Chapter 94: Whoever Messed This Up—

Reon found a safe place, positioning Cloudia and Little Tiger to guard him. Without hesitation, he retrieved two Grade-1 Healing Pills and swallowed them, feeling the medicinal energy quickly spread through his body, mending his wounds.

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Veilwood Valley – The Whispering Grove

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A dense, otherworldly valley stretched across the whispering grove, bathed in an eerie twilight. Silver-barked trees stood tall, their mist-laced canopies filtering sunlight into a ghostly glow.

In the midst of this mystical valley, a lone figure stood motionless.

His sharp, hawk-like gaze swept across his surroundings. His posture was calm—yet every fiber of his being was poised for action.

Rustle!

SWOOSH!

Suddenly, a vine, thick as a small serpent, lashed out from the undergrowth, aiming straight for his back.

But the young man's reaction was instantaneous.

With a swift pivot, his sword flashed through the air in a clean, decisive arc—

SLASH!

The severed vine thudded onto the damp forest floor, still writhing, its severed end glowing with a golden hue before slowly dimming.

But the young man barely spared it a glance. His focus was elsewhere.

At that moment, a familiar chime echoed in his mind.

[Ding! The Host has failed to complete the random mission. It was a random mission, so there is no penalty.]

Yes, the young man was none other than Yang Lie.

Yang Lie's grip on his sword tightened. His jaw clenched as he stared at the floating system panel before him, his expression twisting in frustration.

"Damn it!" His voice was low, but filled with barely restrained anger.

He exhaled sharply, his fingers curling into fists.

"I was so damn close to completing that mission! How did that bastard slip through my fingers?! I've been tracking him for two days—and now the system is telling me I failed?!"

His breath came heavier, his thoughts racing.

"Does this mean he died at someone else's hands?"

The very idea made his blood boil.

"Damn it all! 2,000 System Points—just gone!" His voice was venomous. "I'd have to grind through Daily Missions, Weekly Quests and Monthly Missions for a whole months just to earn that back!"

His knuckles turned white as he clenched his sword hilt. Random Missions were rare, and they often came with lucrative rewards. This was supposed to be an easy mission. A free 2,000 points.

A slow, simmering fury settled in his gut.

"I don't care who ruined this for me…" His eyes gleamed coldly.

"Whoever messed this up—I will not forgive them."

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Two hours later—

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Back in the safe place, every trace of injury—bruises, cuts, and soreness—had been completely erased from Reon's body. It was as if he had never been wounded in the first place.

Reon slowly opened his eyes, stretching his fingers and rolling his shoulders. 

"Hah… I feel a lot better."

A small grin tugged at his lips as he sat up, exhaling deeply. Then, his thoughts shifted to something far more exciting.

"Now… let's check the rewards."

Wasting no time, he summoned his system panel and navigated to his inventory. His gaze fell upon an unfamiliar item.

[Innate Talent Awakening Card]

His brows furrowed. "Innate Talent Awakening Card? Never heard of this in the novel..."

He pondered for a moment, recalling a similar item—the Hidden Abilities Unlocking Pill—that Yang Lie had received from his system.

That pill had awakened the Peerless Sword Body, a Heavenly physique that granted unparalleled sword mastery.

"But that pill only unlocked hidden potential. If someone had none to begin with, it would be useless." Reon frowned. "Is this the same, or... something more?"

Curious, he tapped on the card's information. A translucent window appeared before his eyes.

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[Innate Talent Awakening Card]:

A mysterious and rare artifact, it holds the power to unlock the deepest potential hidden within a person's soul.

Upon activation, the card releases a surge of divine energy, resonating with the wielder's very essence, awakening a dormant talent that may have remained undiscovered for an entire lifetime.

The awakened talent varies from person to person—some may unlock unique physique or constitution abilities, elemental affinities, heightened combat instincts, or even the rare power of comprehension, enabling them to grasp techniques with unprecedented ease. However, others... may awaken nothing at all.

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"Oh? So it's similar to the Hidden Abilities Unlocking Pill," Reon thought, a hint of satisfaction creeping onto his face.

Although that bastard Xue Taiyang is merely a lackey of a third-rate villain, he should at least awaken something decent with the help of this card—though nowhere near the level of a Peerless Sword Body.

But as he read further, his expression stiffened.

'It depends on the wielder's soul…'

Reon's stomach dropped.

"Wait—so it depends on me and not Xue Taiyang?"

A wave of anxiety surged through him. Two months ago, he had been nothing more than an ordinary mortal.

What if...

What if he awakened nothing?

Would awakening even be possible in his case?

Considering every possibility, Reon took a deep breath.

"Well, Fuck it all! I should give it a try. Whatever happens, I'll deal with it later."

Reaching into his inventory, he retrieved the Innate Talent Awakening Card—a gasp escaping his lips the moment his eyes landed on it.