Awakened Talent: 10,000 Exp Converter!

A sudden rustling sound behind him caught Vincent's attention.

Before he could activate his Heaven Eyes, a black figure lunged at him.

Reacting instinctively, Vincent sidestepped, causing the black figure to miss and crash into a nearby tree trunk. The impact made the tree tremble, dislodging several leaves that drifted to the ground.

The black figure became stuck on the trunk, letting out squeals as it struggled in vain to free itself.

Vincent recognized it instantly by its appearance

It was a Mad Horned Rabbit—twice the size of a normal rabbit and known for its aggressive nature. Although it was merely a Tier 1 (1-star) primal, it had somehow managed to hide its presence from him.

With a casual movement, Vincent grabbed the rabbit by its neck, snapped its horn, and stabbed it through the heart, killing it in a single strike.

Despite their excellent sneaking abilities, Mad Horned Rabbits were generally weak. Unlike in the Origin World, where creatures disappeared into particles of light upon death, this one remained intact.

Not wanting to leave blood that might attract others, Vincent carried the carcass to a nearby stream to wash it clean. Who knows how many more of them might be lurking around?

After amateurishly removing its pelt and cleaning it, he stored the rabbit in his storage ring. With that done, he exhaled calmly, feeling oddly relaxed—as if he were on a camping trip.

"I guess it's natural. Back on Earth, I never took a vacation...always juggling multiple jobs," he mused, smiling wryly at the memory of his old life.

Suddenly, a sharp presence appeared behind him, and he froze as something cold and metallic pressed against his neck.

It took him only a moment to realize who it was, and his initial shock faded into a frown.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Special Instructor," he muttered softly.

"Lesson number one: never let your guard down in any situation," Instructor Arthur said firmly.

Vincent remained still until Arthur withdrew the weapon. Once it was gone, he turned to face him with a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head.

"I apologize, Special Instructor. It won't happen again,"

Vincent said earnestly, though the truth was he had sensed Arthur's presence earlier. He had merely chosen to feign relaxation, curious about the instructor's intentions.

Despite this, he was inwardly impressed by Arthur's speed. Even with Heaven Eyes, he couldn't gauge his level—it could only mean one thing: Arthur was above Tier 3.

Unaware of Vincent's deception, Arthur maintained his usual stern expression and melodic tone.

"In real life, there's no 'next time.' No time-outs. Once you die, that's it," he said before pocketing the knife into a sheath strapped to his leg.

Arthur glanced at the tree where the Mad Horned Rabbit had been stuck earlier.

"You've awakened a C-rank Talent: Origin Power Enhancement, haven't you?" he asked.

Vincent nodded.

"Tell me—how do you usually use your talent? What effects does it have, and are there any side effects?"

Though puzzled by the question, Vincent respectfully replied, "I usually use it in battle to increase my strength or speed by 30%. As for side effects, I haven't noticed any yet."

"It just means you haven't faced a deadly situation," Arthur said bluntly.

"It's good to know your limits and avoid fighting stronger opponents. But that mindset has its consequences," he continued.

"What would you do if you encountered someone vastly stronger than yourself? If you exhausted all your methods to flee, what then?"

Vincent was at a loss for words. Arthur's point hit home—his cautious mindset often kept him in his comfort zone.

Noticing Vincent's silence, Arthur stepped closer and swiftly tapped his shoulders, forehead, and abdomen in quick succession.

Suddenly, Vincent felt as though he had returned to Earth's gravity—his body felt much heavier.

He quickly realized that his origin energy was no longer accessible.

"He blocked my origin energy!" Vincent thought, stunned.

Arthur confirmed his suspicion. "I sealed your origin energy at its core."

Vincent didn't protest. He understood the purpose behind the action.

"It's for training," he thought—Arthur voiced the same sentiment aloud, to which Vincent simply nodded.

"From now until sunset, I want you to bring me 1,000 Mad Horned Rabbits. You're not allowed to use potions to recover health or stamina," Arthur declared.

Vincent was about to nod when Arthur added, "And you must bring them alive."

"What?! I'm already not allowed to use origin energy, potions, or even items from my storage ring. Now he expects me to bring them alive?" Vincent thought incredulously.

"And in exchange," Arthur continued, "I'll let you use your talent."

Wait—use his talent without origin energy? But his talent enhanced origin energy usage. What did Arthur mean?

Though confused, Vincent had no choice but to agree.

"If you bring even one less than 1,000 rabbits, you'll fail. As for the punishment..." Arthur trailed off, refusing to elaborate.

Grinding his teeth, Vincent rushed into the forest, grabbing thick vines and a sturdy stick along the way to prepare for capturing the rabbits.

After some time, he encountered his first two targets.

Hiding behind a bush, he observed the rabbits hopping around and grazing.

"This would be so much easier if I could use stealth," he thought, though he quickly dismissed the notion.

Finally, he burst out of the bush, grabbing the nearest rabbit by its horn. It tried to flee, but Vincent, with strength five times that of a normal human, quickly subdued it.

He snapped its horn, tied its limbs, and secured it to his stick using the vines. The rabbit squealed in agony.

"Alive doesn't mean unharmed," Vincent muttered with a smirk before turning his attention to the second rabbit, which now stood alert, its ears upright.

Instead of fleeing, it squealed ferociously and lunged at him. Vincent swatted it aside, sending it rolling across the ground.

Injured and limping, the rabbit hesitated before eventually fleeing.

"Run back to your nest," Vincent thought as he silently followed it deeper into the forest.