Why wasn't innate Full Soul awakening Blue Silver Grass... wasit, wrong story. Shouldn't it be Eklavya's soul instead, and these memories—my mind was still reeling from the disorienting rush of information. I couldn't make sense of it all. It felt like someone had pulled me into a completely different existence, mixing the myth of Eklavya with something... new. Something completely my own.
The sense of wrongness intensified, and yet, I could feel the power pulsing through my veins, a new purpose igniting within me. The idea that I was simply an ordinary person had already been shattered. This system was giving me the tools, the skills, the abilities that could turn my life into something more—something far grander.
I stood up shakily, my legs feeling stronger than before, like they could carry me effortlessly through this unfamiliar terrain. The trees around me loomed like ancient sentinels, and in the distance, I could make out what appeared to be a temple, its silhouette half-hidden by the thick undergrowth. The instinct to move toward it was undeniable. Something told me that was where I needed to go.
For now, food came first.
I felt a strong wave of hunger, which prompted me to scan the area for something edible. The forest, though unfamiliar, seemed rich with life. I spotted some wild berries growing on a nearby bush. Cautiously, I approached, remembering from the memories that certain plants in these forests could be dangerous. But these berries seemed harmless, so I took a handful and ate them, their tart sweetness satisfying my immediate hunger.
After eating more than I should have, I leaned back against a tree, trying to make sense of my bizarre situation. The crunch of leaves beneath me and the cool shade overhead felt real—too real for a dream. But that truck, the accident, the voice… all of it was just too strange to be anything ordinary.
Was I dead?
No. That didn't feel right either. If this was the afterlife, it wasn't any version I'd ever heard of. Maybe I'd been reincarnated? That was the only explanation that made sense—if you could even call it that.
Still, why Eklavya?
And what was this Traits System?
Before I could dwell on it further, a rustle came from the underbrush. I froze, muscles instinctively tensing, every nerve alert. Something—or someone—was approaching. I dropped low, crouching behind the tree, peering toward the sound.
It was a boar. Not too large, but not small either—its tusks curved forward like daggers, and its eyes were sharp with awareness. It sniffed the air, rooting through the ground with snorts and grunts.
My fingers twitched.
A bow… if I had one, I knew I could take it down. That wasn't ego talking—it was instinct. Like breathing. That S-grade Archer Trait hummed in my bones, in the way my eyes traced the boar's movements, how I calculated wind, distance, tension… even without a bow in hand.
But that was the problem.
I have left my bow just behind the tree Boar was standing near. My heart sank for a moment, but then the Trait flared again, filling me with a sense of focus. Even without the weapon, I could sense the motion of the air, the slight twitch in the boar's muscles, the way it shifted its weight.
This was ridiculous. It wasn't like me to act without preparation, yet the urgency of the moment made me feel like I was being pulled into something beyond mere survival. It was as if the world around me was waiting for me to prove something, to assert my place in it.
Instinct took over.
I stood up slowly, keeping low to the ground, trying not to make a sound. My body felt like it was moving on its own, reacting before my mind could process it. The boar's head turned briefly toward me, its eyes narrowing. It seemed to sense something was off, but before it could make a move, I dashed toward a nearby tree, sliding my back against the bark to minimize any noise.
With a fluid motion, I reached for the ground where I knew my bow would be. The cool, smooth wood of the weapon seemed to resonate with me as my fingers gripped it, a feeling of deep connection—a bond that went beyond anything I could explain. It was like the bow and I were one, as if it had been crafted just for me.
My fingers nimbly nocked an arrow from my quiver. The boar was still unaware, but I didn't hesitate. The S-grade Archer Trait had already kicked in, enhancing my vision, sharpening my aim, and making me see the precise point where the arrow should go.
Drawing the bowstring back, I focused. The air, the wind, the motion of the boar—it all slowed down in my mind as I zeroed in on the perfect moment. My heart beat in sync with the rhythm of the world around me. My breath was steady. Time itself seemed to stretch as the tension of the bow reached its peak.
Then, in a heartbeat, I released.
