《pov of a nobody: reincarnated in the spirit world without a spirit core. litrpg / isekai》 From where it all began! Shin Soobin blinked groggily as sunlight poured into his room, filtering through the blinds. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, feeling the familiar comfort of his bed beneath him. His black hair, messy from sleep. He stretched his arms, feeling the slight pull in his muscles. It was just another normal day in his life. ¡®Another day, another routine,¡¯ he thought, yawning. He dragged himself out of bed, lazily shuffling through his morning routine¡ªbrushing his teeth, grabbing a quick breakfast, and then throwing on his casual college attire: a black hoodie and jeans. Just before heading out he checked his reflection in the bathroom mirror¡ªa typical Korean guy, maybe slightly better looking than most with his defined features and sharp eye and fair skin but nothing too out of the ordinary. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get this over with¡± Soobin muttered to himself as he grabbed his backpack and headed out the door. The bustling streets of Seoul greeted him with their usual cacophony. ¡®Ughhh....just how people can look so alive in this rush,¡¯ he thought, sidestepping through the crowd of people. On the metro, Soobin managed to squeeze into a seat, sighing in relief. ¡®Finally.¡¯ With a habitual motion, he pulled out his phone. The first thing he did was open kakao and check whether his favourite webnovel was updated or not. Echoes of the Spiritbound. The title alone sent a jolt of excitement through him. This was his only joy currently in his lonely life. ¡®ah lets see what''s going on in the new chapter,¡¯ he thought, diving into the latest chapter. He had been following the novel religiously for months, captivated by the story of heroes, spirits, and flashy skills. The train rumbled along, and Soobin got lost in the novel, completely absorbed. Just as the mc prepared to unleash a skill , the lights in the train flickered. Soobin frowned, glancing up. ¡®What the hell?¡¯ The train gave a sudden jolt. He blinked, confused as an eerie silence fell over the passengers. Suddenly, a loud crash¡ªa deafening boom¡ªfilled the air. The lights went out, and Soobin¡¯s body fell forward, the world around him collapsing into blackness. --- Soobin gasped for air, jolting awake, his heart pounding violently in his chest. ¡®What the f..¡­ just happened?¡¯ His breathing was ragged as he sat up, trying to shake off the sense of disorientation. He blinked rapidly, his vision slowly clearing. ''was it just a dream?'' he thought , his lips dry He reached out for the bottle of water which was usually kept on the table by his bed. But suddenly he realised, ¡®Wait¡­ this isn¡¯t¡­¡¯ His eyes darted around the room. The bed beneath him was soft¡ªfar too luxurious for his cheap apartment. The room was decorated with glowing, luminescent plants, and the walls were decorated with glowing orbs , casting soft light across the room. The air felt different¡ªlighter, fresher. It smelled like¡­ pine? This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡®Where the hell am I?¡¯ Soobin leaped out of bed, his mind spinning. ¡®Okay, okay, think. What the hell happened? One moment I¡¯m on the metro¡­ and now I¡¯m in some weird, fancy room?¡¯ He scanned the space, desperate for something familiar. But everything was alien¡ªthe elegant furniture, the glowing plants, the extreme futuristic technology. "Where is my phone??" he frantically started searching his pockets, Panic clawed at his chest as his eyes locked onto a mirror across the room. He stumbled towards it, his reflection catching him off guard. His face was the same¡ªhis black hair, his sharp jawline¡ªbut something was off. His clothes were strange. He was dressed in fine, unfamiliar fabric, more fine than anything he owned. ¡®What is this? since when did i have clothes like this?¡¯ He swallowed hard, staring at the reflection. "This¡­ this can¡¯t be real. what the hell is happening" Just as he was about to freak out entirely, a soft voice called out from downstairs. ¡°Soobin! Breakfast is ready!¡± He froze. ¡®Thats¡­my name... and thats not my moms voice.¡¯ A cold shiver ran down his spine as he tried to make sense of what was happening. ¡®Whose house is this? And who the hell is calling me?¡¯ His legs moved on their own as he left the room and descended the stairs,. At the bottom of the stairs stood a woman, smiling warmly at him. She looked familiar, like he had known her for years, but Soobin couldn¡¯t place her. ¡°Soobin its not nice to sleep till so late,¡± she said, her voice stern but warm. ¡°I was just about to come wake you.¡± Soobin stared at her, his throat dry. ¡°Wh-who¡­ are you?¡± The woman¡¯s expression faltered slightly, concern flickering in her eyes. ¡°Soobin? What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling okay?¡± ¡®Soobin? She called me Soobin again?.¡¯ He blinked, trying to process. ¡®Wait. This can¡¯t be¡­¡¯ Suddenly, his head throbbed violently. Pain surged through his mind, and memories¡ªmemories that weren¡¯t his¡ªbegan flooding in, like a dam bursting open. Images flashed before his eyes. The room. The woman. His life¡­ but not his life. He clutched his head, trying to fight it, but the memories kept coming. ¡®This body¡­ this person¡­ is Soobin too. But he¡¯s not me. He¡¯s¡­ someone else.¡¯ His chest tightened as the realization crashed into him. He was in a different world.. he was inside "echoes of spiritbound". ¡°This¡­ this is the world of the novel,¡± he whispered, the words barely leaving his lips. The woman¡¯s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. ¡°Soobin? You¡¯re scaring me. Are you alright?¡± ¡®I¡¯m not alright! I¡¯m trapped in a damn novel!¡¯ his mind screamed, but he forced a shaky smile. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m fine, just¡­ a little tired, I guess.¡± The woman nodded, though her expression was still laced with worry. ¡°Come, sit down and eat. You¡¯ll feel better.¡± Soobin¡¯s legs felt like jelly as he made his way to the dining table, his thoughts a chaotic mess. ¡®This isn¡¯t real. This can¡¯t be happening. How is this even possible?¡¯ He picked up the utensils with trembling hands, pretending to eat, though his mind was far from the food in front of him. ¡®so I am possessing this random nobody in this world¡­ not even a background character? How am I supposed to survive here? How am I supposed to go home??" The overwhelming reality of his situation hit him like a ton of bricks. He wasn¡¯t the protagonist, or some powerful hero with a destined fate. He was just a nobody¡ªinsignificant, forgotten, never even mentioned in the story. ¡®What the hell am I supposed to do now?¡¯ Chapter 2: A Life Left Behind Soobin stared blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling, his mind still racing to make sense of the whirlwind of memories flooding him. ''This... isn''t a dream''. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, the truth was in front of him. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sat up on the edge of the bed. It¡¯s all real. "I¡¯ve really been... transported into the novel?" His thoughts flickered back to the life he left behind. Soobin¡¯s life wasn¡¯t exactly glamorous. He was just a regular college student in Seoul, scraping by with average grades, never really standing out. After his parents¡¯ divorce when he was young, things had only gone downhill. His mother barely spoke to him after that¡ªcompletely neglecting him as if he were just another burden to deal with. She focused on her own life, leaving Soobin to figure everything out on his own. He had grown used to the silence in their small apartment, used to the feeling of being invisible. The lack of warmth and love was something he didn¡¯t even long for anymore; he had given up hoping for it. He got up from the bed and wandered aimlessly into what was now his room in this strange new world. Luminescent plants softly glowed on the shelves, casting an eerie yet beautiful light on the walls. This... really isn''t the world I knew. Soobin found a chair by the desk and collapsed into it. His mind felt like it was spinning, torn between disbelief and resignation. He closed his eyes and tried to settle his thoughts. ''Okay... let¡¯s think.'' The world he was now in¡ªit was a familiar one. Not because he¡¯d been here before, but because it was the same world from Echoes of the Spiritbound, the novel he had been obsessively reading. A world of heroes, spirit energy, and mystical powers. Spirit energy was the core of everything here¡ªan essential force, much like electricity had been in his world. Except here, spirit energy powered machines, transportation, and even household appliances. There were traditional fuels like coal or oil but spirit energy was just exceptionally better than them. And it was unlimited. spirit energy ran everything. And it was drawn from the environment, through either nuclei cores, which were concentrated forms of corrupted spirit energy or usually called Shadow energy ,harvested from monsters or just pure spirit energy cores from spirit beasts. Everyone aspired to wield this energy, and most people had some level of connection to it. Spirit energy originated from living beings, the very existence of life and living beings created this. And then, of course, there were the spirits. They were entities that humans could bond with, forming contracts that granted them extraordinary powers. These spirits lived off the spirit energy flowing through the world, and for the lucky ones who bonded with them, the possibilities were limitless. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Soobin leaned back, this heart beating faster as the reality of this world slowly sank in. This time it was not because of sadness or because of being scared, it was because he was excited. "This... is insane. I¡¯m actually here". He felt a twinge of excitement build up in his chest. "I¡¯m in the Echoes of the Spiritbound!". He didnt give a single second thought of the life he left behind, it was useless and boring anyways. Finally things are getting interesting, he can BE someone here. He remembered the countless battles and adventures he had read in the novel. The thrill of mastering spirit energy, forming a bond with a spirit, unlocking unbelievable powers. His head buzzed with the sheer possibilities. ¡°This... could actually be amazing,¡± he muttered aloud, sitting up straighter. The thought of controlling spirit energy, of becoming a hero¡ªhow many times had he daydreamed about this while reading? Soobin stood up, pacing in the small room. Okay, okay... first things first. Spirit energy. If he was here, in this body, that meant he had access to spirit energy too, right? In this world for humans, spirit energy could be manipulated through energy cores. Everyone born with energy cores would store spirit energy from when they are young, they practiced to increase the amount of spirit energy their cores can hold and also increase how much output they can provide. Children with parents having energy cores would be born with energy cores and children without will most probably not. If only one parent had an energy core then it''s a 50/50 chance. People with energy cores , made contracts with spirts and after attending the academy, they could work as heroes. Heroes worked hard to defeat monsters, clear dungeons etc, just the usual stuff in most novels. There were also villains who used corrupted spirit energy that came from dead and decaying, but that was not something to think about now. "According to the memory of this body, both my parents own a mid sized guild right? And they both own energy cores and are awakeners. Yesss... So i should have one too? Let''s try using spirit energy" He reached out with his mind, trying to feel for something inside of him, something that would indicate the presence of his own spirit core. ''This is it... this is how it all begins.'' But as the seconds ticked by, his excitement slowly drained away. He didn¡¯t feel anything. There was no stirring of energy, no faint warmth in his chest, nothing that hinted at any kind of power inside him. Panic started to creep in. ''No... no, this can¡¯t be right. Of course i have a spirit core, don¡¯t I?'' Then it hit him like a punch to the gut. The memories that weren¡¯t his suddenly came flooding back in vivid detail¡ªthe memories of the boy whose body he now inhabited. This boy... wasn¡¯t like everyone else. In a world where spirit energy was everything, where people could command power and strength through it, even though his parents both had a spirt energy core ,this boy had been born without it. He had been ridiculed from when he was young due to it. His parents attended many doctors but with no avail. His parents had to suffer many humilating events due to his abnormality. "Ah fuck, why this character of all" A sinking feeling clawed at Soobin¡¯s chest as the reality set in. The one thing that defined this world, the one thing that separated the weak from the strong, the powerful from the powerless... and he didn¡¯t have it. His breathing quickened, and he stumbled back to the bed, sitting down heavily. No... this can¡¯t be happening. I¡¯m stuck here... in this world... but without a spirit core? All that excitement, all those dreams of using spirit energy¡ªit felt like the ground had just been ripped out from under him. Chapter 3: A Spark of Hope Soobin sat on the edge of the bed, his heart still heavy with disappointment. The excitement of being in this new world had been exhilarating, but it had all come crashing down when he realized the truth about his situation. No spirit core. No powers. Just a boy trapped in an unknown world. Actually he was more bummed about not being able to use the spirit energy instead of the fact that he has been transported into a new world. ¡°Why me?¡± he muttered to himself, frustration creeping into his voice. The weight of his thoughts pressed down on him, and anger flared briefly before fading into resignation. Taking a deep breath, he ran a hand through his black hair, willing himself to regain composure. "There''s nothing I can do about that. I can¡¯t change my past or this body¡¯s limitations. I need to think ahead, find a way to make the best of this situation." He started gathered his thoughts, brainstorming , thinking of anything that he could find useful from his memory of the novel. Suddenly, a certain memory jolted him. ''Wait... there was that ring!'' He remembered it vividly. It was during the early parts of the novel, when the original MC was wandering through a dense forest during training. He stumbled upon an artifact¡ªa shimmering ring half-buried in the moss, alongside it was a shiny blue sword. When he reached out to touch it, sparks of flame danced along the surface, igniting his curiosity. Suddenly, a transparent screen had appeared before him, glowing a vibrant red. The message on it read: ''ERROR! Spirit Core Resistance Detected. Legacy Artifact Malfunction.'' The MC had been taken aback, unsure of what it all meant, but the thrill of discovery had overshadowed his confusion. The ring had vanished and blew to dust after that, but he had taken the sword which was along with it¡ªa gleaming weapon that had been left behind, buzzing with potential energy. It has pure light blue blade, and a white rim. The sword was soon left behind in the dust by the mc because despite its good looks, it was useless. No matter how much he tried the sword could not be imbued with spirit energy when the mc tried to use it on battles. It just looked amazing. It''s as if it was kind of "locked". What if that ring is still somewhere in this world? The thought ignited a flicker of hope within him. If he could find that artifact again, maybe it would help him unlock something. With newfound determination, Soobin reached for his phone¡ªa sleek, futuristic device that resembled a watch more than a traditional phone. The face of the watch lit up with vibrant holographic displays, allowing him to scroll through various apps with a flick of his wrist. He marveled at the advanced technology, muttering to himself, ¡°damn this is so cool.¡± He decided to head downstairs. As he descended, the luminescent plants in the hallway cast a soft glow, making the place feel almost ethereal. He found his mother in the living room sofa. A beautiful woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She was working in her laptop, it was sleek, with a holographic screen. It was still awkward for him, calling a random woman "mother" even tho he had regained all the memory of the previous owner." But still, he would choose this random lady over his real mother any day. ¡°Umm.. Mom, can I borrow some money?¡± he asked, a casual tone masking the urgency in his voice. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. She turned, her expression neutral. ¡°Son, You already have money in your digi wallet . Just use that. Did you finish it? Shall I give you more??¡± ¡° ah..right..oh no no , there''s no need mother.¡± Soobin hurried, glancing at his watch-phone. The screen showed a balance far more than he¡¯d expected, enough for him to buy whatever he needed. This is so different from my old life, he thought. He had always struggled to make ends meet, but here, he had resources at his fingertips. ¡°Thank you so much,¡± he bowed, attempting to inject some warmth into his voice before leaving the house. "Why are you so polite today my baby? You were behaving strange in the morning too.. are you in some trouble? Please tell me, mom can handle it!" "No mom, it''s nothing " soobin changed to more easygoing tone. "And thank you... for asking" soobin smiled , a bit of sadness in his eyes. it was his first time receiving warmth like this. "I''ll come back late bye!" , He hurried out. His mother looked confused, and went back to working. Stepping outside, he suppressed those unnecessary thoughts he was having . Rather he started to focus on the surroundings.He marveled at the world around him. The streets were alive with people moving about, and vehicles floated gracefully just above the ground, gliding effortlessly as if they were riding on air. The architecture was a blend of traditional and modern, with buildings adorned with intricate designs alongside sleek, futuristic structures. Billboards hovered above, displaying vibrant advertisements in holographic glowing screens that shifted and changed with every passing moment. Soobin made his way to his father¡¯s guild building, the Fairy of Flames, feeling a mix of anticipation and nervousness. He remembered the way to the building from his memories. It was a walking distance from where he was. The guild was a prominent establishment, ranked mid-sized among guilds in rankings but boasting a massive structure compared to normal buildings from his past life. His father''s guild focused more on refining the spirit energy from the corrupted nuclei cores that came from killing monsters . In fact, they were one of the best refining places in the area, drawing attention for their expertise. The guild also focused on hunting and nuclei gathering, but their strength lied more on refining. As he approached the guild, he noted its grandeur¡ªa towering structure with an intricate facade, pulsating with spirit energy that seemed to hum with potential. Locations near guilds were filled with spirit energy. Entering the building, he was greeted by the familiar scent of aircon and the faint sound of clashing swords in the training area. He approached the front desk, where a young receptionist sat, her eyes bright with curiosity. ¡°Oh hey! Soobin! What brings you here today ? Its been such a long time since youve been here. Shall i call the guild master for you?¡± she asked, a friendly smile on her face. It was receptionist jane, she worked for the gill for a long time. She knew the old soobin really well. ¡°HI jane, nah, no need to call father, i just came to borrow something" he replied, trying to sound casual. " what is it? anything for the guildmasters son" jane smiled. "I was wondering if I could borrow a solid training sword for a while. I need it for some... practice¡± She raised an eyebrow but nodded. ¡°Sure! Just sign this form, and I¡¯ll get one for you.