Ever since the very first day I was reincarnated, a message had appeared right in front of my eyes.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
It was the system I had created for the gods to use—a tool meant to help them with anything they needed. Now, I'm the one who needs its help. Although I once wielded this power, it still surprises me that I can access it now.
The message from the system has given me four tasks to perform:
Daily
- "Perform 10 push-ups"
- "Run 4 times around the courtyard"
- "Swing a blade 50 times vertically, diagonally, and horizontally"
Long term
- "Unlock your Arcium"
This isn't going to be easy, especially considering that I am a baby. But when I think about getting my revenge on the gods, I'll do anything to pursue my goal.
No matter how tiring or gruesome it will be, I'll keep going. It's the only way for me to get stronger.
Just like I had done the previous night, I will sneak out of my crib—only this time, I'll go through the window.
I climb out of the crib and climb out the window.
Great, it's open.
Why would they leave the window of a nursery open? Well, doesn't matter.
I jump and use my mana to create a shield around my body. Should protect me from any fall damage.
I land.
"The push-ups seem like as good a place to start as any," I mumble to myself. Okay, let's start.
My muscles screamed in pain and agony, but it was nothing compared to the anger I felt toward the gods.
It was torture, but I managed to finish them.
Then came the harder part: running around the courtyard. As I started to run, thoughts swirled in my head. What am I going to do about Havenhell?
Havenhell—the sword of chaos.
A weapon forged from the combination of the twelve angels of chaos.
Zafkiel, the angel of time.
Its form was a giant clock, able to manipulate time through its twenty-four symbols. If the name of the symbol was spoken, I'd gain its power.
For example, the first symbol, Sura'a, could accelerate my speed so much that I could cross an entire capital in the blink of an eye.
And that was just one of the twenty-four powers.
Zadkiel, the angel of ice.
It took the shape of a spear, its blade a fusion of azure blue and argent silver.
Perfect for close combat, each strike imbued with pure ice. If Zadkiel pierced an opponent, they'd be frozen for eternity unless thawed by divine flame.
Camiel, the angel of flame.
It looked like a cannon, spewing holy fire to purge enemies.
If needed, it could transform into a suit of armor that protected its wearer from any physical or spiritual attacks.
If someone did manage to kill you while wearing it, as long as you still have the will to fight the flames of Camiel, you would revive from death.
There were more angels, but I couldn't think about them now—I'd just finished running around the courtyard four times.
Even though I knew this would make me stronger, it doesn't change the fact that it hurt.
Still, I could feel my body growing stronger by the minute.
"What's next?"
I checked the system. My next task: swing a blade fifty times vertically, fifty times horizontally, and fifty times diagonally.
But where was I going to find a sword?
A glint caught my eye. Turning, I saw a box of swords reflecting the moonlight. They were all basic, but I didn't care.
Unfortunately, every sword was too big for a baby to swing. As I rummaged through the pile, I found something small—a dagger. I picked it up, and it fit perfectly in my hand. The system never specified a sword, just a blade. That was good enough for me.
I gripped the dagger tightly, ready to begin the next challenge.
I swing the dagger, but the weight causes me to drop it too quickly. "No problem, practice makes perfect," they say.
I swing the dagger again. Lucky, I succeeded this time. I swing the dagger again in a vertical movement.
Then I swing it again diagonally and then horizontally. The system seems to be keeping count. I don't know how long it's been, but I've continued swinging that dagger in that pattern.
I seem to have completed the third task. All that was left was the fourth task… what the hell is an Arcium?
___
It's been three months since reincarnation
Like the previous nights, I thought it would be easy for me to sneak out.
So I don't know why the hell the genius of the century is so attached to me?
Claudia, my older sister, is a genius among geniuses.
I learned more about her through the maids a while back. At the age of 3, she showed potential in light magic enhancements.
Any blade she wielded would be enhanced in light magic capable of slashing an entire forest with a single blow.
Compared to other kids, she's a monster who wielded a holy element. Although proficient in light that isn't her specialty.
Her main Attribute was ice.
At the age of four, she managed to learn all ice spells that were B rank and below, and even added them to suit her swordsmanship.
Take the C rank spell ice bow, which allows the user to make a bow and arrow of ice , she managed to change the spell's formula completely.
She channeled the force of the arrow being shot from the bow onto her legs for a boost of speed and used the nature of the arrow itself to cover the sword she wielded.
In other word she turned that basic spell into a thrusting technique. When used she dashes as if the very ground itself was ice and when she thrusts her blade the shockwaves freeze anything in its way.
She named the technique crescent moon strike, and that was all when she was four.
Even without magic her swordsmanship was no joke, she used a technique called the moon blade which focuses on quick precise attack, many have tried to learn the technique but they have all failed. It was a technique suited for my sister and her alone.
still that doesn't mean people still won't try. That's just the nature of humans, seeking out what they can't have.
