Given the event that just happened in the academy, something that feels like a matter of a bit long ago to him now, it is only normal that Novus is receiving a lot of gazes today, gazes that mostly hold gloating, some pity, while some just entertained as they stare at the newest hot topic within the academy grounds.

Still, having a greater problem at hand than the rumors of his "fall" spreading around the academy, the young man just ignored it all as he rushed the path towards his own dormitory room, intending to solve everything there so as not to cause a scene anywhere else.

’There are a lot of eyes in the academy, who knows what sort of things some people might do to me when they found out even just a small fraction of what landed on me...’ he thought to himself thinking about the absurdity that is the system that just appeared in front of him earlier today, the very same thing that awakened his talent, a process that is all too rare for the denizens of the world he is living in.

Arriving at the dormitory, the young man moves in an almost practiced motion, opening the door to his room, taking off his coat as he locks the door and hangs the coat in a rack near the entrance in a singular, swift motion, before heading towards his bed and sitting there, trying to figure everything out.

As he opens the system screen, he couldn’t help but laugh wryly, noticing that one of his hands is caressing his neck once again, almost as if comforting it from being severed from his body, despite him not really witnessing this happening at all.

’I thought I was immortal because of my talent, I even worried that I might never be able to get out of the Evolution Domain at all... forget about how I was ejected out of the Evolution Domain, how am I even killed in the first place???’

Filled with confusion with his current situation, Novus started questioning in his mind, the uncertainty beginning to build up, making thoughts of doubting the talent he acquired to start popping up in his mind, but the experiences within that place allows himself to maintain his calm, immediately thinking of the true limits of his talents.

’If it is not really immortality and just an extremely high level of regeneration, then how far does it go, what level of damage do I have to sustain before I really—’ and as if to save him from this dangerous spiraling train of thoughts, the familiar semi-transparent floating screen pops up in front of him, showing him the answer to the question he truly wants to solve.

[Severe structural collapse of bodily functions detected.]

[Detected debilitating damage that will render the system user’s existence within the Evolution Domain pointless. Forced ejection executed.]

[Bodily regeneration is currently in progress (1.47 %). Estimated Completion Time: 24 hours.]

[Access to the Evolution Domain currently denied.]

’Damaged bodily function? I am alright though?’ as if assuming that the system is replying to his words, the young man sends in a follow-up question, only to be met with nothing in reply.

There wasn’t even a single word, almost as if reminding him that there is no need for this seemingly all-powerful system to answer all of his questions.

Whether it is taunting him or guiding him, the young man doesn’t even know for now, but as if just maintaining silence doesn’t feel right to this system, this unknown existence, if one can even call it that, another screen appears as he closes the other ones.

[The system user’s level is not high enough.]

Reading this single line, Novus couldn’t help but clench his fist, feeling like there’s hardly anything that changed if there’s any at all, that being weak seems to be something that he will never be able to get rid of.

Still, different from the usual frustration that he is always feeling from being branded as a weak individual, there is a certain fire that starts burning brighter inside of him after reading that single line, a smile creeping up his face as he replies to the words in front of him.

’I’ll take those words of yours as a challenge and conquer that entire Evolution Domain whole...’ he said with the fire of competition apparent in his eyes, that same determination being doused to a manageable level as he recalls the terror of being killed without even knowing how.

’Well, let’s start with the Verdant Expanse for now,’ he added lastly as if to make his goal a little bit more achievable, his fist remaining clenched as he looked forward to when he could enter the Evolution Domain once again.

With his thoughts finally being settled as he quickly accepted that there are a lot of things stronger and more dangerous than him in the Evolution Domain, he finally starts sorting out the loot he had acquired during his time hunting Amber Slimes inside the domain, that satisfied expression on his face becoming more apparent as he finally opened the Storage Space previously inaccessible from within the Evolution Domain.

[Storage Space]

[F-Tier Evolution Crystal (527)]

[Slime Substrate (578)]

[Malleable Amber (41)]

Out of sheer curiosity, he just clicked one of the images showing the appearance of one of the items in his Storage Space, a rock-like piece in the shape of a diamond with vein-like structures running all around it, a bluish hue of light running along those veins, making it feel like this rock is alive.

[Evolution Crystal (F-Tier)]

[The condensed life-essence of a creature that absorbed the energies within the Evolution Domain. The tier of the crystal is completely dependent on the tier of the creature killed.

It can be used as a source of energy for improving Combat Prowess/Rating as well as tempering Growth-type talent.

There are multiple ways of consuming it, but direct ingestion or absorption is the most recommended way to do so.]

Reading through the possible use of Evolution Crystal, Novus couldn’t help but get excited as he felt like this should be the greatest harvest that he had within the Evolution Domain. He had a desire to immediately use it, but forced this desire down as he read through the other loot he acquired as well.

One of them is a group of small, fragmented pieces revolving around each other, mostly faintly amber in color while still maintaining its transparent property, appearing like a core to something, as for the other one, it is a complete one-to-one copy of the amber that the young man is familiar with, save for the description of this item.

[Slime Substrate (Amber Slime)]

[The heart and core of any slime is where they form their own existence.

Used as a reagent, catalyst, and base for several kinds of potions.]

[Note: Slime Substrates from different kinds of slimes can have varying effects for different potions.]

[Malleable Amber]

[A rare material dropped from an Amber Slime that has a high mastery of their fortification skill.

It can be used as a material for weapons and armors, as well as accessories if the craftsman using the material is skilled enough.]