"Hello, boss… something bad has happened."
The observer's voice trembled as he spoke into the communicator, eyes locked onto the blood-stained monitors.
"The intruder is several times stronger and far trickier than anyone we've faced before. He has… abilities that shouldn't exist. All the guards are dead. I'm the only one left. He's coming for me now."
Silence followed.
Long enough to make his heart sink.
"I'm here," the voice finally replied, calm and heavy. "Don't panic. Try to stop him if you can. If not, run. Escape. Hide. Just don't die before I arrive."
"Yes, boss. Hurry, but please be careful. He has six daggers. He manipulates them like extensions of his hands, and his da—"
The line cut abruptly.
"…Okay," the observer swallowed. "Understood."
The call ended.
He wiped the sweat from his face and pulled up the camera feeds. The intruder was only a few corners away.
Staying here would turn him into prey trapped in a cage.
And caged prey always dies.
A free prey at least has a chance.
He remembered the guard's final moments, the swollen flesh, the blackened blood. Poison. That had to be it. There was no other explanation.
Curses were unheard of in this world.
That thought gave him a sliver of comfort.
Decision made, he quietly exited the security room, sealing the door behind him to make it look occupied, then ran.
Rey arrived at the security room moments later.
He didn't open the door.
Instead, he turned and continued down the corridor.
He wasn't guessing.
Aiden was guiding him, feeding him the observer's position with unsettling accuracy.
The observer felt it.
That certainty.
The moment he spotted Rey rounding a corner, casually spinning a dagger between his fingers, panic exploded in his chest.
"He knows," the man whispered and bolted.
Left turn. Right turn. Stairwell. Storage hall.
Everywhere he ran, Rey followed.
Not fast.
Not rushed.
Like a predator that already knew the hunt was over.
When his lungs began to burn, and his legs gave out, the observer stopped.
Running was pointless.
If he didn't die here, his boss would kill him anyway.
Time itself seemed to slow, dragging out his final moments.
"This is it," he muttered, pressing his back to a wall and raising his gun. "I live or die on this."
Footsteps approached.
A shadow crept into view.
The instant he saw Rey's boot, he fired.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
He emptied the magazine blindly, praying one bullet would land.
Click.
Silence.
He looked up.
The intruder wasn't there.
Cold pain exploded in his chest.
A dagger burst out through his heart.
Blood spilt from his mouth as the world tilted.
Rey pulled the blade free.
The observer collapsed, vision fading.
With the last of his strength, he looked past Rey.
And froze.
A grin slowly spread across his dying face.
Rey frowned and turned.
A man stood a few meters away.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Around his late thirties. His presence alone felt oppressive, anger radiating from him like heat.
Rey recognised him instantly.
The man from the photo.
The Director.
So he did arrive.
And because of one mistake, Rey was now facing him.
Not killing the observer immediately.
Enjoying the chase.
Regret hit him hard.
This man wasn't someone Rey could defeat.
Only escape.
"Guys," Rey muttered internally, "I'm leaving. I can't beat him."
Aiden scoffed. "Mid-Initiate rank, about to step into High. That's all. He's not enough to force a retreat."
Victor added calmly, "I've beaten stronger with less."
Zero's voice followed, sharp and arrogant. "Do you forget who we are? This opponent is nothing."
Rey grimaced. Easy to say when you're inside me.
Before he could respond, the Director stepped closer, eyes drifting to the dead observer.
"Hm. So the poison only works through that unique dagger of yours," the man said. "Good. That makes things simpler."
Rey instantly backed away, dropping into a defensive stance.
"Scared now?" the Director smiled coldly. "After slaughtering my people?"
A massive single-edged greatsword appeared in his hand as space rippled briefly around his finger. A spatial ring.
Without warning, he swung.
Rey rolled away as the blade crashed into the wall.
The entire section of the training room exploded apart.
The building shook.
"One strike," Rey thought grimly. "That wall was reinforced."
"Well now," the Director continued, amused, "for a mental cultivator, you're quite agile. Almost like a weapon master. Killing you would be a waste."
He raised his sword again.
"Join me. Work under us. I can give you things you couldn't dream of in this lifetime."