This technique everyone boasts about seems interesting. Maybe I'll ask her to teach me
Claudia is said to usually have a cold expression on her face that usually drives people away, her blonde hair and smooth peach skin remind everyone that she is still a noble no matter what she practiced.
She gives off the impression of an assassin ready to strike so due to that she rarely has any friends. Or so I've heard from the maid's speaking but I'm gonna have to get a new way of getting information since that was all fake I mean she's smiling carrying me right now as if she was the happiest girl in the world.
"Who's a good boy, who's a good boy?" This is…weird. I'm not a dog you know " You're so cute Abel, oh did you know I gave you your name?"
Cool, I guess.
" when your old enough I'm gonna teach you my sword technique, moon blade."
I don't get it, why is the girl who is said to be the genius of the millennium talking to me, I'm just a baby I shouldn't even know what she saying If I hadn't retained my knowledge yet here she is blabbing to her heart's content.
Well,l she looks happy so who am I to complain.
"I don't get it Abel, why does everyone always run away from me.
When they get close to me and look at my face they instantly run
away. Abel am I ugly?"
Power tends to draw people at the same time fend them away. It's the whole reason I'm in this situation.
You know, maybe you and I ain't that different.
"Claudia, get down here" a voice from outside called. As Claudia put me down she whispered in my ear "See you later" before leaving me in the crib.
The girl has potential and she is so young as well.
We may be siblings but it looks like she's gonna be my rival for a little while.
A grin appears on my face.
This will be fun.
As I get up I check the status window.
Ever since I completed the first tasks the system has been giving me more each day.
Whenever I complete the daily task the system gives me rewards such as prizes like new weapons and even abilities but my favorite are the stat points.
Each time I completed the daily tasks the system would reward me with stat points which I could invest into anything like my strength or mana.
If I didn't know what to do with it I could save it later for future use.
It got harder to sneak out and complete them each day
The tasks themselves also became more gruesome.
In the past month, went from running around the courtyard to running around the whole estate.
Push-ups also increased as well and I got some new tasks too like handstands, burpees, and so on. Worst part of it all is that if I fail any of the task the system will reduce any stats I've gained previously. I learned that the hard way 2 months ago.
I had invented most of my stats into strength so of course I was as strong as your average knight so doing the system's task became child's play literally so I decided that I would test out my strength on bigger targets so one night I decided to see what I could really do.
As I got out of the nursery i went to the training hall. Pickled up a blade and started swinging, surely enough my strength was enough to cause mini shockwaves.
Small enough not to cause any serious damage to the mansion all together but big enough to almost destroy the training hall.
Guess the noise must been loud cause next thing I know the guards were showing up and if it wasn't for my quick thinking I would have been caught.
I quickly rushed back into the nursery and jumped into the crib acting like I was asleep.
The maids arrived at the nursery and checked to see if they could find the "intruder" in the estate. Unfortunately, they were then ordered to stay at the mother nursery to make sure nothing happened to me.
Sure enough, they stayed there the whole night meaning not only did I not complete the daily task, but I also learned what happens if I don't.
The penalty would be that the previous stats I had gained would be gone and the punishment was that those stats would be doubled and deducted from my total stats.
Looking back that's probably when security became tighter. The incident is known as the training calamity.
Weird thing is, I don't remember the system having a penalty function.
Well It's my fault for getting overconfident but luckily I got a skill [Ghost] a week after that. It allows me to phase through objects but just like nothing can touch me I can't touch anything which means apart from maybe needing to escape somewhere, this skill could not be used for combat. Besides it also has a 15-minute cooldown.
Anyway, back to now I still haven't figured out what an Arcium is. I can't go to the grimoire anymore due to security and it's not as if I can just ask someone but let's not dwell on that for now.
As I sneak out of the nursery using [Ghost], I noticed the long term task in the systems have increased
Long term
⁃ "unlock your Arcium"
⁃ "Kill 15 goblins"
⁃ "obtain the core of a dark golem"
If I'm being honest I could handle the second and third tasks no problem but getting the core of a dark golem would not be easy.
Dark Golems are creations of the God of shadows which means they aren't like regular golems.
They can move as swiftly as shadows and unlock regular golems they possess intelligence meaning that they can calculate everything they do. Defeating one is difficult but to truly kill it, you must locate its mana core and destroy it.
For the system to tell me to obtain it, it's basically asking me to do the impossible.
As I reach the training hall there are security guards everywhere luckily they all seem to have fallen asleep on the job. As I pass them and grab a blade there is only one thing running through my mind.
I MUST GET STRONGER, I MUST KILL THEM. That is the only thing driving me to keep on going. If I want to kill them then I must go above and beyond, I must break all the limits of a human body.
As I pick up the sword with my fragile body I tell myself one thing. To break the limits of a human I must become something else something in human could comprehend, I must become transcendent. I raise the sword and swing.