Alice summoned two hundred capable warriors from across the kingdom.
When Noctis and I arrived at the designated location, everyone was already assembled in a disciplined formation.
Their weapons were prepared, their expressions serious, and their eyes fixed on the two figures standing at the front.
Alice and Arthur.
Noctis and I took our places among the gathered warriors.
A moment later, Alice stepped forward.
She looked across the crowd, her ocean-blue eyes moving from one face to another.
For a brief moment, she remained silent.
Then she began to speak.
“Ten days from now, everything will be decided.”
Her voice wasn’t particularly loud, yet everyone could hear her clearly.
“Over the next ten days, we’ll have to work harder than ever before.
Every one of us will face danger, and every one of us will have something to lose.”
She paused.
“Either we succeed, or we remain trapped in this hell.”
The crowd grew silent.
“I know many of you have families waiting for you right now.
Parents, siblings, wives, husbands, and children who are hoping you’ll return home safely.”
Alice’s expression remained composed, but her words carried a strange weight.
“They’re waiting for you.
They’re trusting you to come back.”
She slowly raised her hand.
“So, for their sake, I want every one of you to make a promise here today.”
Her voice grew firmer.
“Promise that you’ll give everything you have!”
For a second, nobody moved.
Then the entire crowd erupted.
“We promise!”
“We’ll give everything we’ve got!”
“We will survive!”
Their voices echoed throughout the surrounding area.
Alice stood before them, accepting their enthusiasm without changing her expression.
I watched the scene silently.
How interesting.
It was surprisingly easy to convince people.
Sometimes, all it took was a powerful speech, a little hope, and something they desperately wanted to protect.
Of course, that didn’t mean such speeches always worked.
If only a handful of people had been listening, Alice might not have achieved the same result.
But with two hundred people standing together, their enthusiasm spread from one person to another.
Soon, everyone was shouting as if they had already won.
I couldn’t help but wonder how many of them would still be shouting if they knew exactly what awaited them in the forest.
After Alice finished speaking, Arthur stepped forward and began organizing the warriors into four groups.
Each group would have a different leader and a different number of Awakened warriors.
The Four Hunting Groups
| Group | Leader | Two-Star | One-Star |
| ———- | ——— | ———— | ————- |
| First
| Alice
| 10
| 45
|
| Second | Arthur | 10
| 50
|
| Third
| Noctis| 10
| 25
|
| Fourth। | Ronan| 25
| 25
|
_____________________________________
The distribution was straightforward.
Alice, Arthur, Noctis, and Ronan would each lead a group into the forest.
Their mission was to hunt monsters, help the weaker warriors grow stronger, and prepare everyone for the battle ahead.
Unfortunately, there was one small problem.
I had been left without a group.
I looked at the four leaders.
Then I looked at myself.
Wonderful.
Apparently, being the only person without a Star Core had its disadvantages.
Noctis approached me, his usual carefree smile on his face.
“Don’t take any unnecessary risks, Nucky.”
I shrugged.
“I know my life is very precious.”
He laughed.
“Good!
At least you understand that much.”
He patted my shoulder.
“Then I’ll be going.
Try not to die before I come back.”
“That’s reassuring.”
“You’re welcome!”
With that, Noctis turned around and left with his group.
I watched him disappear into the distance before gathering my belongings.
Since nobody had assigned me to a group, I would have to hunt alone.
It wasn’t ideal, but I had no intention of wasting the next ten days standing around.
I checked my equipment one last time and headed toward the forest.
Twenty minutes later, I reached the entrance.
The trees stretched far into the distance, their thick branches blocking much of the sunlight.
The deeper I looked, the darker the forest seemed.
I could already hear distant roars and the occasional clash of weapons.
The others had moved ahead of me.
I was now completely alone.
And among all the warriors who had entered the forest, I was undoubtedly the weakest in terms of Star Rank.
Everyone else possessed at least one star.
I possessed none.
That meant I would have to work considerably harder than everyone else if I wanted to catch up.
I tightened the black cloth around my eyes and continued walking.
Let’s see how much I can accomplish in ten days.
I hadn’t gone very far when a familiar voice suddenly echoed inside my mind.
My Lord, may I help you?
I stopped walking.
