Claude wakes up, opens his eyes, and stares at the ceiling of his room.
He does not move.
His thoughts linger on the boy he saw in the Paradise, a boy slightly older than him, yet just like him, marked as a follower of the God of Knowledge and the Digital World.
That single realisation unsettles him deeply.
It means something he had not considered before.
He and his sister did not intrude upon the sanctuary of that God.
God reached out to them.
God chose them.
A chill spreads through his chest.
Fear tightens its grip around his heart.
Until now, he had convinced himself that the being in the Paradise was not an Evil Spirit, but now that certainty begins to crack.
He has heard stories.
Evil Spirits are not mindless beasts.
Some are terrifyingly intelligent.
They can suppress their madness.
They can hide their bloodthirst.
They can act calm, patient, even benevolent, if it serves a greater purpose.
The thought lingers.
What if this God is no different?
Claude closes his eyes briefly.
At the beginning, he was ready to give up everything for revenge.
His life meant nothing compared to avenging his family.
But as the days pass, something changes.
He grows stronger.
Every day, he can see it.
Every single increase in strength appears clearly before him.
The ability granted by God shows him everything.
Nothing is hidden.
Every point gained fuels him.
Every little progress pushes him forward.
He can see the path ahead.
He can see himself becoming a Great Knight.
The thought is no longer distant.
It is real.
Even if becoming a Great Knight is not enough for revenge…
Then he will go further.
Because it is said that once one reaches the Great Knight realm, one can step into the path of a Dream Magician.
And with the "Status" ability, he can monitor every change, every improvement, every step toward that goal.
His future is no longer uncertain.
It is measurable.
It is visible.
He will grow stronger.
And when he is strong enough,
He will take his revenge.
Before getting out of bed, he focuses his mind.
'Status.'
A translucent panel appears before his eyes.
Name: Claude
Follower: God of Knowledge and Digital World
Level: Knight Apprentice (2)
Condition: Cursed
Strength: 1.91 (1.91)
Agility: 1.88 (1.88)
Constitution: 2.12 (2.12)
Spirit: 1.39 (1.42)
Skills:
Basic Fighting: (113/1000)
Basic Sword: (119/1000)
Red Crane Sword: (53/1000)
Technique:
Red Crane Breathing (Stage 2): (04/300)
Claude studies the panel carefully.
His lips tighten slightly.
"I need to get some elixirs," he murmurs to himself.
His progress is steady, but too slow.
At this rate, it will take too long.
His gaze lingers on one line.
Condition: Cursed.
He frowns.
He cannot recall when he was cursed.
Nor does he understand how it affects him.
The word remains, silent and unexplained.
After a moment, he dismisses the panel.
He rises from the bed.
He leaves the room and heads down to the inn lobby.
The scent of food drifts from the dining area, and his stomach tightens in response.
But he does not stop.
He turns back and returns to his room.
Sitting down, he begins cultivating the Red Crane Breathing Technique.
His breathing slows.
His body settles.
Time passes.
When he finishes, he checks his progress.
His constitution has increased by only 0.01.
Too little.
He exhales.
Then stands up.
He walks over and shakes Claudia gently.
She stirs, her eyes half-open.
"Brother…" she whispers.
"Wake up," Claude says. "You have to go to your teacher."
Claudia nods weakly and sits up, climbing down from the bed before heading toward the bathroom.
Claude walks to the door and opens it.
He looks toward the stairs.
Behind the counter near the staircase, a young man sits lazily.
Claude raises his voice slightly.
"Rob!"
The young man lifts his head.
"Send us food," Claude says.
Rob nods.
Claude steps back inside and closes the door.
Later, inside the Steel Heart Fighting School, outside the main building, a tall young woman stretches her body on the white stone slab.
Her blond hair carries a faint red tint, catching the morning light, and she wears fitted clothes meant for combat, simple yet practical, outlining a strong and flexible figure.
Her movements are smooth and controlled as she bends, twists, and straightens, warming up her body with practised ease.
Claude and Claudia approach.
The woman notices them.
She stops.
Straightens.
Then smiles.
"Hello, you must be Claude and Claudia."
Claude nods. "Yes, and you are?"
"I am your third senior sister, Claire."
Her smile widens as she looks at Claudia.
"For you, I am your aunt."
Claudia's eyes brighten. "Aunty?"
Claire immediately shakes her head, laughing lightly.
"No, no, do not call me aunty, you should also call me sister."
Claudia nods quickly.
Claude watches quietly, then tilts his head slightly.
"Third senior sister?" he asks. "How many do I have?"
Claire glances at him with amusement.
"Six in total."
Claude blinks.
"All senior sisters?"
Claire laughs, her shoulders shaking slightly as she leans forward, her face suddenly much closer to his.
