Russell woke up with a lingering pain in his chest as he reflexively and repeatedly touched it, seemingly unaware of the environment he was in at the moment.
'...What happened??'
He looked around as he realized that he was lying on the sturdy ground of an ancient root, at least that's what it was because it could be mistaken for a branch due to its size.
After some time, as if a lightning strike hit his head and an imaginary bulb was born out of it, he started to recall what happened before he passed out.
'...So, "She" already left.'
He let out a sigh of relief as he thought that whatever happened had just passed, then he checked his functioning smartwatch that, for some reason, was protected by the mysterious barrier that the Goddess of Night had used on him.
'6:42 P.M.'
Russell remembered that he left for this journey in the morning just as the Sun showed itself through the horizon, and as of this moment, the Sun certainly burrowed itself, appearing on the other parts of the world.
"Just for how long I was passed out?"
He muttered, but his muttering seemed to reverberate inside this closed space. He took a few deep breaths until his composure returned to normal, and without the presence of the Goddess of Night, he managed to clear his mind.
"Ah sh*t, sh*t! The seed!?"
His eyes widened as he reflexively took a lotus sitting position from being slumped down on the sturdy ground, and randomly reached out for the location of the seed.
"...Did I–"
He was just about to mutter if he got tricked by the Goddess of Night for some unknown reason when he noticed that something slipped down from his left hand.
It's an almond-shaped seed with a size of 1 inch in length and half an inch in width. It's exuding a dark blue aura that represents the color of Chaos.
Russell then crouched down to pick up the seed. Although the Chaos Aura was something extremely dangerous when it came in contact with any being not related to Chaos, the seed on the ground was a different case based on his unpublished novel. The Chaos was within the seed itself, not on the outer shell, and when it's consumed, it has a high probability to be compatible with any being.
After heaving a sigh of relief, realizing that the Goddess of Night honored "Her" words and that he didn't get tricked unlike what he thought. He sat on the ground, and then he scrutinized the seed with his deep blue eyes as he held it between his right index finger and thumb.
A System notification entered his ears along with the holographic screen that appeared in front of him which contained the information about the seed he was currently holding.
...
[Seed of Chaos]
A seed that was swept by the power of Chaos in the ancient of ancient times to the Oldest Root of Yggdrasil, the foundation of the World Tree, which happened at the beginning of the creation of the world.
Rank: Ancient
Classification: Consumable
Effects:
– [Sealed]
– [Sealed]
– [Sealed]
– [Sealed]
– [Sealed]
...
Ding-!
Just as after he inspected the Seed of Chaos', another notification, which he didn't expect, sounded in his ears, prompting him to look and read it thoroughly.
...
[You have met the requirements to consume the "Seed of Chaos".]
– Requirements to be eligible for its consumption:
1. Night of Primordial Chaos' Champion
2. Symbol of Night
3. Profession: Summoner and Reaper
...
It was at this moment that Russell was reminded again of how trash his unpublished novel was, and how it was coming to bite him, being reincarnated in that very same novel.
The Seed of Chaos was an "Untouched Element" in which he wrote briefly but didn't get into detail.
"I didn't even know that it has requirements in this world...
"And what's the 'Symbol of Night'?"
He frowned in wonder, but he felt like he wanted to smack his head on the sturdy root of Yggdrasil.
Ding-!
The System, as if it knew what he wanted to know, sent another notification, which he read thoroughly just like the previous one.
...
[Symbol of Night]
It is the brand that has been carved into your heart by the Goddess of Night which contained underlying "mysteries".
Effects:
– Growth Rate increases by 2.5 times
– Willpower increases by 7
– Tenacity increased by 7
– Mana Regeneration increases by 200%
– Health Regeneration increases by 200%
– Stamina Regeneration increases by 200%
– [Sealed]
– [Sealed]
...
"Holy cow!"
He exclaimed as he reflexively stood up while realizing the great value, considering the effects, of the very unfamiliar "Symbol of Night".
There were uncountable variables that were unaccounted for.
"Whoo..."
He felt grateful inside for something that he unexpectedly received.
'...That writer must be a genius. I wonder who he is.'
He instantly retracted his claim about himself being a stupid writer who didn't even manage to publish his novel, and thought about himself from a different point of view to the point that he almost cackled.
"All that matters is I received more than what I hoped for."
He mumbled as he organized in his mind what happened earlier.
The appearance of a Primordial Goddess, the initiation of an unusual contract with unusual two conditions, and the mysterious Egg that's been handed to him to take care of. He also didn't anticipate that the Seed of Chaos would be in the Goddess of Night's possession.
"There's no use in deeply thinking about it."
He faintly said before he noticed the stream of System messages that he wasn't able to check.
"...Hmm, I probably received them when I passed out."
He easily came to such a conclusion as he started to browse and thoroughly read the numerous System messages.
...
[You have been branded by the Constellation, 'Night of Primordial Chaos'.]
[The Symbol of Night has been successfully carved into your heart.]
[The contract with the Constellation, 'Night of Primordial Chaos', has been completely formed.]
[You have gained the Unique Skill: Chaos Buff (EX).]
