[DING! You have bonded with Anya.]

[DING! You have bonded with Yuki.]

“Transfer their talents and affinities to me,” Noah ordered calmly.

[Applying the x10,000 effect…]

[You have obtained the affinity: Destruction (SSS rank).]

[You have obtained the talent: Nothingness (EX Unique Rank).]

[You have obtained the talent: Swordsman of the Edges (EX Unique Rank).]

Then, a pause—

[Congratulations. You have obtained a Sword affinity beyond SSS rank.]

[You are now… a sword.]

[You have completed one of the conditions required to awaken a physique.]

[Polish yourself. Sharpen yourself. Find yourself. Forge this budding physique into completion.]

In that moment, something deep within Noah shifted. A monstrous aura of destruction exploded from him, tearing apart everything nearby in his room.

His body trembled as the two EX Unique Rank talents embedded themselves into the very structure of his being. His existence became heavier. Denser. Purer than ever before.

“Arrrrghhhh—!”

Noah screamed, his voice echoing off the cracked walls.

Then it came.

The sword.

His body began to morph—literally. His bones gleamed with a sheen so polished they resembled blades. His skin grew sharp to the touch. His entire presence radiated the unmistakable edge of a sword.

This… was what it meant to possess an affinity beyond SSS rank.

At SSS, your body starts adapting to your affinity.

But above that?

You become the affinity.

No rank can define it. No system can quantify it.

This stage was called the Transformation Rank—where body and soul reshape to match the essence of power.

Noah’s body was now a blade. His skin sharp and resilient. His blood flowed with the speed and force of a sword strike. His bones were heavy, balanced, and lethal.

His heartbeat became the ringing of a forge. His breath whistled like a blade cutting air. He was not holding a sword. He was the idea of one.

Minutes passed.

Then, finally—it was done.

Noah collapsed onto his bed, chest rising and falling as sweat dripped down his temple. He stared blankly at the ceiling.

The pain was no joke.

It felt like his body had been struck by a divine blacksmith’s hammer—shaped with care, precision, and cruelty into the perfect blade.

“God… if I ever come across a pain-resistance talent, I’m taking it.”

He let out a weak sigh, thoroughly exhausted.

He slowly raised his hand and clenched it. A sharp burst of energy pulsed out, slicing the air itself.

Noah smirked.

“Well, well, well… incredible.”

“So this is what a sword body feels like. And I haven’t even awakened a proper physique yet? Can’t wait to see what happens when I do.”

He paused, realization dawning.

Possessing an affinity beyond SSS meant he’d already taken the first step toward building a physique.

Which meant—eventually—he could build more.

“And if I fuse all of them into one ultimate form… with my talents?”

He grinned, already imagining the chaos he could cause.

But for now—

“System. Show me the descriptions of my new talents.”

[Talent: Nothingness (EX Unique Rank)]

Anything can be brought to nothing if you will it. Nothing will remain. To heal from or resist this, one must possess an equally ranked talent.

[Talent: Swordsman of the Edges (EX Unique Rank)]

Your sword can reach anywhere, and cut anything—even concepts.

All you need… is a strong enough mind.

Noah’s eyes lit up.

“Nothingness? Like… absolute erasure?”

He stared at his pillow for a moment. Then, with a flicker of thought, he applied Nothingness.

The pillow began to disintegrate—vanishing not into dust, but into pure absence. As if it had never existed at all.

Noah watched with awe.

“To erase things like they were never there? What a damn cheat.”

His grin stretched wide.

And I love cheats.

Then his gaze shifted to Swordsman of the Edges.

To cut anything—even fate, destiny, or laws themselves?

“Another cheat.”

If he could cut concepts, there was no limit to what he could sever.

Ideas rushed into his mind. Scenarios. Tactics. Plans.

“I’ll need a good sword. A worthy one.”

Then he thought of someone.

Ren—the successor of the only known legendary blacksmith.

Noah smirked. “You’ll do.”

He laid back on the bed again, eyes drifting to the ceiling.

Tomorrow, he’d take on a mission. A proper one.