The voice was calm, respectful, and unmistakably familiar.
I already knew who it belonged to.
My Shadow Blade.
I glanced at my left hand.
My Lord, I wish to help you awaken your stars.
I raised an eyebrow.
“Awaken my stars?
How?”
There was a brief pause before the voice answered.
My Lord, there are many things you do not yet know.
Ordinary Awakened must enter the Star Gate to increase their Star Rank.
However, that restriction does not apply to you.
I frowned.
“Explain.”
The Star Gate creates Star Cores for ordinary people.
But I can create one for you.
There is only one condition: you must awaken your stars through me.
I considered those words.
“You can create a Star Core?”
Yes, My Lord.
“How?”
When you use me to kill a creature with a Star Core, I absorb a small amount of the energy within it.
Once I accumulate enough energy, I can create a special Star Core for you.
I fell silent.
So that was how it worked.
Instead of relying on the Star Gate to awaken me, I could use Noxveil to gather the energy needed to develop my own Star Core.
That meant I could grow stronger wherever I went.
As long as I had enough enemies to kill, I wouldn’t be restricted to the Star Gate’s rules.
It was an extraordinary advantage.
But there was something I still didn’t understand.
“Can I ask you another question?”
My Lord, you may ask me anything.
I shall tell you everything I know.
I looked down at my left hand.
“Who are you, really?
And what is your true purpose?”
This time, the answer didn’t come immediately.
For a moment, I thought the connection had been interrupted.
Then the familiar voice returned.
My Lord, I am a part of you.
I was created solely to help you.
I narrowed my eyes.
“A part of me?”
Yes.
However, there is something you should know.
I don’t know who I truly am, either.
My memories have been sealed, preventing me from accessing certain information.
I listened carefully.
As time passes, the seal on my memories will gradually weaken.
When that happens, if you still wish to know the truth, I will tell you everything I can remember.
I thought about it for a while.
If Noxveil was truly a part of me, why had I never sensed its existence before?
“If you’re a part of me, why can’t I see you?”
Because you have never truly used me until now, My Lord.
I have remained dormant within you, waiting for the moment you would need me.
I glanced at my left hand again.
“So you’ve been inside me all this time?”
Yes, My Lord.
I remained silent for several seconds.
Then I smiled faintly.
“All right.”
I raised my left hand in front of me.
“From today onward, you’re a part of me.
You belong to me, and to me alone.”
The moment those words left my mouth, the world changed.
Black shadows began pouring out of my body.
The wind abruptly stopped.
The trees swayed violently, even though there was no breeze.
Then darkness spread across the forest.
Within seconds, the entire area became pitch-black.
I couldn’t even distinguish the trees standing a few steps away.
The shadows surrounding me began to move as if they possessed a will of their own.
They gathered around my left hand, twisting and merging into a stream of black smoke.
Slowly, the smoke traveled up my arm.
It crossed my shoulder and spread toward my back.
I remained perfectly still, watching the strange phenomenon unfold.
Then, without warning, all the shadows rushed into my body.
The darkness vanished.
The forest returned to normal.
I stood there for several seconds, trying to understand what had just happened.
Then I removed my upper clothing and examined my body.
At first, I noticed nothing unusual on my chest.
But when I turned around and looked at my back, I froze.
A black dragon-shaped tattoo stretched across my skin.
Its tail began near my left hand, wound along my arm, and extended toward my back, where the dragon’s body seemed to disappear beneath my skin.
The right side of my body remained completely normal.
Except for several small cuts on my left hand.
I frowned.
“What happened to me?”
My Lord?
“What is this mark on my body?”
Noxveil answered immediately.
My Lord, I am a part of you, but you need not worry.
It will not harm you.
This mark merely represents my existence within your body.
I examined the tattoo for a little longer before putting my clothes back on.
Then I opened my System Panel.
System Panel
* Name: Nameless
* Class: Assassin [Shadow Power]
* Core: 0 Stars
* Title: —
* Potential: 4 Stars
* Passive Abilities: [Eye of Truth], [Shadow Blade]
I stared at the panel.
Everything remained exactly the same.
No new ability.
No increase in my Star Rank.
Not even a new title.
I sighed.
After all that drama, I haven’t gained anything visible.