The arrow flew through the air with a whisper, its flight almost too smooth to believe. It struck the boar squarely in the side, the tip driving deep into its ribs. The boar squealed in pain, charging forward in an attempt to escape. But it didn't get far.
I readied another arrow, but by the time I was fully drawn, the creature collapsed onto the forest floor with a heavy thud, its struggle fading into a slow, labored breath.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. My hands were steady as I lowered the bow, but my heart raced. It wasn't just the hunt that had felt different—it was the way I had moved, the way everything had come together so naturally.
I approached the boar cautiously, checking for signs of any lingering danger, but there was nothing. The hunt had been clean.
I had just killed a creature in this strange new world.
And in the back of my mind, the voice of the system echoed once more:
[New Trait Acquired.]
[E-Rank Talent Trait: Bow Mastery.]
[Trigger Condition: Use a bow to hunt.]
[Effect: Your accuracy, draw speed, and arrow handling improve significantly. Instinctive Archery unlocked at Beginner Level. Bow-based skills now cost 10% less stamina.]
[Note: Two synthesis path available.]
[Path One: Combine E-Rank Sword Mastery and E-Rank Bow Mastery to synthesis D-Rank Ranger's Discipline.]
[Path Two: Combine E-Rank Sword Mastery, E-Rank Shealth Mastery, and E-Rank Bow Mastery to synthesis C-Rank Genius Hunter.]
The notification from the system echoed in my mind, marking another layer of change. I could already feel the subtle shift in how I wielded the bow, how my muscles remembered the movements, how the world seemed to slow down when I focused. The bow wasn't just a weapon anymore; it felt like an extension of myself, like something I could mold and perfect with time. This system, this power, was rapidly altering my very understanding of what was possible.
I crouched beside the fallen boar, surveying the carcass with a quiet satisfaction. The primal rush of the hunt still lingered, but there was something more. It wasn't just about surviving—it was about mastery, control, and the growing certainty that this new world was mine to shape. My instincts had already begun guiding me, honing me into something greater.
The moment I touched the arrow embedded in the boar's side—
[Would you like to consume the beast's essence?]
[Yes / No]
Essence?
I stared at the prompt, my mind racing. Consume the beast's essence?
What did that even mean?
I had no context for this concept, but a faint instinct nudged me forward. There was something primal in the suggestion, like it was a natural step in the process of becoming something more, something better. I'd just killed the boar with precision and skill, and now the system was offering me a chance to absorb its essence? The thought was strange, but not entirely off-putting.
Yes.
I selected it without hesitation, the uncertainty of the moment outweighed by the desire to understand what this system wanted from me—and, perhaps, what it could offer in return.
The world seemed to shift as the moment I touched the arrow, a strange pulse of energy surged through me. My senses expanded, and I could feel the very essence of the boar—the vitality, the strength, the raw survival instinct—flow into my body. It wasn't painful, but it was overwhelming, as if I had just absorbed the very nature of the creature itself.
My heart raced as new sensations flooded me. My muscles tightened and expanded with a fresh vigor. The sensation was subtle, yet undeniable—the essence of the boar had fused with my own.
The system chimed in again.
[Essence Consumed.]
[Gained: Strengthend Physique, Vitality, and Enhanced Reflexes. Your connection to nature deepens.]
It felt as though a surge of untapped power had been unlocked within me. The essence of the boar, its strength and primal energy, had integrated into my own body. A rush of vitality coursed through me, every fiber of my being alive with heightened awareness. I could feel my heartbeat thrum louder in my chest, the pulse of power steady and strong. It was as if I had just consumed the essence of survival itself—this was no ordinary experience.
I clenched my fists, feeling the new strength in my limbs. My senses were sharper now, each breath more precise. The air tasted different, richer somehow. My body felt more in tune with the world around me, and my instincts seemed more attuned to the environment.
The voice of the system echoed once more:
[New Trait Acquired.]
[E-Rank Beast Mastery.]
[Trigger Condition: Consume the essence of a beast.]
[Effect: You gain a deep connection with the essence of the creature consumed. You can now sense and communicate with beasts of similar nature.]
[Note: Cannot be synthesised for now.]