"Strange… there's no description for the title: Unknown Variable… why's that?"
Taegyun rubbed his chin, staring at the silent, hovering panel. His brows furrowed in thought.
He tapped his foot idly and tilted his head.
"No need to waste brain cells on that for now," he muttered. "Let's see what we've got next."
His eyes drifted to the line beneath the titles.
_____________
Class: [None] (Unassigned)
Void Core: [1/10]
Void Particles: [0/5000]
_____________
"Hmm. Class. That one's obvious," he said, casually nodding. "It's gotta be a job class or battle role—like a swordsman, mage, summoner, necromancer, whatever. I'll probably get one once I start swinging something around."
His lips curled into a grin.
'Depending on how I play this... I could score some broken-ass class. Something badass. I just have to give it my best.'
Next, his eyes locked onto the "Void Core" line.
His grin faltered.
"What the hell is a Void Core? Is that like a mana core?" he mumbled. "I haven't even formed my core yet. Wait... is that why I couldn't sense mana earlier?"
Taegyun's memory flashed back to his attempt at meditation. He didn't feel the warmth or light every awakened hunter described when connecting with mana. Instead, he felt... something else.
Darkness.
Cold.
Emptiness.
A pull into nothingness.
Words weren't enough to describe it.
"If that's not mana... then maybe I don't use mana at all," he said, thinking aloud. "If I had mana, I would've formed a mana core like everyone else. But since I didn't—this Void Core must be my version of it. So instead of mana energy, I have... Void Energy?"
He let that thought hang in the air and slowly nodded to himself.
"Yeah. Void Energy. Void Core. That fits. That explains everything."
A toothy grin formed on his lips. He couldn't help but feel excited. Not everyone woke up with something completely different from the rest of the world.
He wasn't just another Awakened.
He was something new.
"And that's not all," he whispered, eyes gleaming. "It says [1/10] beside the Void Core. That means I have one core right now, but I can form up to ten?"
His grin widened in disbelief.
"That's insane. Other Awakened can only form one mana core. No one even considers making a second—it's practically impossible. And I... I get to make ten?"
It was strange.
Unheard of.
Impossible.
Which made it all the more exciting.
"And then there's this... Void Particles?" he murmured, pointing at the line. "Says [0/5000]. Probably has something to do with the Void Core."
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"If I gather 5000 particles, do I unlock the second core?"
He bit his lower lip and crossed his arms.
"Guess I'll find out eventually. No use stressing over it now."
With a deep breath, he moved his focus down to the next section.
_____________
Attributes: [Child of Darkness] (Void), [Child of Light] (Void), [Touch of Temptation]
_____________
He focused on [Child of Darkness], and instantly, a glowing panel opened in front of him.
_____________
Attribute: [Child of Darkness] (Void)
Attribute Description:
In the beginning, there was only the Void — a silent, formless expanse without time, matter, or will.
From that unfathomable emptiness, Darkness was expelled.
And in equal balance, Light burst forth.
When Primordial Darkness and Primordial Light touched, the fabric of Existence began to stir.
You are a Child of Darkness, an heir to that first rejection of silence. The echo of nothingness clings to your soul. Where others see terror in the dark, you see purpose.
Darkness does not follow you. You are its will.
_____________
"God... damn," Taegyun muttered, his voice nearly trembling. "What's up with this badass description?"
A chill ran down his spine—not from fear, but from awe.
His eyes flicked over the description again.
"The beginning was the Void… no time, no matter, no will. Damn, does this mean before the universe existed?"
He leaned against the desk, rubbing his chin in deep thought.
"I remember hearing about something like that in physics class. Some crazy Void theory."
He narrowed his eyes. "So… what is the Void, really?"
He began reasoning aloud.
"Well... the Void is—hmm... how do I put it...?"
"The Void is not just emptiness. It is pre-existence. A realm before form or law. No time. No space. No dimensions. No matter. No energy.
Yet from it, paradoxically, everything originates.
"Even if it looks like nothing... true nothingness doesn't mean absolute zero," he said slowly. "It simply isn't. And it is. It exists by not existing."
"There's even a theory," he muttered, pacing now, "that the universe could spontaneously emerge from quantum fluctuations within that 'nothingness'. Like, from nothing—something."
His head began to throb.
"Ugh, thinking about this hurts my brain."
