Chapter 4: Irritation
Ank was furious. His fists trembled at his sides, his nails digging into his palms so hard they nearly broke the skin. For the last hour, he had been exploring the strange "system" that had appeared after his revival, searching desperately for a clue, a hint, or at least something that could help him. But no matter what he touched, no matter which tab he tried to open, the result was always the same.
Everything was locked.
You cannot access.
You cannot access.
You cannot access.
The same pop-up kept appearing.
The words repeated like a curse, flashing in front of his eyes until his head started hurting because of the pain.
It showed that he needed to reach a certain level, but the problem was—what level was that supposed to be?
What level is "certain"?
Who designed this system?
Why is the system attached to my status?
And why is it attached to me of all people?
Those were the questions coming into his mind every time he saw the system.
He threw his hands into the air in frustration, pacing the wooden floor. His questions had no answers. His anger only grew.
Ank was lost in thought, wondering what he could do next, when suddenly the door opened.
An old man, wrinkled and thin yet still carrying a spark of vitality in his eyes, stepped inside. His white beard reached down to his chest, and though his back was slightly bent, his presence filled the room and something was different about him.
"Why are you shouting, boy?" the old man asked in a calm, steady tone.
Ank's irritation burst out immediately. "Who are you? And why are you questioning me?"
The old man narrowed his eyes. "Oh boy, have you already forgotten? I am the one who saved you. And now you treat me like this?"
Realizing his mistake, Ank quickly changed his tone.
"Sorry," he muttered.
The old man waved a wrinkled hand dismissively. "No problem. But at least tell me—why were you shouting like the world is ending?"
Before Ank could reply, the door opened again. This time, a girl entered. She looked no older than fourteen, with long red hair that shone like fire in the sunlight. Her skin was pale, and her sharp eyes narrowed the moment they landed on Ank.
"Grandpa, I already told you this isn't a good idea," she said coldly. "You shouldn't have brought a stranger into the house."
Her name was Maya Silvertone. Unlike her grandfather's calmness, Maya's face showed nothing but hostility. She crossed her arms and scowled, clearly displeased.
Ank felt the weight of her stare, and for a moment, he wanted to avoid her eyes, but he did not.
The old man sighed. "Maya, don't be rude."
"Rude?" she repeated sharply. "Grandpa, you and I live here alone. She and her grandfather lived alone, relying only on his pension. With Ank now staying here, our monthly expenses have increased," she said, her frustration evident.
"Grandpa, why did you bring someone as weak as him into the house? He's so weak that even a seven-year-old could kill him!" she complained.
Hearing this, Ank was shocked. I'm weaker than a child?
The old man noticed Ank's reaction and said, "Why are you so surprised? He's only fifteen years old. He still has time to grow stronger."
"Fifteen years old?" Ank muttered, stunned.
Maya smirked at his confusion. "Yes, you're fifteen. But honestly, you're weaker than a seven-year-old child. Even I could beat you in a fight without any effort."
Her teasing tone stung even more than her words. Ank clenched his fists, anger burning again—not at her, but at himself.
Desperate, he called out, "Status window—open!"
The familiar translucent screen appeared before his eyes.
[Status Window: Ank]
[Race: Fallen True God] (Locked)
[Title: ????? – The First Emperor of the Universe and more… ?????] (Sealed)
[Rank: ?????] (Sealed – 0.001% unsealed)
[Level: ?????] (Sealed – 0.001% unsealed)
[HP: ?????] (Life Force Burning – Temporarily halted, resumes after 2000 days)
[Energy: ?????] (Sealed – 0.001% unsealed)
[Magic: ?????] (All Elements Exist – Locked)
[Strength: ?????] (Sealed – 0.001% unsealed)
[Constitution: ?????] (Sealed – 0.001% unsealed)
[Stamina: ?????] (Sealed – 0.001% unsealed)
[Charisma: ?????] (Sealed – 0.01% unsealed)
[Intelligence: ?????] (Sealed – 0.01% unsealed)
[Skills: ?????] (Sealed)
[Spells: Basic spells only. Forbidden spells cost life.]
System Note:
To unlock Seals: Complete the tasks issued by the God of Creation, the God of Destruction, and the God of Protection.
To erase the Life-Burning effect: Complete a quest issued by the God of Protection.
To unlock Spells: Complete quests issued by the God of Creation.
To unlock Titles: Complete quests issued by the God of Destruction.
Quest: Not available [Accessible 30 days after Ank awakens].
A secondary window appeared—his current unsealed state:
[Status Window: Ank]
[Rank: Noob]
[Level: 1]
[HP: 10]
[Energy: 5]
[Strength: 5]
[Constitution: 1]
[Stamina: 1]
[Charisma: 1]
[Intelligence: 1]
[Skills: None]
[Spells: None]
System Note: This is your status after unsealing.
But something was missing. His age wasn't listed.
He quickly checked for his age, but it wasn't displayed.
"System, show me my age," he commanded in his mind.
The system responded with the same pop-up as before:
You cannot see your age.
You cannot see your age.
You cannot see your age.
After half a minute, the messages stopped.
Then a new message appeared:
By the grace of the God of Creation, you can now see your age.
The status window refreshed.
[Status Window: Ank]
[Age: 15]
[Rank: Noob]
[Level: 1]
[HP: 10]
[Energy: 5]
[Strength: 5]
[Constitution: 1]
[Stamina: 1]
[Charisma: 1]
[Intelligence: 1]
[Skills: None]
[Spells: None]
System Note:
Hello Ank. This is my gift to you.
Your uncle, the God of Destruction, and for your knowledge, I am the one who created this system for my revenge.
Destruction made you fifteen again due to your revival. Don't be tense. The God of Creation and I are watching you. We cannot help you directly, but we will guide you through quests.
And one more thing: Creation is very worried about you. She is searching for ways to help you. Tell her not to worry.
After reading the system note, Ank's frustration grew. He hated the God of Destruction and swore he would kill him one day. And one question came into his mind—why did he make me fifteen years old?
"That damn God of Destruction…" His voice shook with fury. "Always playing games with me. I swear, one day, I'll kill her."