¡± Jane then calls somone, Moments later, a worker arrived , carrying a sword with a polished blade that gleamed under the fluorescent lights. "Here it is, remember to be careful with it, if u want i could have some of the guild heroes practice with you?" jane suggested. " no no its okay, i..i wanna try some stuff alone, ill be return it by tomorrow, thanks jane!" Soobin hurriedly refused the offer. " its fine , no hurry" After filling out the paperwork, Soobin left for the exit, in his mind he kept thinking of the ring, "if it really is what it is, that I am thinking of .. it could change everything." Even if his hunch about the ring was wrong , there was still that sword. The sword had potential, "there is no way such an item would be useless. At the extreme , I could sell it to some collector. There''s no harm in trying." Jane saw soobins retreating back , as he was going out of the building, a bit of sadness in her eyes. She knew he was a very talented kid, but without an energy core, he can''t be an hero, no matter how much he trained. With the sword resting comfortably at his side, Soobin stepped into the bustling streets, he had to find out whether the hunch he had correct or not. Chapter 4: Into the Shadows The world Soobin found himself in was ruled by two opposing forces: spirit energy and shadow energy. Spirit energy was life, vitality¡ªthe very essence of living beings. It fueled everything from everyday tools to the powerful artifacts wielded by warriors. It was the energy of growth, strength, and power, drawn from the living and used to enhance weapons, defenses, and even the world¡¯s technology. But shadow energy was something else entirely. Born from decay and death, shadow energy was the antithesis of spirit energy. Where spirit energy came from life, shadow energy thrived on death, pooling in areas where tragedy and destruction had occurred. Every time someone or something died, their remaining life force would slowly convert to shadow energy, and while it coexisted with spirit energy, it was far less common. Monsters, on the other hand, once were normal creatures that had become corrupted by an overflow of shadow energy. They were drawn to places rich in death and decay, where shadow energy was thick in the air. The monster''s¡¯ nuclei cores, once spirit energy cores, would become twisted by shadow energy, making the creatures stronger and far more dangerous. Yet, despite their danger, these cores were highly prized. When processed, they could yield purified spirit energy or be used to craft powerful artifacts, though the process was unstable and risky. Just opposite to them are the spirit beasts, In this world, not all creatures are corrupted by shadow energy. There are also spirit beasts¡ªcreatures that live in harmony with the world¡¯s spirit energy. Unlike monsters, spirit beasts aren¡¯t twisted or dangerous; they thrive in places abundant with life and pure spirit energy. Their existence is a vital part of this world¡¯s ecosystem. People hunt them too, not for survival, but because their cores too are incredibly valuable. Spirit beast cores are already filled with uncontaminated, pure , stable spirit energy. They don¡¯t require the same purification process as monster cores, but they might still be refined for specialized uses, such as in high-grade artifacts or advanced alchemy. Due to their purity, spirit beast cores are likely more valuable in higher-tier crafting, especially in creating delicate, precise artifacts where untainted spirit energy is critical.. As these thoughts swirled in Soobin¡¯s mind, he made his way to the metro station, glancing down at his watch for directions. The glowing screen showed a clear path to his destination. ''Damn, I still can¡¯t get over how crazy this place is...'' The metro station itself was clean and modern, with polished floors and bright digital screens displaying arrival times. There were luxury food stalls all around, in an metro station. He looked around, taking it all in. In his old world, metro stations were noisy, overcrowded, and smelled of sweat and exhaust fumes. Here, everything was orderly and efficient, with people moving calmly about their day. Soobin checked the time. His train was still a while away. With some time to kill, he decided to take care of something that had been on his mind. He scanned the area, his eyes landing on one of those luxurious food stalls nearby¡ªthough calling it a stall didn''t quite fit. It was more like a high-end restaurant disguised as a pit stop for travelers. The outside was sleek, with polished glass doors and a glowing neon sign that gave it an almost futuristic feel. Hesitating for a second, Soobin walked in, feeling a little out of place in his casual clothes. As he stepped inside, the interior took his breath away. The place was enormous, like stepping into a five-star hotel dining area. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting soft light over modern tables that were neatly arranged, each set with fine silverware. The walls were decorated with holographic displays that shifted between calm nature scenes and elegant artwork. People sat around, enjoying their meals quietly, the air filled with the hum of low conversation. A waiter soon approached him, dressed sharply in a clean, pressed coat. His movements were precise, his demeanor professional. "Good evening," he said, giving Soobin a courteous nod. "What would you like to order?" Soobin glanced at the menu, his eyes scanning the various dishes, many of which were far too expensive for his liking. His heart raced a little, feeling more out of place than ever. But he managed to keep his composure. "Uh... can I get some chicken soup to go?" he asked. The waiter didn¡¯t miss a beat. "Of course, sir. I¡¯ll have that prepared right away." He bowed slightly before heading off to relay the order. As Soobin waited, he took a moment to appreciate the sheer size and luxury of the place. Spirit energy must have been powering everything¡ªthe soft ambient music, the subtle glow of the lights, and even the food preparation itself. It was a world beyond what his old life had ever offered, and yet here he was, caught somewhere between feeling like an outsider and wanting to belong. Before long, the waiter returned with a sleek, high-tech package. "Here¡¯s your order, sir," he said, handing over the soup. The package was warm to the touch, and as Soobin held it, he noticed it , it wasn¡¯t just any regular takeout container. It was designed to maintain the temperature, keeping the soup hot for hours. "dont these thing keep the soup hot always?!" Soobin muttered, turning the container over in his hands. "Yes, sir," the waiter explained with a professional smile. "This packaging uses integrated spirit energy to keep your food at an optimal temperature. It¡¯s quite efficient, especially for long trips." Soobin nodded, impressed. This was exactly what he wanted, and what he had come for. He had remembered it being mentioned in the novel when the og mc had to take some food for home. "Thanks," Soobin said, paying for the order with his watch and heading out. He carefully placed the container in his bag, where his sword was also kept. As he descended the escalator into the station, he marveled at the sight of the train itself¡ªit didn¡¯t have tracks. The sleek, silver carriages floated just above the ground, their undersides glowing faintly with spirit energy. The whole thing was suspended in the air as if defying gravity, gliding through the tunnels silently. These looked twice as cool and beautiful than the Japanese bullet trains in earth The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ''Floating trains huh '' he thought, shaking his head in disbelief. ''This place keeps surprising me.'' He reached into his metro card, but as he approached the ticket gate, a man in a blue uniform stepped forward, his expression professional but friendly. ¡°Excuse me, young man. Would you mind showing your ticket or watch for verification?¡± Soobin blinked. ¡°Uh, yeah, sure,¡± he muttered, lifting his wrist to show his watch. The guard scanned it with a small device, nodding as the light on the scanner blinked green. ¡°All good! First time on the metro?¡± Soobin hesitated, then nodded. ¡°Yeah... It''s a bit different from what I''m used to,¡± he admitted. The guard chuckled. ¡°You get used to it. They¡¯ve been upgrading the system to run entirely on spirit energy. Smooth ride, no more loud noises or vibrations. You¡¯ll enjoy it.¡± ¡°Right... Thanks,¡± Soobin replied, offering a small smile as he passed through the gate and made his way to the platform. When the train arrived, he stepped inside. The seats were comfortable, and the carriage was spacious, with large windows offering a view of the city as the train began to move. He found a seat by the window, resting his head against the glass as the world outside blurred past. The cityscape was impressive. Towering buildings lined the streets, their facades a blend of sleek, modern designs. Buildings of pure glass, huge skyscrapers, hovering billboards projected advertisements into the air, and floating cars moved gracefully just above the ground, as though gliding on invisible currents. As the train sped through the city, Soobin took it all in. ''It¡¯s like someone mashed up futuristic tech with old-world charm,'' he thought, watching the streets below. The air buzzed with energy¡ªboth literal and figurative¡ªas spirit energy powered everything around him. " this is exactly what those scientists that said ''we will have flying cars in future'' must have imagined the current earth to look like, lol" he giggled at the thought. The train made a few stops, more passengers boarding as others got off, and before long, Soobin¡¯s stop arrived. He stepped off the train and headed up to the street level, where he hailed a hovering cab. The cab driver, an older man with a friendly face, greeted him with a smile. ¡°Where to, kid?¡± ¡°Take me to the outskirts, near Dreadwood Expanse,¡± Soobin said, recalling the name from the novel. He knew the original protagonist had ventured into the forest that bordered that area, and it seemed like the best place to start his search. The driver raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t ask questions. "Alright" As they drove, the city around them slowly gave way to a more natural landscape. The buildings grew smaller, the roads less crowded, and soon, Soobin found himself near the edge of the city. The cab stopped in front of a dense forest, its trees looming like silent sentinels. Above the entrance was a large sign that read: "Dreadwood Expanse ¡ª Danger: High Shadow Energy Zone. DO NOT ENTER." Soobin stepped out, paying the driver through his watch. The cab sped off, leaving him alone at the edge of the forest. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. The air here felt thick, heavy with an oppressive energy. Even though he couldn¡¯t see it, he could feel the shadow energy in the air¡ªit was unsettling. ''This place¡­ It¡¯s definitely where the original protagonist found that ring.'' Without hesitating further, Soobin stepped past the warning signs and into the forest. The deeper he went, the darker and more twisted the surroundings became. The trees seemed ancient, their branches gnarled and reaching out like claws. The air was damp, and the smell of earth and decay filled his nostrils. While most forests in this world had a beautiful view when inside, like glowing orbs, glowing plants etc due to the spirit energy in the air, this place was totally the opposite. Dark and damp, with a bad stench. Soobin¡¯s mind raced as he tried to remember the descriptions from the novel. Somewhere in these woods, he knew there was the artifact¡ªthe ring that could change everything for him. If he could find it¡­ Suddenly, a low growl echoed through the trees. Soobin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He turned slowly, spotting a creature emerging from the shadows¡ªa Shadowfang Wolf. Its fur was dark and matted, its eyes glowing a deep, unnatural red. Black veins pulsed across its body, the telltale signs of corruption by shadow energy. ''Of course¡­ It¡¯s just like the novel,'' he thought grimly. He knew from memory that these creatures were ugly , but damn. Shadowfang wolves were low-ranking monsters, normally weak , but they were dangerous, especially for someone like him without a spirt energy core and spirit energy to defend himself. But he had come prepared. With the wolf slowly circling him, Soobin slowly reached into his bag and pulled out the container. "grrrrrr" The wolf snarled, crouching low before launching itself at him. Soobin didn¡¯t hesitate. He flung the container''s contents directly at the wolf, the scalding liquid splashing across its fur. The wolf yelped in pain, its momentum broken as it staggered back, disoriented by the heat. The creatures were highly sensitive to heat¡ªsomething he remembered from the story., which is why he prepared the container. ''Now!'' Soobin seized the moment, gripping the sword he borrowed from the guild and rushing forward. His strike wasn¡¯t perfect¡ªthe sword was heavy in his hands, and he wasn¡¯t as skilled as the original protagonist¡ªbut he managed to land a solid blow. The blade sank into the wolf¡¯s side, and the creature howled in agony. It wasn¡¯t over, though. The wolf lashed out with a final desperate swipe, its claws raking across Soobin¡¯s arm. "ughhh" He winced in pain, feeling the warm blood trickle down, but he gritted his teeth and swung the sword again. This time, the blade found its mark THUD With a sickening thud, the wolf collapsed to the ground, its body twitching once before going still. Panting, Soobin knelt beside the creature and slashed at its heart. He felt like vomiting, it was the first time he was doing something like this. Carefully extracted its nuclei core¡ªa small orb of shadow energy, pulsing faintly in the dim light. He tucked the core away and pressed forward, he needed that for later , his thoughts focused on the artifact he sought. After a few more minutes of navigating the forest, he came to a clearing. At its center stood an ancient, towering tree, its bark blackened and twisted as though corrupted by shadow energy. In front of the tree, half-hidden by overgrown roots and foliage, was a small statue. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable¡ªa simple stone figure, weathered by time and almost entirely consumed by the forest. But Soobin¡¯s heart raced. ''This is it,'' he thought. ''The statue from the novel.'' The statue stood about waist-high, carved in the shape of an ancient figure, with a opening in its base .It was a detail easily missed by anyone passing by, but Soobin knew it was the key to unlocking something greater. Kneeling before the statue, Soobin couldn¡¯t help but mutter, "So this is where it all started¡­" He glanced up at the massive tree behind the statue, its bark twisted and dark, radiating shadow energy. ¡°It looks just as eerie as I imagined.¡± His fingers brushed over the small opening in the base of the statue. "just a little more " The tension in his voice betrayed his nervousness. He pulled the wolf¡¯s nuclei core from his pocket and stared at it for a moment, its surface glowing faintly with dark energy. His heart pounded in his chest as he held it over the opening. ''Here goes nothing,'' he thought, placing the core inside. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, without warning, a low rumble shook the ground beneath his feet. A sudden thud echoed through the clearing, and before he could react, the ground opened up beneath him. "Shit!" Soobin yelled, but it was too late. The earth swallowed him whole as the land collapsed, sending him tumbling into the darkness below. He hit the ground with a hard thump, groaning as he rolled over onto his back. His body ached, but nothing felt broken. As he lay there, staring up at the faint outline of the hole above, he let out a breathless laugh. ¡°Well... that was one hell of a trap.¡± he felt confused, ''this was not written in the novel at all''. The air down here was cool, damp. He could hear the faint drip of water somewhere in the distance. Slowly, Soobin sat up, his eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering through the hole above. His heart was still racing from the fall, but a strange sense of excitement welled up within him. Now he recognized the place. He was exactly where the original protagonist had been¡ªright at the cusp of something extraordinary. Chapter 5: The Status Window Soobin groaned as he pushed himself up, dusting off his clothes. His body ached from the fall, but what lay before him quickly erased the pain. He found himself in a massive clearing, unlike anything he had ever seen. The entire place was bathed in soft light from luminescent plants scattered across the ground, their vibrant colors glowing in purples, blues, and golds. It looked like something out of a dream¡ªa mystical garden untouched by time. The air here felt thick with spirit energy, like it hummed with life itself. It was a place that almost felt alive, as if the very ground beneath his feet was aware of his presence. Soobin was amazed by this, how can there be spirit energy in a place just under a high concentrated shadow energy zone? he didnt understand the phenomenon. The place was lit with glowing plants, orbs , he could literally see orbs or droplets of spirit energy in the air, such high was its concentration there. In the center of this ethereal scene stood a pedestal. And attached to it were two objects¡ªthe very items he had come searching for: the ring and the sword. The ring glinted faintly, glowing with a soft, pulsing light, while the sword¡ªa sleek, beautiful blade with a blue blade and a white rim¡ªsat firmly embedded into the pedestal beside it. The sight of the two sent a wave of excitement through Soobin¡¯s chest. ¡°None of this was in the novel,¡± he muttered, scratching his head in confusion. The book only described the ring and sword appearing after the orb was placed, with nothing about this magical, otherworldly clearing. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. As he began walking towards the pedestal, his heartbeat quickened. If his hunch was right¡ªif this ring was what he thought it was¡ªeverything could change. He could gain something even the original protagonist couldn¡¯t grasp. Soobin¡¯s heart began to race as he approached the ring. His pulse quickened with every step, a sense of anticipation building inside him. His breath hitched as he reached out, fingers trembling. The moment his skin touched the cold surface of the ring, sparks erupted, lighting up the entire clearing in a brilliant display of energy. Just how the light spread across the whole clearing, a second after that in a similar but opposite fashion, everything got sucked into the ring. It felt as if the entire spirit energy of this cave was pulled towards that certain point. He stumbled back, eyes wide as the sparks intensified. "Ahhh... what the hell is going on" he shouted, Then¡ªboom¡ªa flash of light blinded him momentarily, and suddenly, a holographic screen materialized in front of him, hovering just like it had for the original protagonist. But this time, something was different. The screen wasn¡¯t red as he remembered from the novel, Instead, the screen shimmered in a calm, vibrant green, the words flickering across it like a heartbeat. NO SPIRIT CORES DETECTED... COMPATIBILITY ACCEPTED. LEGACY ARTIFACT ACTIVATED... A surge of adrenaline shot through his veins. His breathing grew shallow, heart pounding as the realization hit him. This was it. The thing the original protagonist couldn¡¯t use because of his spirit core. The relic that had only made a brief appearance before vanishing from the story. His hunch was right. His head swam with the sheer thrill of it, the pieces clicking into place. In front of him, glowing and alive with potential, was the very thing that could change his fate. In front of him was... the status window. Chapter 6: The Window to Power The glowing blue screen in front of Soobin blinked softly. His heart pounded, not from fear, but from the excitement bubbling inside. He knew what this was¡ªor rather, he had a hunch. In countless games and novels, there was always something that set the protagonist apart from everyone else. A system, a cheat, an edge over others¡ªA STATUS WINDOW. The very thing that allowed characters to grow stronger, to track their progress, boost their stats, unlock skills, and ultimately change their fate. The words "STATUS WINDOW" shone at the top of the holographic screen, and he couldn¡¯t help but grin. "This¡­ is real," he breathed, the adrenaline kicking in as his mind raced to grasp what he was looking at. A way to get stronger. A way to survive¡ªand maybe even thrive¡ªin this world, where he was supposedly powerless. "I was right, I was right" he shouted. It was a huge stroke of luck. Curiosity took over, and he began to inspect the details of the screen in front of him. --- [Legacy Status Window] Name: Soobin Level: 1 Spirit Name: [Unavailable] Spirit Rank: [Unavailable] Hero Rank: [Unavailable] Experience: 0/50 Attributes: Strength: 4 Defense: 3 Agility: 5 Intelligence: 6 Bond Level: [Unavailable] Skills Unlocked: [None] Quests: [!] Inventory: [Accessed] --- He stared at the screen, inspecting each stat. The numbers were embarrassingly low¡ªlower than the average person in this world who could train with spirit energy would have. But what caught his eye most was the empty space where his spirit name and rank should have been. It means just 1 thing, that he could now form contracts with spirits and also harness the power of spirit energy. His excitement flickered. "Of course," he muttered. "I haven¡¯t made a spirit contract yet, so i can¡¯t unlock those without bonding with a spirit..." 0 The same went for the skills and bond strength. Everything important was locked behind a contract. The only things of any real value to him right now were the meager attributes and the experience bar sitting at 0/50. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was something. "One step at a time", he reminded himself. Soobin turned his attention to the sword lying near the ring, nestled among the then glowing plants. He reached down and picked it up. It wasn¡¯t much to look at¡ªa blue blade with a dull, lifeless glow. It didn¡¯t feel like anything special in his hand. As his fingers ran along its surface, he frowned. "So this really is the sword from the novel huh" It looked so unimpressive. Suddenly, a new window flashed before his eyes. --- [Inspecting Weapon] [S-Rank Spirit Blade] Restrictions:
  1. Can only be wielded by the owner of legacy artifact.
2. Will remain dormant until the user forms a spirit contract. Imbuing it with spirit energy is impossible without a bonded spirit. Artifacts in this world were ranked from D to S, based on their rarity and power. Even an A-rank artifact could fetch enough to buy a luxury flat in one of the richest districts. But an S-rank artifact? Those were beyond rare¡ªso priceless that even top-level heroes struggled to get their hands on one. Most heroes would never see an S-rank artifact in their entire careers. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ''This is insane,'' Soobin thought, his heart racing. He couldn¡¯t believe it. The dull, seemingly useless blade that the protagonist had carelessly discarded in the novel¡­ was actually an S-rank artifact? How much could he get by selling it?? Forget selling, hes gonna use it for himself! imagine the uproar when he decides to bring it out in the world? it would cause so much chaos. "THIS IS SO SICK!" It seems the day couldn''t get any better for him. --- Before he could react anymore , another notification popped up. --- [Restriction One Unlocked] The blade can now be wielded, but remains dormant. --- A thrill shot through Soobin. ¡°It¡¯s real... It¡¯s all real,¡± he whispered. The first restriction had been lifted. This blade was bound to the status window, and no one else could use it. Not even the original MC had this advantage. He gripped the sword tighter, feeling a connection form. But for now, he knew it was limited. He still needed to find a spirit. His journey had only just begun. Unsure of what to do next, Soobin thought about where to store the blade. He didn¡¯t want to carry it around and raise suspicion. As he considered this, another idea struck him. ¡°Inventory,¡± he said aloud, uncertain if it would work. To his amazement, the sword vanished from his hand with a soft whoosh, and a notification appeared. --- [Item successfully stored in Inventory] --- He blinked, staring at his now empty hand. ¡°It worked,¡± he chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "This really is like a game." Though he was eager to explore more, reality came crashing down around him. His entire body ached from the earlier fight with the wolf, and his fall into the clearing hadn¡¯t helped. His clothes were torn and dirtied, and the sun was setting fast. ''''Time to go back" soobin muttered and stood up He made his way back toward the place from where he had fallen into the clearing, searching for a way out. "Ah ... now how do i go back up" he searched for a bit Soon enough, he spotted a ladder, almost hidden against the side of the pit. ¡°Convenient,¡± he muttered, his muscles protesting as he began the climb. It was a tough climb. Reaching the surface, Soobin paused for a moment, taking in the fading light. He took some time to breathe. He had been through a lot, but the real challenge was just beginning. Wincing with every step, he headed back toward the jungle¡¯s edge, determined to return home. --- As Soobin emerged from the dense woods,he took a cab to the metro station. The cab driver even tho saw him tattered like that, didn''t question anything. He found the metro station just as busy as before. But now, the world around him looked different. The sky had turned a deep, endless blue, dotted with shimmering stars that seemed closer than ever before. The neon lights of the city flickered in the distance, and the floating vehicles zipped by with a soft hum, casting gentle reflections on the glass buildings surrounding them. Colourful Holographic billboards all around . The metro platform was a bit quieter now, the evening rush having passed. As he stepped onto the train, he glanced around, noticing the subtle glow of spirit energy that seemed to pulse around everything¡ªthe buildings, the trees, even the train itself. He found a seat by the window, pressing his forehead against the cool glass. The landscape whizzed by, a mixture of sleek futuristic buildings and nature entwined with technology. It was beautiful in its own way, so different from his old life. " Such a colourful world ". Soobin''s thoughts drifted as the train rattled along. "I¡¯m really here," he whispered, a smile tugging at his lips. There was sadness in his voice, but also something else¡ªexcitement. His heart raced at the thought of what was to come. This world was full of danger, yes, but it was also a place where he could be more than just an ordinary guy. He stared out the window, watching the glowing trees and hovering billboards as they blurred by. ¡°I¡¯m really here¡­¡± The train pulled into the station near his home, and Soobin stepped out into the cool night air. His steps were slow and pained as he made his way down familiar streets, finally reaching the front door of his house. As soon as he walked in, his parents gasped. His mother rushed over, her eyes widening as she took in the state of his torn clothes and the bruises across his body. His father, on the other hand, was almost in a frenzy. ¡°W-what happened to you?!¡± his father cried, already grabbing a towel. ¡°Did you fall into a hole? Did you fight a monster? Do we need to call the doctor?!¡± He was pacing now, muttering all sorts of questions without waiting for answers. His mother was calmer, though concern was clear in her eyes. She helped Soobin to the couch, her touch gentle. ¡°Let¡¯s get you cleaned up,¡± she said quietly, though the tension in her voice was unmistakable. His mother , being a combat type hero, immediately recognized the wounds. ''These are the wounds from the claws of a shadow fang wolf.... '' she thought. She wanted to know where and how did he get these kinds of wounds, what kind of situation arrived for this to happen.. but she didnt want to press him right now.. he was hurt , and it was better to let him rest. Soobin''s father was still in panic mode, washing away his wounds with a wet towel, and providing first aid, not forgetting to scold him during the process. Soobin looked between them, the absurdity of the situation hitting him all at once. Here they were, people he barely knew, yet they were taking care of him without any hesitation. His lips quivered as laughter bubbled up inside him. His father paused mid-rant. ¡°What¡¯s so funny? ¡± Soobin shook his head, unable to contain the chuckle. "Nothing... It¡¯s just... Thank you for caring ." He couldn''t get used to this kind of warmth. His parents exchanged confused glances before his mother gave him a soft smile. Then, with a swift motion, she smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Ow!" Soobin yelped, rubbing the spot. ¡°Don¡¯t scare us like that again,¡± she scolded, her voice sharp, but her eyes warm. Soobin grinned through the pain. "Got it, Mom. Got it." And for the first time in a long while, he felt like maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªhe could belong here. chapter 7 : the interrogation Soobin lay in bed that night, still feeling the sting of his injuries as his mom carefully applied ointments and wrapped bandages around him. The soothing, cooling sensation of the salves eased his pain, but it was nothing compared to the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind His parents were no ordinary people, both were respected B-rank heroes. Heroes were ranked from F to S, based on their abilities and accomplishments. F was barely above ordinary humans, while S-rank heroes were legends, often holding national or even global influence. The higher the hero''s rank, the greater the resources, missions, and prestige they gained. For Soobin, growing up under the shadow of B-ranked heroes had always been bittersweet. He had always been made fun of for not having a spirit core. His parents knew that and always cared extra for him. There was also another reason he got even more ridicule, it was because of ''him'' , but soobin didn''t want to think about it right now . His mother, Yuna, had contracted Aeris, a Silver-ranked Wind Elemental Spirit. The rank of a spirit was a significant measure of its power, and Aeris, despite being a Silver spirit, granted Yuna incredible speed and control over the wind. She could summon powerful gusts to protect or attack, and her control over the winds was so fine-tuned she could cut through enemies with invisible blades of air. This power had pushed Yuna to the verge of A-rank, and many believed she would achieve that soon. Spirits were ranked based on both their inherent strength and their rarity, starting from Bronze, Silver, and Gold , even the rarest Platinum rank. The spirit''s rank played a crucial role in determining the hero''s potential and power, alongside the hero¡¯s rank itself, which ranged from F (the weakest) to S (reserved for the most legendary heroes). While many heroes boasted powerful spirits, the rank of the spirit was what truly distinguished them. Even B-rank heroes like Soobin¡¯s parents, who were considered strong, hadn¡¯t yet contracted spirits beyond the Silver rank. His father, Seojin, was an expert in artifacts and refining materials, and he had contracted a Silver-ranked spirit known as Terros, a Golem Spirit. It gave him control over earth and metal, which was why he excelled at artifact creation and material manipulation. He had the ability to summon golems from earth and metal to fight for him and protect him. Though both were in their forties, they looked as though they were in their mid-twenties. This youthful appearance wasn¡¯t just natural. Spirit energy slowed aging considerably. Heroes with spirit cores, especially those of higher ranks, retained their youthful looks and lived much longer than regular humans. Soobin had seen it time and time again¡ªheroes from across the world looking as though they never aged a day, their vitality extending well into centuries. But none of that mattered to him. He had no spirit core, and without one, he couldn¡¯t attend the hero academies or follow in their footsteps. His life had been mapped out to be a normal one, at least until the events of the previous night. Soobin was exhausted. His mind, still swirling with the events from earlier, started to slow as he slipped into sleep. His last thought before drifting off was of the "status window" and the future it promised. --- The next morning, Soobin woke up with the light streaming in through his window. "Yawn.. ouch" Groggily, he rubbed his eyes, his body aching from yesterday''s bruises and the strain of what had happened. For a moment, he wondered if it had all been a dream. The ring, the sword, the status window... everything felt surreal in the morning light. "Status window," he muttered hesitantly, almost afraid it wouldn¡¯t work. But there it was. The holographic screen blinked into view, its blue hue bathing the room in a soft glow. His heart skipped a beat. This was real. He scanned through the interface, going over every detail again [Legacy Status Window] Name: Soobin This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Level: 1 Spirit Name: [Unavailable] Spirit Rank: [Unavailable] Hero Rank: [Unavailable] Experience: 0/50 Attributes: Strength: 4 Defense: 3 Agility: 5 Intelligence: 6 Bond Level: [Unavailable] Skills Unlocked: [None] Quests: [!] Inventory: [Accessed] He blinked. "It wasn''t a dream¡­ Holy crap." Everything was still locked, but then his attention shifted to the blinking Quests tab. He hadn¡¯t noticed that before. Pressing it, the window shifted and a new notification appeared. [ Quest: Form a Contract with a Spirit ] Rewards: 500 EXP, +4 Status Points Soobin''s eyes widened. The rewards were significant. Status points were used to increase one''s attributes, like strength, agility, and intelligence, meaning this quest was crucial to his growth. ¡°So, this is the next step¡­¡± Soobin whispered to himself. ¡°I need to form a spirit contract.¡± He swung his legs off the bed, now fully awake. He grabbed his laptop, the sleek, futuristic device booting up with a soft hum. The screen glowed, its holographic interface displaying floating windows "cool" he muttered, he then searched about spirits and spirt contracts. Almost instantly, results flooded the screen. Soobin scrolled through the information. Every child born with a spirit core undergoes the Spirit Contract Ceremony at the age of sixteen. Spirits were mystical entities tied to nature, elements, or even emotions, and they determined the abilities a future hero would develop. They were ranked based on both power and rarity. The ranks ranged from Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum. Getting a Platinum or higher rank spirit were extremely rare. most young heroes would be lucky to contract a Silver spirit at the start. " Ah , i know these already" soobin said , as he went on deeper to search more, The Tree of Life, a massive, ancient tree brimming with concentrated spirit energy, was where these contracts were formed. These trees existed in specific zones across the world , which were sanctuaries of pure spirit energy. Soobin lived in Seoul, where one of the more prominent Tree of Life was located. In Korea, there were around 10 such areas. These sacred spots were often referred to as Spirit Sanctuaries or Lifeblood Zones. They were highly revered and protected by the government, being the most significant places in the world. Heroes, the academies, and even the national defense heavily relied on the abundance of spirit energy around these trees. Every month, a specific day was set for the Spirit Contract Ceremony, where newly awakened sixteen-year-olds would form their first spirit contracts. These events were a grand celebration, with heroes, families, and even leaders and recruiters from big guilds also attending. It was a big deal for the world¡ªthis was the day when future heroes were born. Students forming contracts with High-ranking spirits often brought sponsorships from major guilds. Those with particularly rare or powerful spirits were fast-tracked for greatness. The lucky few would be recruited by guilds immediately, with offers of support until they graduated from the hero academies. Soobin¡¯s heart pounded. ¡°I need to attend that ceremony,¡± he realized. ¡°for that i need to form a contract first¡­¡± The Academy was where young heroes would spend the next four years honing their abilities, learning about combat, crafting, alchemy, and other aspects of hero work. Every academy was a training ground for the future, and every one of them was built near a Lifeblood Zone, for obvious reasons. "Ah how can I forget , even he''s also there " soobin shrugged off his thoughts about ''him'' again. The academy was essential. It was where the protagonist in the novel grew stronger, where the main storyline unfolded. He needed to go there. He couldn''t even think of going before because he didn''t have a spirit core. Now, though, things were different. Also, there was also ''him''. "Ah how can I forget , even he''s also there.... whatever " soobin shrugged off his thoughts about ''him'' again. The biggest concern right now was his parents. He rubbed his temples, trying to think of how to approach his parents. They had believed for so long that he was ordinary. Now he had to convince them otherwise without revealing the status window. '' nothing will come by wasting time" soobin thought, Deciding it was best to just face the situation head-on, he nervously made his way downstairs, still lost in thoughts. -- Soobin hurried downstairs, his nerves starting to kick in. His thoughts raced as he imagined how his parents would react. He could hear also their footsteps coming from the other side. They were heading up the stairs as he was coming down. '' do they also want to talk about yesterday?'' soobin thought Just when they were like 5 stairs apart, they froze as their gazes met at the middle of the stairs. There was an unspoken tension in the air as if both sides had something important to say. "I want to attend the Spirit Contract Ceremony," Soobin blurted first, surprising himself with the suddenness of his words. At the exact same time, his mother, Yuna, also asked in a serious tone ¡°Soobin, why do I sense a spirit core from you?¡± Both Soobin and his parents stood frozen in the middle of the stairs, eyes locked in mutual shock. Their words had clashed in unison, revealing a truth that none of them were ready for. '' what??? a spirit core?'' Chapter 8 : Face to Face The previous night after putting Soobin to bed, Yuna was sitting in the sofa, deep in thoughts, while Seojin was cleaning everything up. Just when Seojin was about to got to his room , Yuna without even looking at his direction said "did u feel it too". "Hmm... if you''ve felt it too... it cant be a mistake then.." The happy , warm, expressive Seojin with a expression as cold as ice , such that no one would believe it was the same man panicking for his son a few minutes ago , replied. "i first thought i might be wrong, but when i went to his room, i felt it again... Soobin has a spirit energy core" Says yuna. "Should we go ask him about it?" Seojin suggested. "Let him rest for now... we can ask him tomorrow.. i want to know just what kind of adventure my little baby went on today." "ok true..." Present day The living room was a cozy blend of warmth and subtle mystical touches. Soft light filtered through crystal-like windows infused with spirit energy, casting a gentle glow across the room. Family portraits and holographic plaques of his parents'' heroic deeds adorned the walls. A floating orb in the corner adjusted the room''s temperature, powered by spirit energy. A rug woven with ancient runes lay beneath their feet, and a glass-like table in the center shimmered with different colors. Soobin and his parents were gathered. He sat on one side , and them on another. His mother, Yuna and father, Seojin, were seated across from him, their eyes filled with concern and curiosity. Soobin sat opposite them, his hands resting on his lap, his gaze lowered to the floor, feeling the weight of the questions that were about to come. "Soobin," his mother¡¯s soft voice broke the silence. "Why can I sense a spirit energy core from you? Just... what happened?" Soobin didn''t understand.. him having a spirit core? from where did his mother get this idea. Sure he got his status window last night. But the main reason he got his status window is because he didn''t have a spirit core. Just what in the world is happening? ''Wait... doesn''t this make stuff easier for me??'' Soobin thought. He now did not have to explain the reason he could form contracts or even use spirit energy despite having a status window. At the end, he just decided to believe that the status window or the legacy artifact , gave off the illusion of a spirit core so that he could fit in this world. ''how oddly specific'' soobin thought... There seemed to be so much more to this artifact than just being something the mc came across for sometime. While soobin was lost in this thoughts... "SOOBIN" His mother called his name again... this time with a bit more voice . He didn¡¯t look up. His thoughts were racing, he now had to explain yesterday''s shenanigans. Finally, he spoke, his voice low but steady. "Mom, since you already know about it, I can now join the academy. I wanna go to the Spirit Contract Ceremony next week. Please... come with me." His mother didn¡¯t let it go so easily. Her brows furrowed, her voice firm but filled with worry. "That''s not what I asked, Soobin. You¡¯ve never had a spirit energy core... and even yesterday morning, there was nothing. Then you came home hurt and in tatters with wounds from shadowfang wolves...." Yuna¡¯s voice trailed off, her expression changing as memories of the previous day flashed before her eyes. "Something happened yesterday, right? Where did you go?" Her voice grew colder, sharper with suspicion. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "I didn¡¯t go anywhere¡­ you don¡¯t need to worry about it. Please, Mom, I¡¯m fine now. Why do you need to know?" Soobin¡¯s words came out faster than he intended, his tone unintentionally distant, his frustration got the better of him. There was a part of him, deep inside, that still held back from being entirely comfortable around them. He could feel it¡ªsomething leftover from the previous life. Yuna''s eyes softened as she looked at her son. "Because I am your mother," she said quietly, her words cutting through the distance Soobin had built around himself. The warmth in her voice melted something in Soobin''s heart. He felt a pang of guilt for shutting her out. Just then, his father, Seojin, chimed in, his tone thoughtful. "Oh, wait. I remember Jane from the guild mentioned something about you borrowing a sword for training yesterday?" Yuna turned to her husband and then back to Soobin, her eyes narrowing slightly. "A sword? Soobin... where did you go? Please, just tell us." Soobin paused, exhaling slowly before answering, trying to keep his voice calm. "I went to Dreadwood Expanse yesterday. I had some... business there. But I promise, it wasn¡¯t as dangerous as it sounds. I can even show you the receipt if you don¡¯t believe me." Yuna''s face tensed at the mention of the forest. "The Dreadwood Expanse? so that explains the wounds.. they have a lot of shadowfang wolves in that area.. Why would you go there? That place has a high concentration of shadow energy. It¡¯s forbidden especially for people without energy cores. " Soobin kept quiet, unsure of how to explain without revealing too much. He finally replied, "I had some work there. I can¡¯t tell you everything right now, but I promise it¡¯s nothing bad. I was careful. I wasn¡¯t in any real danger." " oh yeah... then why did you come home like that then ..? " his mom asked angrily and sarcastically. "that...."he kept quiet. Yuna and Seojin exchanged glances before turning back to him. They didn''t want to press any further.. Seojin spoke this time, his voice calm but firm. "If it¡¯s something you can¡¯t tell us, that¡¯s okay. We just want to know that you¡¯re safe and not doing anything reckless." A wave of relief washed over Soobin as he slumped slightly into his seat, tension easing from his shoulders. "I¡¯m fine, really. And now that I have a spirit core, I can attend the ceremony. I¡¯ll be able to form a contract, just like everyone else. You won¡¯t have to worry about me anymore. You... and even ''he'' won¡¯t have to be ashamed of me." His mother¡¯s expression shifted at that, a flicker of anger flashing in her eyes. "We were never ashamed of you, Soobin. Not ever." Her voice was soft but firm, her gaze unwavering. "And ''he'' loves you too, even if it doesn¡¯t seem that way. He just... has trouble showing it sometimes. You both have always been special to us." Soobin looked up, feeling his parents'' warmth surround him. He didn''t care whether that cared about him or not, but every time this topic came up, a strange irritation stirred within him. Maybe it was the previous owners feelings acting up. Yuna and Seojin stood up, their previous worry melting into excitement. "well it seems you were a late bloomer soob" Seojin spoke up "We¡¯ll make the reservations for the ceremony next week!" his mother declared, already reaching for her phone. The atmosphere in the house shifted, becoming lighter and more cheerful. Yuna began calling relatives and friends, sharing the good news that her son had finally awakened his spirit energy core. Seojin, also made a few important calls to his guild, discussing Soobin¡¯s future. Now that he believed Soobin had an energy core, the guild would likely offer their support, no matter how much potential he held. Soobin watched as the room filled with laughter and the soft hum of excited conversations. He let out a small sigh, rubbing his face in his hands before smiling to himself. Normally, he wasn¡¯t a fan of all this noise and commotion¡ªhe preferred things to be quieter, more peaceful. But right now, for some reason, it didn¡¯t bother him as much. There was a warmth in the air, and it made him feel... at home. Yuna came over to him, a wide smile on her face as she playfully shoved a jelly snack into his mouth. "Oh, by the way, while I was calling taehyun''s parents, it seems like Taehyun overheard the conversation and is rushing over here right now." Soobin blinked, caught off guard by the name. ''Taehyun?'' he thought, pausing mid-chew. ''He was the other soobins best friend, the kid who lived few minutes away ... right?'' And then, something clicked in his mind, and his chewing slowed. "Taehyun¡­ Wait. Could it be¡­ Kang Taehyun?" His heart skipped a beat. "No, it can¡¯t be. There are lots of people with that name. It¡¯s probably just a coincidence." He tried to dismiss the thought, but the name nagged at him, tugging at the back of his mind. Kang Taehyun, the one who was the protagonist¡¯s greatest rival in the original novel¡ªthe one who was always just a step behind the hero, always trying to surpass him. But later, he got caught up in that incident. Just as Soobin was lost in thought, the front door creaked open, and a lively voice called out from the entrance. Soobin looked up, and there he was¡ªTaehyun. White hair, light blackish eyes, a sharp jawline, and a warm but mischievous smile that immediately filled the room with a contagious energy. Soobin¡¯s heart sank. "Ah¡­ so it is him." Chapter 9 : reuinion Taehyun came bursting through the door, energy spilling out of him as he kicked off his shoes. "hey ! What the hell am I hearing? You¡¯ve got a spirit core now?" His voice was filled with excitement, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he walked up to Soobin. " Bro , You¡¯ve waited for this for so long! Hey tbh , i kinda always knew, you had to get one! Lol." Soobin blinked, feeling a little overwhelmed by Taehyun¡¯s enthusiasm. He smiled awkwardly . Taehyun was so close to him¡ªclose to the original Soobin, the one who had grown up with him¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t who he was anymore. Still, he tried to match Taehyun¡¯s energy. "Yeah," he said with a small laugh, "finally..." Just then, Soobin¡¯s mom, Yuna, walked into the room, wiping her hands on a towel. She smiled warmly at Taehyun. "Taehyun! It¡¯s good to see you. Look at you¡ªevery time I see you, you¡¯ve grown taller i was just talking to your mother when she told me that you rushed out ." " Also stop swearing every time" She gave him a ''playful'' bump on his head. "aaah.. sorry " taehyun touched his head in pain He then turned toward her, " Ah Auntie!, I couldn''t control when I heard the news." Yuna chuckled. "Don''t give your mom too much stress! She''s already busy as she is.'' "cmon auntie, you know that I literally am the most angel of a son that one can have. I am not the one providing stress to them." "Oh really!" Yuna laughs a bit Taehyun was really a carefree guy, but he seemed to have his way with adults. Soobin, feeling the weight of the moment, cleared his throat. "Uh, Mom, we¡¯re gonna head upstairs for a bit." Yuna gave them a knowing smile. "Of course. Don''t make much noise though. " The two boys made their way up to Soobin¡¯s room, Taehyun moving with the casual familiarity of someone who had been there a hundred times before. He threw himself onto Soobin¡¯s bed, making himself comfortable. "Man, it feels like forever since we just hung out like this." Soobin sat at the desk chair, feeling out of place in his own room. It was weird how comfortable Taehyun seemed, how he acted like nothing had changed. But everything had changed for Soobin. He was in a new world, a new life. He wasn¡¯t the Soobin that Taehyun thought he was. "Yeah... it¡¯s been a while," Soobin said, trying to push aside the strange feeling inside him. Taehyun leaned forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. "So, how did this happen? I mean, you¡¯ve been waiting forever and then¡ªboom¡ªspirit core out of nowhere. What the fck happened?" "dont swear" "shut up" Soobin hesitated, trying to figure out how to explain without getting into too much detail. "There was... an incident. But let¡¯s not talk about that." He waved it off quickly. "The important thing is that I¡¯ve awakened now. I¡¯m thinking about trying to get into Arcane Spirit Academy with you." Taehyun''s face lit up like a Christmas tree. " Hell yea! now thats what im talking about. " "Wait¡ªsince you haven¡¯t contracted a spirit yet... you¡¯re going to the Spirit Contract Ceremony next week, right? So we are going together then." Soobin felt a little lighter hearing that. Taehyun¡¯s excitement was infectious. "fuck Yeah, let¡¯s go together." Taehyun bounced a little on the bed, unable to contain his energy. "This is gonna be epic, I''m sure our parents have already made some plans about it. Mom was very happy when she heard that. You know how she likes you so much" Taehyun¡¯s parents ran one of the biggest guilds in the country, the Silverlight Guild. His father was an S-rank hero, and his mother wasn¡¯t far behind as an A-rank. With that kind of family background, Taehyun always had a lot of pressure on him to succeed. It was no wonder he¡¯d always been trying to outdo the hero of the original novel. Just as Taehyun kept talking, Soobin¡¯s dad appeared at the door, holding a sleek tray. The snacks were laid out on shiny, hovering plates that shifted colors gently, powered by spirit energy. "Thought you boys could use something to eat," Seojin said, placing the tray down. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Taehyun¡¯s eyes widened again. "Uncle! You¡¯re coming to the ceremony next week too, right?" Seojin nodded. "Of course. I¡¯ve already spoken to your parents. We¡¯ll all be going together." "Nice!" Taehyun looked genuinely thrilled as he grabbed a snack and bit into it, barely waiting to finish chewing before continuing. "Soobin, this is it, man. You¡¯re going to be able to show those guys who doubted you what you¡¯re really made of, especially your cousins." He paused, lowering his voice a bit. "And you can show him up too." Soobin stiffened at the mention. He didn¡¯t like thinking about him. He didn¡¯t even know why the thought of this person bothered him so much. Maybe it was some lingering feeling from the original owner. Either way, he didn¡¯t want to dwell on it. Noticing Soobin¡¯s reaction, Taehyun quickly changed the topic. "Anyway, we¡¯re going to crush it at the academy. I know the acceptance rate is low, but we¡¯ve got this. Plus, with both of us going, it¡¯ll be like old times, right?" Soobin just nodded, not wanting to dig deeper into his thoughts. He was grateful for how easily Taehyun could move past heavy topics. They chatted a little more, mostly about the academy and how competitive it would be, with Taehyun growing more excited by the minute. After a while, they decided to call it a night, and Taehyun stayed over. --- The next day, after a quick breakfast, the two of them went out to explore the city. The streets were buzzing with energy, people moving about their business. Everything around them was powered by spirit energy, from the vehicles that hovered above the ground to the holographic billboards glowing in the sky. They wandered around for a bit, enjoying the lively atmosphere. Eventually, they made their way to a restaurant where they were supposed to meet someone. Hanbin, one of their old friends, was already waiting for them when they arrived. He had already ordered some drinks . Hanbin smiled as they approached, waving them over. "Soobin, Taehyun, it¡¯s been a while" "Hanbin!" Taehyun greeted him, slapping him on the back. "It¡¯s been forever, man. How¡¯ve you been?" Hanbin was more soft-spoken compared to Taehyun, but he had a quiet confidence about him. "I¡¯ve been good. Heard you finally awakened your spirit core, Soobin. Congratulations." "Thanks," Soobin replied, shaking his hand. He didn¡¯t remember much about Hanbin from the original novel. All he could gather from his memories was that , he lived with his grandparents, his parents died when he was very young, to the huge dungeon break that happened over a 14 years ago. He also had contracted a silver-ranked healing spirit a while ago. "hey I''m gonna go to the washroom" taehyun told and went away, Now me and hanbin were left alone, soobin felt a bit awkward wondering how to act, but then hanbin himself spoke first, "can i accompany you guys next week?" "off..of course " soobin replied, "heh thanks, im really happy for you btw, soob, i know how hard it must have been for you" he said with a warm smile. hanbin was such a soft spoken person, with his brown hair and soft voice, it felt so soothing hearing him talk. "ah also, I''ve been contacted by arcane hide, they want to sponsor me" "what? wow... that''s... good.. what have you thought of it?" Soobin asked, he got kind of flustered hearing that. "its an obvious decision, but im still thinking" "hmm" soobin replied In the original novel , there were 4 major guilds of korea introduced, The Golden zone, Silver knights, Ethereal alliance and Arcane hide. These 4 were the biggest guilds of Korea. Among them Arcane hide was a guild known for their healers, their potions and their knowledge about medicinal plants etc, it didn''t mean they were bad at combat, but all the major healers in korea were from Arcane hide. There was an incident related to arcane hide , where something happened to the leader of arcane hide , and the guild got destroyed, it was one of the major events of the novel, hearing hanbin suddenly bring out that name, made soobin a bit uncomfortable. "I wanted to tell you about it first soob, even no one in my house know about it" hanbin added. "T..thanks.... i know you will make a sensible descision but... send me the details of the contract they send you once you get it, just to be sure, ill get it checked by my parents too, you know.." soobin replied, " sure, thank you so much!" after a while taehyun joined, They continued talking, making plans to apply to the academy together. The conversation was easy, comfortable. For once, Soobin felt a little more at peace with the situation, as if he was starting to fit into this new life¡ªat least for now. --- After they finished eating and said their goodbyes, Taehyun headed off for his parents guild directly in the other direction , there was some kind of event, while Soobin called for a cab. As he settled into the floating vehicle, he gazed out the window, marveling at how the city came alive at night. Neon lights reflected off the streets, high rise buildings made of glass. As they passed through one of the more upscale areas, something caught Soobin¡¯s eye. A high-security zone came into view, guarded by heavy security and tall gates. In the distance, a massive luminescent tree glowed faintly. It was beautiful, almost otherworldly. The cab driver glanced back at him. "That¡¯s a Lifeblood Zone." Soobin nodded, his eyes still glued to the sight. But then, suddenly, his vision blurred. His head throbbed, sharp pain spiking through his mind. Weird images flooded his brain¡ªblue feathers, strange flames, a screeching bird-like noise that echoed in his skull. His breathing quickened, and he gripped the seat tightly, trying to hold on. "What... what¡¯s happening?" he muttered, though the driver didn¡¯t seem to hear. The pain ebbed after a moment, and as quickly as it had come, the strange vision disappeared. Soobin leaned back in his seat, exhausted and confused. When the cab finally dropped him off, Soobin headed straight to his room, his head still swirling with unanswered questions. He didn¡¯t know what had just happened, but whatever it was, he knew it was only the beginning. Chapter 10: the contract ceremony The morning of the Spirit Contract Ceremony had finally arrived. Soobin sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His clothes were neatly laid out¡ªjust a simple, comfortable outfit for the day. No special attire, just something casual to wear before changing into the uniform at the guild. He could hear his parents moving around downstairs, their voices carrying up through the house. It was the kind of morning that buzzed with excitement, but for Soobin, it felt more like anticipation mixed with dread. "Soobin, are you ready yet?" His mother''s voice drifted up from the hallway. "Yeah, almost," he called back, taking a deep breath before standing up and smoothing out his shirt. It was finally time. Downstairs, the atmosphere was alive with activity. His father, Seojin, was busy making calls, talking to guild members, and finalizing last-minute preparations. His mother, Yuna, hurried between tasks, her own nervous energy bubbling just beneath her calm exterior. She was double-checking the car, making sure they had everything they needed. Despite the rush, there was an unmistakable sense of pride in the air. As Soobin descended the stairs, his mother turned to him with a warm smile, though her eyes showed a flicker of concern. "Soob," she called softly, walking over to adjust his collar like she used to when he was a kid. "Are you okay? It''s a big day for you, after all." He nodded, though he didn''t quite meet her eyes. "Yeah... just nervous, I guess." "You''ll be fine," she reassured him, her smile widening. "It''s your time now. You''re ready." Seojin hung up the phone and joined them, his expression firm but kind. "Everything¡¯s set. The guild¡¯s preparing for the ceremony, so we¡¯ll head there first." His gaze softened as he looked at Soobin. "Don¡¯t stress too much, alright? Today is just the start." Soobin gave a small nod. "Got it, Dad." After a quick breakfast, they gathered their things and headed out to the car. The morning air was crisp, and Soobin felt the tension in his chest tighten as they moved closer to the car. As Seojin drove, the family sat in a comfortable silence for a while, the world outside the window passing by in a blur. Soobin found himself staring at the familiar streets, lost in his own thoughts. His mother, sitting in the passenger seat, turned her head toward him and broke the silence with a hesitant voice. "Soob, there¡¯s something I need to tell you." He blinked, pulled out of his thoughts. "What is it?" Yuna hesitated, glancing at Seojin before continuing, "Your brother... Kai. He¡¯ll be at the ceremony today." Soobin''s stomach twisted at the mention of Kai. His brother. The one person whose presence always made him feel like he was still stuck in someone else''s shadow. "I told him about your core," Yuna added softly, watching for his reaction. "He wanted to be there." Soobin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. His brother, Kai. The mention of him brought an involuntary tightening to his chest. His hand balled into a fist on his lap. The memories came rushing back¡ªthe tension, the unspoken words, the shadow that loomed over the original soobin since childhood. He somehow could sense his emotions. "Oh," thats all soobin replied. Yuna continued, her voice softer now. "he was very pleased to know about it." Yuna knew , soobins and Kais relationship were not close as it was, it broke ever since that day. Seojin remained quiet, his grip tightening slightly on the steering wheel. The silence in the car became heavier. Kai. The golden child. The prodigy. From a young age, he had been everything their parents could have asked for. Strong, talented, and ambitious. When he contracted Ignarion, a powerful GOLD RANKED fire spirit, it only cemented his place as a genius. Their parents had been over the moon with pride, showering Kai with praise and support. Seojin had even gone as far as preparing artifacts and potions , and everything for Kai¡¯s growth, he wanted to nourish him himself, all in hopes that one day he would take over the family guild. But then Kai had shattered those hopes. "Dad , ive decided to take the sponsorship of the Golden Zone guild" Soobin remembered the day Kai announced his decision to join the Golden Zone Guild, Korea¡¯s top guild. It had come out of nowhere, and the shock on their father¡¯s face was something Soobin would never forget. Seojin had spent years preparing Kai to be the future leader of the family guild, but Kai had made up his mind. He was determined to make his own way, and Golden Zone had already offered him sponsorship. Seojin hadn¡¯t said a word against it, but Soobin could tell how heartbroken he had been.That night, Seojin had quietly told Kai that he should follow his heart, but his expression had told another story. Soobin had seen the pain in his father¡¯s eyes, the kind that no words could cover up. Seojin knew that no matter how much , he had prepared, the Golden zone guild will be the better choice for Kais growth, he was still sad, but had accepted it already. After that, things between Soobin and Kai were never the same. Kai had gone off to the academy, pursuing his goals while Soobin remained behind, his usual life. As Soobin sat in the back of the car, those memories of the old soobin played out in his mind. The car came to a stop in front of the guild, and he realized that they had arrived. The building was alive with activity. Guild members were rushing around, preparing for the ceremony, organizing documents, and arranging plans for Soobin''s future. The guild was buzzing, of course why will it not? it was the day for the guildmasters sons contract ceremony. As Soobin stepped out of the car, he was immediately greeted by the bustling atmosphere around the guild. It was a day of importance not just for him but for everyone involved. The news had already spread¡ªSoobin, the son of the guild master, after finally getting his spirit core and heading to his Spirit Contract Ceremony. People who had worked with his father for years stopped what they were doing to nod or smile at Soobin as he passed by. It was clear they were excited for him. "Hey, Soobin!" A familiar voice broke through the noise. Jane, one of the senior guild members, strode over with her usual confident smile. She was one of his father¡¯s closest subordinates, and she had always been kind to Soobin, treating him more like a nephew than just the boss¡¯s kid. "Jane," Soobin greeted, feeling a bit more grounded in the familiar presence. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She gave him a warm smile and reached into her coat, pulling out a small, neatly wrapped box. "I wanted to be the first to give you this. A little something for luck today." Soobin took the box, surprise flickering in his eyes. "You didn¡¯t have to¡ª" "Of course I did. It¡¯s a big day. , you dont know how happy i am, i actually waited for this day for so long" jane replied kindly, " sorry i was late..." soobin responded... with a sad smile " huh so what?? hey, late bloomers tend to shine the brightest," she said, her eyes twinkling with sincerity. He chuckled lightly, feeling a little lighter for the first time that morning. "Thanks. I appreciate it." Jane nodded, then gave his shoulder a firm squeeze. "You¡¯re going to do great today. Just focus on yourself, and don¡¯t let anyone else get in your head. alright?" She winked, clearly knowing more than she was letting on. "Yeah," Soobin smiled, As they made their way further into the guild hall, more familiar faces greeted Soobin, offering their well wishes and congratulations. Then the guild executives , the important people of the guild came, and gave him their wishes and encouragement. While all were polite and genuinely happy, there were some murmurs too, "i hope we¡¯ll see another amazing result today, ... like last time," one of the executives said, Soobin knew what they meant by last time, he could hear the edge of expectation in their voices. He offered polite smiles, doing his best to push past the comments. The more time went, soobin seemed to mix more and more of the old owners memories to himself, it felt he became more and more integrated to it, he was slowly accepting those memories as his own. hence the reaction to hearing about kai. Just as he was getting a moment to breathe, his mother walked up beside him, smiling warmly. "Soob, just a heads-up¡ªyour Aunt Eunhee and Uncle Eunjeong are on their way. Jun will also be getting his contract with you! " Soobin felt his stomach twist at the mention of them. The day just couldn''t get any worse. He had not at all expected that they¡¯d be attending. His father¡¯s side of the family had always been a source of irritation, more than anything. Eunjeong, his uncle, had spent years harboring jealousy toward Seojin¡¯s success. Soobin¡¯s father had built the guild into what it was today, and was a established hero in the society. Eunjeong was born without a energy core , he always was jealous of seojins fame and his reputation. After Seojin started a small buisness and got a bit succesfull with it, he married Eunhee, who possessed a weak spirit core but never achieved anything close to hero status. So after they had jun who was born with a spirit core, they were filled with happiness and pride, he was raised as the family''s hope. Initially they were very jealous of Kai and his talent, after hearing that he contracted a gold ranked spirit, their jealousy with Seojins family , along with the expectation of jun also rose, not only that, when soob was found to be without mana core, they had focused all their ridicule on him. They had used all sneaky remarks against him in family functions in the guise of concern and many such stuff. Sure enough, not long after Yuna¡¯s warning, Soobin saw them walk through the guild¡¯s doors¡ªlaughing and putting on their usual display of self-importance. "YUNA Hiii! Seojin hii" Eunhee with her usual annoying tone went after Soobin''s parents first. Then came his turn. "Soobin!" Eunhee exclaimed, turning her attention toward him with a sickeningly sweet tone. "Congratulations on getting your core...though it¡¯s so late. .." she continued" Are you sure everything will be okay? I¡¯m concerned." Soobin¡¯s eyes flickered with irritation. He knew what that fake concern meant, and he wasn¡¯t in the mood to entertain it. Before he could respond, Eunjeong chimed in. "Yes, we¡¯re all just a little worried. You know, getting a core so late can be... unpredictable. Are you sure it¡¯s stable?" he asked, directing his question toward Seojin as if Soobin weren¡¯t even there. Seojin¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, but Soobin could tell his father was too polite to react. The weight of expectation hung in the air, and Soobin felt the rising frustration clawing at him. For years, they had looked down on him. For years, they had made these passive jabs, but that was the old soobin, he is not the type to just let it slide. Even tho he usually hated annoying stuff like this, but not today. "Of course I¡¯m fine," Soobin said, his voice steady but sharp. "You don¡¯t need to worry about me. No matter what spirit I contract today, I¡¯m sure the guild will take good care of me... After all," he paused, letting his words hang in the air just long enough for effect, "I¡¯ll be inheriting the guild anyway." There was a brief silence as Eunhee and Eunjeong¡¯s expressions faltered, their smiles quickly replaced by thin-lipped frowns they tried to cover up. Soobin felt a small sense of satisfaction as he saw them struggle to regain their composure. "O-of course," Eunjeong muttered, forcing a laugh. "We were just... concerned. That¡¯s all." Eunhee quickly nodded in agreement, though her face had turned a shade paler. "Yes, well, we¡¯re sure you¡¯ll do just fine." Eunjeong and Eunhee planned that, if jun didnt get sponsored by any big guild, they wanted for Seojin to make his guild to sponsor him. Since kai is not getting sponsored by them, they also wanted Seojin to give jun the position of the prime sponsor of the guild , getting all the benifits and potions and stuff like that, and later on make him one of the core members of the guild too and use him to get some portion of the guild for themselves, but now that soobin has his core, ofcourse soobin will be the prime sponser and future heir to the guild. which pissed them off, so they were finding excuses for soobin in mask of concern Before the conversation could drag on further, Seojin stepped forward, signaling that it was time to prepare for the ceremony. But just as they were getting ready to leave, Soobin¡¯s cousin Jun approached him, a smirk on his face that instantly set Soobin¡¯s nerves on edge. "Oh wow, look who finally blossomed," Jun sneered, his tone dripping with mock surprise. "Guess I can¡¯t call you disabled anymore." Soobin stared at him, feeling a surge of irritation. Again maybe because the emotions of the old Soobin, were stronger than usual, Soobin didn''t really want to hold back like, he''d hate really done. "Ah, look who it is," Soobin said, his voice calm but laced with dark sarcasm. "The son of the inferior father".. " Is it because blood is thicker than water? No wonder you resemble father so much" "Ugly, trash and filled with inferiority complex" Jun¡¯s face twisted in shock, his eyes narrowing with anger. His face cold... he could not believe the words that came out of soobins mouth, he checked his surroundings hoping anyone would have listened to what soobin just said. No one did. The words soobin said shocked him to the core, he expected soobin to normally just take it in, but this was something else, he felt like he was struck by a spear. How can he say something like this? Before Jun could fire back, they were interrupted by Yuna calling out, signaling that it was time to leave. Jun went away without saying anything, still in shock. Soobin just shrugged, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction from the exchange. Things really are different now. They boarded the large, floating limo that had been arranged to transport them to the contract ceremony. The vehicle was spacious, able to carry Soobin, his parents, Jun, Eunhee, Eunjeong, and a few important board members of the guild. As they settled into their seats, Eunhee and Eunjeong continued to make small, meaningless talk, slipping in mentions of their son at every opportunity. As they drove, Yuna turned to Soobin. "By the way, Taehyun and his family¡ªdid they leave yet?" Soobin nodded. "Yeah, they already left. Taehyun said he¡¯ll be waiting near the entrance for us." "That¡¯s good," Yuna said, smiling at the thought of their longtime family friends. "It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve all been together." Eunhee, listening in from across the limo, suddenly chimed in. "Oh, are you talking about the Silverlight Guild¡¯s heir?" she asked with an air of forced interest. "Soobin, you¡¯re close friends with him, right? You should introduce Jun to him. It¡¯d be a good connection for him." Soobin felt his jaw tighten. He didn¡¯t like the way Eunhee referred to Taehyun as just "the Silverlight Guild¡¯s heir," Jun still shocked, wanted to stop his mother, but before he could say anything, "I¡¯m sorry, Aunt," Soobin replied, his voice cool and deliberate. "But Taehyun chooses his friends wisely." Boom... Soobin dipped another bomb. Jun couldn''t believe his ears, how did soobin become so bold? Why did he have to face so much humiliation? He was on the verge of crying, for a 16 year old, it was too tough to handle. The air in the limo shifted. A tense silence filled the space as Eunhee and Eunjeong exchanged looks, clearly caught off guard by Soobin¡¯s remark. Their faces tensed, trying to hide the shock and embarrassment behind forced smiles. Yuna and Seojin remained quiet, held their breaths, both of them equally surprised by Soobin¡¯s sudden reply. "W-what do you mean, Soobin?" Eunhee asked, her voice a little strained as she tried to laugh it off. "What are you implying?" Soobin just looked at her confused , "hmm?" And then went back to looking outside. He did not bother to talk anymore . Eunhee looked taken aback, her face flushing slightly, Eunjeong shifted uncomfortably, the rest of the trip was filled with pin drop silence. . chapter 11- jiho The large, luxurious room lit with the soft glow of overhead lighting, reflecting off the polished wooden floors. On one side, a tall man with a lean figure stood at his desk. He wore an elegant, expensive suit beneath a striking red coat, draped over his shoulders like a royal cape, but with his arms not through the sleeves. His platinum blonde hair caught the light, adding to his commanding presence as he casually scrolled through a tablet. This was Kim Jinsoo, an S-rank hero and the leader of the prestigious Golden Zone guild. Across the room, sitting leather sofa, another young man with jet-black hair and piercing red eyes was quietly engrossed in a thick book. His hair, slicked back from the sides, was a little messy in the front, giving him an effortlessly handsome look. He radiated an air of calm detachment. This was Kai, Jinsoo¡¯s sponsor, and Soobins brother. Breaking the silence, Jinsoo continued scrolling on his tablet as he said in a casual tone, ¡°I heard you¡¯re going to your brother¡¯s contract ceremony tomorrow.¡± Kai, still focused on his book, didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°Hmm.¡± Jinsoo¡¯s lips curved into an amused smile, his eyes gleaming with mischief. ¡°You once mentioned he didn¡¯t have a core. Guess he developed one late, huh? Fascinating¡­¡± Kai¡¯s brow twitched, visibly irritated. His gaze remained on the book as he replied with a curt, ¡°Yeah.¡± Jinsoo chuckled, clearly enjoying Kai¡¯s reaction. ¡°If you want, I could get the guild to sponsor him. It¡¯d be good if he has even a decent rank, but even if not¡­ he could always make a good friend for our Jisoo.¡± That finally got a reaction. Kai snapped his book shut with a soft thud and stood up, his sharp red eyes locking onto Jinsoo with a look that was part annoyance, part resignation. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t join, even if he were to get a bronze spirit, and we were his only choice, he wouldn''t. That¡¯s just how he is¡­¡± Kai trailed off, his expression showed as if he was thinking of something. He quickly shook it off. ¡°Ugh, whatever.¡± Jinsoo watched him with amusement as Kai turned to leave. ¡°Interesting,¡± Jinsoo murmured under his breath, observing Kai¡¯s mannerisms like a cat toying with a mouse. As Kai reached the door, Jinsoo called out, ¡°By the way, let¡¯s go together. We can scout prospects while we¡¯re there. Taehwan¡¯s busy, and since you''re going already, it makes sense to go with Jisoo.¡± Kai paused, giving a small nod. ¡°Yeah, okay,¡± he said before exiting the room. Jinsoo smiled, returning to his tablet. He glanced at a notification. ''Jisoo¡¯s ceremony tomorrow,'' he thought. ''My baby will be forming her contract tomorrow.'' He resumed his work, the faint click of the tablet echoing in the large, quiet room.
