System vs Rebirth

Noel gradually opened his eyes. He had finally returned to reality.

Since he had just gotten something from his spirits, the excitement still hadn't left his body. He couldn't help but rise from his bed, wanting to try this new power.

Although he looked unaffected by the side effect, his calm and collected expression looked a bit colder as though he was aloof in this world.

He raised his hand, pointing at the table.

'Back then, I could only freeze the thing I touched. But right now…' Noel fell silent. He noticed a new feeling on his skin.

The chilling wind, the coldness of the night, and even the current temperature… he felt them like they were a part of his body.

'So, this is how the spirit feels… Maybe I would be able to reach this point after long training, but right now, I've skipped that phase and gained this power instantly.

'It seems that the way we perceive this world is different from the Spirit. The coldness, the temperature…'

While he was thinking about it, the wooden table started to freeze. It gradually spread to the entire surface, covering it with a thin layer of ice.

He actually managed to do it without even touching the table. After confirming that power, the system appeared.

[Congratulations on building a Spirit Link.]

[Ice Control has been upgraded into Frost Control.]

[Spirit Link has been established.]

[You've acquired Ice Aura.]

[You've acquired Ice Mirror.]

[You've acquired Ice Vortex.]

"This is…" Noel closed his eyes as new knowledge came into his head.

Skill: Ice Aura (1/3)

Requirement: 10 SP

Skill: Ice Mirror (1/5)

Requirement: 15 SP

Skill: Ice Vortex (1/3)

Requirement: 30 SP

"…" Noel was surprised to see these three skills. It was a powerful skill.

There was one skill that didn't use a lot of Spiritual Energy and wouldn't bother the people around him, so he tried using it to check his ability.

Ice Aura.

Suddenly, blue-colored Spiritual Energy came out of his body, hovering around as if they were forming a layer of protection around him.

According to the knowledge, this Ice Aura was similar to his armor. Anything that touched this aura would be frozen by the Ice Aura. Unless they were strong or fast enough to bypass the freeze, they wouldn't be able to touch him.

If he combined it with his Demon Tree Armor, he should be able to block a lot of attacks from a Spirit Master.

As for the other two skills, they were even more powerful than this Ice Aura.

Ice Mirror could be considered an offensive and defensive skill simultaneously. If he formed the ice shield, he could use the Spiritual Energy in it to let the mirror shoot out ice energy that could freeze everything it touched. If he didn't utilize the energy inside the mirror, he could turn it into a shield.

Last but not least, the Ice Vortex. This vortex was more powerful than the Freezing Crystal. If he used it at the right time, it should be able to kill a Spirit Master. Though, it also required a lot of Spiritual Energy, so he shouldn't use it easily.

"I have gained a lot of things from this trip," Noel muttered, thinking of the next meeting. He wanted to know about the power of a Spirit Magician along with the utilization of Spiritual Energy. It was a bit important to him since he had just formed the Spirit Link.

He was sure that no one in this world except for a few people knew about the Spirit Link. So, he would try to pique the other party's interest with some hints, turning the guide into an ally. This way, he would have two spies within the academy.

With that thought in mind,  Noel continued working on his new control. It never ceased to amuse him whenever he used his Ice this time.

Although he couldn't utilize this power freely since he wasn't 'Noel' right now, it was enough to be a trump card. If he fought against the same Spirit Master that he managed to kill by himself, he should be able to kill that person without risking his life anymore.

Rose was confused when she met him in the morning. After all, Noel looked tired and there was even a black bag underneath his eyes as if he hadn't rested for a few days.

It seemed his excitement had drained almost all his Spiritual Energy, so he asked Rose to protect him while he recovered his Spiritual Energy.

Of course, he still went into the meeting to know more about the Spirits, despite learning a lot from Ardagan.

He knew what he had to do now. He might not be as talented as Anna or his ancestors, but by no means he accepted that condition and remained weak.

He would use every opportunity to get stronger until he surpassed his ancestor. At that time, he should be able to solve the problem with the Third Prince and the Royal Family.

And he would spend the rest of his life striving forward, planning to liberate the world from the demons.

Rose and Noel were standing in front of the inn as they prepared to head to the academy.

But Rose seemed to find something different from Noel.

"Hmm? Did something happen last night? It seemed that you were training a lot, but I think there is something different from you." Rose furrowed her eyebrows, assessing Noel.

Noel made a gentle smile, assuring Rose. It seemed that Rose's powerful senses managed to see through the change. But luckily, even with her senses, she was still not sure. It meant other people wouldn't be able to recognize it.

"Nothing. I'm completely fine. In fact, I feel a bit excited… I just learned yesterday that my journey is far too small." Noel smirked, teasing Rose. "You should be prepared, Rose. The lord you serve right now is bigger than you can possibly imagine. You might regret following me."

"Haha, is that a challenge? Then, we'll see whether I will regret it or not." Rose chuckled as the two started walking to the academy.