[You have gained the Trait: Nihility]
[You have been granted the Authority: Void of Chaos.]
[You have received the "Seed of Chaos".]
...
Russell's deep blue eyes almost popped out as he read through the System messages he received when he was unconscious.
He felt like he was dreaming as he began to absorb the meaning of the messages he read, and thought that they were too good to be reality.
But, as a writer of a certain unpublished novel, and being reincarnated inside of it, he knew very well that the rewards he unexpectedly received were very appropriate because they came from successfully forming a contract with a Constellation, and in his case, with a Primordial one at that.
Successfully forming a contract with a Constellation yields numerous unimaginable rewards, tangible or intangible, and the only thing that greatly differs was with whom a player has been contracted.
When it comes to Russell's case, he became the champion of a Constellation that had no interest in meddling in worlds' affairs, someone who even considered other Constellations as kids, and their war as children's fight.
"Sigh... I'm truly grateful."
He let out a sigh before muttering his gratefulness, but he couldn't help but thought that what had transpired on this day would certainly cause a great deviation from what he knew, the supposed-to-be original story.
But, deep down at the back of his head, the moment he reincarnated in this world similar to his unpublished novel, he was certain that it would be different in some ways, but he was not paying attention to such a thing which he considered trivial as he considered his previous life as unproductive and must be left behind to go forward in this life, and to survive the future he knew.
...
Slap-! Slap-!
Slapping his left cheek with his left hand, he washed away his unnecessary thoughts, then he looked at the Seed of Chaos being held in his right hand.
"I should probably consume this right now."
There was no better timing to consume the Seed of Chaos than at this moment as he wasn't sure what would happen if he consumed it outside of this place.
"Okay, here goes nothing..."
By meeting the three requirements which he hadn't anticipated, he put the Seed of Chaos in his right hand into his mouth and then gulped it down, which almost choked him.
...
[You have consumed the "Seed of Chaos".]
[The seed's aura is starting to seep within your body and soul.]
...
A dark blue aura started to emanate from his body as he remained standing.
"Oh... it's warm."
He was surprised by the warmth that the Seed of Chaos provided in his body.
'I thought it's gonna hurt like hell... again.'
He inwardly said, recalling the excruciating, unexpected pain he experienced through the carving of the mysterious Symbol of Night to his heart.
Ding-! Ding-!
Subsequent notifications sounded in his ears as he consumed the Seed of Chaos, snapping him out of his thoughts.
...
[The "Sealed Effects" of the Seed of Chaos will be unlocked.]
[Seed of Chaos]
Effects:
– [All Variable Stats increases by 15.]
– [You have unlocked a new stat: Chaos Power.]
– [Chaos Power increases by 20.]
– [You have gained the Trait: Under the Night.]
– [Your Growth Rate increases by 1.5 times.]
...
The "Sealed Effects" of the Seed of Chaos have been unlocked upon Russell's consumption of it.
Russell's face wore a shocked expression as his deep blue eyes dilated, no words escaped from his mouth that became agape as he stupidly stared at the stream of System messages.
And at that very moment, the Seed of Chaos, which Russell considered monstrous in his unpublished novel, started to manifest its effects.
He felt profound strength surging within him as he gradually digested the seed, raising his overall stats, except for Luck and Charm, all of a sudden.
Ding-!
"Okay, what's this now?"
'There's more!?'
He mumbled as he excitedly thought of another unexpected variable. With his excited emotions, he quickly, but thoroughly checked the System messages he received this time.
...
[Upon the complete and successful consumption of the Seed of Chaos, the two "Sealed Effects" of the Symbol of Night have been unlocked.]
[Symbol of Night]
Effects:
– Growth Rate increases by 2.5 times
– Willpower increases by 7
– Tenacity increased by 7
– Mana Regeneration increases by 200%
– Health Regeneration increases by 200%
– Stamina Regeneration increases by 200%
– Chaos Power Regeneration increases by 300% [previously sealed]
– You have gained the Skill: Chaos Consumption (EX) [previously sealed]
...
Russell earlier wondered how he would unlock something he didn't account for or had no idea about, but it seemed as though he was being favored at this moment that it unlocked itself by meeting the condition through his consumption of the Seed of Chaos.
Ding-! Ding-!
And without giving him the time to breathe and process what he had just read, another stream of notifications resounded in his ears.
...
[You have met the requirements for Profession Evolution!]
– Requirements
1. Complete and successful digestion of the Seed of Chaos.
2. "Fully Unsealed" Symbol of Night.
[Your professions: Summoner and Reaper are in total harmony.]
[Your professions: Summoner and Reaper will be merged into one.]
[You have become the "Mediator of Chaos"!]
[Your profession: Swordsman has been removed.]
[You have gained the Passive Skill: Weapon Mastery (S+)]
[All Variable Stats increases by 5.]
[Chaos Power increases by 10.]
[Your Summoner Skill: Summon Creature has evolved to a new skill: Alien Call]
...
With the numerous, unreal, dream-like content of the System messages, his mind turned blank, but when he read the last System message, he opened his mouth in astonishment.
"W-wh– A-alien w-what...? What the f*ck!?"