"You would like it if that were the case," she says teasingly, "but no, you have two senior brothers as well."
Claude's cheeks flush faintly.
He instinctively steps back.
"Oh," he says, regaining his composure.
At that moment, the door behind them opens.
Jennifer appears at the doorway.
Her gaze sweeps over them.
"Why are you talking outside?" she asks calmly.
Then her eyes settle on Claudia.
"Claudia, come inside, you still have much to learn."
Claudia turns to Claude.
Claude nods.
She walks toward the building and enters, following Jennifer inside, disappearing into the corridor beyond.
Silence settles briefly.
Claire folds her arms loosely.
"I heard yesterday Claudia stayed hungry all afternoon," she says.
Claude looks at her but does not respond immediately.
Claire continues, her tone casual but sincere.
"It is not Jennifer's fault; she is not used to taking care of children, and every noon she needs to meditate to stabilise her injury, she survives mostly on elixirs instead of food."
Claude nods slowly.
"I will come again this afternoon," he says.
Claire shakes her head lightly.
"No need, if you do not want to," she replies. "Today I will be here, I will take care of Claudia's meals."
Claude studies her face for a moment.
"Are you sure?"
Claire nods without hesitation.
"I have to eat anyway; cooking a little more will not matter."
Claude smiles faintly.
"Then thank you, third senior sister."
Claire smiles back.
"It is fine, you and Claudia are now part of the family."
Claude nods.
He turns to leave.
But then he pauses.
A thought comes to him.
He turns back toward Claire.
"Third senior sister," he asks, "do you know where I can buy elixirs?"
Claude steps into the market street of the Misty Island.
The moment he enters, a wave of noise and movement surrounds him.
People crowd the street, walking in all directions, some carrying goods, some bargaining loudly, others simply passing through, while horses pull carriages that rattle over the stone ground, forcing everyone to stay alert.
Claude moves carefully.
Each step is measured.
He avoids bumping into others, shifts his path to avoid the hooves of passing horses, and keeps a steady awareness of his surroundings.
The air is thick with mixed scents, cooked food, sweat, damp wood, and something sharper.
Then he smells it clearly.
Blood.
His gaze shifts.
To the side, a butcher's shop stands open, large cuts of beast meat hanging from iron hooks at the front window, fresh blood still dripping slowly onto the ground below.
Claude does not stop.
He continues walking.
Following the directions Claire gave him, he turns into a narrow alley beside the shop.
The noise of the market fades slightly as he moves deeper.
The alley is dimmer, quieter, with only a few people passing through.
He walks straight through it and emerges onto another street.
This one is different.
Fewer people.
Cleaner.
The buildings are more refined, their structures well-maintained, their signs polished and neat.
Claude glances around briefly.
Then he turns right and walks along the street.
After a short distance, he stops.
Before him stands a store.
Golden Spring Pavilion.
The name is carved elegantly above the entrance.
Claude takes a breath.
Then steps inside.
Elsewhere.
Greg wakes up.
He sits silently on his bed.
Shock still lingers in his eyes.
What happened last night…
It should not be possible.
He knows the rules.
In sleep, everyone enters the Dream World.
But only Great Knights and Dream Magicians can remain conscious there.
Yet he was conscious.
Fully aware.
He remembers the place clearly.
A paradise.
A strange, beautiful world.
And inside it…
Two people.
A brother and a sister.
And then,
Something else.
He became a follower.
Of an Evil Spirit.
The thought makes his chest tighten.
Should he report this to the police?
The question lingers.
But then another thought follows.
If something happens to him…
What will happen to his two younger brothers?
He clenches his fists.
A knock sounds on the door.
"Brother, come out."
Greg snaps out of his thoughts and quickly steps out of the room.
In the small dining area, his youngest brother, Grim, sits at the table, eating quietly.
His second brother, Grey, is getting ready for work.
Grey glances at him.
"Elder brother, when you take Grim to Aunt Primose's house, give her the money."
Greg nods.
He remembers.
Today is the day for the payment.
Aunt Primose is not their real aunt.
She is a neighbour who takes care of children in the area, because most families must work to survive.
Later, Greg walks hand in hand with Grim through the street.
They arrive at a small house.
He opens the gate and steps into the yard.
Children's voices can be heard from inside.
He walks up to the door and knocks.
The door opens.
A woman stands there.
Greg frowns slightly.
"You are?"
"I am Maria," the woman replies. "Aunt Primose hired me to help."
Greg nods slowly.
He takes Grim's hand and places it in hers.
"Be a good boy," he says gently. "Do not cause trouble."
Grim nods.
Greg turns and walks away.
His steps are steady.
He heads toward the dock.
Today, he will not go to the Misty Island.
Instead,
He will go to the Black Wood Swamp.
To hunt.