Chapter 0053: The Secret of the Time Hourglass!

Besides the six people Novak initially invited, many others had joined the group over the past two days. 

One of them was the King of Thunder, real name El Anouk, a native from the northern countryside. He came from a family with a rich heritage known as the Way to the Gods, and his S-rank talent, Thunder Clan, made him a formidable force.

While Anouk hadn't reached the level of the emperors in his previous life, he was among the strongest individuals beneath them. Novak had a close relationship with him in his past life and fully understood the terror of this man's power.

Novak even speculated that, when Anouk unleashed his Second Form: Thunder God, his strength rivaled that of the emperors themselves. 

But what shocked Novak the most was realizing that Anouk was also a forerunner! In his previous life, Novak had encountered him many times, and Anouk's Thunder and Lightning City, built in the freezing wastelands beyond the borders, was infamous. Yet Novak had never known he was a forerunner.

Then there was Crow, another individual of great significance in Novak's past life. Crow stood at the same level as Water Warden (Vince) and Overlord (AuRelius), or possibly even higher. Among the top-tier evolutionaries, if anyone had a chance to ascend to godhood, Crow was certainly one of them, possessing the SS-ranked talent Fear Incarnate. 

He was also called "The Fearmonger!"

Meanwhile, the oddly named Lightning Whip Successor was likely the Whiplash of the Skies, someone who wielded the powerful S-rank weapon: Magic Whip. Novak remembered this figure well from his previous life.

Then there was Zezelia, the notorious Puppet Master from his past. She excelled in controlling origami puppets and dolls, a master of her craft.

Even a figure who called himself [King of God] appeared in the group, and Novak knew that this person wasn't ordinary either.

Some of the group members were familiar to Novak from his previous life, while others were not as well-known. Nevertheless, their strength was not to be underestimated.

What caught Novak off guard the most, however, was the astonishing discovery he made while skimming through the chat records.

Among the members, there were several individuals with SS-ranked talents—people Novak knew well. 

For instance, there was Lotte, who possessed the Body of Yin Wood, and the low-key Truth Teller, who had the talent One With Nature, And, of course, there was Crow with his Fear Incarnate.

But what really stunned Novak was the presence of an SSS-ranked talent.

In his previous life, talents of this caliber were exceedingly rare. On planet Kepler, there were fewer than five people with SSS-ranked talents.

What a staggering concept!

Novak never imagined that the chat group he created on a whim—Group No. 001, meant to unite pioneers and elite evolutionists—would contain someone with an SSS-ranked talent.

He couldn't help but notice the member named Meimei, whose gender appeared to be female. Yet, no matter how hard Novak racked his brain, he couldn't recall anyone in his previous life with such a name or matching talent.

Shaking his head, Novak decided not to dwell on it. Eventually, he would interact with her in the group, and her identity would naturally come to light. After all, talent was deeply personal, revealing both strength and vulnerability. Asking directly would be improper.

Smiling faintly, Novak continued skimming the chat logs. Regardless of the individuals' past statuses, chatting in the group allowed them to form connections, even friendships.

However, Novak refrained from joining the conversation just yet.

The countdown to the apocalypse was nearing its end.

The cheerful banter in the group stood in stark contrast to the grim reality Novak knew was coming. The apocalypse was not something to look forward to lightly. It signaled the start of a new era—an era where blood and life would become the least valuable commodities.

With that grim thought, Novak turned his attention back to his attribute panel.

---

[Novak (Forerunner) (Zombie Hunter)] 

[Evolutionary Number: 001] 

[Talent: Virus King (SSS)] 

[Level: 3 (1000/5000)] 

[Strength: 65 (+3)] 

[Agility: 71 (+3)] 

[Constitution: 61 (+3)] 

[Spirit: 48 (+2)] 

[Charm: ? ? ? ] 

[Luck: ? ? ? ] 

[Gold: 6 gold coins, 35 silver coins, 6 copper coins] 

[Skill: Devour (Talent Skill)]

---

Thanks to the Black Light Virus, his attributes had surged once again, reaching an unimaginable level.

Novak flexed his hand, feeling the strength in his muscles and the speed coursing through his veins. At this moment, he couldn't help but wonder: if he were to face that mutant Roshan again, with the additional 7 points from the Zombie Claw, how long would it take to kill the creature?

Seconds. 

The power he now possessed far exceeded the comprehension of ordinary people.

The overwhelming sense of omnipotence that came with his newfound strength was intoxicating, but Novak quickly suppressed it. The apocalypse hadn't begun yet, and if he allowed his confidence to grow too unchecked, he feared he wouldn't survive the challenges ahead.

With that thought in mind, Novak's hand instinctively reached for the small hourglass hanging around his neck.

The Hourglass of Time was still there.

Inside it's cold frame, the sand—sparkling like powdered diamonds—seemed to flow endlessly.

As Novak's fingers brushed against the hourglass, he could hear soft, rhythmic ticking sounds.

"Tick... tock... tick... tock…"

The sound was clear, like the ticking of a clock, a reminder that time was of the utmost importance.

"Time..."

Novak's eyes filled with confusion. If his rebirth was truly tied to this hourglass, he couldn't even fathom what kind of artifact could possess such a world-altering effect.

Could this be an SSS-ranked legendary item?

Novak wasn't sure. His thoughts wandered to the SSS-level prop fragment he had come across before his death in his previous life. If that object had been fully functional, could it have granted similar power?

SSS-ranked talents were already rare, but SSS-level equipment and artifacts? Those were coveted even by gods themselves.

The mere thought of it was intriguing. 

Perhaps it had been a blessing in disguise. If his death had triggered the mysterious power of the hourglass and given him a second chance at life, then everything was truly worth it.

With a sudden burst of energy, Novak leapt to his feet and walked out the door, leaving the attic where he had lain for two long days.