Taegyun slapped his forehead and shook off the metaphysical headache.
"Anyway, the next line says: Darkness and Light were expelled. From the Void. At the same time."
He blinked.
"I get Darkness being expelled from the Void. That makes sense. But Light? Isn't the Void like… pure black emptiness? Why would Light exist there?"
He shrugged, then read on.
"When Primordial Darkness and Primordial Light touched... the fabric of existence stirred."
He fell silent.
"So… when the two cosmic forces merged, the universe began to form?"
Then came the final lines.
"You are a Child of Darkness, an heir to that first rejection of silence. The echo of nothingness clings to your soul. Where others see terror in the dark, you see purpose.
Darkness does not follow you. You are its will."
Taegyun raised a brow. "Okay... edgy much?"
He scoffed and crossed his arms.
"Where others see terror in the dark, I see purpose? Darkness doesn't follow me—I'm its will?"
He grinned.
"Well… edgy or not, that sounds cool as hell."
He exhaled, shaking his head.
"Alright, onto the next."
He focused on his second Void attribute—[Child of Light].
A new screen appeared instantly.
_____________
Attribute: [Child of Light] (Void)
Attribute Description:
In the beginning, there was only the Void — a silent, formless expanse without time, matter, or will.
From that unfathomable emptiness, Darkness was expelled.
And in equal balance, Light burst forth.
When Primordial Darkness and Primordial Light touched, the fabric of Existence began to stir.
You are a Child of Light, born of that original brilliance that defied emptiness. Where others seek comfort in clarity, you embody it.
Light does not protect you. You are its voice.
_____________
Taegyun blinked again.
"Okay... so, same beginning as the last one. Makes sense."
"But these last two paragraphs…"
He snorted, lips curling.
"So now I'm also a Child of Light? What am I, the lovechild of cosmic forces after a wild one-night stand?"
He chuckled at his own joke.
Then read the final lines again.
"Light doesn't protect me… I'm its voice."
He slowly sat back down.
"While Darkness doesn't follow me... I'm its will."
He rested his chin in his palm.
"I don't understand half of this cosmic poetic bullshit… but I'll figure it out. Sooner or later."
"Now... time to read the last attribute description."
Taegyun narrowed his eyes, focused on the final line in the panel. A soft hum resonated in the air, and a new screen materialized before him—different from the rest.
_____________
[System Attribute Path: Lord of Ecstasy]
❖ Path Type: Lust / Domination / Pleasure-Based
❖ Special Trait: Creates willing emotional, physical, sexual or force submission through pleasure
❖ Evolution: 3 Tiers Total
_____________
The moment Taegyun read the words 'Lust / Domination / Pleasure-Based', his eyes widened in disbelief.
"The fuck...?"
Before he could read more, the screen shimmered—then vanished. As if it had never been there.
A second later, a new panel replaced it, this time labeled with a more 'normal'? looking attribute.
_____________
Attribute: [Touch of Temptation]
Type: Passive
Attribute Description:
Your body releases a subtle, almost imperceptible aura of attraction. Your voice soothes, your gaze lingers, and your touch sparks warmth. Women feel themselves drawn to you—often without knowing why.
Effects: +20 Charisma
Passive Effect: Minor attraction buildup in female targets over time.
Touch releases gentle pleasure (slight physical stimulation & emotional relaxation).
Increases chance of flirtation success by 15%.
Slight increase in heartbeat, body warmth, and mental distraction in targets upon contact
System Note:
[The user has unlocked the foundation of pleasure-based interaction.]
Evolution Requirements:
Cause emotional stirrings or light arousal in 5 different women.
Successfully initiate physical intimacy (non-sexual) with one emotionally willing woman.
Maintain repeated influence over at least one target without breaking the bond.
_____________
Taegyun blinked. His mouth slowly parted.
"What... the actual fuck?"
His body froze as his mind caught up with what he had just read. His face slowly flushed red—not from embarrassment, but from the sheer absurdity of what was happening.
"Was that first screen just now—Lord of Ecstasy or something? Did I actually see that or...?"
"And what's up with this [Touch of Temptation] Attribute?"
He rubbed his temples. "Nope. Nope. I'm gonna pretend I didn't see that."
He shook his head hard, but the words 'sexual submission through pleasure' kept echoing in his head.
A nervous chuckle escaped his lips.
"I've got a bad feeling about my future…"