Simulation 3 ( 1)

The midnight moon remained full and bright, casting its light over this unfamiliar world.

"Hmm... It seems the moon here will always stay in this circular phase, and its orbital path doesn't differ much either."

"So, this really is another world, huh? And the system says it'll take three more hours before the simulation begins... That means exactly at midnight."

"No internet, no smartphones, no games, no anime… Ugh, how boring!"

"System, activate functions."

A dialogue box appeared in front of him:

Name: Noah Drake

Age: 17 years, 6 months

Strength: None

Identity: Manor Lord of Tigers Leopard Manor (24)

Symbol: Leader of the Three Titans Society (0)

Inventory (Items)

Open Manor Members

A notification popped up:

Directly Managed Members: 3

Unmanaged Members: 21

"Open the list of unmanaged members."

A list of names appeared.

No images, no detailed information—just names, ages, and positions.

"You've got to be kidding me..."

"Open the directly managed members."

A new window popped up, displaying three miniature avatars: Lalatina Celeste, Luna Hart, and Aurelius Liora.

"Show me Lalatina's information."

A new dialogue box appeared:

ID: 01

Name: Lalatina Celeste

Age: 18 years, 1 month

Strength: Scholar (Beginner)

Contribution to the Manor: 3 points

Mission History: (Click to view details)

Received Items from the Manor: (Click to view details)

Noah sighed.

"Well, this information isn't much better... So the system doesn't auto-update, huh?"

"System, do you have any entertainment features?"

System Notification: "The host is advised to focus on development and strive for greatness. Do not waste precious time on fleeting amusements. It is recommended that you begin completing your initial missions."

"...Right. I forgot to tell Bui Tuyên to summon the City Lord of Wolfspiren City. Oh well, I'll handle it tomorrow. It's too late now."

"System, why could I see through Luna's clothes earlier?"

System Notification: "Due to the current 'Absolute Protection' granted by your pact with the Void, all attacks against you are nullified. If you voluntarily accept an attack or fail to detect it, countermeasures will be taken accordingly—blocking, suppressing, neutralizing, or eliminating threats as necessary.

If hostility is detected, or if you experience fear upon being attacked, the system will automatically eliminate the threat.

For example, if an enemy launches an attack beyond your current defensive capability, the protection will intercept the strike.

If the opponent merely harbors ill intentions and does not attack, the system will restrain them to prevent future aggression.

If the opponent attacks in self-defense, the system will reposition you to avoid harm."

"...And how does that relate to me seeing through Luna's clothes?"

System Notification: "When Absolute Protection suppresses potential threats, it also forcibly monitors and analyzes any harmful intentions toward you. This process occurs whenever a potential aggressor is within range—currently, that includes everyone in this world.

In Luna Hart's case, when you were in front of her, all her secrets and movements became fully visible to you.

Additionally, you were able to hear any malicious thoughts she had toward you.

If she had intended to harm you, the system would have immediately initiated an appropriate counterattack."

"So… in front of me, she can't hide anything.. including under her clothes…? Heh heh—wait! If this applies to men too, won't I see everything?! Hold on—Bui Tuyên was right in front of me before… Ah, I get it now. Since I found his presence utterly revolting, the protection must have blocked the sight automatically…

So lucky. No, I shouldn't think like that. Next time I should be nice to Bui Tuyên…"

...

"System, open my inventory."

A list of items appeared.

Equipped items were displayed on the right, while unequipped ones were on the left.

It felt just like a game.

A quick glance at the right side showed high-rarity items—purple, gold, pink, orange...

Equipped Items:

Beginner Manor Blueprint

Four Guardian Beasts Protection

Mythical Dragon Vein

Enlightenment Tree

Daily Necessities Package

Newbie Protection (Remaining: 4 days, 4 hours)

On the left side, only a few gray-and-white items—random tools from gacha pulls—were listed.

...

"System, enter arrangement mode."

System Notification: "Entering arrangement mode in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

Noah's vision suddenly expanded, as if he were a towering giant overlooking the entire manor.

The entire estate appeared as a detailed 3D model in front of him.

He tried moving a few buildings but was met with a restriction.

System Notification: "To rearrange the manor layout, upgrade the Manor Core to Level 2."

After toying with it for a while and realizing it wasn't very fun, Noah exited the mode and entered the shop instead.

Only two items were available for purchase:

Celestial Gathering Ticket - 500 Soul Crystals per draw

Life Simulation Ticket - 5000 Soul Crystals per draw

Seeing the exorbitant prices, he sighed.

When he asked the system about it, he learned that the shop only sold items necessary for system functions—nothing more.

After spending some time exploring, he concluded:

"If this system were a game, nobody would play it!"

Three hours remained until the simulation began.

He felt restless—an odd mix of excitement and exhaustion, as if time were stretching endlessly.

