Seventy Seventh Seven-Chapter 60: System Recalibrating

Somewhere on the Sixth Continent, Eden sat cross-legged in a high-backed chair, her fingers drumming lightly against the round table.

Air smelled of blood and stale wine, mixing with the low murmurs of those gathered.

The room was dimly lit, its grand chandelier flickering as if struggling against the thick tension hanging in the air.

The other figures at the table were not alone. Each was accompanied by a slave—chained, cuffed, and standing silently behind their masters.

Their faces were hollow, their eyes dull. Some bore bruises, others fresh wounds that dripped onto the already stained floor.

Eden, however, was the only one without a slave.

One of the men, younger in face but with stark white hair like an aged elder, stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the stone floor.

Without hesitation, he slammed his sword down, the tip piercing deep into the floor.

"Unforgivable!"

His voice echoed with rage, his chest rising and falling with each breath.

"Do you think I will just let you go after you annihilated half of my bloodline?!"

Eden remained still, her ocean eyes unreadable. Then, with a voice as cold as the frost creeping into the room, she simply said:

"Because I have the power to do so."

"You...!!"

The man's fists clenched.

"You have a younger brothe—"

Hiss.

Before he could finish, the entire room shifted.

The walls, the ceiling, the floor... all of it vanished in an instant, replaced by a vast, desolate expanse of frost and towering pine trees encased in ice as snowflakes hovered in the air like silent messengers of death.

"Urrkk...!"

All of the men at the table trembled violently, their breath turning to mist as the sheer cold seeped into their bones.

Some fell to their knees, clutching their arms in a futile attempt to shield themselves.

On the other hand, the shackled slaves collapsed, their already weakened bodies unable to endure the biting frost.

Wwuuurrmm...

A roar shattered the silence.

Behind Eden, an enormous frost wyrm materialized, its crystalline scales glinting under the pale, icy glow of the frozen domain.

It coiled protectively around her, its piercing blue eyes locked onto the man who had dared to speak.

Slowly, Eden stood up.

"Do. Not. Approach. My. Younger. Brother."

She raised a hand.

Snap.

A sharp crack echoed through the frozen wasteland.

The next second, one of the men beside the white-haired figure let out a choked gurgle before his head slipped from his shoulders, rolling across the icy floor, leaving a trail of red against the pristine white snow.

The remaining men flinched but dared not move.

Eden tilted her head slightly.

"You should be thankful I only killed half."

The frost wyrm let out another deep growl before vanishing into thin air, and in an instant, the domain shattered and they were back in the original chamber, though the freezing cold still clung to the air like an unshakable phantom.

The white-haired man's breathing was ragged. Sweat dripped from his forehead, but he refused to fall. His fingers twitched towards his sword hilt, but he didn't dare draw it.

Eden's gaze bore into him.

"You'd better remember, you can't escape from me... even in death."

The air shifted once more. Two figures emerged beside her—identical twins. Zachi and Zach. The very ones Ciae had killed back in the Hart mansion.

Though there was no longer frost in the air, the presence of the twins was just as chilling. Their lifeless eyes bore no warmth, nor any hint that they were alive.

Step.

Without another word, Eden turned.

The twins followed.

In the blink of an eye, the three of them disappeared, vanishing like ghosts into the night.

Silence fell over the chamber.

The white-haired man remained motionless, his shoulders rising and falling as he tried to steady his breath.

He slowly unclenched his fists, staring at the frost lingering on his skin.

"I lost so pathetically."

His voice was barely above a whisper, bitter and drenched in resentment.

Then, with a swift motion, he raised his hand. A sharp burst of aura crackled around him and he swung it down.

Shhk!

One of the chained slaves beside him barely had time to react before their body split in half, blood spraying across the floor.

A sacrifice.

A mindless, pointless act of cruelty.

But one that made him feel in control again, if only for a second.

His lips curled into a twisted grin.

"I need an item. An artifact."

His fingers flexed, the blood dripping from them like ink staining parchment.

"You think this can scare me? Haha, fuck that."

He let out a sharp, humorless laugh. His breath was still uneven, his mind still reeling, but his resolve had not crumbled.

"Your younger brother... I will offer his head to you."

***

'System. Date.'

Seven paced back and forth in his cramped, dimly lit inn room, the wooden floor creaking beneath his steps. His eyes stayed fixed on the translucent window hovering before him, glowing faintly in the darkened space.

[Date: 7th Day of the First Season, Year 776.]

He exhaled slowly, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Earlier, he had been too preoccupied with brewing the potion and too focused on the process to even consider checking anomaly changes that kept on popping up.

But now, with nothing else demanding his attention, he could finally examine it as much as he wanted.

His gaze flickered toward one particular section of the display.

"It increased..."

[Protagonist Progression Bar: 2.5%]

A mere increase of 0.5% from the last time he checked.

His grip tightened as he crossed his arms, contemplating.

Progression in this world wasn't just about getting stronger, but it was about weaving himself deeper into the story, into the fate written within these pages.

And despite his best efforts, despite all his knowledge from reading the novel, he was still barely making a dent on the pages as the story kept on changing from the presence of seven readers.

"Hah..."

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His eyes moved downward.

[Total Narrative Points: 1,100,418 NP]

"One million... and yet, it still feels like nothing."

Even with such a massive amount, he had yet to find a real use for them. There was no guide nor instructions, just a number ticking upward with every action he took.

But just as the thought crossed his mind, a new notification flashed before his eyes.

Ding!

[Protagonist System Level-Up Requirement Met.]

[Initiating System Evolution...]

Seven barely had time to process the words before an overwhelming force slammed into his body.

"—!!"

His vision blurred, his knees buckling as agony tore through every inch of his being .

It was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

This time, it was as if his very existence was being unraveled and stitched back together at the same time.

His bones felt as if they were shattering and reforming, his veins ignited with a burning sensation that spread from his fingertips to the core of his chest. His mind screamed, but no sound escaped his lips.

His nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

'Fudge. Is pain always part of the process?'

He fell to the floor. The wooden planks beneath him felt cold as his heartbeat pounded violently in his ears.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Ba-dump.

Then, just as suddenly as it started—

Silence.

A rush of cool air filled his lungs as the agony subsided, leaving behind an eerie stillness.

His limbs trembled, sweat drenched his clothes, and for a moment, he simply lay there, trying to comprehend what just happened.

Then, the system window blinked back into existence.

Ding!

[Protagonist System Evolution Complete.]

[New Functions Unlocked.]