The next day, outside the sprawling ceremonial grounds, the atmosphere was festive and alive with energy. A massive crowd had gathered, people from all over Korea and even outside the country, all eager to witness the contract ceremony. The air buzzed with excitement as vendors sold mystical orbs, potions, and rare artifacts at makeshift stalls. Inside a luxurious black limo, the ride was quiet. Soobin and others finally reached their destination. When they finally arrived, security parted the crowd, escorting them through a special VIP section. They stepped into what felt like a futuristic carnival, with holographic displays and floating stalls selling rare items, all under a vibrant sky. As they entered, the Silverlight Guild¡¯s section caught Soobins eye¡ªparticularly Taehyun¡¯s parents, Hyunmoo and Soyeon, famous heroes who were beloved by the entire country. As soon as Taehyun spotted Soobin, his eyes lit up, and he waved enthusiastically. He quickly closed the gap between them, throwing an arm over Soobin¡¯s shoulder like they¡¯d just finished a big game. ¡°Soobin! broooo Finally, it¡¯s the dayyy!¡± he shouted. His energy was contagious, and despite the nervous knot in his stomach, Soobin couldn¡¯t help but smile back. He had truly become one with this world. ¡°Yeah,¡± Soobin replied, a bit more quietly but with a soft grin. ¡°It¡¯s finally happening.¡± While the boys talked, Soobin¡¯s parents, Yuna and Seojin, were busy introducing Eunhee and Eunjeong, along with their son Jun, to Taehyun¡¯s parents. Eunhee, always eager to impress, greeted them warmly. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so nice to meet you! We¡¯re such huge fans! This is our son, Jun¡ªhe¡¯s forming his contract today too! Jun-ah, say hello.¡± Hyunmoo and Soyeon also politely responded and accepted their greetings. Eunhee then pushed jun to talk to Taehyun.." jun ah say hello to Taehyun, hes your brother Soobins friend" Jun awkwardly greeted Taehyun, who responded with a halfhearted, ¡°Hey,¡± clearly more interested in catching up with Soobin. Hyunmoo and Soyeon soon approached Soobin, with Hyunmoo grinning ear to ear. ¡°Soobiiiin-ahhh! Congratulations!¡± He wrapped Soobin in a bear hug. This shocked eunhee and eunjeong, who weren¡¯t expecting such familiarity from one of the top heroes in the world towards soobin. Soobin laughed, used to Hyunmoo¡¯s overly friendly antics. But before Hyunmoo could continue, Soyeon pulled on his ear with a sharpl scold. ¡°Leave the poor boy alone!¡± ¡°Ahhh¡ªow, ow, okay!¡± Hyunmoo yelped, stepping back with a sheepish grin. Soyeon smiled softly, she then touched soobins head and ruffled his hair.. ¡°Soobin, I¡¯m so happy for you. When your mother told me about you suddenly getting a core, I was overjoyed.¡± .. She then handed him a beautifully wrapped box. ¡°This is a gift we¡¯ve prepared for you.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to¡­¡± Soobin muttered, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the gesture. ¡°Open it!¡± Hyunmoo urged, his eyes wide with excitement. Soobin carefully unwrapped the present to reveal a white jacket, intricately crafted with fine material. There were transparent strips of some material that lined up some parts. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Soobin examined the jacket carefully.. Soyeon looking at him continued, ¡°This was handcrafted by the main designer of Beuran. It¡¯s infused with spirit energy and made from the fur of a special luminous spirit beast. When you contract your spirit, those transparent strips will glow with the color of your spirit aura.¡± Soobin was speechless. Beuran was the biggest luxury brand in earth. their headquarters was based in korea. the main designer of Beuran was also the owner of the company. He specialised in making clothes with spirit energy and from materials of spirit beasts and monsters. Some of their products prices were as high as a building in Seoul. To think that this jacket is handcrafted by the main designer...it must cost a fortune. Soobin was shocked, His parents, Eunjeong and Eunhee, were equally shocked. ¡°This is too much¡­¡± Eunhee began. ¡°What do you mean too much?¡± Soyeon said, laughing. ¡°It¡¯s a small token of our love for Soobin. We got Taehyun one too, so they can match.¡± Soobin, grateful but still processing everything, thanked them. Eunhee and eunjeong couldnt believe it, just how close were they?? to gift him such a expensive gift?? she got more mad thinking about it. it should have been her son .. it should have been her son who should get this special treatment,.. her eyes were filled with jealousy. The jacket fit perfectly over Soobin¡¯s black shirt. Taehyun smiled, nudging him playfully. ¡°Looking good bro, the girls are gonna love this¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Soobin replied, feeling the warmth of their support. Yuna laughing at Taehyuns words and mannerisms said.. " You dont look too bad too taehyun, should i find a girlfriend for you." Taehyun replied , closing his eye with pride and flutering his hand, " thanks aunt, ahhh but.. this body is too precious for one person to enjoy" SLAP , Soyeon slapped the back of taehyuns head, "what did u say???" ... "aaaahhh sorry moom"... Everyone started laughing, all the initial nervousness had vanished. The massive coliseum-like arena was filled to the brim with spectators, the seats looked like a sea of people chattering away. Thousands of eyes were fixed on the centerpiece of the event¡ªthe towering Tree of Life. Its luminescent glow spread across the space, the light warm yet overwhelming, with a brilliant shine. Soobin stood at the edge of the platform alongside Taehyun and thousand other participants, both trying to take in the sheer grandeur of the event. The stadium, which could hold over a hundred thousand people, had not a single empty seat. The air was thick with excitement and tension. Taehyun, always cool-headed, shifted uncomfortably beside him. ¡°This place is jam-packed,¡± Soobin muttered, half-amused, half-nervous. ¡°Yeah, no kidding,¡± Taehyun replied, glancing around. ¡°There¡¯s always a crowd, but why the fuck is it so packed today? I swear this is worse than usual.¡± Soobin gave him a playful nudge. ¡°Well, duh. The heir to one of the biggest guilds in Korea is getting his spirit contract today. Of course, it¡¯s gonna be crowded. People from all over the country¡ªand even outside¡ªare here to see you, idiot.¡± Taehyun blinked in surprise. ¡°Wait, whaa¡ª¡± He stopped, realizing what Soobin was implying. Soobin smirked and knocked lightly on his friend¡¯s head. ¡°Yeah, you. You¡¯re the heir of Silverlight, remember?¡± ¡°Ugh, these people,¡± Taehyun groaned, rubbing his temples. ¡°I hate the attention.¡± Soobin gave a supportive pat on Taehyun¡¯s shoulder, trying to comfort him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll do great. You always do.¡± And why wouldn¡¯t he? Soobin knew from the novel that Taehyun was going to form a contract with a gold-rank spirit, one of the highest possible. It was hard to feel too sorry for his friend when his future was that bright. Around them, other young people waited nervously for their turn. All of them had come for the same reason¡ªto form their first-ever spirit contracts. Among them were the children of all kinds of guilds, nobodies with no connections, and also children of important figures too. The line they stood in seemed endless, snaking its way toward the base of the Tree of Life. Just then, a sudden loud voice interrupted the low murmurs of the crowd. ¡°HELLO! HELLO!¡± A man floated in mid-air, standing on a hovering platform. He wore a suit that was sharp and immaculate, his hair neatly combed back, and a mic in his hand. The arena fell silent, all eyes on him as the host began to address the audience. ¡°WELCOME TO THIS YEAR¡¯S FIRST SPIRIT CONTRACT CEREMONY!¡± The crowd erupted in cheers, the sound echoing through the stadium like thunder. ¡°This year,¡± the host continued, ¡°we have some amazing prospects joining us, with bright futures ahead of them!¡± He glanced at the screen behind him, which displayed several key names , including Taehyun. there was also another name that Soobin recognized, kim Jisoo, daughter of kim jinsoo. she played an important role in the main novel. ¡°I can see there are many important figures here today!¡± The large floating screen zoomed in on various VIP boxes in the stands. The first was the Golden Zone Guild¡¯s box, where the S-Rank hero, Kim Jinsoo, gave his usual charming smile and waved, the crowd roaring in response. Then, the camera moved to the Silverlight Guild¡¯s section. Hyunmoo, grinning from ear to ear, waved with both hands energetically, while Soyeon beside him gave a more elegant, but warm smile. Soobin knew despite Hyunmoo''s bubbliness , he was one of the strongest and if provoked, could be the most ruthless person anyone has ever witnessed. Soobin personally remembered the Hyunmoo in the novel.. after ''that'' incident. The camera then panned over to the Arcane Hide Guild¡¯s box, where a few serious-looking officials sat, the leader was absent that day. Finally, the camera zoomed in on the Ethereal Alliance¡¯s VIP box. At its center stood Ryu Jihan, the infamous leader. He had many scandals under his name, which were thrown under the rug. He rose from his seat, arms spread wide in a theatrical wave. The crowd¡¯s cheered for him too. Soobin¡¯s expression darkened as soon as Ryu Jihan appeared on the screen. ¡°Fucker¡­¡± Soobin muttered under his breath, barely loud enough to be heard. Taehyun, standing beside him, looked over in surprise. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Soobin¡¯s face immediately returned to neutral. ¡°What? Nothing. Are you hearing things?¡± Taehyun shot him a suspicious glance but didn¡¯t push the matter further. ¡°Hmm¡­ okay.¡± The host¡¯s voice boomed again, ¡°Now, let¡¯s begin with our first participant for the day!¡± A name flashed on the screen as a boy, slightly older than Soobin and Taehyun, approached the tree. He looked nervous but determined as he stepped forward, placing his hand on a marked spot on the trunk of the glowing Tree of Life. The tree¡¯s light intensified, casting a warm glow around the boy¡¯s figure. Moments later, a small beam of light shot from the tree into his hand, marking him with the spirit contract. A tattoo-like emblem appeared on his skin, shimmering in the light as the entire arena held its breath, waiting to see the rank of his spirit. On the massive screen above, the result flashed: ¡°Silver Rank.¡± The boy¡¯s face lit up with a wide smile, clearly thrilled, and the crowd roared. He stepped down, huffing from the exertion but filled with joy as he returned to the waiting area. A silver-ranked spirit was no small feat. There were many devices around the tree of life that measured the amount of spirit energy expelled, then this measurement was used to determine the rank of the spirit. 1-40000 - bronze 40001 -70000 - silver 70001- 90000 - gold from 90000+ - Platinum Several more candidates followed, most receiving bronze ranks, which were more common, though none seemed too disappointed. The entire process was fast-paced yet nerve-wracking for those waiting their turn. Bronze was most common, after that came silver.. gold were rare, people with gold were one of the most strongest, and the most rarest was platinum, which came like 2 to 3 per 5 to 10 years in a country. Korea itself barely had like 6-7 platinum ranked spirit users Soobin¡¯s eyes wandered across the other waiting participants, feeling the weight of the moment creeping up on him. Then suddenly , his gaze landed on a small figure standing not too far from him¡ªa boy with golden hair and golden eyes, a bit shorter than the others, with his lean body, he stood out a bit from the others. The boy had an innocent smile, eyes wide as if admiring the grandiosity of the whole event. ONLY Soobin knew who he was. " A image flashed in his mind, the boy, with his signature two katanas, glowing eyes , glaring at his enemies" " ah fuck , i forgot ..he was gonna be here today " It was Choi Jiho, the protagonist¡ªthe true main character of this world. Extra chapter for pictures Here we have KAI, his spirit aura is red, This is Jisoo, Kim Jinsoo''s daughter. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Our very own Kang Taehyun! Mr Choi Seojin and Mrs Choi Yuna Finally we have Hyunmoo and Soyeon.. Taehyuns parents. JIHO - OG MC Ending it with our cute Hanbinniee ch 12 - The meeting of the mains As Soobin stood among the crowd, the noise and excitement swirling around him, he found his gaze locked on someone he hadn¡¯t expected to see. His heart skipped a beat. ''Blonde hair... golden eyes... it¡¯s him... '' His thoughts spun as he stared at the boy across the arena. ''San Jiho... the original protagonist''. For a brief moment, everything else faded. Seeing Jiho brought back a rush of memories. Soobin had been too caught up in everything to fully process it, but now, it was crystal clear. ''Kim Jisoo¡¯s name on the screen... I should have guessed then. Jiho and Jisoo... they contracted their spirits on the same day.'' Just as Soobin was lost in thought, a familiar voice pulled him out of his daze. "Soobin... Soobin... are you even listening?" Soobin blinked rapidly, realizing Taehyun was standing right next to him, his voice cutting through the noise of the arena. "H... huh?" he stammered, his mind still half-distracted. "What are you even staring at?" Taehyun asked with a curious tilt of his head, then followed Soobin¡¯s gaze. "Oh, Jiho..." His voice dropped slightly, the casual bravado momentarily dimmed. "He¡¯s here too...huh, I forgot. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen him since school." Soobin turned to Taehyun, slightly surprised. ''They went to school together...? '' He racked his brain, memories of the original Soobin surfacing. Of course. They had all gone to the same middle school¡ªJiho, Taehyun, Hanbin, and even Jisoo. Jiho, Jisoo, and Taehyun had been in Class A, while Soobin and Hanbin were in Class B. The idea that the original Soobin had known Jiho this whole time felt surreal. ''And Hanbin... wasn¡¯t he supposed to come today too? '' Soobin thought, glancing around the arena. Taehyun, seemingly unfazed by Soobin¡¯s distraction, kept talking, "I¡¯m going to get ahead of him today, you know? I¡¯ve trained like crazy for this. Finally, I¡¯m going to beat him.." "By the way," Soobin interrupted, ignoring his rambling , "where¡¯s Hanbin? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be here already?" "Oh, he says he¡¯s in the stands. In our box." Taehyun waved a hand dismissively, still caught up in his own thoughts. "nice," Soobin replied absentmindedly, his attention split between Taehyun and the arena as the announcer''s voice boomed across the space. "NOW! The next individual! Daughter of S-Rank Hero, Kim Jinsoo, heir to the prestigious Golden Zone... IT''S KIM JISOO!" The roar from the crowd was deafening. Soobin glanced up at the massive screen, where Kim Jisoo, with her platinum blonde hair gleaming under the arena lights, was making her way forward. The screen flashed images of her fan clubs, banners, and posters waving in the stands. Her popularity was clear. In this world, the popularity of these future talents, and spirit users were huge, it was even bigger than most celebrities.. Jisoo , Taehyun too were extremely popular since middle school, they even had their fanclubs etc. Other than individual fans, also fans of the respective guilds also supported the heirs of the guilds too. "Wow, she¡¯s really popular..." Soobin murmured, taking in the sight. "Yeah," Taehyun scoffed. "I don¡¯t know why people like that stingy girl." He laughed, but it was clear there was no malice behind the words, just their usual banter. Soobin chuckled. "You¡¯re popular too, you know. Look at your fans. They came with posters for you." Taehyun sighed dramatically, trying to play it cool. "Hmmm... yeah, I guess." "Go wave at them!" Soobin urged, grinning. "They came from so far just to see you." "Ahhh, fine, fine," Taehyun muttered, pretending to be annoyed, but a hint of a smile played on his lips. Acting as if he was doing it just because Soobin said so, he turned to the stands and waved. Then, with a cheeky grin, he even started blowing kisses to the crowd. The reaction was instant. His fans screamed, some even jumping up and down, waving their posters even more enthusiastically. The noise reached Jisoo¡¯s ears, and as she turned, her face twisted into a scowl. "Ugh, that idiot..." she muttered under her breath before focusing back on her own task. All attention returned to Jisoo as she approached the Tree of Life. The massive tree stood tall, ancient, its bark glowing faintly. As Jisoo touched the tree, its glow intensified, the aura around her blending with the tree¡¯s light. This time, however, it was different from the others before her. The entire tree seemed to pulse with power, the glow growing so intense it was almost blinding. A flash, like a burst from a camera, lit up the entire arena. When the light finally dimmed, Jisoo stood in front of the tree, looking at her hand where a glowing platinum blonde wings, tattoo had appeared¡ªthe mark of her spirit contract. The crowd fell silent for a moment, all eyes glued to the giant screen above the arena. The tension in the air was palpable. Then, the screen changed, showing her stats in bold letters. Kim Jisoo, Spirit Rank: GOLD. Points: 80,259. The crowd erupted into cheers, their roars echoing throughout the arena. "THE FIRST GOLD-RANKED SPIRIT OF THE YEAR!" the announcer boomed. Taehyun, covering his ears from the sheer volume of the crowd, muttered, "Wow... that idiot. Not bad." