For a few minutes, Ryn—no, Elias—just sat there, staring at the glowing notification and rereading the description of the Omni-Savant card over and over again. It was unbelievable, too good to be true. He had just begun to understand the vast potential when another notification popped up, breaking him out of his daze.
Mental Resilience Lv2
The small text snapped him out of his stupor. He had leveled up again, just from processing the situation. And then, out of nowhere, he started to laugh. A deep, hearty laugh that echoed through the small hut. The absurdity of it all, the sheer power this card offered, was overwhelming.
"What kind of card is this?" he thought, almost hysterical. It literally provided him with the means to learn and grow infinitely. There were no limits—no restrictions to how many skills he could acquire or how far he could push them. While others were bound by their decks, stuck mastering a handful of skills in their lifetime, Omni-Savant shattered those boundaries.
It was extraordinary. No, it was beyond extraordinary. It was the ultimate card—one that could unlock his potential in ways no one in this world could imagine.
As his laughter died down, Elias realized the gravity of the situation. A new day, a new body, and a new world. If he was going to survive, let alone thrive, he needed to adapt to this world quickly. The plan for now was simple: get accustomed to this body, this life. And then, he would figure out what came next.
After eating a simple breakfast, Elias went through his morning rituals. It was surreal—he felt stronger, sharper, like his mind was already growing accustomed to the enhanced learning and faster processing granted by Omni-Savant.
When he cooked, the memories of Elias' past flowed effortlessly into his actions. Every slice, every stir of the pot felt familiar. As he finished preparing the meal, another notification appeared:
Cooking Lv24
The system clearly retained the skills Elias had learned in his old life. Not only could Ryn access those memories, but the body itself carried the muscle memory of the tasks Elias had performed countless times before.
Excited by this realization, he turned his focus toward combat. First, the sword. Elias had trained with both the sword and spear, though not extensively. Ryn grabbed the old sword propped against the wall and practiced simple forms outside the hut. At first, the movements felt awkward, but as he focused, Omni-Savant kicked in. It nudged him subtly, guiding his hands and body to move more efficiently, correcting his stance and thrusts as he went.
He spent hours with the sword, then switched to the spear, repeating the process. Adapt to this body, he reminded himself. His strikes grew faster, more precise, and the same small nudges of guidance came as he worked through the motions. It was like having a tutor in his head, guiding him to improve.
By the time the morning was over, he had gained several new skills:
Skills Gained:
Swordsmanship Lv13
Spearmanship Lv9
Endurance Lv6
Body Coordination Lv2
Elias couldn't help but grin at the status screen. The progress he'd made in just a few hours was staggering. The nudge from Omni-Savant had been subtle but profound, showing him exactly how to move, where to thrust, and how to conserve energy. His body had already begun adapting, as if the skills were growing at an unnatural pace.
There were quite a few options available to Elias, but the first step was clear: he needed to establish a strategic path forward. Typically, in this world, when someone awakened their Heart Deck, they would follow the guidance of someone with a similar deck type. A farmer, for example, would learn from their family, picking up tasks and skills tied to their profession. But if someone had no one to teach them, they would seek out a mentor or join a guild, learning from experience or by doing odd jobs. That was how things worked in this kingdom, and it explained why the place was still so backward compared to the more advanced territories.
This kingdom was young, and its position was not exactly enviable. It lacked major resources, which was why none of the larger, more powerful factions—whether human kingdoms, elves, or others—had bothered to conquer it. It was just another small part of a vast, untamed world.
After thinking it through, Elias decided the best course of action was to join the Mission Guild, a place similar to the adventurer's guilds Ryn had read about in web novels. The guild offered tasks for those looking to earn money and gain experience. It was the perfect way to get stronger, gather resources, and eventually move on to a bigger city where real opportunities awaited.
Leaving the hut, which was nestled in a small clearing within the forest, Elias grabbed his spear—a weapon he had crafted himself from high-quality wood found in the forest—and his sword. The sword had been a gift from an adventurer he had helped once. The man had been hunting for a rare animal, and Elias, knowing the forest well, had guided him to its location.
