[Hidden Attributes]
Luck -> 0
Willpower -> 101
Soul power -> 150
**
His Soul power had reached 150 stat points.
Ash narrowed his eyes slightly as he stared at the number, his expression gradually turning thoughtful as he carefully processed what he was seeing.
He still lacked a clear understanding of how Soul power directly influenced his existence or what practical benefits it could grant him. The system had never explained or showed hidden attributes, and even the knowledge he had accumulated so far only hinted toward their deeper significance without giving any direct or usable explanation.
Despite that uncertainty, Ash could instinctively sense that an increase in Soul power was never something trivial, especially after his soul had just endured severe strain and then recovered in such an unusual and unnatural manner.
He quietly tried to feel the difference within himself, closing his eyes briefly as he observed the internal state of his soul. However, the change felt extremely subtle. It did not feel like a sudden surge of strength or energy.
Instead, it felt like a deeper and more stable layer had formed within his soul, similar to reinforcing the base of a structure rather than extending its height.
The difference was quiet, but Ash could sense that such reinforcement would reveal its true value only when placed under extreme pressure.
As for his Luck, it had already dropped to zero a long time ago, especially inside the Soul Space where fate itself seemed to function differently. Because of that, he was not particularly surprised that the value remained unchanged.
Even so, Ash silently memorized the updated values, fully aware that even the smallest shift in hidden attributes could influence his path in ways he might not yet be capable of understanding or predicting.
But then he suddenly remembered something or someone....
"Wait....What about Eric?"
Ash’s eyes widened slightly as that thought suddenly surfaced in his mind. Without wasting another moment, he hurriedly teleported in front of Eric.
However, the sight that greeted him left him completely dumbfounded, rendering him speechless.
Because in front of him, there was an unknown boy who appeared to be around seven or eight years old, sitting comfortably on Ash’s rocking chair as if he had always belonged there.
The boy had a book resting neatly on his lap and wore a golden monocle over his right eye. His posture was relaxed yet composed, and he appeared deeply immersed in reading. Every time he flipped a page, his movements were calm and precise, showing complete focus and patience.
"Y-you...? Eric..?"
Ash muttered under his breath, almost instinctively, but the boy heard his words very clearly. The boy slowly lifted his gaze from the book, his movements deliberate and controlled, while adjusting the monocle over his right eye with practiced familiarity.
"It is I."
Ash found himself completely speechless. All this time, this little brat had not spoken even a single proper sentence, often choosing silence or emotional bursts over communication. Yet now, he was behaving as if everything that had happened earlier was nothing more than a forgotten memory, his tone calm and strangely composed.
However, as Ash continued to look into those clear and steady eyes, he could unmistakably sense a deep rage locked behind a cold and highly logical mind. The rage was restrained carefully, but it was far from gone.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Ash finally spoke, "I was worried for nothing, it looks like you are fine. No, more than fine I guess. You seem to be enjoying yourself."
Eric simply looked at Ash without replying. His expression remained neutral, as if silently asking whether Ash had anything more to say or ask. His fingers lightly tapped against the edge of the book in a slow rhythm, hinting at faint impatience hidden beneath his composed appearance.
That reaction slightly irritated Ash, but he quickly controlled his emotions, understanding that Eric had gone through both emotional and physical transformation.
"When did you gain this human form? Were you able to transform even before?"
Ash asked, wanting to confirm something that had already begun forming as a suspicion in his mind.
"No. I was reading a novel, but a vibrant brilliance appeared out of nowhere and granted me certain enhancements. After waking up from that state, I was already like this."
Eric answered calmly without showing much reaction, soon lowering his gaze back toward the book as if the transformation itself was not worth much attention.
"I see."
Ash responded calmly. He already knew what brilliance Eric was talking about, so he was not surprised at all. In fact, he had already guessed this much earlier and only wanted verbal confirmation from Eric.
"I was worried you were affected by that intense pressure, so I came to check on you."
"Hmm? What pressure?"
