There was nothing extraordinary, no grand ambition or defining trait to anchor his identity. Just... ordinariness.

  The sigil pulsed brighter, the white light growing so intense it felt as though it would consume him.

  Then, abruptly, it faltered. Cracks began forming across the sigil's intricate design, the edges curling and blackening as if consumed by fire.

  A sudden jolt tore through Noah, a raw, biting pain that sank deep into his very soul. It was as though something had latched onto him, rupturing his very soul.

  "No!" Noah choked, clutching his chest as agony wracked his body.

  The sigil flickered one last time before disintegrating entirely, burning into ash and leaving only charred, raw skin in its place.

  A heavy silence followed, broken only by his ragged breaths. He stared down at his chest, where the sigil had once been.

  Now, there was nothing—no mark, no sign of the awakening. He felt... hollow, an absence in his very being. A void he couldn't describe.

  He was Classless.

  "No… this can't be it," he coughed out, his voice shaking. The surge of power he had felt moments ago was gone, replaced by an ache that went beyond physical pain.

  His hands trembled as despair clawed at his mind. He could feel it—the absence, the damage. A part of his soul was missing, taken by something he couldn't fully understand.

  But then, deep within him, something stirred.

  A faint, rhythmic thrum echoed through his mind, like the beat of a distant drum.

  It was faint at first like a whisper carried on the wind, but it grew louder, stronger, until it filled his mind completely. The pain in his chest dulled, replaced by a warmth spreading through his core.

  A voice—cold, mechanical, and absolute—spoke directly into his mind.

  [System initializing... Synchronizing with host's soul orientation and injured soul...]

  Noah's eyes widened as the warmth intensified, centering deep within his soul. The voice continued, emotionless but that voice filled Noah's heart with hope.

  [Host's Soul detected as partially absorbed. Critical injury identified. Conventional Class Awakening impossible. System activation compensating…]

  Before he could react, a translucent interface flickered into view before his eyes, its azure-white glow reflecting the same mist that had surrounded the sigil.

  Symbols and text scrolled rapidly across the screen, too fast for him to comprehend.

  [System fully integrated. War Sovereign System activation complete. Welcome, Host.]

  Noah blinked, his mind struggling to process the events unfolding before him. He instinctively reached out, his hand passing through the glowing screen as if it were made of air.

  "What… what is this?" he muttered mindlessly as the injuries on his body seemed to slow his mind.

  The system responded, its tone cold yet oddly reassuring.

  [Your injured soul has been partially absorbed to awaken the War Sovereign System. As a result, you cannot form a conventional class. This system is designed to compensate for your injured soul, granting you the authority to adapt, evolve, and command. You are no longer bound by the constraints of conventional classes. You are Sovereign.]

  Noah sat up slowly, his body still aching from the aftermath. His mind raced, trying to comprehend what the system had just said.

  "My soul… injured?" he whispered, his hand clutching his chest. He could feel it now—the hollowness, the fractured state of his essence.

  The system hadn't just awakened—it had bonded with his Soul Essence. And because of that, he couldn't awaken a class like everyone else.

  The interface shifted, displaying a simple menu with several options:

  [Status]

  [Skills]

  [Authority]

  [Inventory]

  [Points]

  He hesitated, then looked at the [Status] option to open it. A new screen appeared, displaying his current stats.

  [Name: Noah Starfall]

  [Title: Classless]

  [Grade: E]

  [Class: None (Classless)]

  [Soul Energy: 11 / 1,000]

  [Species: Human]

  [Strength: 10]

  [Agility: 10]

  [Endurance: 10]

  [Energy: 10]

  [Intelligence: 10]

  [Special Note: Due to the host being Classless, all stats have been divided equally. The current stats are equal to a Common Grade Class.]

  He stared at the screen, his gaze lingering on the word Classless. It wasn't just a label—it was a stark reminder of what he had lost. Yet, beneath the despair, a flicker of hope stirred within him.

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  "Classless… Sovereign…" Noah whispered, the words tasting strange yet encouraging. He closed the interface, turning his gaze to his unconscious teammates.

  Their chests rose and fell steadily, the Soul Energy clearly having healed some of their wounds. They had all fought bravely, but without him, they wouldn't have survived.

  Noah's hands clenched into fists. 'Fuck, I nearly died to this stupid beast. I need to get stronger, faster, to survive here.'

  His gaze fell back on the system screen. 'I will explore later what I can do with it. But it seems like my cheat isn't any minor ability, huh.' His face formed a tired yet excited smile.

  He pushed himself to his feet, his muscles aching and his body screaming for rest. He turned his gaze to the massive corpse of the bear-like beast, its rocky scales gleaming in the dim forest light.

  The creature's blood pooled around it, seeping into the ground.

  He glanced at his unconscious teammates, their injured bodies lying all over the forest floor. Victor's shield was in pieces, Leah's bow broken, and Daniel's knives scattered across the ground. Emma's quiver was empty, and her arrows were spent in a desperate attempt to protect the group.

  Noah exhaled a long breath. He knew he couldn't leave the others here for long. The smell of blood would undoubtedly attract other predators, and they were in no condition to fight.

  He crouched beside Victor first, carefully lifting him onto his shoulder. Despite his thin build, Noah found unexpected strength coursing through his limbs, perhaps due to his enhanced grade.

  One by one, he dragged or carried each of his teammates to a safer location—a small clearing about a hundred meters away, hidden between thick trees with decent cover.