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. In the Golden Zone booth, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement. The guild members cheered and celebrated, eyes glued to the massive screen showing Jisoo''s newly formed spirit contract. Among them stood Kim Jinsoo, the current leader of Golden Zone and Jisoo¡¯s father, his expression a mix of pride and calm satisfaction. "Hah! I knew it," Jinsoo said, a confident smirk crossing his face. "That girl never disappoints," he continued, his voice carrying a distinct pride, as if he''d expected nothing less. Meanwhile, Kai, leaned against the railing with his hands in his pockets, offered a small nod."Good for her, I guess," Kai muttered, his tone cool and indifferent, "Looks like the guild¡¯s future isn¡¯t so bad after all." "Of course," Jinsoo replied, the smirk on his face deepening as he observed the screen. Soobin knew about the spirit jisoo had contracted.. it was Seraphael, the Celestial Mirage; her spirit allowed her to become a master of illusions, At her prime she can create realistic illusions that deceive enemies, turning the tide of battle. These illusions range from copies of Jisoo to entire landscapes that confound and disorient her opponents. As Jisoo returned from the stage, instead of heading back to her original spot, she veered towards Soobin and Taehyun Soobin¡¯s heart raced. ''She¡¯s coming this way...'' For a brief second, Jisoo¡¯s eyes flickered towards Soobin, a suspicious glint in her gaze. He tensed, but she quickly looked away, her focus settling on Taehyun. "Your turn¡¯s next," she said with a light smile. "Try to match that." Taehyun scoffed. "Haah... you did well, I guess... but now it¡¯s time for the main character." " main character.... are you?.. no matter how big our status is,, isnt he the main character?" she points to his left side..., Both Soobin and Taehyun turned, and there walking towards them , was Jiho. San Jiho. "Ugh..." Taehyun muttered under his breath. Soobin remembered , even in middle school taehyun had always come second to jiho. Jiho, oblivious to the tension, greeted them cheerfully. "Jisoo! Congrats! A gold-rank spirit is amazing!" Jisoo, ever composed, simply nodded. "Thanks." Jiho turned to Taehyun next. "Your turn¡¯s up next. Best of luck! I ran into your dad earlier. He seemed pretty excited!" "Huh, whatever," Taehyun grumbled, but his voice trailed off, clearly nervous. Soobin stood on the side, watching the three of them interact. He felt a little out of place, overwhelmed seeing the original characters all together like this. Just as he was thinking that, Jiho¡¯s gaze shifted to him. "Soobin? You¡¯re here too?" Jiho asked, a smile tugging at his lips., both taehyun and jisoo also turned towards him.. "ah.. y..yeah!" Soobin stammered, feeling the weight of both their gazes, "But... you don¡¯t have an energy core, right?" Jiho began, his voice trailing off as if realizing the awkwardness of the topic. Before Jiho could finish, Taehyun cut in, a bit too quickly. "He just awakened one recently. He¡¯s going to join Arcane Academy with me." Soobin nodded, "Yep..." Jiho smiled brightly. "That¡¯s great news!" Jisoo, meanwhile, remained silent, her expression unreadable as she looked elsewhere. Just then, the announcer''s voice rang out again. "Now! The next individual, oh what a roster we have today!!!.. the heir of Silverlight Guild! The son of the famous heroes, Sir Hyunmoo and Madam Soyeon... Kang Taehyun!" The crowd¡¯s cheers filled the stadium once again. Taehyun¡¯s fans were out in full force, waving banners and shouting his name. Taehyun squared his shoulders, trying to mask his nerves. As he moved towards the stage, Soobin called out to him. "Don¡¯t be nervous... and watch out for the ground. There are a few stones scattered around." "yeah... thanks," Taehyun replied, confused about the last part. "Good luck, Taehyun!" Jiho called out from behind him. Taehyun approached the Tree of Life, his hand reaching out to touch its bark. Like before, the tree began to glow, but this time, a brilliant silver light burst forth, engulfing Taehyun completely. The crowd gasped as the light intensified, wrapping around the arena in a swirling aura of silver. When the light finally dimmed, the mark of his spirit contract shone on his hand, glowing in a bright silver. Taehyun also stood there, he was surrounded by a light silver aura. He looked up at the screen, anticipation in the air. Kang Taehyun, Spirit Rank: GOLD. Points: 89,250. "TWO GOLD RANKS IN 1 DAY? THIS IS HISTORICAL... AS EXPECTED OF THE HEIR OF SILVERLIGHT!" , The crowd roared once more, louder than before. In the Silverlight booth, Taehyun¡¯s parents, Hyunmoo and Soyeon, jumped out from their seats, cheering loudly for their son. Kim jinsoo too said looking at the scene.. " Hyunmoo''s son huh.... wow, Two Gold ranks, one even almost platinum... this time its something else, do you think i can poach him kai? isnt he your brothers best friend?" " Dont joke around " kai muttered, not even looking at him. Taehyun, still a bit in awe of the moment, raised his hand, showing off the spirit mark that glowed with silver light. The crowd¡¯s cheers only grew louder as his fans chanted his name. Soobin smiled, proud of his friend. Even Jisoo, though she didn¡¯t show much outward emotion, seemed pleased. Jiho clapped his hands, calling out encouragements. As Taehyun walked back from the tree, filled with excitement, he waved to the crowd and even blew a few kisses toward the stands. He looked completely overjoyed, soaking in the cheers of his fans. But in his rush, he didn¡¯t notice the small stone in his path. Thud! He tripped and fell flat on his face. "Ugh, ouch..." Taehyun groaned, pushing himself up. Soobin facepalmed, muttering under his breath, ¡°I literally told him.¡± Beside him, Jisoo let out a short, stifled laugh. ¡°Smooth,¡± she teased, barely hiding her smirk. Jiho, quick to act, rushed over to help Taehyun up. "taehyun ah You okay?" he asked, offering a hand. Taehyun accepted it, embarrassed, as Jiho pulled him up. ¡°Yeah, yeah, I¡¯m fine. Just a small trip.¡± As they walked back to join the group, Jisoo couldn¡¯t resist taking a jab. "wow the fansites are gonna love those pics" Her tone was light, teasing, with an edge of playfulness. "shut up" Taehyun looked embarrassed.. Soobin shrugged with a knowing look. "I told you to watch out for the stones, didn¡¯t I?" He smiled, trying to suppress a chuckle. Taehyun sighed dramatically. "Yeah, yeah... thanks for the warning, psychic." Jisoo, still looking amused, glanced at Soobin, her golden eyes gleaming with curiosity. ¡°How did you know he was going to trip?¡± Soobin froze slightly¡ªthis was the first time Jisoo had ever spoken directly to him. ¡°Uh...¡± Soobin swallowed nervously. ¡°I didn¡¯t know for sure. It was just... intuition,¡± ¡°Intuition?¡± Jisoo echoed, her eyebrow raised skeptically. But before she could press further, Soobin quickly shifted the conversation. ¡°Anyway, congrats, Taehyun!¡± he said, trying to sound casual. ¡°A Gold-rank spirit! Almost Platinum, too... that¡¯s amazing.¡± Jisoo¡¯s interest flickered for a moment, but she let it go, turning back to Taehyun as well. ¡°Not bad,¡± she added. ¡°Gold rank with nearly 90,000 points¡­ You''re right on the edge of Platinum. Even I¡¯ll admit, that¡¯s impressive.¡± Taehyun puffed out his chest, pride radiating from him. Soobin, knowing the future trajectory of the story, nodded in agreement .The spirit taehyun contracted was the Argentum Titan, it allowed him to strengthen his body extra , and also control silver sands, it was extremely strong spirit. even though it was gold ranked for now, it had the potential to become platinum and it did. " NEXT UP... THE ANNOUNCER ANNOUNCED,... SHIN JUN" it was Juns turn, Soobin''s cousin ch 13 the main character Jun¡¯s face flashed on the large screen, and both Taehyun and Soobin saw it. Taehyun¡¯s eye twitched slightly, He glanced at Soobin, then leaned over and muttered, "So, it¡¯s his turn now, huh?" Soobin didn¡¯t respond, his gaze was fixed on the screen. Jun stepped forward confidently, Eunhee and Eunjeong were cheering loudly from their guild¡¯s booth. Their voices carried through the noise of the crowd. As Jun approached the Tree of Life, he placed his hand gently on the glowing bark, it shone slightly . A faint glow emerged from the tree, followed by the announcement flashing on the screen above: "Shin Jun. Spirit Rank: Silver. Points: 42,094." The crowd cheered with approval, as they always did, but Eunhee and Eunjeong cheered the loudest, their voices filled with excitement. "Oh my god, my son!" Eunhee exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight. ¡°A silver-ranked spirit! I knew his talent was something special!¡± Turning to Seojin and Yuna, who were sitting in the Silverlight Guild¡¯s booth along with Taehyun¡¯s and Soobin¡¯s parents, Eunhee smiled with barely concealed pride. "He got the same rank as yours, didn¡¯t he? Silver, just like you two. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll get some offers, doesn¡¯t he? And there¡¯s always you guys too, right?" She gave a pointed look in Soobin¡¯s direction. "I mean... if Soobin doesn¡¯t end up getting a high rank..." The mood in the booth shifted slightly, a wave of discomfort rolling over the parents. Seojin and Yuna, however, ignored the comment, choosing instead to smile politely and offer their congratulations. They were good people and didn¡¯t let such remarks get to them. Meanwhile, Jun returned, waving confidently to the crowd as he made his way back. ¡°Ehh, it¡¯s normal,¡± Taehyun said, giving Jun¡¯s score a quick glance before turning his attention to Soobin. ¡° you¡¯ll get a way better one.¡± Soobin just smiled, His mind was elsewhere. Both Jiho and Jisoo were quiet. They probably understood something and didn''t talk much. They too glanced at Soobin and looked away. In the Golden Zone booth, Kim Jinsoo sat watching the screen with a keen eye. When Jun¡¯s name appeared, he turned to Kai, with a a slight smirk. "Shin Jun? Is he from your family?" Jinsoo asked, glancing over at Kai. Kai nodded. "Cousins." "Ah," Jinsoo replied with a knowing smile. "He¡¯s alright, I guess... but you don¡¯t look too excited." His voice had a teasing edge, but Kai didn¡¯t respond, his face was as blank as ever. Switching the subject, Kai asked, "What about you? Jisoo¡¯s done¡­ what are you still here for?" Jinsoo¡¯s smirk widened. "Hmm¡­ there¡¯s someone I¡¯m waiting for. His turn¡¯s coming up soon." His voice carried a subtle excitement, and as if on cue, the screen changed, and the announcer¡¯s voice boomed across the arena. ¡°Next up... we have... Choi Jiho!¡± "There it is," Jinsoo said, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the screen. Kai, who had been leaning back lazily, perked up slightly. "Hmm?" he muttered, confused by Jinsoo¡¯s sudden shift in focus. "It¡¯s my turn now," Jiho said quietly. His expression was calm, though there was a glint of determination in his eyes. As he walked past, Jisoo called out softly. ¡°Good luck, Jiho.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. He turned and gave her a small nod before continuing toward the tree. Soobin¡¯s heart raced as he watched Jiho move forward. "It¡¯s time," Soobin thought, swallowing hard. "The main character¡¯s contract ceremony¡­ this is where the novel starts from." Jiho placed his hand on the Tree of Life, and immediately, the atmosphere shifted. A powerful surge of energy radiated from the tree, and suddenly, a blinding golden light burst forth, engulfing the entire space. The crowd gasped in awe as the light enveloped everything, shining brighter than anything they had seen before. And then, from the top of the tree, another light shot out, taking shape in the air. Slowly, the form of a majestic golden lion emerged, translucent but radiating a fierce and powerful energy. The crowd was stunned into silence. They were covering their eyes due to the bright yellow light. ¡°Spirit manifestation¡­¡± Jinsoo muttered under his breath, with his eyes wide with both shock and admiration. A subtle smile spread across his face, the reflection of the golden light glimmering on his skin. Kai, still standing with his hands in his pockets, watched intently. His thoughts raced. "This can only mean one thing¡­" The lion let out a deafening roar that shook the stadium, and in a flash, it surged forward, diving directly into Jiho¡¯s body. The entire space was bathed in golden light once more before it finally began to fade. As the light cleared, Jiho stood alone in the center of the platform, his body surrounded by a bright, glittering golden aura. It matched his golden hair and eyes perfectly. His hand had a glowing, intricate golden tattoo¡ª which was the proof of the spirit he had just contracted. He lifted his head, his eyes calm and steady. The screen above flashed his name in large, bold letters: Choi Jiho. Points: 91,245. Spirit Rank: Platinum. The crowd erupted into chaos, cheers reverberating through the stadium. People were screaming, clapping, completely losing their minds. The announcer¡¯s voice came through the speakers, nearly drowned out by the noise. ¡°This... this is amazing! The first Platinum in Korea after so many years!¡± the announcer shouted excitedly. "A Platinum-ranked spirit! Unbelievable!" Soobin was in shock, staring at Jiho as the realization hit him. He had read about this moment in the novel, but seeing it unfold in real life... it felt entirely different. His chest tightened, and his hands were trembling. He glanced at Jisoo, who was watching the scene intently. jisoo then turned to taehyun, ¡°He¡¯s outdone us again¡± she said, her tone was soft, but the frustration was evident in her voice." i told you, hes the main character" Soobin glanced over at Taehyun, who had gone unusually quiet. Though Taehyun tried to mask his emotions, the frustation in his body was visible. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides. He was clearly affected, even though he didn¡¯t want to show it. As Jiho made his way back, still glowing faintly with the golden aura, Jisoo offered him a smile. ¡°Congrats,¡± she said. ¡°Thanks,¡± Jiho replied, with a calm voice. Taehyun, having regained his usual demeanor, said in a normal tone, ¡°Well done... a Platinum rank is no joke.¡± Jiho nodded, ¡°Thank you. There''s barely any difference in our points, though. Let¡¯s spar after this.¡± ¡°We will see¡± Taehyun replied. In the Golden Zone booth, Kai remained silent, but the tension was evident in his posture. A Platinum rank... it was a rare sight, one that even he hadn¡¯t expected. Kim Jinsoo, his smile never fading, suddenly spoke up. ¡°He¡¯s someone I¡¯ve been sponsoring. Jisoo¡¯s friend, actually. Exceptional talent.¡± His voice was filled with pride as he watched Jiho make his way back. Kai glanced at Jinsoo. "We¡¯ve found the next face of our guild," Jinsoo added, the smile widening on his lips. After a moment, Jinsoo turned, retreating inside the booth. ¡°Well, I need to talk to the guild officials about this. are you coming?¡± ¡°No,¡± Kai replied quietly. Jinsoo paused. ¡°Hmm? Oh, your brother¡¯s left.¡± Jinsoo came back and stood where he was. "Arent you going?" Kai asked.. " Well i cant miss this... ill go after your brother''s done..".. "hes a rare case after all" "tch" kai looked back again.. Meanwhile, in the shadows, two figures in dark robes stood watching the entire event from a distance. One wore a silver mask and the other a blue mask. ¡°A Platinum rank,¡± the one with the silver mask said, his voice low. ¡°This ceremony is quite something... He might be useful.¡± The other, wearing the blue mask, shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s already taken by Jinsoo.¡± ¡°Huh. Already?¡± the silver-masked figure replied with a bitter tone. ¡°Then he¡¯s untouchable for now... that guy is already a pain to deal with.¡± The blue-masked one nodded. ¡°We need to report this to him.¡± The silver mask scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t you think he already knows?¡± "True," the blue mask replied. ¡°But it¡¯s becoming a problem... the guilds are getting too strong. And the Silverlight Guild¡¯s heir seems powerful too.¡± They both turned back to watch the arena. ¡°Let¡¯s observe for a while longer before anyone else notices... see if anyone else is worth paying attention to.¡± Young jiho ch 14 - contracting the spirit Kai and Jinsoo stood at the railing of the Golden Zone booth, watching the ongoing ceremony unfold. Jinsoo casually leaned over, glancing at the Silverlight Guild¡¯s booth in the distance. "Aren¡¯t you going to meet with your parents? I heard they¡¯re sitting with the Silverlight crew," he asked, his voice as nonchalant as ever. Kai remained silent for a moment,. "Maybe afterward," he finally replied. Jinsoo gave him a sideways glance. "Is your relationship still awkward with them?" His voice dropped, a hint of curiosity sneaking in. "Is it because of... me?" Kai¡¯s eyes twitched . "You don¡¯t need to worry about it," he said, brushing off the question. Kai thought of the day his relation with his dad and mom changed after he told them about joining golden zone. Although they still loved him and cared for him.. there was a bit of change in how they saw him after that. Kai forced himself out of the memory, shaking it off. ''Now¡¯s not the time for this'', he thought, refocusing on the event below. Down at the main arena, after several rounds of bronze and few silvers, the screen lit up with a new name. Shin Soobin. The announcer¡¯s voice echoed through the colosseum, ¡°Shin Soobin!¡± Taehyun turned to Soobin. "It¡¯s your turn, Soob." Soobin nodded, "Yeah." Taehyun¡¯s expression softened, a nostalgic smile tugging at his lips. "You know," he said quietly, "I never thought this day would actually come. Both of us here, at the ceremony, together." His smile was filled with emotion. "Me neither," Soobin replied, matching Taehyun¡¯s smile. He could feel the weight of the moment. He understood Taehyun¡¯s feelings¡ªand also the feelings of the "previous" Soobin. They had been best friends since childhood, dreaming of this exact moment. The old Soobin was devastated when even by age 12 he did not form a spirit core, there were cases where spirit core formed even years after birth.. the previous soobin held onto that hope "Best of luck, Soobin!" Jiho called out, breaking the quiet moment. Jisoo added, "Same here" Soobin smiled, nodding toward them. Then, with slow, steady steps, he began walking toward the Tree of Life. As Soobin moved forward, Taehyun, with his eyes trailing Soobin asked Jisoo. ¡°you told that the main character is already decided.... but arent you forgetting something?¡± Jisoo raised an eyebrow, confused. "what do u mean?" Taehyun¡¯s gaze shifted slightly, he turned to Jisoo. "i mean.. when it comes to pure talent... who do u think is the best of us?.... did u forget the incident" He looked at Jiho while saying the last line "What are you talking about?" Jiho asked, slightly confused. Jisoo, however, understood. Her expression shifted, recalling something she had almost forgotten, something from their past. Soobin continued to walk toward the Tree of Life, his heart pounding in his chest. While going he looked around once , the sight of the grand colosseum, the thousands of spectators, it all felt surreal. This doesn¡¯t even feel real¡­ ''i bet the original Soobin would¡¯ve loved this.'' As he got closer to the Tree, the steps grew harder. A sharp, familiar pain started to pulse in his head. ''ughhh... its the same as that time" he groaned . But he still moved forward. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Finally, Soobin reached the Tree of Life and placed his hand on the glowing bark. For a moment, nothing happened. Ten long seconds passed, and there was no reaction from the Tree. At that same moment Up in the Golden Zone booth, Kai muttered, "Tch." He turned slightly, as if ready to walk away, uninterested. Both Kai and Jinsoo had been watching the scene from the stands. Back near the arena, Taehyun muttered under his breath, ¡°Soobin¡­¡± Jisoo, Jiho, and Taehyun all watched in tense silence, their nerves building as they waited. In the Silverlight Guild booth, Soobin¡¯s parents, Seojin and Yuna, held their breath, eyes glued to their son, for a moment... they lost hope.. Hyunmoo and Soyeon, who had been hopeful, lowered their heads, thinking the same . Seeing this, Eunhee, stepped in front of them with a smug grin. "See, I told y.." BOOM. A deafening explosion of light erupted from the Tree of Life, cutting her sentence short. A massive, blinding blue light engulfed the entire colosseum, flooding the air with a shimmering blue aura. The crowd gasped, their voices lost in the overwhelming radiance. Everyone''s heads whipped back toward the Tree, their eyes wide with shock. The light intensified, and from within the heart of the Tree, a powerful energy burst forth, taking shape high above the arena. The light fused into the form of a massive, majestic blue phoenix. Its wings looked as if it were made of pure energy, shimmering with electric-blue flames at the edges. With every beat of its wings, sparks of blue fire scattered through the air, painting the sky in dazzling strokes of light. "No way..." Jinsoo whispered, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Another spirit manifestation¡­ twice in one day?" Kai, stood frozen in disbelief "This is unbelievable." The phoenix let out a mighty screech that echoed through the stadium. It soared around the colosseum in a wide arc, leaving trails of blue fire in its wake, the scene looked like an artwork..it looked like the whole air was a canvas and an artist just scattered strokes of brushes with shiny light blue colour over it... The audience was speechless, mesmerized by the ethereal beauty of the scene. The phoenix circled the colosseum once more, its massive wings flaring out before diving straight toward Soobin. Soobin stood still, his hands were extended. The bird rushed toward him, its form shifting into pure energy, and then, with a final burst of light, it merged with Soobin¡¯s body. The impact sent another shockwave of energy exploding outwards, bathing the arena in a brilliant blue glow. When the light finally faded, there stood Soobin, surrounded by a glowing blue aura. In his hand, a tattoo of a phoenix shimmered, its intricate design glowing bright blue. The jacket that was given by hyunmoo and soyeon glowed with blue colour in certain strips from the spirit energy inside Soobin. The screen above flashed: Shin Soobin. Spirit Rank: Platinum. Points: 100,000+. The stadium erupted in absolute chaos. Two Platinums in one day? This was unprecedented. The crowd roared louder than ever before. The announcer, barely able to contain his excitement, shouted, ¡°This is history in the making! Two Platinum-ranked spirits in one day, one with the highest recorded points in history!! This is going to break news all over the world¡± Up in the Silverlight booth, Soobin¡¯s parents, Seojin and Yuna, were shouting and cheering, overwhelmed with joy. Hyunmoo and Soyeon were just as ecstatic, their pride was visible as they embraced. Soyeon turned to Yuna, beaming. ¡°Congratulations!