As Elias ran through the forest, heading toward the village, his body seemed to adapt instinctively. Notifications began popping up in his mind, alerting him to the progress of his skills as he moved. His body had already started correcting his movements, making him more efficient. Running wasn't new to him; after all, he had often taken on porter jobs, carrying goods between villages, which required him to be constantly on the move.
Skills gained:
Running Lv17
Movement Efficiency Lv3
As he approached the village gate, Elias crossed the residential area, where a few homes dotted the landscape. Beyond the houses, he entered the market, a small, busy hub where vendors sold goods. There weren't many stores, but it was lively enough for a place this small. Past the market was the Mission Hall.
Stepping inside, Elias immediately spotted Robert, the caretaker of the hall. Robert was a silver-ranked adventurer, nearly reaching gold—a high status in this small village. Elias, on the other hand, was still stuck in copper rank, just a step above bronze. It had taken him years to get even that far, especially as a non-awakened who lacked special abilities. In this world, non-awakened people had to work much harder to gain recognition.
Elias chatted briefly with Robert, the man congratulating him on his new card. He had explained to Robert that he had awakened his first card, telling him it was something called Basic Weapons Master, which was a decent but common card in the village. Robert offered his support, saying that with enough training, Elias might even become one of the village's protectors one day.
After their conversation, Elias made his way to the job board. It was filled with the usual tasks: hunting horned rabbits, gathering herbs, and the most lucrative one—clearing the nearby goblin dungeon. Goblins were weak, and their cards were rare, but if one managed to secure a card from a goblin, it could fetch a good price.
The goblin dungeon was the perfect training ground for him. Weak enemies, decent rewards, and a chance to improve his combat skills. Elias decided to take the mission to clear the dungeon's first level.
Robert quickly approved the mission after hearing about Elias' new card. Even though Basic Weapons Master wasn't anything remarkable, it was enough to give Elias a better chance in combat. He wasn't just a non-awakened person anymore, which earned him a bit of respect. If he trained hard, he could become the village's resident cardholder, a significant step up from his current status.
Elias soon left through the village's left gate, which opened to a familiar dirt path leading toward the nearby forest. This was the route to the goblin dungeon, a place he had ventured to a few times before, though only as a helper, never as a proper challenger. The dungeon itself wasn't anything special—just a common-ranked dungeon, known for its weak monsters and pathetic loot. In a world where dungeons were coveted for their wealth and powerful cards, this one barely attracted attention, except from those too weak or inexperienced to venture into better dungeons.
The monsters inside were low-level creatures like goblins, with a laughably small chance of dropping their cards upon death. Goblins were notorious for being among the worst sources for card drops—people often said you could kill a hundred and still walk away empty-handed.
As he reached a clearing, the dungeon came into view. It was surrounded by a makeshift fence to mark its boundaries, though it wasn't well-guarded. There wasn't much need for protection, given the dungeon's poor reputation. But inside that fenced area was something unmistakable: a shimmering crack in space, glowing faintly, almost as if reality itself had been split open.
This was the dungeon portal.
Elias knew the routine. To enter the dungeon, all one had to do was step close and touch the shimmering crack. The moment contact was made, the portal would pull them inside. Each dungeon had its own rules, its own quirks, but this one was straightforward. You could leave after clearing one floor if you wanted, making it perfect for training and small rewards.
The goblin dungeon had three floors in total, with each floor progressively harder than the last. The first two floors were filled with goblins, each level containing more of them and slightly stronger variations. The third and final floor, however, housed something much more dangerous: an orc, a creature several times stronger than any goblin.
With a deep breath, Elias stepped forward, reaching out toward the shimmering crack. The moment his fingers brushed against it, the world around him blurred, and he felt a sudden pull, yanking him into the dungeon. The air changed, thick and stale, and the dim lighting of the dungeon's interior greeted him.
He was inside. Now, it was time to fight.