Lying on his bed, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep or even focus on cultivation.

"What am I supposed to do for three hours…?"

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the clock struck midnight.

System Notification: "Life Simulation function initializing."

"Finally!"

System Setup:

Name: Noah Drake

Gender: Male

Attributes: All current attributes carried over, with a +10% enhancement.

Personality Enhancement: Determined, Curious, Energetic.

"Confirm to proceed."

"Confirm."

Simulation will begin in 5 minutes. Please prepare accordingly.

"Skip the wait."

Skipping. Entering simulation in 3... 2... 1...

…

I am Noah Dark , an orphan abandoned as a child in a remote mountain village.

I have no idea why I was left here. The only story I know is the one told by the villagers: Sixteen years ago, on a clear, breezy night, Uncle Smith suddenly heard the loud cries of a baby. Following the sound, he discovered a newborn wailing in the hollow of an ancient tree. That child was me. He took me in, and from that moment on, I was raised in this village.

This small, secluded village is called Smithwood, located in the western region of the Acx Kingdom. True to its name, six out of ten people here carry the surname Smith. The villagers mainly survive through hunting and gathering. Once a month, a trade caravan from Greythorn City comes to purchase our goods.

Greythorn City is the nearest city to our village, just a day's journey away. Smithwood is a dependent settlement under its protection. Life here is peaceful and relatively stable.

I was named Noah because when I was found, there was a wooden nameplate in my swaddling cloth, inscribed with those very words. The villagers assumed it must be my given name. Alongside it, there was also a peculiar scroll—smooth and shining on one side, perfectly round on the other, yet entirely blank. No one in the village knew what it was, only that it must have been left behind by my parents. Over the years, I tried various methods to reveal its secrets—soaking it in water, heating it over a fire—but nothing worked. The only thing I discovered was its extraordinary durability; no blade or arrow could pierce it. In the end, I decided to wear it as armor. Light and unyielding, it serves me well.

"Well, great tree, am I not a genius? You agree, don't you?"

The vast sky stretched above me, the wind howled across the mountain ridges, and white clouds drifted lazily through the heavens. Sitting atop the peak, leaning against an ancient tree, I gazed out in silence. From up here, the entire world lay before me, as if I were a sovereign surveying his domain. This place… this boundless sky, this untouched wilderness—it brought me peace. It felt like home.

Sitting here, speaking to this ancient tree, had become my daily ritual. Perhaps that's why I never had many friends. Most of the villagers considered me an oddball.

For the young men in the village, sixteen marked the age of adulthood. It was the time for the coming-of-age ceremony, a time for hunting, for taking a wife, for starting a family—that was the norm. But none of that appealed to me. I felt as if doing so would mean wasting something… something truly important.

Today was the village's coming-of-age ceremony. According to tradition, after the ritual, each participant had to venture into the forest and return with a trophy from the hunt. The trophy would determine their status in the village from then on. I had no desire for any sort of rank, so after catching a single wild chicken, I climbed the mountain and waited for the day to pass.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, its golden glow blanketed the land in warmth, urging me to return home.

Carrying the still-struggling chicken, I made my way back. The path was empty, but I wasn't afraid. To me, the chirping insects, the rustling leaves, and the murmur of the woods were not signs of solitude but the lively conversation of a forest brimming with life.

When I arrived at Smithwood, lanterns were already lit, and the village was buzzing with chatter.

I deliberately ruffled my clothes, smeared some dirt on my face, and put on a sullen expression before stepping into the central square.

A group of young men stood in neat rows, their hunting prizes laid before them—rabbits, boars, deer, all lined up for display. Three of them stood apart from the rest, more prominent than the others, their prize being a full-grown tiger.

The village chief, Edmund Smith, caught sight of me and frowned. I quickly stepped forward and began my explanation.

"Uncle Smith, today was truly unlucky. I actually had two wild boars in my grasp, but out of nowhere, a third one appeared! I lost my footing and—sigh—I was too reckless. In the end, I only managed to catch this chicken."

I spoke rapidly, barely stopping to breathe, weaving an elaborate excuse with ease. Even I was surprised by my own ability to spout nonsense so effortlessly.

Uncle Smith's gaze swept over my disheveled clothes, my dirt-covered face. With a sigh, he didn't reprimand me but instead said,

"You are still young. You must train harder and learn to be less greedy. Now, take your place in the line."

Uncle Smith was, in a way, my uncle. The man who had found and raised me, Alric Smith, was his younger brother.

In our home, there were four of us: myself, my elder sister, and my adoptive parents, Alric Smith and his wife.

Both of them were well-respected healers in the village, known for their kindness and skill. Their reputation was unmatched, and my sister…

She was one of the three great beauties of Smithwood.

Ours was the model family, admired by all.