¡± she exclaimed. Meanwhile, Eunhee and Eunjeong stood frozen in shock. Eunhee¡¯s words stuck in her throat as she stared at the screen. "How... did that guy..." she muttered, her voice trailing off. From the arena , Jun, their son, looked just as stunned, his mouth hanging open as he gazed at Soobin. Jisoo stood wide-eyed, stunned by what she had just witnessed. "I can¡¯t believe it," she whispered. Jiho was equally speechless, and Taehyun, after a brief moment of shock, finally snapped out of it. He threw his fist in the air and shouted, "Hell yeah, Soob!!" His voice was filled with pure joy and excitement. Soobin, still standing at the center of the arena, remained calm. But suddenly, without warning, he released a massive wave of blue spirit energy, sending another swave of blue energy through the stadium. The shimmering particles of energy spread out, floating through the air, surrounding the entire crowd. Spectators reached out to touch the glowing blue particles, their eyes wide with awe... the spirit energy released by soobin didnt hurt anyone... well....except for one. In the golden zones booth...Jinsoo was smiling and looking at the boy standing in his side. There was kai.. standing with his hands in his pockets,.. a red aura of spirit enregy surrounding him like a shield, from the blue spirit energy... it seemed like the energy was specifically targetting him... while not damaging anything else. Kai''s gaze remained locked on Soobin, who stood far below on the arena floor, their eyes meeting across the distance. Soobin stared back, in the exact direction.. a smile in his lips. "You seeing this, brother?" In the Golden Zone booth, Jinsoo, watching the two, muttered quietly to himself, ¡°Interesting¡­¡± UPDATE/ APOLOGY! I AM REALLY SORRY FOR HIATUS, my exams were near, and some of them are still coming in the near future, and i was also suffering through depression due to some personal reasons, so i couldnt focus in the chapters, i am really sorry for the hiatus, even though i know not much people were expecting anything or are even following, but for the few who are, i am really sorry . From next week, i promise 1 long chapter per week for sure! ill also post one at the end of this week too. Thank you for those who were expecting or keeping up, i hope you guys are enjoying the storyA case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The forgotten event "i mean.. when it comes to pure talent... who do u think is the best of us?.... did u forget the incident" 5 minutes before, as Soobin walked up to the tree of life, Jisoo kept thinking of what Taehyun meant.. And then it hit.. The scene begins in the middle school training hall, a vast space with a soft yet sturdy floor and various weapons displayed along the walls. It¡¯s time for the joint physical practice session, where all classes are mixed together. The room buzzes with chatter and excitement as students stretch and prepare for the session. Even though the spirit that is contracted can vary from healing spirits to artifact making to combat related.. in the practical classes for the future spirit energy users, they are taught basic combat techniques to prepare them for the future. Taehyun stood at one corner, rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles. A sly grin spread across his face as he started stretching. ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯ll be fun today,¡± he said to no one in particular, his voice tinged with anticipation. ¡°My condition is at its peak.¡± Jisoo, standing a few feet away, raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. ¡°Oh really?¡± she said, her tone half-teasing. ¡°Let¡¯s test it out then. Be my sparring partner.¡± Taehyun glanced at her but shook his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes. ¡°Nah,¡± he said, straightening up. ¡°I have someone else in mind. Today will be the day.¡± He turned his gaze towards Jiho, who was standing a bit away from them, adjusting his wristband. ¡°Hey, Jiho! It¡¯s you and me today! Let¡¯s settle this¡­ let¡¯s spar!¡± Taehun called out, his voice ringing through the hall. Jiho looked over his shoulder, his expression momentarily confused before softening into a warm smile. He walked over to them and said, ¡°Okay, Taehyun-ah. Let¡¯s do this.¡± Jisoo groaned and facepalmed. ¡°This guy¡­¡± she muttered under her breath before stepping aside. ¡°Go for it, then.¡± Just as they were about to begin, two boys entered the hall and approached them. Soobin, witha sheepish smile, waved as he called out, ¡°Taehyun-ah, you¡¯re here!¡± Taehyun turned and blinked in surprise. ¡°Soob?!¡± he exclaimed. Soobin smiled broadly, and Taehyun¡¯s gaze shifted to the boy beside him. His expression turned from surprise to slight concern. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re attending practical classes today?¡± Taehyun asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Hanbin. ¡°Hanbin-ah, why¡¯s he here?¡± Hanbin, who had been silently standing beside Soobin, scratched the back of his neck and made a worried face. ¡°D.. Don¡¯t ask me. I tried to stop him many times, but he got permission from the principal,¡± he said, sighing deeply. ¡°What?¡± Taehyun said, his voice rising. ¡°Soob, why?¡± Soobin waved a dismissive hand and said, ¡°Taehyun, don¡¯t overreact. I¡¯m also part of this school, and I can hold my own. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What do you mean, don¡¯t worry?! What has gotten into you?¡± Taehyun¡¯s voice grew sharper, his concern evident. ¡°I can¡¯t allow this.¡± Soobin sighed again, his cheerful expression dimming slightly. ¡°Taehyun¡­ trust me,¡± he said, extending his fist. Taehyun hesitated before sighing heavily. ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered, fist-bumping Soobin. ¡°But the moment I see anything wrong, I¡¯m taking you out, you¡­ you idiot.¡± Soobin laughed and patted Taehyun¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Okay, okay. Trust.¡± Jisoo and Jiho, who had been watching the interaction, exchanged glances. They had never seen this side of the usually rowdy Taehyun and couldn¡¯t understand why he was so against Soobin being in the class. The instructor¡¯s voice cut through the room. ¡°Students! Select your weapons and pick your partners. I¡¯ll evaluate your spars one by one.¡± The students began tapping their sleek, metallic wristbands¡ªMeta Bands¡ªdesigned by the global corporation Beuroo. The bands morphed into their chosen weapons. Taehyun¡¯s band morphed into a pair of heavy gauntlets. He clenched his fists and grinned. ¡°Haha! Let¡¯s do it!¡± he exclaimed.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Jisoo¡¯s band shifted into dual pistols, which she spun deftly, while Jiho¡¯s band turned into a single, elegant sword. Taehyun turned to Soobin. His Meta Band had morphed into two daggers. ¡°Daggers?¡± Jisoo said, tilting her head. ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of a disadvantage? Others will have better weapons.¡± Soobin gave her an awkward smile and said, ¡°I¡¯ll just try these for now.¡± Taehyun crossed his arms and said, ¡°Ah, you guys haven¡¯t met each other, right?¡± He gestured to the group. ¡°Soobin and Hanbin, meet Jisoo and Jiho.¡± The four of them exchanged greetings, though it was clear that the atmosphere was slightly awkward. ¡°Soobin and Hanbin are my childhood friends,¡± Taehyun explained. ¡°Soobin¡¯s parents also own a guild that produces artifacts for us.¡± ¡°Jisoo is Jisoo, and Jiho is my rival.¡± ¡°Only you think he¡¯s your rival,¡± Jisoo muttered, frowning. Jiho laughed awkwardly and said, ¡°Taehyun is really strong.¡± As the introductions wrapped up, Hanbin tapped his wristband, and it morphed into two massive, intimidating whips. The other four stared at him in silence, their expressions ranging from confusion to amusement. Taehyun was the first to break the silence. ¡°Hanbin-ah¡­ I didn¡¯t know you were into this,¡± he said, raising an eyebrow. Hanbin¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Huh? What?¡± Soobin grinned mischievously and chimed in. ¡°Hanbin, what have you been watching these days?¡± ¡°What? I¡­ no! It¡¯s not like that!¡± Hanbin stammered, flustered. The group burst into laughter, the tension easing as they teased Hanbin good-naturedly. Even Jisoo cracked a small smile, and Jiho shook his head, chuckling softly. It was time for the spar. Taehyun stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders as he looked at Jiho. ¡°Jiho, come on. Let¡¯s do this.¡± Jiho¡¯s lips curved into his usual warm smile. ¡°Alright, Taehyun-ah. Let¡¯s.¡± The two stepped forward, and as they entered the sparring circle, the barrier sprang up around them in a soft glow. It was an unspoken signal that the match was about to begin. The instructor goes.... " The first one to get a hit wins, now start" Excitement buzzed through the crowd of students. They gathered quickly, craning their necks to get a good view of the spar. Jisoo, Soobin, and Hanbin lingered near the edge of the circle. The tension was subtle but noticeable; Soobin and Hanbin stood slightly apart from Jisoo, unsure how to break the silence between them. But as the spar kicked off, any awkwardness melted away. Taehyun wasted no time, surging forward with explosive speed. His gauntlets gleamed as he threw a straight punch, aiming for Jiho¡¯s center. Jiho twisted away gracefully, the blade of his sword shifting to guide the strike off course. ¡°Damn,¡± someone in the crowd muttered. ¡°Look at Taehyun go.¡± ¡°Is Jiho finally gonna lose today?¡± another whispered. Soobin¡¯s eyes flitted between the students¡¯ murmurs and the sparring ring, while Hanbin remained focused on the fight. Jisoo quiet, crossed her arms. ¡°Hmm¡­ Is he, though?¡± Her comment made Soobin glance at her, but before he could respond, the spar intensified. Taehyun unleashed a flurry of punches, relentless and powerful. Jiho was nimble, his footwork impeccable as he sidestepped and redirected each attack with minimal effort. But even Jiho seemed to be giving ground, his movements carrying him closer and closer to the barrier. ¡°Is Jiho being pushed back?¡± someone said aloud, voice tinged with hope. Just as it seemed Taehyun had the upper hand, Jiho made his move. In one swift motion, he sidestepped, pivoting behind Taehyun with a spin , balancing on one leg. Taehyun reacted immediately, without even looking back , twisting his torso and throwing an elbow backward, aiming for Jiho¡¯s face. The strike was lightning fast, the air rippling with its speed. Jiho leaned back, his balance shifting as his body bent almost impossibly low. The elbow following his face and touching Jihos face for the entire period of motion. If Jiho was a second slower , then Taehyuns elbow would have smashed his face. Jiho then swiftly grabs Taehyuns hand between his elbow. Using the momentum, Jiho lifted Taehyun off his feet and slammed him down on the opposite side of the ring with a resounding thud, all on one leg. The impact was enough to make Soobin and Jisoo wince, their eyes instinctively shutting for a second. The room was silent for a heartbeat before the eruption of cheers and gasps. Taehyun groaned from where he lay sprawled on the ground, staring up at the ceiling. ¡°Ugh¡­ I lost again.¡± Jisoo shook her head, muttering, ¡°What a monster¡­¡± as she stared at Jiho. The instructor clapped his hands once, loud enough to cut through the noise. ¡°Choi Jiho wins! Taehyun, your technique is solid, but you still need to work on your control.¡± Jiho exhaled and stepped forward, offering Taehyun a hand. ¡°Taehyun-ah, you did great. If I¡¯d been even a second slower, I would¡¯ve been on the ground instead.¡± Taehyun grumbled but took the hand, letting Jiho pull him up. As the barrier dissolved, Jisoo walked over and handed Taehyun a small pill. ¡°Here. Wasn¡¯t your ¡®condition at its peak¡¯ today?¡± Taehyun snatched the pill from her, his cheeks coloring slightly. ¡°Whatever,¡± he muttered, avoiding her amused gaze. She turned to Jiho, handing him a pill as well. ¡°Nice work, Jiho.¡± Soobin smiled as he stepped closer. ¡°Taehyun, that was impressive. Your speed¡¯s gotten way better.¡± Taehyun scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin tugging at his lips. ¡°Thanks, Soob. But what about you? Who are you sparring with? Wait¡ªI¡¯ll find someone for you.¡± He began scanning the room eagerly, his eyes darting between the students. ¡°How about Joonyoung? He¡¯s not great physically. Perfect for you. Or Jongwoo? He¡¯s weak too.¡± It was painfully obvious that Taehyun was trying to pair Soobin with the easiest opponents possible. Soobin chuckled awkwardly, scratching his neck. ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯ve already picked someone to spar with.¡± Taehyun blinked, tilting his head in confusion. ¡°Huh? Who?¡± Jisoo and Hanbin also turned to Soobin, curiosity written on their faces. Soobin tilted his head toward the boy standing beside Taehyun. Taehyun froze. His expression darkened, and he spoke in a low, disbelieving voice. ¡°No.¡± Soobin¡¯s lips twitched into a faint smile. ¡°Jiho-yah, want to go for a round?¡± Chapter 16 – the spar ¡°Jiho-yah, want to go for a round?¡± Taehyun, Jisoo, and Hanbin all turned sharply, their eyes wide with disbelief. ¡°What?¡± Taehyun blurted, looking as if he had misheard. Soobin scratched his neck awkwardly, flashing an uneasy smile. ¡°Haha¡­ After seeing your fight with Taehyun, I kind of want to spar with you too,¡± he said, his voice almost hesitant. Jiho¡¯s smile widened as he nodded, his tone casual. ¡°Of course. I¡¯d be happy to.¡± ¡°NO.¡± Taehyun stepped between them, his voice resolute. ¡°Soobin, have you lost your mind? Just what are you saying?¡± Soobin¡¯s face softened. ¡°Taehyun-ah, I understand why you¡¯re like this, but¡­ I¡¯ll be fine. You promised to trust me, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± Taehyun groaned, turning to Hanbin. ¡°Hanbin, tell him something!¡± Hanbin hesitated, glancing worriedly at Soobin. ¡°S-Soobin¡­ I think Taehyun¡¯s right. It¡¯s too much for you.¡± Despite their protests, Soobin remained firm. ¡°I still want to do it. Jiho, what about you?¡± Jiho shrugged, his calm demeanor unshaken. ¡°Let¡¯s do it. Taehyun-ah, don¡¯t worry¡ªit¡¯s just a normal spar.¡± Taehyun buried his face in his hands, groaning louder this time. ¡°This guy¡­¡± The instructor¡¯s voice boomed across the training hall, silencing their bickering. ¡°Students, prepare. The first one to land a hit wins.¡± The sparring barrier activated, enclosing Jiho and Soobin in a glowing circular field. Taehyun, Jisoo, and Hanbin stood at the edge, their gazes fixed on the match. Other students gathered as well, murmuring excitedly at the rare sight of Jiho taking on another challenger. ¡°Ugh, this guy,¡± Taehyun muttered again, massaging his temples. Jisoo, both curious and annoyed, glanced at him. ¡°I get that Jiho¡¯s tough, but why are you so overprotective of him? It¡¯s just a sparring match. Everyone trains like this.¡± Taehyun hesitated before responding, his voice quieter. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. He¡¯s¡­ not like us. He can¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®can¡¯t take it¡¯? Even the weakest among us can handle this kind of spar,¡± Jisoo said, frowning.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Taehyun exhaled heavily. ¡°Soobin doesn¡¯t have a spirit core.¡± Jisoo¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What?¡± A hush fell over their conversation. People born with spirit cores naturally possessed enhanced physical abilities, even before contracting a spirit. Their bodies were far stronger than those of ordinary humans, making them capable of enduring the intense training required of spirit energy users. ¡°Then why is he even here?¡± Jisoo asked. ¡°Both of Soobin¡¯s parents are heroes with spirit cores,¡± Taehyun explained. ¡°It was assumed he might develop one later. That¡¯s why he was allowed in. And, well¡­ he¡¯s good at studying too.¡± Jisoo fell silent, her gaze drifting back to the barrier as the instructor called out, ¡°Begin!¡± Jiho moved immediately. Unlike his previous spar with Taehyun, this time he was on the offensive. He closed the distance between them in a flash, his blade slicing through the air with precise, deliberate strikes. Soobin¡¯s eyes narrowed as he raised one of his daggers to parry, his movements controlled but far less fluid than Jiho¡¯s. Each clash of their weapons echoed in the enclosed space, the sound sharp and jarring. ¡°Jiho¡¯s being aggressive¡­ Did he figure it out?¡± Soobin thought, his grip tightening on his daggers. With each strike, Jiho pushed Soobin further back, his attacks relentless. Soobin struggled to keep up, beads of sweat forming on his brow. ¡°This will be over quickly,¡± Jisoo muttered, crossing her arms. Taehyun and Hanbin remained silent, their expressions tense. Jiho¡¯s final strike came with an almost overwhelming force. Soobin braced himself, his dagger meeting the blade head-on. The impact sent him stumbling back, his feet skidding across the barrier floor. Jiho smiled faintly, his voice calm but confident. ¡°Let¡¯s end this, Soobin-ah.¡± He rushed forward, his sword poised to deliver the finishing blow. Soobin, still crouched from the impact, made his move. With a flick of his wrist, he threw his second dagger directly towards Jiho. At the same time, he lunged forward towards him with his remaining dagger. Jiho reacted instantly, slicing through the thrown dagger mid-air. His blade continued its trajectory, clashing with Soobin¡¯s remaining dagger. The force of the strike sent Soobin to one knee, his body straining under the pressure. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Jiho said, his blade poised inches from Soobin¡¯s neck. ¡°Yeah,¡± Soobin replied, a faint smile playing on his lips. ¡°I win.¡± Jiho blinked, confused. ¡°What?¡± Before he could process Soobin¡¯s words, the dagger Soobin had thrown earlier¡ªnow spinning wildly¡ªfell from the air. It grazed Jiho¡¯s shoulder, leaving a thin red line on his cheek. Jiho instinctively touched his face, his fingers brushing against the small drop of blood. The instructor¡¯s voice rang out. ¡°The fight is over. Soobin wins.¡± A stunned silence fell over the hall. ¡°What?¡± Jisoo whispered, her expression mirroring the shock on Taehyun and Hanbin¡¯s faces. The barrier dissolved, and the instructor approached the two combatants. ¡°While student Soobin has technically won, student Jiho displayed superior skill in all aspects. In a real-life battle, the outcome would likely be different. Soobin, focus on building your strength and stamina.