Chapter 5 – The First Test
The slum never truly slept. Even when the majority of its residents retreated into crumbling homes or huddled around meager fires, shadows moved, shifting like whispers across the streets. Kairo stepped carefully along the cobblestones, his bare feet silent, body low, observing. Every footstep, every movement, was recorded, analyzed, and filed in the endless mental database that was now his world.
CIEL's voice, calm and emotionless, echoed softly in his mind.
[Morning Scan Complete. Potential Conflict Probability: 67%. Nearby Blessings Detected: Minor x3, High x1. Suggested Engagement: Optional, low-risk training.]
Kairo ignored the suggestion. Optional engagement was never a rule he followed. Learning required interaction, not passivity.
The first sign of trouble appeared as a shriek—sharp, high-pitched, carrying across the alleys. Kairo's head turned, scanning for source. A group of older slum boys—reckless, hungry, and emboldened by numbers—were cornering a young girl in tattered clothing. Her Blessing flickered weakly as she tried to ward them off: tiny sparks of light shimmered along her fingertips, a feeble display of minor elemental manipulation.
Kairo didn't hesitate.
He stepped forward, shadow stretching from his feet like ink spilled on water. The gang noticed him immediately.
"Hey! This isn't your business, brat!" the tallest sneered, stepping between Kairo and the girl. His Blessing—a minor ability to slightly accelerate reflexes—made him feel confident, but Kairo had already accounted for that.
He tilted his head, observing patterns of breathing, weight distribution, and microexpressions. His fingers flexed. Without a word, the shadow moved.
It was subtle at first, almost invisible. A shift in force, a tug at the leader's balance, enough to make him stumble slightly. The others reacted instinctively, preparing to strike, but Kairo had already read their intentions.
[Battle Simulation Engaged. Probability of Success: 94%. Suggested Action: Non-lethal Control.]
The shadow extended again, curling around the first boy's legs. He fell, scrambling, but the shadow released him just before he hit the ground. Kairo's movements were fluid, precise—no wasted energy, no emotional display.
"You're… cheating," the second boy spat, trying to swing his arm in a wide arc. Kairo sidestepped with perfect timing. Another shadow, thinner this time, coiled around the attacking arm, subtly redirecting the force toward an empty alley. The punch landed harmlessly.
The girl's eyes widened as Kairo's shadows danced across the ground, responding almost as if alive. "Who… who are you?" she whispered.
Kairo inclined his head, expression neutral. "Survive."
The gang hesitated. Confusion flickered in their eyes. No one had confronted them like this before—not with brute force, not with fear, and not with the control they couldn't comprehend. Kairo's presence was calm, almost unnerving, as if he existed one step ahead of time itself.
The tallest boy regained his footing and charged, relying on sheer aggression. Kairo allowed the collision. Shadows wrapped around both legs this time, using a combination of force manipulation and balance disruption to send the attacker sprawling. He barely moved a muscle.
[Copy Blessing Engaged. Ability Acquisition: Minor Blessing Detected – Reflex Acceleration. Temporary Integration: 12% Efficiency.]
Kairo felt it—a minor spark, a fragment of understanding. Not mastery, but recognition. He noted the exact mechanics in his mind: acceleration pattern, energy signature, strain on muscles.
The fight ended in moments. Not through power, but through control. The gang retreated, mumbling threats and confusion, leaving the girl blinking at Kairo.
"Thank you…" she stammered.
Kairo nodded once, turning back to his path. His mind raced faster than anyone could perceive. Each fight, each observation, was data. Each Blessing, each technique, a puzzle to analyze and integrate. He didn't feel joy, nor pride—just efficiency.
Later that day, he explored further into the slum's network, encountering minor skirmishes over territory, food, and Blessings. He observed a boy capable of summoning small beasts—more like spectral familiars—and another girl with the ability to create brief illusions. Each time, Kairo engaged lightly, testing limits, recording responses, and experimenting with early Combination Mechanics. Shadows responded instantly, adapting to each scenario, extending, splitting, and acting with independent thought within Kairo's parameters.
[Combination Analysis: Shadow Manipulation + Reflex Acquisition + Minor Illusion – Potential Synergy: 78%. Risk: Moderate mental strain if overused.]
By dusk, Kairo had mapped the slum's social and power structures. He identified potential allies, threats, and areas for resources. He also noted the minor Blessings of those around him—not to hoard power, but to anticipate and understand the patterns of survival.
When night fell, he returned to his corner, weary but alert. The streets quieted, save for the distant howls of scavengers and the faint crackle of fire. He allowed himself to stretch and relax, though not completely. Even here, even in the slums, observation never stopped.
CIEL's voice cut in, calm as always.
[Daily Assessment: Survival Efficiency – 6.3%. Shadow Manipulation Mastery – 3.7%. Minor Blessings Copied – 2. Recorded Social Dynamics – Complete. Mental Strain – Minimal. Optimal Rest: Recommended.]
Kairo remained silent. He wasn't tired. Not in the way the world would understand. Every thought was active, every sense alert. He planned, calculated, evolved.
Tomorrow, he would return. He would explore the outskirts, test the limits of his Copy and Evolve abilities further, and perhaps encounter others who could challenge him. The academy's towers loomed above the slums like titans of stone. One day, he would enter. One day, he would walk those halls.
But for now, he survived, adapted, and learned. And in the quiet of the slum, his shadows shifted imperceptibly around him, preparing for the challenges yet to come.
[Battle Simulation Update: Efficiency Gains – 4.5%. Combination Potential – Increased by 2%. Adaptive Replication: Fully Functional. Observation Log: Saved.]
Kairo leaned against the cold stone wall, expression unreadable.
The world was cruel. He was ready.