Rey said nothing.
Darius watched him closely, convinced now.
'Mental Cultivator.'
The rarest path.
On Blue Planet, cultivation was divided into three paths.
Weapon Masters, who relied on Qi, weapon arts, and equipment.
Elemental Adepts, blessed with elemental roots, are rare and powerful.
And Mental Cultivators.
Almost mythical.
Those with indigo or violet roots are capable of mind force, telekinesis, illusion, and suppression.
One in a million.
And Rey fit the description perfectly.
"Not talking?" Darius taunted. "Mute? Or just afraid?"
Rey answered with action.
Six daggers shot forward.
Darius deflected them effortlessly.
Rey recalled them and attacked again, forcing shallow cuts across Darius's arms and shoulder.
Darius avoided the unique dagger every time, cautious.
Rey withdrew the blades, letting them hover around him.
He feigned an attack.
Darius blocked instinctively.
Nothing came.
By the time he realised the trick, Rey was already running.
"You little coward!" Darius roared, giving chase.
He tore through the halls without restraint, walls shattering, pillars collapsing, driven by rage and ambition.
Rey's mind raced.
"Oi," he shouted internally, "help me or I'm getting caught."
Aiden's voice turned thoughtful. "Check your system. You've been killing nonstop. Something should be there."
Rey opened it mid-run.
Notifications flooded his vision.
⟪You have eliminated 33 Humans (Lv.12–21).⟫
⟪You have gained 8,250 EXP.⟫
⟪Sufficient EXP accumulated. Level up? (Yes/No)⟫
⟪Level Up ×3!⟫
⟪600 Unallocated Points acquired.⟫
⟪Relic-designated stats integrated.⟫
⟪Relic Control Increased⟫
➤ Manipulation: 0.0001% → 0.0003%
➤ Manifestation: 0.001% → 0.003%
➤ Authority: 0.0000000001% → 0.0000000003%
Rey blinked. "…Is it this low for everyone?"
"Yes," Aiden replied calmly. "Early growth is always like this. What matters is what comes later. Now open your status."
Behind him, the sound of destruction drew closer.
The hunt wasn't over.
It had only just begun.
Aiden could feel it immediately.
The moment the relic-adjusted stats settled into Rey's body, something fundamental changed.
Before Rey could even process it, a sharp pain tore through him.
Just for a second.
Then it vanished.
His thoughts snapped into focus, unnaturally clear. His muscles thrummed with contained power, and his body felt light, almost unreal, like gravity itself had loosened its grip.
Before he could test it, the system chimed again.
⟪System has detected a massive increase in the Host's stats.⟫
⟪System is attempting to stabilise the Host's body growth.⟫
⟪Ding! A unique pathway has been detected and formed: Threshold System.⟫
⟪Stats suppression has been applied to maintain Host's stability.⟫
⟪[Suppression Effect Applied: 50% Reduction on All Stats, Attributes, and Derived Stats.]⟫
⟪New System Tabs Have Been Formed And Added:
[Reserve Energy] [Mana Overload] [Potential Strength] [Arcane Potential] [Reinforcement Reserve]⟫
Rey's eyes widened as the explanations unfolded before him.
Power wasn't lost.
It was sealed.
Layered.
Stored.
Waiting.
[Reserve Energy → Stores the suppressed portion of the Host's stats, allowing it to release it temporarily during combat or critical moments. Stored as a layer beneath health, activating once the main source is depleted.]
[Mana Overload → Manages excess mana from suppression. Temporarily boosts MP and mana-based attacks. Activates after primary mana is exhausted.]
[Potential Strength → Compresses raw physical power into hidden potential. Can be released through combat triggers or techniques, creating sudden bursts of overwhelming force.]
[Arcane Potential → Stores suppressed magical output, allowing enhanced spell damage when conditions are met.]
[Reinforcement Reserve → Stores suppressed defensive attributes, forming a temporary invisible layer of durability around the body.]
Rey stared.
It felt less like a normal status system now.
More like a boss framework.
Multiple layers. Multiple fail-safes. Multiple phases.
As if the system itself had decided that a single life bar wasn't enough for him anymore.