Eric asked while slightly adjusting his monocle, looking at Ash with a composed and analytical gaze that resembled an adult observing a confused child.
Ash noticed that gaze very clearly, but he deliberately ignored it and replied, "The pressure that came before that ’brilliance’ you spoke of, you know. The one that shook this entire place to its core and made even the sky crack."
Silence followed his words.
Eric continued staring at Ash with an expression that clearly suggested he believed Ash was imagining things.
That expression made Ash instinctively feel the urge to beat him up, but he forcefully controlled himself, knowing that reacting emotionally would only worsen the situation.
"There was no pressure. I think you are still not in your right mind."
Eric spoke in a calm and almost indifferent tone before lowering his gaze and returning to reading his book as if the conversation had already ended for him.
Ash remained silent for several moments and carefully observed Eric, who was now completely ignoring him and flipping through the pages with full concentration.
No pressure..?
Various thoughts rapidly surfaced inside Ash’s mind before gradually settling on what he believed to be the only possible explanation.
Was the Soul Tree was unaffected by the pressure? Or maybe the Soul Tree protected everything inside it from the pressure... no, what if my Soul Tree bore the actual pressure, and what I experienced was only a tiny fraction of it...?
If that assumption was true, then it meant Ash was still unaware of countless mysteries surrounding his Soul Tree. However, another possibility soon surfaced in his thoughts.
It could also be that it was not the Soul Tree itself that bore the burden, but rather the Runes contained within the Soul Tree that absorbed and endured the impact of that pressure. His Soul Tree was just a carrier.
To Ash, that explanation felt far more logical, especially considering the nature of Runes and their connection to fundamental existence.
"Do you need something more..?"
Eric’s voice suddenly pulled Ash out of his deep contemplation. Ash blinked and looked at Eric, noticing the slightly impatient and oddly judgmental expression on his face.
Did he always look at me this way? Maybe it is only now, after gaining a humanoid form, that I can properly differentiate his expressions and realize when he is annoyed...
Ash smiled bitterly at that realization, but he still decided to ask a few more questions before leaving.
"What’s with that monocle of yours? Where did you even find it? And why are you wearing it?"
Eric calmly adjusted his monocle again before replying, "I was reading a novel about a certain fool. There was a character in it whom I found interesting."
He paused briefly before continuing in a composed tone, "Thus, I am trying to be like him."
Ash stared at Eric in disbelief, his expression gradually turning strange as he processed those words.
Did I influence a thousand-year-old kid into cosplay....? No, I definitely did not. This is completely his own doing...
Choosing not to continue that conversation any further, Ash silently vanished from that location and reappeared at his previous position above the Soul Sea.
He instinctively wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead, feeling a strange mixture of relief and exhaustion after that interaction.
I did not lead him astray, yeah. If he continues to behave like that in the future too.....then I guess.....he is due for a beating.....
After nodding to his own thoughts with quiet confidence, Ash decided to open his Status Window after a very long time.
He had noticed a pattern long ago. Every time something fundamental or existence altering happened to him, the notifications from the Status Window would usually provide explanations or at least partial understanding regarding those changes.
Thus, with a certain level of expectation and curiosity building inside him, he opened his Status Window.
The moment he did, his entire vision was instantly swarmed by countless windows that began popping up one after another. The notifications overlapped and layered over each other so rapidly that for a brief moment, Ash could not even distinguish where one message ended and another began.
It took him several seconds of forced concentration and deliberate filtering before Ash managed to push aside the excessive notifications and focus on the very first popup window that had appeared.
However, contrary to his expectations, it was not the traditional Status Window that contained the information he was looking for. Instead, it was the same mysterious interface that had previously guided him during the process of reforming his physical body that presented him with what he sought.
Realizing this, Ash’s curiosity deepened. That interface had always appeared only during moments related to his body reconstruction or fundamental transformation, which meant whatever had occurred outside was directly connected to the formation or evolution of his body.
Thus, suppressing unnecessary distractions and steadying his mind, he began carefully reading the notification, eager to understand what exactly had happened in the outside world.
***