  Breathing heavily, he laid Leah down last, using a piece of cloth from his tattered sleeve to cushion her head. He checked each of them quickly. They were bruised and injured, but their breathing was steady. The Soul Energy had done enough to stabilize them for now.

  Noah glanced back toward the direction of the beast's body, the distant outline of its massive form barely visible through the trees.

  His heart pounded as he considered his next move. The beast's carcass was a treasure trove of resources—its scales, talons, and even its blood could be invaluable. Leaving it behind was not an option.

  "I need to move fast," Noah muttered to himself. He picked up his longsword, still stained with the beast's blood, and turned to his unconscious teammates. "Stay safe… I'll be back."

  With one last look, he sprinted back toward the beast's corpse with light steps.

  The eerie silence of the forest pressed down on him, and every snap of a branch or rustle of leaves set his nerves on edge. He tightened his grip on the sword, ready for any surprise.

  When he reached the beast, he paused, taking in its sheer size. Up close, it was even more imposing. Its rocky scales seemed almost impenetrable, and its claws gleamed like polished obsidian.

  He knelt beside it, running his fingers over its hide. The texture was rough and hard, like chiseled stone.

  "I don't have much time," Noah whispered, glancing around the forest for any signs of approaching danger. He unsheathed a small knife he'd taken from Daniel's stash and began his work.

  Noah started with the beast's scales, prying them off one by one. It was slow, grueling work.

  The knife barely made a dent at first, but after targeting the joints between the scales, he managed to remove a few. Each scale was heavy and thick, a perfect material for crafting armor or shields.

  He piled them into a makeshift sack made from a torn piece of his shirt, as the other beast's sack had been destroyed by the bear.

  Moving to the talons, he used the knife to sever the tendons holding them in place. The claws were as sharp as they looked, cutting through even the tough bark of nearby trees with ease. He wrapped them carefully, knowing their value for weapons or trade.

  The beast's blood pooled in a large cavity beneath its body. Noah used a small, broken flask he'd scavenged from Leah's gear to collect the dark, viscous liquid. The blood had an odd, faint glow, and he suspected it held some unique properties.

  Finally, he carved out chunks of the beast's flesh, selecting portions from areas less affected by the battle. The meat was dense and tough, but it would serve as valuable food for the group.

  The process was exhausting, and by the time Noah had finished, his arms felt like lead.

  He stood, wiping sweat from his brow, his gaze flickering to the pile of resources he'd gathered. It wasn't everything the beast had to offer, but it was all he could carry for now.

  As he looked at the corpse one last time, he felt a pang of regret. The creature had been a formidable beast, and its death was a testament to their struggle. Yet, in this brutal world, survival demanded pragmatism.

  Noah tied the makeshift sack securely and slung it over his shoulder. The weight of the sack pressed down on him, but he grit his teeth and began to walk back to the clearing where his teammates rested.

  …

  Noah pushed through the thick grass, his muscles aching as the weight of the sack and the tension of the battle weighed on him.

  The clearing came into view, and he spotted movement. Daniel was stirring, his eyes fluttering open as he pushed himself into a sitting position.

  His gaze darted around the clearing until it landed on Noah, who was trudging toward him with the sack of beast parts slung over his shoulder.

  Daniel blinked, his face a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "Noah?" His voice was hoarse. "You… you're alive? We're alive?"

  Noah set the sack down gently and crouched beside him. "Yeah, we made it." His voice was calm, but the exhaustion was clear in his eyes.

  Daniel ran a hand through his disheveled hair, letting out a shaky laugh. "I can't believe it. That thing—it was… it was like a nightmare. How did you…?" He paused, his gaze shifting to the sack. "Wait, you went back for the beast?"

  Noah gave a faint smile. "It was too valuable to leave behind. We'll need everything we can get to survive out here."

  Daniel shook his head in disbelief. "You crazy bastard. How insane are you? But… thank you. Seriously." His voice broke, gratitude replacing his usual cocky tone. "If it weren't for you, we'd all be dead."

  Noah shrugged, trying to downplay the praise. "We're a team. I wasn't about to leave anyone behind."

  Daniel smirked weakly. "Team, huh? I guess we owe you big time." He pushed himself to his feet with a wince, his body still battered from the fight. "So, what's the plan now?"

  Noah glanced at their unconscious teammates. "We need to get back to camp before anything else shows up. Can you carry Victor?"

  Daniel nodded, rolling his shoulders despite the pain. "Yeah, I can manage."

  Noah moved toward Leah and Emma. He carefully lifted Emma first, cradling her in a princess carry. Her head lolled against his chest, her breathing steady but shallow.

  He adjusted her body before kneeling to check on Leah. With some effort, he shifted Leah onto his back, using strips of cloth to secure her in place.

  The sack of beast parts hung at his waist, swaying slightly as he stood.

  Daniel watched him, a mixture of admiration and amusement in his eyes. "Carrying two women and a bag of loot? You're really going all out, aren't you?"

  Noah rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a small grin. "Just focus on carrying Victor. We don't have time to waste."

  Daniel chuckled, bending down to hoist Victor onto his back. "Got it, boss."

  The two of them began to walk back through the forest slowly, the weight of their teammates making every step heavier than the last.

  The eerie silence persisted, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the occasional heavy breath of the two of them.

  As they walked, Daniel glanced at Noah. "So, about that beast… how the hell did you take it down? I thought we were done for."