The cold wind standing at the mouth of the cave had now grown heavy. As Kyle stepped outside, the faint sunlight pierced his eyes—but his body was no longer the same as before. An unfamiliar energy pulsed through the muscles of his legs.
Then, a familiar, hate-filled laughter tore through the silence.
"Oh look! Our 'Soulless' trash isn't dead yet? I thought you would've turned into dust inside those ruins by now."
Orion stood there, with his three loyal lackeys behind him, their faces twisted in ugly grins. One of them spat on the ground and sneered, "Maybe he hid inside like a rat. What happened, Kyle? Didn't wet your pants out of fear, did you?" Their laughter echoed through the area.
Kyle said nothing. With lowered eyes, he quietly tried to walk past them. Orion couldn't tolerate that. He was used to seeing Kyle tremble—used to seeing him beg.
"Trying to avoid my eyes and run?" Orion swiftly blocked his path and slammed his heavy hand onto Kyle's shoulder. The sharp stench of sweat and cheap liquor from Orion's body irritated Kyle's newly heightened senses even more.
As Orion pushed him backward, Kyle's hand shot up with lightning speed. In the next moment, the entire atmosphere seemed to freeze. Kyle had caught Orion's wrist mid-air.
Surprise flashed in Orion's eyes—then mockery—then… deep fear.
Inside Kyle's body, purple lightning surged through his veins. This was the effect of STR +5, turning his bones into steel. Draken's voice echoed in his mind like a hungry wolf, "Uff… his wrist is so soft, Kyle. Just a little pressure… and his bones will shatter like dry leaves. Kill him. The sound of his screams would be delightful."
Kyle tightened his grip.
Crack.
A faint but clear sound echoed. The bones in Orion's wrist ground against each other. Orion's proud face began turning pale blue with pain.
"Aahhh! L-let go! Bastard, my hand is breaking!" Orion screamed, his voice no longer that of a strong warrior—but of a frightened animal.
Kyle looked into his eyes. For the first time, Orion saw that violet glow in Kyle's gaze—something not human. Draken's temptation pressed harder against his mind. "Look at him… begging. Just one jerk and his wrist will be useless forever. Do it, Kyle. Finish him."
Kyle's hand trembled. Draken's power urged him toward violence. But Kyle gritted his teeth and restrained himself. With a sharp shove, he threw Orion backward. Orion lost his balance and crashed into his own companions. All four of them fell into the mud in a heap.
"After today," Kyle's voice was low, but carried a deathly chill, "don't block my path again. Next time, the sound of your bones cracking will be louder than your friends' laughter."
Orion's companions, who had mocked him moments ago, now stood frozen like stone. They had never imagined that the boy they had bullied for years could hide such terrifying strength. Without looking back, Kyle walked toward the depths of the forest, leaving Orion groaning in pain and humiliation behind him.
Draken muttered, "You are too soft, little one… too soft. But don't worry. The blood of the forest will change you soon."
Leaving Orion and his friends behind in the mud, Kyle tightened his grip on the torn old bundle he had been sent to retrieve by Baelin from that deadly cave. Inside it were ancient maps and secret documents that had gathered dust for centuries. A thought flashed through Kyle's mind—Did Baelin already know that Draken's soul was sealed there? Was all of this a calculated scheme?
As he walked through the village streets, people stared at him. But this time, their gazes did not hold only hatred—there was hesitation… unease. The faint violet aura rising from Kyle's body, visible only to those who understood magic, made them restless.
Kyle headed straight toward Baelin's hut. Baelin sat in his old chair, smiling—as if he already knew what had happened today.
"Did you bring it?" Baelin's eyes shimmered mysteriously.
Without a word, Kyle placed the dusty bundle on the table. "You sent me into the mouth of death, Baelin. Whatever was there… it was no ordinary treasure."
Baelin touched the bundle and took a long breath. "Fate and death often walk the same path, Kyle. What you have obtained could change the destiny of Aethelgard. But remember—borrowed power is like a debt. One day, you may have to repay it with your humanity."
Baelin's words went over Kyle's head. For now, he cared less about humanity and more about his existence. He knew he had no time to stop. The blue screen of the system kept flashing before his eyes—
[DAILY CHALLENGE: 0% COMPLETE]
At the edge of the village lay the Whispering Woods. Even the bravest men broke into sweat upon hearing its name. The rustling of its trees sounded like death whispering into one's ears. Kyle chose a deserted section of the forest.
"Let's begin," he muttered to himself.
First, he had to run 10 kilometers. The moment he took his first step, it felt as though iron chains were wrapped around his legs. His VIT (Vitality) was 0, meaning his body had no capacity to sustain energy. He somehow pushed through the first 2 kilometers with sheer momentum, but by the third, his lungs felt as though they were on fire.
Each breath felt like lifting a mountain. Sweat soaked his face, and his vision blurred.
"That's all? Will you kneel like an ordinary human?" Draken's voice echoed from a corner of his mind, enjoying his struggle. "If you cannot even do 100 push-ups, how will you face the enemies of your future? They will grind your bones into dust."
"Shut… up…" Kyle gasped, refusing to give in.
After finishing the run, his legs trembled violently. Now came 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 squats. By the twentieth push-up, his arms felt like stone. Every time he went down, he doubted he would rise again.
The strain in his muscles grew unbearable. It felt as though his veins would burst. Dirt and sweat burned his eyes. Yet every time he thought of stopping, the system's warning flashed in his mind—
[PENALTY: CORRUPTION METER +2 POINTS]
He did not want to become Draken's slave. He wanted to protect his soul.
The final 10 push-ups were completed purely through willpower. Somehow, when he finished the 100th squat, he collapsed onto the grass, breathless. His heart pounded like a war drum. Then, a golden light flashed before his eyes—
[Congratulations! You have completed the Daily Challenge.]
[Reward: 5 Stat Points received!]
A faint smile appeared on Kyle's face. Despite the pain, he felt a new kind of strength growing within him. But what he did not know was that from behind the bushes… someone was watching him.
Someone far more interested in his blood than in his new Stat Points.
Cliffhanger :–
Who was hiding behind the bushes? A friend… an enemy… or Orion?