“I’ll bring a group. Time to add Elizabeth. And that lazy bastard Eric’s coming too.”

His voice turned irritated. “That guy’s been avoiding me, but this time, I’m dragging him in myself.”

Noah actually liked Eric. The guy was simple. Quiet. Minded his own business.

And talented. His Shadow affinity was more than useful.

Suddenly, a thought struck him.

“Wait… Ester had Shadow Affinity at SS-rank too. That means I can share it if I want.”

Tempting. But…

“I’ll hold off. I don’t need it yet. I’ll do it when the time is right.”

With that, he closed his eyes.

Tomorrow would be another insane day.

But then again, every day was.

Morning.

Noah stood before the mission center, eyes scanning the board displaying dozens of quests. Each mission came with a rank, a time limit, and strict entry conditions.

He read through them carefully, until one caught his attention.

[Mission: Slay a Dragon Kin beast in the Forest of Darkness and bring back its corpse.]

Difficulty: A-Rank

Requirements: Second-year students or Top 20 of the first year.

Time Limit: None.

Noah nodded.

“Perfect. I’ll use this to explore the forest.”

He took the request slip and headed to the counter.

“Hello. I’d like to take this mission,” he said casually.

The receptionist, lost in thought, jumped at his voice.

“Yelp!”

She turned toward him—and her eyes widened like saucers.

“N-Noah? Noah Weaverheart?!”

It was nearly impossible to find someone on campus who didn’t know his name now.

He smiled calmly. “Yes, that’s me. Can you register the mission for me?”

“Y-Yes, of course!! Right away!”

She nearly dropped her pen in excitement, scrambling to get everything ready like she was meeting a celebrity.

Noah chuckled internally. After a month of this, he was used to it.

“Are you going solo? Or with a group?” she asked.

“With a group.”

“I’ll need their names and confirmation.”

Noah’s lips twitched. Eric and Elizabeth haven’t technically agreed yet… but they will.

“It’s Eric Shadowbounds and Elizabeth Lightcross. As for confirmation…”

He leaned in, voice low, smooth like honey.

“Can you overlook that just for me, pretty lady?”

BADUM—!

Her heart skipped. She stared at him, dazed. “Y-Yes! Anything for you…”

She eagerly began the process, only to be cut off by a chilling voice behind them—

“What are you doing here, my dearest best friend?”

Shudder.

Noah stiffened.

He turned slowly to find a girl with fiery orange hair and burning eyes smiling sweetly—and dangerously.

Yuki.

“Crap… I forgot about her.”

“I’m here to take a mission,” he muttered, coughing awkwardly.

Yuki’s smile brightened. “Wonderful! Let’s go together. We’re strong enough on our own. It’ll give us time to… bond. Away from certain bitches.”

Yuki now has truly changed from her calm and unbothered self.

Her gaze shifted to the counter girl, who immediately looked like she’d seen death.

Noah sighed. “Stop it, Yuki,” his voice firm.

She obeyed, but irritation still bubbled beneath her skin.

Turning to the receptionist, he added, “Put her on the list too.”

“Y-Yes!”

Yuki frowned. “We’re not going alone?”

“I have plans. I need both Elizabeth and Eric. So no, we’re not.”

Yuki didn’t argue further. She knew him too well. His mind was made up.

But that didn’t stop the silent, murderous thoughts brewing inside her.

They all want to steal my best friend. I’ll slice them all to pieces.

Noah sensed it immediately.

Goddamn psycho.

He stepped forward and hugged her gently.

Yuki froze—then melted into his arms.

“Don’t worry. We’ll have time together. Just… don’t do anything crazy, alright?”

She nodded softly. “Okay…”

Noah sighed again.

“The application’s done,” the receptionist said quickly, not looking anyone in the eye.

“Thanks,” Noah replied—and teleported out with Yuki before she could commit a felony.

“Let’s go meet the rest of the team.”

But even as he walked, a thought crossed his mind.

Elizabeth and Yuki… in the same group?

Two insane women.

Noah sighed again.

“…Fuck my life.”

—End of Chapter 60—

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Madara Web Novel