[ Message Received ]
[ "I can't explain everything right now, but I will return and tell you more about what has happened to this world. Until then, please… fix it." ]
What… the… hell?!
Tave narrowed his eyes, rereading the message.
She will explain everything? What did that even mean? How much was that mysterious woman responsible for all of this?
And fix it?
Fix what exactly? This world? What was even wrong with it?
His brows furrowed as he tried to push down the rising pressure in his chest.
For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that everything happening to him was because of that robed figure. Even now, he was still struggling to accept the insanity of it all, that he had actually been dragged into the world of Yunatea.
Then, a chilling thought hit him.
Had he… died?
His mind flashed back to his last moments.
The coffee.
Had it been poisoned?
Had someone, maybe one of his furious readers… gone that far? Had they actually killed him for ruining the story?
He inhaled sharply, then let out a deep exhale, shaking his head.
No. That was ridiculous.
…Wasn't it?
Pushing aside the downward spiral of thoughts, he turned his attention to the next notification.
[ Gift Received: Echelon Chest I ]
[ "You have obtained the Echelon Chest. A special item that evolves alongside you. With every stage you ascend, it will unlock new rewards suited to your growth. Its true potential remains unknown. Use it wisely." ]
Echelon Chest!
Tave recognized the item, it was something from his own design sheet!
Yet, he had never actually granted it to anyone in the story. Not even the MC.
Simply put, this chest would reward him each time he progressed through the stages of Gaia. And since he was already in the 2nd Stage, Gaia Apprentice, that meant he should be able to open the gift twice.
Summoning the item using a mental command, he watched as a golden, radiant chest materialized before him.
It shimmered, its surface solid and valuable-looking, practically exuding a mystical aura.
For a moment, he simply stared at it.
All of this… this magic, this fantasy… It was breathtaking.
This world… his world.
He had nurtured it like his own child, pouring in love, blood, and sweat into every chapter. And now, he was living inside it.
Taking a deep breath, Tave activated the gift.
The chest floated in front of him, slowly rotating before clicking open.
Two new items emerged.
[ You have received: Echelon Chest II ]
[ You have received: Shadow Cloak Sigil Token ]
Tave grabbed both items, inspecting the deep purple token in his hand.
A Sigil Awakening Token?!
His heart skipped a beat.
This… this was huge!
Sigils were one of the most valuable rewards possible.
The Gaia Sigil was a unique, mystical mark that represented a deep connection to Gaia Force. Unlike ordinary abilities, Sigils were imprinted directly onto the awakener's body, often taking the form of tattoos, markings, or glowing symbols.
More importantly, they provided permanent, powerful enhancements to an awakener's abilities.
For most people, a Sigil only manifested during major breakthroughs, profound spiritual experiences, or through some kind of special bond with Gaia Force itself.
Tave clenched the token, excitement surging through his veins.
Shadow Cloak Sigil Token was a sigil infused with Dark energy, granting the ability to enhance stealth and manipulate darkness.
And this… this was incredible.
More than that, Tave had no elemental affinity.
But once he activated this sigil, he would unlock his Dark Element affinity, and it was a game-changing advantage.
There was no way he was wasting this.
Without hesitation, he tossed the token into the air. It spun rapidly, cracks forming across its surface before it shattered, releasing a shroud of shadowy energy.
The darkness surged toward him, flowing straight into his palm. From there, it spread up his arm, tendrils of energy crawling across his skin before settling on his right forearm.
And then, the shadows twisted into an engraving.
A deep purple-black sigil appeared, taking the form of a shrouded figure cloaked in swirling darkness.
[ You have successfully awakened the Shadow Cloak Sigil. ]
[ Your body has accepted the sigil's imprint. ]
[ The sigil will evolve alongside your Gaia Force progression. ]
[ Affinity Unlocked. ]
[ Dark Element Affinity Acquired. ]
[ Affinity Rating: High ]
Damn, this is amazing!
Tave shot up from his chair, eyes fixed on the sigil now etched into his skin. The shadows around it pulsed and shifted, almost like living ink.
Not only was the mark itself incredibly intricate, but it also carried a certain power in its design.
He raised his arm, flexing his fingers. The darkness responded immediately, rippling outward before settling back into place.
This sigil wasn't just some passive mark, it would grow alongside his Gaia Force. It had limitless potential.
But more than that, it specialized in invisibility and stealth-based combat.
So that meant…
He would have to adapt to a stealth-focused fighting style.
An assassin's approach.
Only by fighting that way could he fully utilize the power of this sigil.
Even now, his mind was already racing with ideas and plans on how to maximize this ability, how to combine it with everything he knew.
Haha.
And more than just the sigil, he had finally unlocked an elemental affinity. Not just any element, it was a Dark Element.
Out of the three affinity ratings, Low, Medium, and High, he had actually unlocked High Rating.
In this world, there were four common elements: Water, Fire, Earth, and Wind. Beyond that, there were two special elements, Light and Dark.
Among them, Dark was one of the most valuable, especially because its abilities were primarily focused on damage and stealth, and it was a perfect match for his style.
If he could further develop this element, or even unlock additional elements in the future, his range of abilities would increase exponentially.
At this point, he already knew what he had to do. Take everything for himself.
He had created this story. He knew too much about it. There was no way he would let all that information go to waste.
Even if it meant changing the entire course of the world's plot?
But why should he care?
Right now, survival was all that mattered.
He wasn't just some extra who would get caught in war and die meaninglessly after being thrown into this world.
After finishing with the rewards, he checked his status panel once again.
[ Name: Tave ]
[ Level - Stage: 11 - Gaia Apprentice ]
[ Elements: Dark (High) ]
[ Sigils: Shadow Cloak ]
[ Relics: None ]
[ Echoes: None ]
[ Pacts: None ]
A faint smirk crossed his lips as he took in the new and improved status panel. It looked far better than before.
Well… except for his Gaia level, which was still pathetically low.
He needed to get out and start leveling up. At the very least, he had to reach the 3rd stage or even push toward the 4th stage as soon as possible.
He nodded to himself.
Because deep in his inherited memories, he knew one thing for sure… This body had already trained relentlessly. Especially with the sword.
Even just looking at the build of his body, it was clear that this wasn't the physique of someone weak. His technique and conditioning were solid.
Tave, the original owner of this body, hadn't been blessed with Gaia Force. But he wasn't the type to give up so easily.
Now the real question was… would that change now that Tavian had taken over?
There were ways to accelerate Gaia Force absorption into the body. They wouldn't be easy, but staying weak in this world would be even worse.
He hated it.
Now, he had no choice but to think like a protagonist, to fight, to grow stronger, to survive.
Because Theo had regressed to this time as well. That meant, he also knew everything that was going to happen.
And even worse… Theo knew that Tave was here.
But… one thing at a time.
Right now, he needed to open the gift box again.
With a mental command, the Echelon Chest floated before him, spinning rapidly until it clicked open once more.
Two more items emerged.
"Let's see if the Echelon Chest still favors the author…"