Noah turned back slowly, his eyes glowing with a chilling aura as killing intent spread outward like a suffocating pressure. Behind him stood the remaining wolves—nineteen of them—the same kin he had just slaughtered moments ago, now watching him with sharp, predatory focus.
A devilish smile curled across his lips as he spoke softly, almost mockingly, "…Your graves will be here this time too… hehe." His voice carried a calm cruelty, as if their deaths were already decided, merely waiting to be executed.
His hand reached once again for the pouch of salt, pulling it out with a familiar motion. The wolves immediately reacted, their eyes narrowing sharply as recognition flashed through their instincts—the same substance that had blinded and led to one of their deaths.
A low growl spread among them, but then something changed. Their lips curled upward, revealing rows of jagged teeth that gleamed faintly under the dim forest light. Even with limited intelligence, they had understood something crucial—avoid the powder, and victory would be effortless.
On the other hand, Noah's thoughts moved far deeper. So they figured it out… His smile didn't fade; instead, it sharpened. As expected. I've already seen this outcome before. There was no surprise in his expression—only quiet calculation.
He paused deliberately before glancing at them again, then slowly retracted the pouch of salt, slipping it back as if it were no longer needed. This trial is impossible with normal methods… His thoughts echoed calmly. But I never relied on those methods.
The wolves frowned.
Their earlier confidence wavered as confusion replaced certainty. Their instincts warned them something was wrong. Why would he put away the very tool that gave him an advantage? Their bodies tensed, shifting slightly, trying to anticipate the unknown.
Noah stepped forward.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Each step measured, controlled, and filled with quiet confidence. His smile remained unchanged, but his right hand stayed hidden behind his back the entire time, an unseen variable that kept the wolves restless and uneasy.
The distance between them closed.
Two meters.
Silence thickened.
Then—
The leading wolf let out a deafening howl, a command that echoed through the forest. "WOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWW!" It signaled the others instantly, and without hesitation, all nineteen wolves launched forward at full speed.
Their claws extended, their jaws opened wide, their movements synchronized with brutal precision. They lunged as one, aiming to tear him apart before he could react. Their confidence surged, believing they had already solved his only trick.
Noah's smile widened.
Got you.
In that exact moment, his hidden hand moved.
He pulled out the pouch again—but this time, his grip was different. He clenched the bottom tightly while keeping the opening wide, positioning it forward with precise intent rather than casual throwing.
Then—
He snapped his wrist forward.
Salt burst outward—not as a small handful, but as a wide, expanding cloud. The grains scattered through the air like fine dust, covering a broad area and striking directly into the wolves' eyes before they could dodge.
Howls erupted instantly.
Their vision vanished.
Their bodies continued forward uncontrollably, unable to stop the momentum they had already committed to. Panic replaced confidence in a single heartbeat as their attack collapsed into chaos.
Noah dropped low instantly, rolling across the ground beneath their airborne bodies. He slipped past the entire wave of attacks as the wolves flew over his previous position, their claws slicing through empty space.
They crashed.
Hard.
Some slammed into trees with bone-rattling force, others tumbled violently across the ground, colliding with each other in disarray. Their bodies scattered in all directions, completely losing formation.
Blinded and disoriented, they writhed on the ground, claws scraping against their own faces as they tried desperately to clear their eyes. Their growls turned into pained, furious howls, filled with frustration and helpless rage.
Noah rose to his feet slowly.
His expression remained unchanged, that same smile lingering faintly as he turned to face them again. "…Still works," he murmured softly, his tone carrying quiet satisfaction from a tactic proven effective once more.
His hand moved behind his back again.
The knife appeared.
Simple. Ordinary. Yet perfectly suited for what came next. He didn't rush. There was no need. The outcome had already been decided the moment their vision was taken from them.
He stepped forward calmly, approaching the largest wolf first. It struggled violently, its claws digging into the ground, but without sight, its movements were wild and ineffective, lacking any real threat.
Noah raised the knife with both hands.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
He drove it down with precise force, piercing directly through its skull. The wolf's final scream erupted briefly—"KHRRRUKK!"—before its body fell limp, lifeless, and still.
Without pausing, Noah pulled the blade free and moved to the next target. One by one, he repeated the process—efficient, methodical, unstoppable. Each wolf fell in the same manner, unable to resist, unable to adapt.
