NoveLight ™
The concept of Mystery (신비) refers to the "unknown powers" scattered across the continent.
Some call it the devil's blessing, while others claim it is a gift bestowed by gods or fairies.
However, according to the renowned scholar Merlin, the leading hypothesis in academic circles posits:
Indeed, phenomena such as dormant volcanoes like Vulcan or the eternal snowfields of the northern regions, which remain cold yet strangely bearable, are prime examples of the wonders wrought by nature itself.
Thus, people have come to regard the great scholar’s theory as fact.
But Merlin had a caveat:
Even the so-called Mystic Races demonstrate this truth.
Barbarians possess innate brute strength and exceptional warrior instincts but lack intellectual abilities.
Beastfolk are born courageous and grow quickly but struggle to integrate with other societies.
Dwarves are gifted with extraordinary craftsmanship and longevity, but they lose all body hair before adulthood.
Whether inherited or acquired, all Mysteries demand a price. No power comes without a cost.
So—
“Keghh!”
The Mystery controlling the colossal Mother Worm came at an immense price. A price so steep that a mere human could scarcely afford it.
Splurt!
Number Four, standing atop the Mother Worm, coughed up blood, streams of it spilling from his mouth and even his tear ducts. His face resembled that of a tormented ghost, consumed by anguish and vengeance.
He was no longer a man but a blood-drenched wraith.
Yet, what choice did he have?
‘Death to them! Death to our enemies!’
Number Four no longer had the mental fortitude to maintain his reason.
What remained was a single desire: the murderous will to annihilate his foes.
‘Twelve years! Twelve years in this wretched tunnel, pandering to that disgusting priest just to endure! And now it’s all ruined!’
For twelve long years, he had lived in this accursed underground labyrinth, all for the sake of his organization—or rather, for the Black Moon.
‘Our dream, our ambition… How dare a mere knight destroy it!’
Number Four gritted his teeth in rage.
This was something the First Apostle, the de facto leader of the Black Moon, often said to him.
As the most prominent figure closest to the title of Grand Apostle, the First Apostle’s advice was not something to be taken lightly.
The First Apostle’s words about humility and preserving their forces for the sake of their mission struck a chord with Number Four, whose real name was Drak. He had reluctantly agreed to follow the advice.
But now—
‘First Apostle, I’m sorry. I can’t keep my promise!’
Drak clenched his teeth. The First Apostle had been entirely correct about his temperament. He was hotheaded to the core, the kind who couldn’t calm down until he vented his fury.
‘I’ll kill him! I’ll kill him no matter what!’
One knight had demolished twelve years of work, leaving his soldiers crushed beneath the collapsing tunnels. Some had already been buried alive.
How could he not be furious?
And so—
[[Keeeeee!!!]]
Drak unleashed the reins of the monster.
Standing atop the Mother Worm’s head, he plunged a massive needle—about the height of an average man—into its flesh. This was the Mystery of Beast Control, a secret weapon of their organization.
It was a Mystery that consumed the user’s lifespan as its price.
The more the controlled beast consumed sacrificial offerings, the stronger and larger it grew. It had likely taken countless trials and errors to create a monstrosity like the Mother Worm.
Originally, the plan had been to grow the Mother Worm to twice its current size, collapse the tunnels, and then invade the kingdom. Combined with the wave of prisoners armed with weapons, they would have dealt a devastating blow.
But that plan had already been half-destroyed by a single rogue knight.
And so—
‘That knight who ruined everything—he must die!’
Drak, consumed by his bloodlust, urged the Mother Worm forward. He no longer cared if the tunnels collapsed completely.
Whoosh!
At least, that had been the case.
THUD!
[[!!!?]]
Drak’s mind went blank as his wrath evaporated in an instant.
The reason?
The Mother Worm’s neck had been pierced clean through.
"What technique was that?"
"Piercing Spear."
"Impressive. I’d like to experience it firsthand."
"I’d be happy to oblige."
"Haha, I won’t decline."
The loathsome knight had kicked his spear with precise aim, impaling the Mother Worm’s neck. The massive creature collapsed, its body rendered lifeless without its head.