¡± As the crowd broke into murmurs, most students dismissed the result as a fluke. ¡°Jiho was clearly stronger,¡± someone whispered. ¡°Yeah, no way that guy¡¯s better,¡± another added. Taehyun, Jisoo, and Hanbin remained quiet, their gazes fixed on Soobin. Jiho, now smiling faintly, extended a hand to Soobin. ¡°Good job, Soobin-ah. That was impressive.¡± This ends the flashback, and hence the writing style was a bit different, there were barely any reactions to previous chapter, so i hope this one has some.! Soobin took the hand, his grip firm despite his exhaustion. ¡°Thanks, Jiho-yah.¡± Both Soobin and Jiho returned , and other than a few congratulations nothing much was talked about this fight . Soobin also stopped coming to practical classes from a few classes after this. chapter 17 - Taking it all in ¡°You seeing this, brother?¡± Just as the phoenix collided with Soobin, a torrent of information surged into his mind. And after that moment, his senses heightened, his hearing improved¡ªthe whistling of the wind, the quiet breaths of the crowd¡ªand his vision became razor©\sharp. It was as if the spirit inside him was examining every memory, every hidden corner of his soul. He felt utterly exposed, as if that inner force were absorbing every detail of who he was. Then, almost instinctively, a sudden burst of glittering blue spirit energy exploded from Soobin¡¯s body. The energy moved of its own accord¡ªyet Soobin somehow instinctively knew what it sought to do¡ªand how to let it flow. In one controlled act, he released waves of shimmering, blue energy that flooded the entire stadium¡ªbut curiously, they were targeted at one particular figure in the stands. Standing in the center of the colosseum, Soobin fixed his gaze on that person, a knowing smirk curling his lips. Up in the Golden Zone booth, Jinsoo observed the spectacle with amusement. ¡°Interesting¡­ what a nice little present, huh,¡± he murmured. Meanwhile, Kai¡ªever cold and reserved¡ªwatched silently, his eyes locked on Soobin from behind a shield of red aura that flickered around him. Then the announcer¡¯s voice boomed: ¡°This is history in the making! Two Platinum-ranked spirits in one day, one with the highest recorded points in history!! This is going to break news all over the world!¡± The crowd erupted in cheers as the blue energy gradually faded. Soobin staggered for a moment, ¡°Ahh¡­¡± before regaining his balance. The pounding headache that had accompanied his awakening dissipated, replaced by a clarity that made every detail in the arena vivid. He glanced down at his hand¡ªthe intricate phoenix tattoo now glowed an intense blue¡ªand the jacket gifted by Hyunmoo and Soyeon shimmered with glowing blue strips, clear evidence of his transformed state.. Just as he was stretching a bit, "TING" A flash of his Status Window appeared before his eyes: [ Quest: Form a Contract with a Spirit ] Rewards: 500 EXP, +4 Status Points [ COMPLETE !!] [Accept Rewards ?] Soobin smirked softly. ¡°Ah, the quest¡­ I¡¯ll accept it later. Let¡¯s head to the stands first.¡± With that, he closed the window and made his way back among the cheering crowd near Taehyun and the others.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. " 2 platinum ranks seriously? Korea is in good hands.... wife lets celebrate with some wine today, i feel like crying... " omo.... control yourself... ah these young kids... hope they grow up well, this grandmas blessings are with you" a elderly couple in the audience commented... " Yaaaaaa... did you see our cutie Taehyunie face when he falling down?? so cute" " oh realllly... how can he be so perfect even at such a position.omo omo". Fans of Taehyun also were talking while seeing pictures of Taehyun they took. " Jisoo also looks elegant too, i took a few of hers as well.." Looking at soobin walking back " btw who is that Shin Soobin? he seemed to be friend with our Taehyunie..? a platinum rank too... our Tyun has such nice friends?" " not only that but just look at his face? hes a looker for real daebakkk. Its just a time till ESN forums will be filled with him" " crazy, he has such an innocent yet sexy vibe.." Soobin was also being noticed and mentioned a lot. ESN short for Esreal Spirit Network was the biggest community site or app in this world. Heroes informations, dungeon informations, spirit energy and Luminaries.. Luminary is the term used to describe students in the different academies who aspire to become heroes in future. The app and site is used by both heroes ,Luminaries, their fans, guilds, reporters and the official Korean Hero Association too. Soon, Soobin joined his friends Taehyun, Jiho, and Jisoo near their booth. " Are u serious Shin SoobIn???? a platinum rank??? arent you too much? wow look at this celebrity here.." taehyun mocked but was overjoyed... " " ahhh... what are u saying... " Soobin, slightly bashful, pushed him back with a gentle smile. ¡°But still¡­I¡¯m happy for you, man.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Soobin replied warmly. ¡°Congratulations, Soobin¡ªyou legit got the highest score in the world.¡± Jiho added. ¡°Thank you, i just dont know how to take it in... besides there were few others in history who got over 100k too.." ¡°Don¡¯t be too humble,¡± Jiho teased. "Just how big the numbers are, the amount of eyes in you will also increase... so be careful.." Jisoo added in a serious tone. "hmm" A group of excited luminaries nearby¡ªstudents who would one day become heroes¡ªchattered: ¡°Wow, look at that group! Isn¡¯t it stacked?¡± ¡°How is the platinum newbie in the same group? God, it¡¯s so unfair¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Kim Jisoo beautiful? A goddess indeed!¡± Amid all the banter, Taehyun with told with one hand up already walking away not even facing them.. " Me and Soob are off to our booth then.. ". Soobin just looked at him with a irritated smile and said his goodbyes to Jiho and Jisoo.. "You both are going to the golden zone booth right? bye then, it was nice to meet you all after a long time, " .. ¡°Bye¡­¡± they echoed softly. "Soobin, that guy , i almost forgot about him since that day........btw Jiho, did you tell Taehyun about father sponsoring you?" "..hmm... uh.. no.. i kept it a secret since Jinsooshi told me to keep it a secret for now" " huh then how did Soobin know that we were going to the golden zone booth?" Jisoo added... "uhhh... maybe he guessed just?".. Jiho replied confused.... "i guess" Jinsoo looked front again... not thinking much of it. chapter 18 - celebrations and congratulations ¡°Soobin-ah, congratulations!!! Mom is really, really proud of you!!¡± came the jubilant chorus from Yuna and his father, who showered Soobin with praise as he and Taehyun returned to the booth. ¡°Yeah¡­im so relieved ,¡± they declared warmly. Taehyun, always quick with a tease, added, ¡°ahh aunie, please praise him more.. he''s been through a lot.¡± Yuna laughed and patted Taehyun¡¯s head affectionately. ¡°Of course we know. And you¡¯ve done wonderfully too, Taehyun.¡± ¡°Thanks, Auntie,¡± Taehyun replied, a smile softening. Taehyuns parents also congratulated both him and soobin. Hyunmoo leaned in with a note of quiet pride, ¡°Soobin, didn¡¯t I always tell you? There¡¯s something special in you¡ªI¡¯ve always believed in your potential.¡± Taehyun nodded, chiming in, ¡°Yeah, Dad always talked about you, Soob.¡± Soyeon then added, ¡° But Soobin, from now on , you need to take your next steps carefully¡ªthe world will be watching you!¡± She then turned to both his parents, ¡°Yuna and seojin needs to be careful and serious too¡± Before anyone could speak further, Eunhee burst in with effusive delight: ¡° Ohh Soobin, we are so happy for you! Oh my you got so much lucky!!¡± Eunjeong echoed, ¡°Yes soobin, we are really Happy. We hope you take care of jun too!.¡± Soobin understood their intensions and shifted uncomfortably and murmured, ¡°Hmm¡­ yeah¡­¡± Just then, Hanbin appeared at the booth, a warm but slightly nervous smile on his face. ¡°Both of you did really well¡ªI was so nervous for you guys out here,¡± he admitted. The group shared friendly banter as they exchanged congratulations. After a while, Hanbin broke the light chatter, ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys already qualified to join Arcane Spirit Academy?¡± ¡°Yeah, since we got Gold and Platinum,¡± Taehyun replied with a proud smirk. ¡°what about you? Have you registered for the entrance test yet?¡± Soobin asked, turning to Hanbin. Hanbin replied slowly... ¡°Actually,...... you know since .... I got sponsored by Arcane Hide, so they suggested I try for Mesprit Academy instead.¡± "huh but why???? " Taehyun stood up rasing his voice. "I knew theres something wrong with that guild, their leader has not been seen for who knows how long" Hanbin shrugged, his expression calm. "Taehyun, it''s one of top guilds and their point made sense...mesprit academy is actually extremely good for noncombat types especially their healing department is top notch..."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "But still..." Taehyun tried to retort.. "It''s okay.. " Soobin stopped him "Im sure Hanbin thought a lot before taking this decision.. if that''s what he decides then let it be" "Hmm..." Hanbin replied. and for a few moments the conversation dwindled to a low, reflective murmur as the adults mingled with other important guests. With a bit of time left, and with many influential people still socializing in the booth, Soobin decided to wander out a bit. He knew that after what happened today, roaming freely here might be tougher, so he first bought a decorative mask from a nearby stall. The booth and surrounding area were bustling¡ªa huge, beautiful space more colorful than anything from his previous life. The light blue sky, was softened by the approaching evening There were bright orbs of spirit energy in the sky, as it was a lifeblood zone, the abundance of spirit energy could be seen. People were out here shopping , stalls, chatters .. if Soobin had to describe it , he would say it''s like "Festival of Lights" Holographic advertisements, fireworks, it was just so colorful. Soobin had fun just strolling around. He bought some colorful marble looking candies that literally turn to smoke in the mouth. While walking around he came across a huge 2 floor shop made completely out of glass. it was decorated with holographic lights and orbs. He goes inside through a glass door and takes a huge look at the surrounding. Loads of people inside, looking at holographic boards and talking to people and inspecting artifacts and stuff. it seemed to be a luxury artifact shop. Suddenly he was approached by a man, the owner of the shop. "Would you like something here?" The owner asked, looking at Soobins jacket, he knew that he was probably wealthy. ¡°Can I see what you have?¡± Soobin replied politely. "sure" the owner brought out a holographic board which listed all the items , and when Soobin selected each of the item, it came projected in 3d. "Hmmm... There''s none I want" ... since his dad owned a guild Soobin kind of knew that most of the stuff here were something hed easily get from the guild. He kept scrolling, and then his eyes suddenly stopped at a peculiar, glowing blue orb... "Huh.. what''s this?" "Ohh thats a extremely high purity and high grade spirit beast core . we have only one of them " the owner replied. "But why is it so cheap?" Soobin asked, tilting his head in genuine curiosity. The shopkeeper let out a half-laugh and rubbed his head. ¡°We paid a fortune for it, expecting it to be a prized artifact. But it turns out¡ªdefective. "Defective? how so?" soobin asked.. The owner sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Although this orb stores spirit energy at twenty times the rate of a standard core, its design is flawed. It refuses to be refined. I¡¯ve sent it off for tests to the top artifact-making guilds, who buy from us, and every single one returned it saying they couldn¡¯t refine it. At this point, I just want to get rid of it.¡±. " Hmmm its kind of pretty though... you know what? ill buy it, ill pay you even extra if you can manage to make it into a locket for me?" Soobin made a decision. He was in a good mood and just randomly thought of it. Blue was his favorite color, and his spirit energy aura was also blue, so he was kind of mesmerized by the shiny light blue core. The shopkeeper¡¯s eyes lit up at the request. ¡°Really? Amazing! Just give me two minutes.¡± He disappeared into the back room, returning moments later with the orb set delicately inside a finely crafted locket, presented in an ornate sleek luxury box. ¡°Here it is. Please, take a look,¡± the owner said, his voice tinged with hope that he might finally offload the troublesome artifact. Soobin examined the locket carefully without touching the core . The core''s soft, blue glow shone through translucent panels. Satisfied, he said, ¡°Please pack this up,¡± and handed over his card without hesitation. As he stepped out of the fancy store and prepared to return to the booth, a familiar voice halted him. ¡°Shopping? Huh¡­ I guess it was your day,¡± the voice teased. Soobin instantly recognized the voice and turned around " ahh.. brother" SOME PICTURES!
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. SOME TAEHYUN PICS! KAI! MESSY HAIRED KAI! Chapter 19 : Brothers "Ah, brother." Soobin immediately recognized the voice. It was none other than his brother¡ªor rather, the other Soobin¡¯s brother. ''Ah... what is he doing here?'' He turned to look. Kai stood before him, dressed in all black, his hair slicked back, hands in his pockets, wearing that cold, unreadable smile. ''To be honest, he leaves a bad taste in my mouth whenever I think of him... but personally, I have nothing against him.'' Soobin still wasn¡¯t used to it¡ªthe memories, the emotions of two different people tangled inside him. He still hadn¡¯t fully accepted the memories of this world¡¯s Soobin. ¡°What brings you here, brother?¡± he asked, deciding to push aside the emotions of the other Soobin, at least for now, and act normal. Kai tilted his head slightly, his smirk never fading. ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m just here with my guild. Also..... my only brother, who didn¡¯t even have a spirit core ever, suddenly attending his spirit contract ceremony? Of course, I couldn¡¯t miss it.¡± His tone was cool, laced with sarcasm. ¡°I see.¡± Soobin forced a polite smile. Kai¡¯s smirk deepened. ¡°You also gave me such a warm welcome last time, huh?¡± Soobin gulped. That had been the moment he¡¯d awakened his spirit. ¡°You¡¯re strong now.¡± Kai leaned forward, his expression turning serious. ¡°So what happened? How did you suddenly develop a core? The last time I saw you, you were still the same.¡± The probing annoyed Soobin, but he kept his composure. ¡°It just happened. I don¡¯t know either,¡± he replied evenly. ¡°I fought a Shadowfang Wolf, and the battle must have triggered it.¡± Kai hummed, watching him carefully. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± "Yea" Soobin was about to start leaving, he didn''t like the tension As he turned, Kai spoke again. ¡°I was thinking of asking Father to merge our guild under Golden Zone... but I guess that¡¯s out of the question now, hah?¡± His tone was dismissive. He was implying the fact that Soobin will now join and work with his fathers guild. That struck a nerve. Soobin halted, then turned to meet his brother¡¯s gaze. ¡°Well, yeah¡­ there has to be a kid they can brag about.¡± Kai¡¯s eye twitched at that, but he quickly masked it with his usual composure. ¡°I¡¯m going then,¡± Soobin said, his tone calm. ¡°Visit Father and Mother tomorrow. They were looking for you today.¡± Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away. Kai scoffed. ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± He also turned, hands in his pockets, walking in the opposite direction. A platinum rank, huh¡­ At least they¡¯ll be happy now¡­ Soobin returned to the booth where his parents were and slumped onto a nearby bench. ¡°Hahhh¡­¡± He exhaled heavily.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Why did he lose his temper like that? It had happened before, too. He couldn''t understand it, he had complicated feelings. The memories and feelings of both him and the other Soobin were mixing up and showing up in his actions. "I really need to control myself more." He wasn¡¯t ready to mix those memories together. He wasn¡¯t ready to accept the other Soobin¡¯s life as his own. "I don¡¯t want to lose myself." He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Ah, whatever¡­ let¡¯s check it out now. ¡°Status Window.¡± A blue holographic screen flickered to life in front of his eyes. Instead of the usual main screen of the status window, a different screen appeared in front of Soobin. [Quest: Form a Contract with a Spirit] Rewards: 500 EXP, +4 Status Points [COMPLETE!!] [Accept Rewards ?] "I guess I need to accept it first." With a motion of his finger, he pressed [Accept Rewards]. The moment he did¡ª "Haaah¡ª!" A rush of energy surged through him, like a gust of wind hitting his body. It was a familiar sensation, similar to when he had first contracted his spirit. "Ahhh..." He stood up, rolling his shoulders and swinging his arms a bit. "Wow, I feel... light." He threw a few quick punches into the air. Whoosh! Whoosh! His movements felt sharper, stronger. Then¡ª Ting! [You have been rewarded 500 EXP] [You have been rewarded 4 status points] [Level up ¡ü] [Level up ¡ü] [Level up ¡ü] [Level up ¡ü] [Congratulations! You are now Level 5!] [You have gained 20 status points] Notifications flooded his vision. "Holy¡ª" He sat down again, carefully going through them. "I leveled up four times off that?" Other than the +4 status points from the quest, he had received an extra +20 points. "If leveling up four times gave me 20 points, that means each level grants 5 status points." Feeling excited, he called for his status screen again.
[Legacy Status Window] Name: Soobin Level: 5 Spirit Name: ELYNDRIS, THE AZURE PHOENIX Spirit Rank: Platinum Experience: 0/250 Attributes: Strength: 8 ¡ü¡ü Defense: 7 ¡ü¡ü Agility: 9 ¡ü¡ü Intelligence: 10 ¡ü¡ü Status points: 24 Bond Level: Basic Skills Unlocked (!) Quests (!) Inventory [Accessed]
"WOW..." "ELYNDRIS..." "It¡¯s... It¡¯s... so cool!" Soobin couldn''t stop himself from grinning. The spirit name sounded so cool to him. The whole thing about being in this novel, the whole thing about having a status window, the whole thing about contracting a spirit, something he just read in his novel. It felt so cool. Also a phoenix? That''s even cooler. All his inner turmoil that he was having a few minutes ago ... Disappeared. "Ah, Soobin, control yourself. You¡¯ve never been the type to overreact... You¡¯re the calm one." He tried to suppress his excitement, but the smile wouldn¡¯t leave his face. Still, he wanted to test something. He looked back at the status window. "All my stats went up by 4... so leveling up once must increase 1 status points per level." He tapped on [Strength].
[Strength: 8 (+)] He pressed the (+) button twice.
[Strength: 10 (+)]
A familiar rush of energy filled him. His body felt even stronger. "This feels amazing. I''ve always wanted to do this..." He clenched his fist, still enjoying the sensation, when¡ª "Interesting..." A voice interrupted him. "You... seem to have gotten stronger than you were a moment ago." Soobin¡¯s head snapped up. "Huh?"
At the Booth Meanwhile, at the booth where Soobin''s parents were¡ª Yuna had been engaged in conversation with some people when she suddenly froze. A sharp sensation ran through her, setting off her instincts. "...Soobin." She turned toward the door, ready to move. But before she could¡ª Tap. A hand rested gently on her shoulder. She turned to see Hyunmoo, his usual warm smile in place. "It seems," he said casually, "like Soobin has caught the attention of a rat." Yuna''s expression was serious. "Hyunmoo-ah..." "Just wait here," he said lightly. "I''ll deal with it." Swoosh. In an instant, he vanished¡ªleaving behind a trace of silver energy.