"Yes... initiate," I had already decided.
The system responded instantly.
[Initiating Talent Detection...]
[Scanning Host...]
The air around me shifted.
At first, it was subtle, a faint warmth brushing against my skin, but within seconds it intensified, a golden glow forming around my body, rising from the ground like a slow-burning flame.
The glow thickened, wrapping around my body, and then it went further. I felt it reach inward toward my soul.
For a brief moment, everything else faded, replaced by a strange clarity, as if something was observing every part of me at once. It didn’t hurt. But it wasn’t comfortable either.
It passed through me like a current, scanning, measuring, judging.
[Identifying Talent...]
The glow pulsed once then vanished.
A new notification appeared.
[Talent Acquired]
[Name: Overdrive]
[Description: Through combat, the host accumulates energy, stored as a chargeable Overdrive Bar.
Energy is generated through:
→ Receiving damage
→ Delivering impact
→ Sustained combat engagement
Stored energy can be released to temporarily enhance physical and cognitive attributes.
[Overdrive Scaling:]
50% Charge → +10% Stat Increase
100% Charge → +20% Stat Increase
150% Charge → +30% Stat Increase
200% Charge → +50% Stat Increase (Maximum Capacity) ]
[Mode Selection: Only one mode can be active at a time. Each mode enhances two attributes.
[Berserk Mode]
→ Strength ↑
→ Dexterity ↑
[Fortress Mode]
→ Vitality ↑
→ Endurance ↑
[Focus Mode]
→ Intelligence ↑
→ Dexterity ↑
[Note:]
→ Higher charge results in greater strain on the body
→ Improper usage may result in instability
"Wow... did I just receive another version of the Generator Core?" the thought surfaced almost immediately, though this time it didn’t carry the same certainty as before, instead lingering as I stood still and carefully went through the details again.
The resemblance was there, but only at a surface level, because the more I looked at it, the clearer the difference became, and it was a significant one. The Generator Core had always been about permanence, using essence o drive some stats permanently, whereas this system felt far more restrictive in comparison, limiting everything to the moment rather than allowing it to carry forward.
Everything that was gained would be used and then lost, the enhancements tied strictly to the duration of the Overdrive itself, which meant there was no long-term advantage built into the ability beyond how well I could use it in a fight.
Even so, I didn’t dismiss it, because the raw numbers alone were enough to make that impossible, and as I looked at the scaling again, I could already see how much impact it would have in actual combat.
A twenty percent increase at the base threshold was already significant at this stage, but pushing it further to thirty, and then all the way to fifty percent at maximum capacity, meant that even in this weakened state, I would be able to create a noticeable gap between myself and anyone operating at a similar level.
Against someone on the same level, it would tilt the fight heavily in my favor, and against someone stronger, it created a window, a brief but critical moment where the difference in strength could be compensated for through timing rather than raw power.
My attention shifted toward the mode selection next, and this time I slowed down even further, reading through each option.
Berserk Mode was the most straightforward of the three, amplifying both strength and dexterity in a way that would directly translate into faster attacks and heavier impact, turning each strike into something harder to block and harder to recover from, which made it ideal for ending fights quickly or overwhelming opponents before they could stabilize.
Fortress Mode, on the other hand, shifted everything in the opposite direction, reinforcing vitality and endurance in a way that would allow me to absorb damage, remain stable under pressure, and continue fighting even when the situation turned unfavorable, making it less about ending the fight quickly and more about refusing to lose it.
Then there was Focus Mode. Intelligence and dexterity together didn’t just mean faster reactions or better movement, but cleaner execution, sharper decision-making, and the ability to reduce wasted effort in every action, which in a prolonged fight could matter more than raw strength ever could.
Power when I needed to break through.
Endurance when I needed to survive.
Precision when I needed control.
The limitation of only being able to enhance two attributes at a time was there, but it didn’t feel restrictive as much as it felt intentional, forcing a choice rather than allowing everything at once, which in turn meant that using it properly would depend entirely on timing and awareness rather than just activation.
A faint smile formed without me realizing it.
"Time to test it."
I moved deeper into the forest in a random direction.
Then I felt something move behind me. There was no warning beyond instinct. By the time I turned, it was already too late.
A thick root burst out from the ground and drove straight through my side stomach from behind, the force carrying through my body before stopping midway, leaving me suspended for a fraction of a second as the impact tore through muscle and flesh. The breath left my lungs instantly, the world tightening around the sudden pain as warm blood spread across my skin.
My hand shot back instinctively, gripping the root as I twisted my body off it, tearing free with a sharp motion that dropped me to one knee the moment I landed. Blood followed immediately, heavier this time, dripping onto the forest floor as I forced myself upright.
I turned.
The tree stood still at first glance, but the moment I focused, I saw it. At the center of its trunk, partially exposed through cracked bark, a brown core pulsed faintly, like something alive buried inside wood.
[Monster Bilboa – Level 5]
Before I could fully adjust, the ground shifted again.
Another tree, just a few steps away, reacted at the same time, its roots tearing out from the soil and shooting toward me in a sweeping arc. I pushed off the ground immediately, stepping aside as the root slammed into the space where I had been, the impact cracking the dirt beneath it.
[Monster Bilboa – Level 5]
There were two of them. The first root came again, faster this time, aiming lower, trying to pin my legs. I stepped over it, bringing the sword down in the same motion, the blade cutting through the root cleanly as it recoiled, the severed end thrashing briefly before going still.
Another followed immediately.
Then another.