SWNOVELXO Chapter 12: Chapter 12 – "The First Discovery"
9:07 AM – Lingering Blood
Kyung-min clenched his injured arm, feeling the throbbing sting of the Bloodfang Hound's bite.
His sleeve was torn, the fabric soaked with blood. The wound wasn't deep, but it was enough to serve as an unwanted reminder—he was still fragile.
[HP: 91/110]
The temporary defensive boost from Ironclad Fortitude had reduced the second bite's damage. If he hadn't activated it in time, the injury could have been far worse.
Still, the skill was gone now.
[Death Echo Skill Used – Deleted from Archive.]
[Soul Slot Emptied (1/5 → 0/5)]
Kyung-min exhaled slowly, his fingers trembling slightly. No more second chances.
Ji-hye wiped the blood off her blade and gave him a passing glance. She hadn't forgotten what happened.
She wasn't suspicious—not yet. But she had noticed.
The last thing Kyung-min needed was attention.
So he did what he always did.
He said nothing.
9:14 AM – Something Strange
The others were already preparing to leave, stepping over the Bloodfang Hounds' corpses without giving them a second glance.
Kyung-min, however, hesitated.
There was something… off.
His perception stat had increased recently, and now that he was paying attention, something inside the dead hounds was emitting a faint, almost imperceptible glow.
He frowned. Was it an illusion?
No. It was coming from inside the body.
A flickering, golden ember—buried within the flesh.
Without thinking, he knelt beside the nearest corpse.
"What are you doing?" Do-yoon frowned, already adjusting his gear.
Kyung-min ignored him.
Instead, he retrieved his dagger and pressed it against the hound's chest.
Do-yoon's expression twisted in disgust. "Wait—don't tell me you're about to cut that thing open."
Ji-hye stopped mid-step, turning back with a raised brow. "Are you serious?"
Even Seok-hoon, who had been standing silently until now, glanced at him with mild annoyance.
Kyung-min didn't care.
His instincts told him something was there. Something valuable.
So, without hesitation—
He sliced into the corpse.
9:16 AM – The Discovery
The reaction was immediate.
"Fucking disgusting," Tae-sik muttered, taking a step back.
Do-yoon gagged. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Kyung-min ignored them.
His dagger tore through the beast's ribcage, peeling aside the muscle. A faint golden light shimmered beneath the gore.
There it was.
A small, crystal-like core, about the size of a marble.
Glowing faintly. Pulsing, like a heartbeat.
The moment his fingers touched it—
[System Notice – New Material Discovered!]
[You have acquired: Lesser Beast Core (E-Rank)]
Kyung-min's eyes widened. A system notification?
This was something real. Something the others had completely overlooked.
His grip tightened around the crystal, his mind already racing.
What is this? Energy? Currency? A crafting material?
He barely had time to process the information before—
[System Notice – First Discoverer Bonus!]
[New Achievement Unlocked: "Seeker of the Unknown"]
[A true survivor does not wait for others to teach them. You have uncovered the first hidden mechanic of the Apocalypse.]
🔹 Achievement Bonus Unlocked!
🔸 Lesser Beast Cores can now be converted into 5 MP or 3 HP upon use.
🔸 Future discoveries will yield additional system bonuses.
Kyung-min froze.
Not only was this a valuable resource, but he had gained a hidden benefit just by being the first to uncover it.
His heart pounded. This changes everything.
9:19 AM – The Convincing
Kyung-min turned, holding up the glowing core.
"What… is that?" Ji-hye narrowed her eyes.
The others looked at it with curiosity—but also skepticism.
Kyung-min wiped the blood off the core, watching as it continued to glow faintly.
"This," he said slowly, "is something none of us noticed before."
Do-yoon scoffed. "It's a rock."
Seok-hoon, however, was watching closely.
Ji-hye folded her arms. "And?"
Kyung-min met her gaze. "And I just got a system notification for discovering it."
That caught their attention.
The group fell silent.
Even Tae-sik, who had looked the most disgusted just moments ago, now had a look of consideration.
"If it triggered the system," Ji-hye said slowly, "then it must be important."
Seok-hoon stepped closer. "What did it say?"
Kyung-min chose his words carefully.
"It called this a Lesser Beast Core and recognized it as a material. That means it has a function."
Do-yoon still didn't look convinced. "So? What can you do with it?"
Kyung-min considered lying. Keeping his achievement bonus to himself.
But no—not yet.
Not when he was still seen as weak.
"I don't know yet," he admitted. "But if the system recognizes it, then it has value."
He held the core between his fingers, letting the glow reflect in their eyes.
"And if I found one," he continued, lowering his voice slightly, "then there are more."
Silence.
The shift in their expressions was almost instantaneous.
Tae-sik glanced at the remaining hound corpses.
Do-yoon hesitated. "Wait… if there are more…"
Seok-hoon's eyes gleamed slightly. "Then we've been throwing them away."
A beat of silence.
Then—without hesitation—
Seok-hoon strode forward, pulled out his dagger, and sliced into another corpse.
A moment later, he pulled a second Beast Core from the carcass.
The glow in his hands confirmed it.
Kyung-min had been right.
For the first time since the apocalypse began, he had contributed something the others couldn't.
And it wouldn't be forgotten.
9:27 AM – The Walk Back (With New Eyes on Him)
The group continued toward the safe zone, but something had changed.
Kyung-min could feel it.
The way Seok-hoon glanced at him occasionally.
The way Ji-hye lingered near him just a little longer.
They had mocked him moments ago.
Now, they were thinking.
This is how it starts.
The little moments. The shifts. The realization that someone they thought was useless… might not be.
Betrayal never comes all at once. It builds. It festers. It waits.
Kyung-min remained silent.
But inside, he knew—
This was the first step.