingered faintly in his mind, refusing to disappear.
Yet, he did not stop.
His expression hardened once more as he pushed those thoughts deep within, choosing survival over helpless worry. Every step he took now carried a purpose—not just to live, but to become strong enough to ensure no one could ever take away what mattered to him again.
Meanwhile, at the western edge of the Forest of Imosul, beneath the shadow of towering trees, the ground itself distorted as darkness twisted unnaturally. From within it, a figure emerged silently—Velkis, his entire form concealed beneath a dark robe.
His sharp gaze swept across the surroundings, immediately catching sight of the aftermath. Severed Orc heads lay scattered across the wet ground, their bodies lifeless and cold. The air still carried faint traces of violence, though the rain had washed away most evidence.
He stepped forward, examining the broken tree trunk nearby, its shape distorted unnaturally as if something immense had struck it. His eyes narrowed slightly as he pieced together fragments of what had occurred.
Then his attention shifted toward a circular clearing, where the grass had been completely erased, leaving behind a bare patch of earth. He crouched near it, his fingers brushing lightly across the ground as his thoughts formed.
'Looks like this is where that Golden Light had descended...'
He paused briefly, scanning the surroundings again before continuing inwardly.
'hmm, I can't find any traces of whoever it is as the rain have washed away their footsteps, huh how should I report this?'
Velkis exhaled a quiet sigh before straightening his posture, his gaze turning distant as he prepared to search further.
"Piercing Dome..."
The moment he uttered those words, an invisible force expanded outward from his body, forming a massive dome that spread across a ten-kilometer radius in mere seconds, enveloping everything within its reach.
Yet within that vast range, he found nothing—no human presence, no lingering trace of power—only weak monsters lurking in the shadows, unaware of the search passing over them.
"Sigh...Well one thing is clear that, 'That' thing didn't awaken."
His voice was calm, yet thoughtful, as his form slowly dissolved back into the shadows, vanishing as if he had never been there.
Far to the south, deep within the forest, Noah continued his journey, crossing harsh terrain without rest, driven by a single unwavering goal—to find a path leading toward human civilization.
Unbeknownst to him, the very direction he had chosen led toward an ancient structure hidden deep within the forest—a temple consumed by time, its pillars wrapped tightly by thick, ancient roots that had grown over centuries.
This was no ordinary temple built for worship.
It was a prison.
At its center stood a pedestal, upon which a single sword was embedded. Its blade was pitch black, thin yet heavy with an indescribable presence, while intricate carvings adorned its hilt, giving it a majestic yet ominous aura.
Beneath that pedestal, buried deep within the earth nearly fifty meters below, an enormous hollow space stretched outward, its walls carved with ancient runes glowing faintly in the darkness.
And within that vast chamber…something slept.
A creature so massive that its body alone spanned nearly five hundred meters, coiled within the confined space like a slumbering catastrophe.
A low sound echoed.
"Yawn...Ughhhh.."
Slowly, its massive eyes opened, revealing vertical pupils that glowed faintly in the darkness. Its presence alone caused the very air within the chamber to tremble.
"So, the time has finally come after a Thousand years..."
As its deep voice resonated, the runes surrounding the chamber began to glow brighter, reacting to its awakening. Invisible chains manifested, their metallic echoes reverberating throughout the space.
"CHIMMM...CHIMM.."
The creature lowered its head slightly, its voice quieter now, yet far more dangerous.
"...Just One day remains."
With that, it settled back into its position, its enormous body curling inward as the chains tightened once more. Slowly, its eyes closed again, returning to its slumber—waiting.
Unaware of the calamity that awaited him, Noah continued walking forward, step by step, guided unknowingly by fate itself toward something far beyond his current understanding.