Drak’s brain struggled to process what had just happened, but he didn’t have the luxury of freezing.
Whoosh!
"If I survive this, it’ll be enough."
"!!!?"
Before he could react, a giant man loomed over him, gripping his shoulder. Desperately, Drak swung his sword to fend off the attacker.
CRACK!
"Not bad, but you’ve neglected your training, relying too much on your raw talent. A shame."
The man, Maximus, casually deflected the blade, shattering it as if it were glass. His grip then crushed Drak’s shoulder completely.
"ARGH!!!"
Drak, who prided himself on his physical strength, was utterly outclassed. His opponent wasn’t just strong—he was monstrous.
"This is how you wield power."
BOOM!
Maximus’s blow rattled the very earth, his strength capable of toppling mountains.
Drak’s limbs shattered, leaving him unconscious. For someone called an Apostle, his end was anticlimactic.
"Now that the nuisance is dealt with, let’s continue our fight."
"You could’ve just taken him and fled. It’s not like I’d have chased you."
"Haha, what kind of knight would stoop to such cowardice?"
"You’d be surprised."
Despite having defeated a colossal monster and a high-ranking adversary, both Maximus and Ihan remained unfazed. They treated it like swatting an annoying mosquito.
Now, with no interruptions, they were free to fight.
Watching from a safe distance, Derrick could only mutter, "Don’t we no longer have any reason to fight?"
Of course, he wisely kept his thoughts to himself.
A rogue class knows when to hold their tongue.
Was it mere coincidence?
Or was it fate?
<‘Status Appraisal’ skill is now available for use.>
As if it were a divine revelation, the cooldown timer for the skill had expired. Hearing the notification, Derrick instinctively activated [Status Appraisal].
Ding.
━
Name: [Maximus Iron de Lionel]
Race: [??]
Traits: [Northern Champion (Lv.8), Mountain-Moving Strength (Lv.8), Celestial Physique (Lv.7), Tactician (Lv.6), Monster Slayer (Lv.5), Heir of the Black King (Lv.3)]
Northern Champion: A trait granted only to those who survive a thousand life-or-death battles. Strength grows through struggle, with additional boosts in physical ability when encountering worthy adversaries. Activates [Berserker] against dishonorable villains or praiseworthy warriors, doubling physical abilities.
Mountain-Moving Strength: Granted to those who single-handedly topple a mountain. Bestows unyielding stamina and strength on land. Overexertion, however, risks physical collapse.
Celestial Physique: A one-in-ten-million congenital trait. Provides unparalleled strength, stamina, and recovery. The bearer possesses the pinnacle of human physical potential with permanent enhancement.
Tactician: Bestowed upon commanders who have successfully led in a thousand battlefields. Combines the heart of a beast with the wisdom of a sage, granting additional boosts in combat scenarios.
Monster Slayer: Granted to those who single-handedly slay ten thousand monsters. Enhances strength and recovery when facing monsters, ensuring a decisive advantage.
Heir of the Black King: A trait inherited by the descendants of the Black King, the northern guardian and deity of the land. Grants immunity to diseases and longevity. However, due to innate aggression, familial relationships are strained unless the trait’s level is exceptionally low.
━
Thud.
Derrick froze in shock.
He already knew this man was a Level 8 hero-class entity, but seeing the details of those traits left him utterly speechless.
The unknown race designation was curious, but that was the least of his concerns now.
What was with these absurdly powerful, borderline divine traits?
"Northern Champion"? That’s the rarest trait, right? Only the strongest champions of the north are said to have it—a trait with a 0.000003% acquisition rate…!
It wasn’t just Champion, but Northern Champion, signifying a representative of an entire nation’s strength.
And it was Level 8.
Even more staggering were Mountain-Moving Strength and Celestial Physique.
"What kind of unheard-of traits are those…?"
The conditions to acquire Mountain-Moving Strength alone were absurd, but the benefits it provided were outrageous. Combined with Celestial Physique, which granted permanent enhancements to all stats, the sheer synergy of these traits was insane.
