A Background Character’s Path to Power

The System really was looking out for me.

This wasn't just a treasure—it was a training accelerator, a safety net, and a stabilizer all in one.

Passive growth for my void affinity? A buffer against the dangers of overusing void energy? And reduced backlash from spatial skills?

It was like the System had taken one look at my reckless tendencies and said, "Here, don't die."

A grin tugged at my lips.

Sure, the Grade 4 cap meant I couldn't rely on it forever, but for now?

This was huge.

My gaze flicked to the next reward—[Pulse of the Unseen], the evolved form of my old life-sensing ability.

The description alone sent a thrill through me.

━━━◇◆◇━━━

[Pulse of the Unseen]

"The rhythm of existence whispers its secrets to you. Where life flows and aura ebbs, nothing remains hidden from your senses."

- Life detection radius expanded to 60m

- Can faintly sense the flow and density of ambient aura

- Can track recent aura trails (up to 1 hour old)

- Pierces basic stealth Resonance Arts (Tier 4 and below)

━━━◇◆◇━━━

A slow whistle escaped me.

This wasn't just an ordinary upgrade—it was a transformation.

Before, I could barely sense living beings within a maximum of 30 meters. Now?

60 meters of guaranteed awareness. Twice as much.

I wouldn't need to worry about ambushes anymore. No more relying solely on foresight all the time.

And that wasn't even the best part.

Aura perception.

The ability to see the flow of energy around me—to track residual signatures like footprints—changed everything.

I could:

- Find hidden enemies by their lingering aura

- Detect trap-laden areas by abnormal energy density

- Even pinpoint what kind of Resonance Arts someone used recently

And the stealth-piercing effect?

Beautiful.

Most assassins and scouts relied on Tier 3-4 concealment arts. Unless I was up against a true master, their tricks were useless now.

A grin spread across my face.

The System wasn't just giving me tools—it was reshaping me into something more.

Something dangerous.

Something unpredictable.

And I couldn't wait to test it.

After finishing, of course.

With a satisfied exhale, I closed the [Pulse of the Unseen] window—then immediately tensed as my gaze landed on the second unread message.

The one that began with:

━━━◇◆◇━━━

[CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE DIED!]

"A life traded for many. A flame extinguished to spare others from burning. You have fulfilled a fate most would fear to face."

▸ Hidden Objective Completed: [DIE]

▸ Fate Fulfilled: [The World Acknowledges Your Death]

▸ New Role Designation Added: [Walking Anomaly / Catalyst]

Rewards:

- [Title: The One Who Cheated The World]

- [Phantom Twin Upgrade]

- [Mender's Paradox]

━━━◇◆◇━━━

My lips twitched at the message's title.

"Congratulations, you have died!"

How... cheerful.

It also reminded me of the time I almost died for real.

At least you know how to praise, I thought dryly as I read on.

Then I saw it:

▸ Hidden Objective Completed: [DIE]

Silence.

"..."

A cold weight settled in my chest as the words sank in.

Was I... supposed to... die?

"..."

The next line confirmed my thoughts:

▸ Fate Fulfilled: [The World Acknowledges Your Death]

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

So that was it.

My "death" hadn't just been a ruse—it had been a requirement.

A fixed point in fate's design. The world itself had expected me to perish in that explosion, or in another incident(probably be killed by an assassin), to become just another name on the casualty list.

Was it because I am really a 'background character'?

Did I truly fulfil my fate? Or is my death gonna follow me till the end?

My fingers curled into fists.

But then—

▸ New Role Designation Added: [Walking Anomaly / Catalyst]

A harsh laugh escaped me.

Of course. I hadn't just avoided death—I'd stolen from it. And now the System was labeling me accordingly.

An anomaly. A catalyst.

Something that shouldn't exist, but did.

Something that changed things.

Maybe that's not so bad, I admitted silently. After all, hadn't I just resolved to intervene in tragedies? To be more than an ordinary background character?

If fate expected my end… it can keep waiting.

Shaking off the dark thoughts, I turned to the rewards.

━━━◇◆◇━━━

[The One Who Cheated The World]

"You slipped through fate's fingers like smoke—and now the rules don't apply to you quite the same way."

Effects:

- Lies woven for protection/altruism gain +50% persuasiveness

- Lies for selfish/evil purposes suffer -50% effectiveness

Warning: "Falsehoods erode truth. Use sparingly."

━━━◇◆◇━━━

I stared.

Why give me this if you know it's bad?

But the answer came immediately:

Because sometimes, lies were necessary. To protect. To save. To keep secrets that couldn't be borne by others.

And now, when I had to lie...

I'd be believed.

The cost? A built-in deterrent—a reminder that deceit for its own sake would ring hollow.

Fair enough.

I'd take it.

I then eyed the [Phantom Twin Upgrade] notification warily.

Not here.

Not when Virion could likely sense even the slightest fluctuation in his domain. The last thing I needed was my spectral double manifesting only to start roasting both me with the System within earshot of a Primordial Serpent.

Am I really that infuriating?

I wondered, half-amused, half-dreading the answer.

Better to test that particular upgrade somewhere... less volatile. And alone.

With a shake of my head, I turned to the final reward—the one labeled [Mender's Paradox].

The description unfolded like a whispered secret:

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[Mender's Paradox]

"To mend what was broken, one must first feel the shape of the wound."

Type: Resonance Art (Life/Mental Hybrid)

Rank: ★★★★★

Effects:

1. Physical Restoration:

- Heals both surface and internal injuries (scaled by mastery)

- Can reattach severed limbs if applied within 1 hour (Warning: Not recommended without proper training/emotional state)

- Halts poison/curse progression for 1-15 minutes (duration scales with mastery)

2. Emotional Resonance:

- Absorbs traces of trauma/shock from the target's aura

- Temporarily alleviates grief/panic (effects last 2-4 hours)

Limitations:

- Requires physical contact (or aura touch)

- Cannot regenerate lost organs/massive tissue loss

- Emotional healing causes mirroring effect (user experiences 10%-50% of absorbed pain)

Note:

"To offer peace is to carry silence others cannot bear."

━━━◇◆◇━━━

My breath caught.

To heal others… even if it hurts me?

"..."

…Sounds about right.