He opened his status window instinctively.
───◈◈◈◈◈───
Name: Rey Shadowthrone
Age: 18
Race: Human (Fully Dark-Attributed)
Physique: Darkness Physique (Upgradable)
Titles: Self-Learner, The Psycho, The Killing Manic
Class: None
Subclass: None
Level: 3 [2250/3000]
Rank: 0th Rank
Core: Mana Core [F-] (Rank 0) {Not Formed}
Talent: None
Trait: None
Curse: Nirzveil's Covenant (Origin- Grade)
Laws: Death {.00003%}, Soul {.0000001%}, Darkness {.01306%}
Intent: None
[Attributes]
HP: 4,110 / 4,110 (Reserve Energy: +4,110)
MP: 3,750 / 3,750 (Mana Overload: +3,750)
Stats:
Strength (STR): 83/200 (F+) (↑270)
Agility (AGI): 93/200 (F+) (↑270)
Stamina (STA): 148/200 (F-) (↑330)
Intelligence (INT): 50/250 (E-) (↑435)
Vitality (VIT): 161/200 (F+) (↑360)
Endurance (END): 154/200 (F+) (↑345)
Luck (LUK): F- (Dependent on Core)
Free Stat Points: 600
Derived Stats:
Attack Power (ATK): 686 [(STR + AGI) * 2] (Potential Strength: +686)
Magical Power (MGL): 500 [INT * 2] (Arcane Potential: +500)
Defense (DEF): 489 [(END + STA * 1.5)] (Reinforcement Reserve: +489)
[Skills]
Active Skills:
Tier 0: Shadowmeld (D+) [↑], Umbral Dash (D+) [↑], Abyssal Burst (F+) [↑]
Passive Skills:
Tier 0: Darkforged Repair (C+), Phantom Stride (E+) [↑]
Resistance:
Tier 0: Heat Resistance (F)
Abilities:
Tier 0: DARKNESS (EX+)
───◈◈◈◈◈───
Rey swallowed.
Five new tabs.
Five hidden layers of power.
He clenched his fist and felt it.
Strength… but restrained.
Like a beast chained just beneath his skin.
"What the hell is this, Aiden?" Rey muttered. "I feel strong… but it's like half of it is hiding."
Aiden's voice carried a rare note of seriousness.
"The system adapted to save you. Your growth exceeded what your body could handle. So it created a threshold. A sealed state. Honestly, even I've never seen health bars layered like this."
Rey frowned.
"A threshold system?"
"Your mind probably forced it," Aiden continued. "Or maybe the relics pushed the system to evolve. Either way, this path is yours now. Unique. Dangerous."
Rey slowed his run slightly.
For a moment, he truly felt like he could turn and fight Darius.
Then his eyes drifted to the remaining stat points.
Raw. Untouched.
Tempting.
Aiden didn't need to say anything.
Just the silence was enough.
Rey understood.
His body had barely survived the previous surge. Forcing more right now could shatter him.
Victor had intervened earlier.
The system had intervened.
Next time, he might not be so lucky.
"These stats are enough," Aiden said calmly. "You can hold your ground."
Rey didn't answer.
He looked back.
Darius was still coming.
Blood streaked his armour from shallow cuts, his expression twisted with fury.
Then Darius stopped.
He planted his feet.
Lifted his greatsword above his head with both hands.
"Playtime's over, kid," he snarled. "Ready to die?"
Qi erupted.
"{Titan Cleave!}"
The blade flashed.
A crescent of compressed Qi tore through the air, ripping the hallway apart as it surged toward Rey.
Rey ran.
Harder than he ever had.
The corner was right there.
Too far.
The wave caught him.
Boom.
The world exploded.
Walls disintegrated. The floor cracked. Dust swallowed everything.
"Aaahhh—!"
Darius smiled as the shockwave settled.
He walked forward, slow and satisfied.
"What a waste," he muttered. "Such a rare cultivator. A gem crushed before it could shine."
He stepped into the dust cloud.
Blood stained the ruins.
But something felt… wrong.
The smile on his face slowly faded.
The dust shifted.
And from within it—
—nothing was certain anymore.