A crisp notification flashed before Ren's eyes as he dusted himself off.
► [Congratulations to the host for killing a hidden monster for the first time.]
► [Swordsmanship upgraded to Elementary.]
► [Reward: Butcher & Gather skills acquired.]
Ren had just finished changing into his fresh set of clothes when he spotted a nearby boulder and sat down to catch his breath. Pulling up the system interface, he noticed a long string of messages blinking at him.
A small smirk tugged at his lips. "So, after all this time, the system finally decides to acknowledge my existence, huh?" he muttered, scrolling through the notifications.
One message, in particular, caught his attention.
► [Host killed a hidden monster that was never slain in the original plot. An achievement has been unlocked.]
Ren's eyebrows furrowed as he re-read the message. "So, because I did something outside of the novel's original storyline, I got rewarded?" he questioned.
► [Maybe. Or maybe not.]
His lips twitched in irritation. "Hey, System, quit being so vague. Answer me properly."
► [Information is restricted. The host does not have the necessary authority to access it yet.]
Ren leaned back against the boulder, tapping his fingers thoughtfully. "So, that means at some point, I'll gain the authority to unlock restricted information?" His mind raced with the possibilities.
"That's actually great news," he murmured to himself, clasping his hands together in satisfaction. But soon, his excitement faded into contemplation.
"What exactly is this 'authority'? And how do I obtain it?" he mused aloud.
► [As the plot progresses and reaches certain milestones, the host will unlock new system features and authority levels.]
Ren nodded, finally making sense of the pieces. "I see. Now that I think about it, when the system gave me three choices at the start, one of them said to 'just go with the flow.'" His gaze sharpened. "So, all I have to do is survive and let the plot unfold naturally?"
A new realization dawned on him, and he made a surprised face.
'That's why there's a [Plot Progress Tab]. My level of authority is directly linked to how far the story advances. If the plot reaches certain points, I might gain access to hidden features and more detailed information from the system.'
His thoughts trailed off as he felt an odd sense of amusement. 'This is starting to feel like an advanced RPG. The more I progress in the main story, the more perks I unlock.'
With renewed interest, he asked, "System, how much authority do I currently have?"
► [Host's current authority level: Zero.]
► [The plot has not officially begun, so no authority has been granted.]
Ren blinked.
"…"
His expectations shattered in an instant.
'So I have to wait for the official start of the plot before I gain any real benefits? That's annoying.'
Though slightly disappointed, he felt more motivated than before. At least now, he had a clear goal: advance the plot and gain authority.
Unraveling the Novel's Mysteries
After spending several days in the library like a dedicated scholar, Ren discovered some striking differences between the game he remembered and the real world he now inhabited.
The game had been riddled with loopholes and plot holes, but now? The gaps seemed to be filling themselves.
'This world is adapting… evolving beyond the original script. Time will answer all the unanswered questions left behind by the game's story.'
Ren smirked. There was also the possibility that his mere existence could cause the plot to collapse entirely—or even rewrite the entire narrative.
Not that he particularly cared.
However, he knew it was better to tread carefully. If he recklessly tampered with events, things might spiral out of control.
'Though I wouldn't mind breaking the story's structure, it would be a hassle if it caused major problems for me in the future,' he thought.
He imagined a scenario where a villain who was meant to die in the original story somehow survived because of his interference. That alone could cause an unpredictable ripple effect.
'Should I personally handle the villains to keep things in order?'
But the sheer effort that would require made him groan internally.
Instead, he started thinking about different strategies. He needed to account for variables and counter-variables while staying ahead of the protagonist's path.
A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
'It's like a game of chess. And I have the power to manipulate the board.'
A fleeting thought crossed his mind—would interfering with the protagonist make him weaker? But he quickly dismissed the idea.
The protagonist had his own cheat—something that would only push him to become stronger, no matter what obstacles were placed before him.
'Doesn't matter how much I mess with things. He'll find a way to power up regardless,' Ren mused, chuckling to himself.
His thoughts refocused on the more immediate concern—his reward.
"Let's check what I got from this achievement," he muttered, opening the system interface.
---
╠═⌠ Skills ⌡═╣
[Active Skills]:
► Swordsmanship - Elementary (↑)
► Butchering - Beginner (↗)
► Gathering - Beginner (↗)
---
Ren's Swordsmanship had ranked up due to his battle with the red wolf, though the fight had been dangerously close. One wrong move, and he might not have survived.
After the battle, he had used potions to heal his wounds. Though they weren't as effective as the high-grade elixir he had used before, they at least soothed his pain.
He sighed as he inspected his progress.
"I'm just one step away from reaching the Intermediate level in Swordsmanship," he muttered.
Once he achieved that, he would gain access to advanced sword arts. The same principle applied to other combat skills, such as archery, spear fighting, and axe mastery.
However, reaching an intermediate level in any weapon skill took months of rigorous training.
In fact, just adapting to a new weapon and achieving even an elementary-level proficiency took at least a month for most people.
'The higher the proficiency, the harder it is to progress… No wonder most warriors stick to just one or two weapons.'
After treating his injuries, Ren decided to return to the battlefield where he had slain the red wolf. There were still some things he needed to collect.
As he arrived at the location, his gaze swept over the lifeless bodies of the wolves.
"Still here, huh?" he murmured. "I thought scavengers might have come by now."
Unlike regular wolves, these creatures had evolved into monsters and no longer needed to feed frequently.
Taking a deep breath, he pulled out a pair of gloves and crouched down beside the red wolf's corpse.
"Time to put my butchering skill to use," he said, carefully carving through the monster's flesh.
The new skill allowed him to process materials faster and with more precision.
After some time, he had finished butchering all the wolves and began using his Gathering skill.
He collected various materials—wolf meat, pelts, and fangs—which could fetch a decent price in the market.
He didn't personally need them, but he needed money for his long-term plans. And in this world, every coin counted.
With his work complete, Ren exited the dungeon and retrieved his Space Sprinter from his storage ring.
"Now, let's go get that elixir," he murmured, revving up the vehicle.
His next destination was already set—
[Blood Mountain].
This was just the beginning.