Power flows where blood once spilled. In the ruins of his old life, Kael chooses a path that defies expectations.
Awakening in Blood
Kael opened his eyes to a red blur. Silence filled the room, broken only by the sound of hurried breathing above him.
"Kael!"
Liam was already holding him tight, tears carving tracks through the grime on his cheeks.
"Calm down... I'm okay," Kael whispered. His voice was so raspy he barely recognized it.
On Liam's shoulder, the tiny black-and-red dragon watched them. Rhaziel's onyx eyes shone with a satisfied glint.
"You're doing great, aren't you?" Rhaziel asked, his tone bordering on mockery.
Kael moved one arm, then the other. He felt a newfound vigor surging through his veins. Every movement felt natural and fluid. His entire being seemed to breathe power.
"Yeah... better than before."
"Perfect," Rhaziel replied with a yawn. "The impurities are going to come out now."
"Wait! The what?"
The answer came on its own. A black vapor began to seep from his skin. It was oily and heavy, filling the air with the stench of rot.
Liam coughed, suffocating from the smell. "The window!"
He ran to the casement and threw it wide open. The foul smoke evaporated into the cold night of Sector F.
The Mark of the Pact
When the air finally cleared, Kael peeled away his clothes. They were stiff with dried blood. Liam let out a sharp gasp.
His brother looked different. Kael's skin had turned a pallid, almost lunar white. But the most striking change was the black mark. It adorned the left side of his chest, crawling up his neck and covering his entire left shoulder. It was a shifting weave of runes and scales.
"What is that tattoo?" Liam asked, fascinated.
Kael brushed his fingers against the mark. It emitted a subtle heat that pulsed in time with his heartbeat.
Rhaziel stretched his tiny limbs. "The seal of our pact." He flapped his small wings. "Activate the system."
Kael swallowed hard. "Right... Activate System."
The Awakening of Power
Blue light flickered before him. Golden letters danced in the air.
WELCOME, HEIR.
Kael smiled despite himself. "It's... beautiful."
Liam looked around, confused. "Where? I don't see anything..."
"Put your hand on me," Rhaziel said without looking up.
Liam obeyed—and his world changed. His eyes widened. "Wow! It's a real menu!"
The screen expanded, displaying three icons: SKILLS, INVENTORY, and CLASSES. They stared at each other, a mix of curiosity and wonder on their faces.
Skill Selection
Kael tapped SKILLS. Thousands of names appeared, scrolling past like a rain of stars.
"Look at that one! [Fireball]!" Liam shouted. "That's so cool!"
"No. Too flashy."
"How about [Mastery of the Infinite] then?"
"Level 100 required," Kael noted. "Maybe another time."
He moved slowly down the list, guided by his instinct. Suddenly, one option caught his eye:
WEAPON MASTERY (Lv. 1) Allows the user to handle any weapon with progressive efficiency.
"This one."
Liam made a face. "Not very impressive."
Kael confirmed the choice.
[SKILL ACQUIRED: WEAPON MASTERY]
Then he chose the next ones:
SHADOW STEP (Lv. 1) Teleport between two nearby areas of shadow.
And more:
ASSASSIN'S SENSE (Lv. 1) ASSASSIN'S STEALTH (Lv. 1)
A dark, fluid aura formed around him.
"Cool," Liam whispered, feeling both amused and worried. "But seriously, you could have picked something that breathes fire."
The Choice of Class
The final panel appeared: CLASSES. The words scrolled through golden glimmers: Mage, Necromancer, Paladin, Elementalist...
Liam was practically jumping with excitement. "Pick Paladin! Or Magic Swordsman!"
But Kael scanned the list in silence.
"I want to be able to heal," he murmured.
The sentence made Liam freeze. He looked down, overcome with shame. Kael stopped on one specific name.
HEALER.
He pressed the icon.
[YOU HAVE CHOSEN A CLASS: HEALER]
The interface reconfigured itself instantly.
NAME: Kael Morse
CLASS: Healer
LEVEL: 1
STATISTICS: * Strength: 10
• Dexterity: 10
• Constitution: 15
• Perception: 10
SKILLS: * Weapon Mastery (Lv. 1)
• Shadow Step (Lv. 1)
• Assassin's Sense (Lv. 1)
• Assassin's Stealth (Lv. 1)
• Art of Healing (Lv. 1)
EQUIPMENT: Longsword – Rank E
Liam threw his arms up. "It's just like an RPG! The more you level up, the stronger you get!"
Rhaziel was already asleep, a tiny black ball of purring scales. Kael looked at the dragon, then at his brother. A new warmth filled his eyes.
My weakness is a thing of the past.
He closed the interface and took a deep breath. The air felt different now.
"Show me how all this works," he said to Liam.
The younger brother smiled proudly. "Okay. Look, in games, there are three main things: quests, experience, and loot..."
In the small apartment still heavy with mana, the blue light of the interface illuminated two resolute faces. One dreamed of becoming strong. The other dreamed of never being alone again.
The era of Kael Morse, the weakest hunter, had ended. The era of the Heir to an unknown power had begun.