Still, the tattoo was proof that something had changed.
I checked the description of my Shadow Blade.
[Shadow Blade]
Can be used as both armor and a blade. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Its power depends on the owner’s Star Rank.
It has no fixed rank and will grow stronger alongside its owner.
I smiled.
That was good enough for now.
I closed the panel and spoke to the voice inside my mind.
“Noxveil.”
My Lord, what can I do for you?
“You don’t have a name, do you?”
No, My Lord.
I have never possessed a specific name.
“Then from today onward, your name is Noxveil.”
Silence followed.
For a moment, I wondered whether naming it had caused another unexpected change.
Then its voice echoed through my mind.
My Lord, whatever you wish shall come to pass.
I nodded.
“Noxveil it is, then.”
With that settled, I continued deeper into the forest.
After walking for some time, I encountered two beasts.
Both were One-Star Beasts.
One resembled a muscular lion, with dark fur and a pair of curved fangs protruding from its mouth.
The other was slightly smaller, but its claws looked sharp enough to tear through flesh.
They hadn’t noticed me yet.
I stopped behind a tree and studied them.
Perfect.
I wanted to test my new weapon.
“Noxveil.”
Black smoke emerged from my left hand.
It curled around my fingers before stretching outward, gradually forming the shape of a sword.
Within seconds, a blade made entirely of darkness rested in my hand.
I examined it carefully.
It looked almost like the shadow of a real sword.
There was no visible metal, no shine, and no physical texture that I could recognize.
I tightened my grip.
It felt strange.
Almost as though I were holding nothing at all.
I moved the blade through the air.
Whoosh!
The darkness followed my movements smoothly.
I tried a few simple strikes, gradually adjusting to the weapon’s unusual weight—or rather, its lack of weight.
Then I remembered what had happened when Alice and Arthur had faced it.
The terrifying aura.
The overwhelming pressure.
The way both of them had been forced to their knees.
Whatever Noxveil was, it certainly wasn’t ordinary.
I looked toward the two beasts again.
“Let’s see what you can do.”
I quietly approached them.
Unfortunately, the beasts noticed me before I could get close enough.
The lion-like beast immediately turned toward me and roared.
Its companion followed suit.
Both charged.
I stepped backward, keeping my eyes on their movements.
The first beast suddenly leaped toward me, its claws tearing through the air.
I shifted to the side.
Its body passed within inches of mine.
That was my opening.
I twisted my wrist and swung the black blade.
Slash!
The blade passed through the beast’s throat.
For a fraction of a second, it seemed as though nothing had happened.
Then blood sprayed from the wound.
The beast crashed to the ground, its body twitching before finally becoming still.
I stared at the blade.
It had cut through the creature’s flesh as easily as a knife through paper.
Not bad.
The second beast let out an enraged roar.
It charged toward me, moving faster than its companion had.
I adjusted my stance.
This time, I didn’t retreat.
As the beast lunged, I stepped into its attack and swung the blade across its neck.
Slash!
Its momentum carried it forward for another step.
Then its body collapsed.
Silence returned to the forest.
I lowered my weapon and looked at the two corpses.
A faint smile appeared on my face.
“It’s much better than I expected.”
The black blade dissolved into smoke and disappeared into my left hand.
At that moment—
Ding!
A notification appeared before my eyes.
System Notification
You have killed two beasts.
EXP gained from killing two beasts: 0.02%.
Due to remaining inside the Star Gate, EXP gain is increased by 2×.
I immediately opened my System Panel.
System Panel
* Name: Nameless
* Class: Assassin [Shadow Power]
* Core: 0 Stars / 0.04%
* Title: —
* Potential: 4 Stars
* Passive Abilities: [Eye of Truth], [Shadow Blade]
I studied the numbers.
My Core was still at zero stars, but at least my progress had begun.
And unlike ordinary Awakened, I didn’t need to wait for someone to help me advance.
I only needed to keep hunting.
My gaze shifted toward the deeper part of the forest.
There would be more beasts ahead.
More Star Cores for Noxveil to absorb.
More opportunities to grow stronger.
I clenched my left hand.
Noxveil, let’s see how far we can go.
Ten days.
That was all the time we had.
And I had no intention of wasting a single second.