Minutes passed.
The forest slowly returned to silence as the last body collapsed. Nineteen wolves now lay scattered across the ground, lifeless, their earlier confidence completely erased by calculated execution.
Noah straightened his back, rolling his shoulders slightly as he exhaled deeply. "Hoooh…" A faint smile returned to his lips as he spoke again, "…Now that the trial is over, there should be some rewards, right?"
Right on cue, the system chimed.
[Trial, Difficulty: Hell, has been cleared][Time Taken: 00:05:08][Congratulations on passing your Trial!]
[Reward: 3 Attribute Points, Fallen Wolf's Fangs ×20 {Rank: F}]
Noah frowned immediately.
"What? Only three attribute points?" His voice carried clear confusion. His thoughts raced rapidly as he tried to understand the difference. I got five before regression… so why is it reduced now?
No answer came from the system.
His gaze shifted toward the second reward, and his brows furrowed again. Fallen Wolf's Fang… F-rank item? The term felt familiar, yet something about it seemed different this time.
He closed his eyes briefly and focused.
A silver-colored fang appeared in his right hand, cold and solid. He had already understood item mechanics from his previous life—tools that could rival strength itself, sometimes surpassing it entirely.
He touched the fang lightly, feeling a faint aura respond to his presence. Instantly, the system screen appeared above it, displaying its details clearly in front of him.
[Fallen Wolf's Fang][Description: Durable fang used for crafting low-rank items][Rank: F][Potential: F → E {Special Conditions Required}]
Noah's eyes paused at the final line.
Potential…?
That didn't exist before.
Items had never evolved in his previous life. Yet now, this fang held the possibility of growth. His thoughts deepened as realization began forming slowly within his mind.
…Everything has changed.
The fang vanished from his hand as the system stored it automatically.
[Fallen Wolf's Fangs ×20 stored in Inventory][Attribute Points: 3 available]
Noah raised his hand calmly and summoned his status screen again. Without hesitation, he spoke, "One point in Strength, two in Agility… still low compared to what they should be."
The system updated instantly.
[STR: 8 → 9][AGL: 5 → 7]
He observed the change briefly before a faint smile formed on his lips. Slowly… I will get there. His confidence remained steady, grounded in experience rather than blind hope.
Before his thoughts could settle, the system flickered again.
[Rewards from Achievement processed][Granted: Exclusive System Shop Access {Rank: Unknown}][Title Acquired: The Fated One][Blueprint Received: Talent Unlock Conditions]
Noah's breath slowed slightly.
Exclusive System Shop…? His mind raced with possibilities. This reward alone felt beyond anything that had existed before. It wasn't just rare—it was completely abnormal.
His gaze shifted to the next reward.
A Title…? And a Blueprint? Neither had existed in his previous life. The deeper he looked, the more he realized—this timeline was no longer the same.
Another message appeared instantly.
[Participant has killed 20 Fallen Wolves][SP Gained: 20]
[System Points can be gained by killing any entity]
Noah narrowed his eyes slightly as he muttered, "Rank doesn't matter…?" His thoughts sharpened. "So killing anything—monsters, insects… even humans—gives the same amount."
He reopened his status screen.
New sections had appeared—[Title] beneath Talent, and [System Shop {SP: 20}] beneath Inventory. Without hesitation, he selected the Title section to examine it further.
[Title: The Fated One][Description: One who transcends time and awakens the unknown Talent]
[Effects:]• Immunity to all status abnormalities• Immunity to all demonic curses• Growth increases massively when killing a 'Sin'
Noah's eyes widened slowly.
Shock flickered through his expression as he processed the implications. Immunity to all status effects… and demon curses? His mind reeled. This is… beyond broken.
Then his gaze locked onto the final word.
Sin.
His expression changed instantly.
"…A Sin?"
His voice dropped slightly, heavy with realization.
"…The same 'Sin' that even an SSS-rank human failed to kill… and died trying?"
Noah stared at the word Sin, his thoughts spiraling deeper—
But suddenly—
The system screen shattered.
Not flickered.
Shattered.
Cracks spread across it like broken glass.
[ERROR: Unauthorized Knowledge Detected]
[Memory Suppression Initiated]
Noah's eyes widened.
"…Wait—"
Darkness swallowed his vision.