And the physical abilities didn't end there. Of Maximus’s six traits, five were directly tied to physical stats.
This man wasn’t just Hercules or Xiang Yu; he was an amalgamation of every mythological strongman in existence.
"I’ve never heard of them before, but I just know—those are top-tier traits. No question."
"Strength enhancement? That’s not just strapping a jet engine onto a truck—that’s strapping ten engines onto it!"
Though the exact amplification wasn’t displayed, Derrick could estimate the numbers. Top-tier traits typically offered an average 45% boost, but Northern Champion alone granted a base 50%. If Mountain-Moving Strength and Celestial Physique added 35% each—
A total of 210% amplification.
This man wasn’t just extraordinary. He was a jet-powered titan.
Derrick shuddered.
"Where does someone like this even come from…?"
He was an irregular, an anomaly. If Maximus were a boss monster, the game’s developers would’ve simply told players not to fight him.
He was, without a doubt, a bug in the system.
And as Derrick’s gaze shifted to Ihan, he felt a pang of worry.
No matter how strong his instructor was, facing such a bugged monster couldn’t possibly end well.
BOOOOM!!
"----."
The air vibrated, and for a moment, everything went silent.
When the two knights clashed, a massive ripple spread out in concentric circles, distorting the atmosphere within a radius of dozens of meters.
The shockwave sent Derrick hurtling into a wall, leaving him coughing blood.
Drip.
His nose bled from the impact, but he didn’t even think to wipe it away. Instead, he stared in disbelief as he turned his skill on Ihan.
"...Status."
And then, he saw it.
━
Name: [Ihan Turtle]
Race: [??]
Traits: [Diamond Body (Lv.8), Strong Regeneration (Lv.6), New-Enhanced Senses (Lv.7), New-Poison Immunity (Lv.5), Master’s Talent (Lv.8), Spell Slayer (Lv.6), New-Indomitable (Lv.5)]
Diamond Body: A trait granted only to monks who endure trials that nearly destroy their bodies. Greatly enhances physical capabilities. Converts lust into endurance. Gains superiority over evil-aligned enemies. Physical stamina significantly increases when a declared enemy is present.
Strong Regeneration: Granted to those who successfully refine their bodies. Greatly enhances recovery of skin, muscles, nerves, and organs. Repeated painful training toughens the body further. Absorbs part of the impact from strong attacks.
Enhanced Senses: A fusion of a predator’s instincts and seasoned intuition. Provides miraculous sensory perception. In combat, movements become precise, and the bearer instinctively identifies weak points.
Poison Immunity: A trait evolved from basic poison resistance after exposure to demonic venom. Allows the digestion of poison as nourishment, including consuming metals or rocks.
Master’s Talent: Awarded to those who create and teach new martial arts. Aids in crafting unique techniques and compensates for deficiencies in skill. Enhances precision and amplifies stats in combat.
Spell Slayer: A trait awarded for completing the quest to become a mage’s nemesis. Grants magic resistance and instills fear in spellcasters. Triggers [Berserker] based on hatred toward mages.
Indomitable: Bestowed upon warriors who refuse to yield to overwhelming odds. Enhances stats and prevents death in battle as long as the bearer’s will remains unbroken. Combines with [Berserker].
━
Derrick froze.
"That… Is that even human?"
His legs trembled.
He already knew Ihan had survived immense trials, including the Demonic King’s potion that brought him to the brink of death. Derrick had expected new traits—but this was absurd.
"Indomitable? That’s the trait created when three specific traits—[The Patient], [The Madman], and [The Pain-Lover]—merge. And he got all three?"
Each of those traits was rare enough, and most would consider it lucky to acquire just one. But Ihan had gained all three on the same day he consumed the potion.
Add Enhanced Senses and Poison Immunity into the mix, and the absurdity became overwhelming.
Derrick’s knees buckled.
"They’re both beyond human. They’re monsters."
As realization dawned, Derrick began searching for an escape route.
He needed to get away before these two titanic figures obliterated him in the crossfire.
"If I don’t move fast, I won’t even leave bones behind."