"…Elder brother?"
The words echoed in Ron's mind.
For a moment, he just sat there, completely frozen, his thoughts refusing to process what he had just heard.
The young lady was still holding onto him tightly, as if afraid he would disappear again if she let go.
Her warmth felt real. Too real.
'Elder brother…?'
Ron slowly raised his hand, hesitating for a brief second before placing it on her shoulder.
"U-um…" he spoke awkwardly, his voice unsure. "I think you've got the wrong person…"
The moment those words left his mouth—
She froze.
Her grip loosened.
Slowly, she pulled back, her azure eyes staring straight into his.
For a brief second… confusion flickered across her face.
Then—
"Don't joke like that," she said softly, though there was a slight tremble in her voice.
Ron's heart sank.
'This isn't a joke…'
He opened his mouth, about to speak again
But suddenly—
A sharp pain shot through his head.
"—gh!"
He clutched his head, his body tensing as fragments of memories began flooding in.
Images. Voices. Names.
A life that wasn't his—
Yet somehow… it was.
A grand estate.
Servants bowing.
A strict, imposing man sitting at the head of a long table.
Training grounds soaked in sweat and effort.
And a name—
A name that echoed louder than all the rest.
"…Kael."
Ron's breathing grew uneven.
"…Kael…?"
The young lady's expression changed instantly, relief washing over her face as she grabbed his hand.
"Yes! Kael—it's you!"
Her eyes shimmered slightly, as if she had been holding back tears this entire time.
"You're finally awake… I thought I lost you…"
Ron—no…
Kael—
Sat there in silence, his mind in complete chaos.
'Kael…?'
'So this is… my name now?'
His grip tightened slightly against the bedsheet.
'Then that means…'
'I really did transmigrate.'
Before he could process further—
A familiar sound echoed in his mind.
Ding!
A red interface flickered into existence before his eyes.
[Host Status Updated]
[Identity Synced: Kael Viremont]
[Current Condition: Weak / Recently Resurrected]
[Warning: Host body stability is low]
Ron's—Kael's—eyes narrowed slightly.
'So it's still here…'
'The system.'
"…What's wrong?" the young lady asked, her voice filled with concern as she noticed his silence.
He looked at her.
For a brief moment, he hesitated.
Then he forced a small, uncertain smile.
"…Nothing," he said.
"…I'm just a little tired."
But deep down—
Nothing was okay.
Because he knew one thing for sure.
If this world truly followed the comic's storyline—
Then the person whose body he now occupied…
Was not someone with a good ending.
He lowered his gaze, deep in thought.
After a few moments, something clicked in his mind.
He lifted his head and looked at her.
"Uhmm—" he tried to speak, but hesitated, realizing he didn't even know her name.
Before he could finish, she quickly spoke—
"It's Lara. Your little sister… do you remember?"
He paused for a second.
'Lara… haa… so that's her name.'
He nodded slightly before speaking again.
"Hey… Lara," he said, trying to sound natural. "My memories are still a bit foggy. Can you tell me what happened?"
Lara let out a small sigh.
"So your memories haven't fully returned yet, huh…"
She went quiet for a moment, as if organizing her thoughts, before continuing.
"A couple of weeks ago, the academy selected the most talented and well-trained students for the final practical assessment… so you could officially enter your second year."
Kael's eyes widened slightly as fragments of memory surfaced.
'So this is the first arc…'
'The 'Soul Hunters Association Joining Exam' arc…'
He stayed silent, listening carefully.
Lara continued, her voice growing more serious.
"You were all sent to one of the warzones—Rona—to hunt soul beasts for evaluation."
She hesitated for a brief moment.
"But a few days ago… we received news that everyone in Rona was brutally murdered by a mysterious being."
Kael's expression darkened slightly.
'So that's what happened here… but…'
He looked back at her.
"…Then how did I come back alive?"
Lara went silent.
After a moment, she let out a quiet breath.
"When Father went to check the battlefield himself… he came across a group of traders."
"They were carrying you… unconscious."
She lowered her gaze slightly.
"They said they found you on their way to the Royal Capital."
Kael nodded faintly.
"I see…"
She stood there for a moment before speaking again.
"Okay… I have to go now, Elder Brother. As you know, it's time for my training."
She got up and walked toward the door.
Just before leaving, she turned back, waving at him with a bright smile on her face.
"See you later, Elder Brother."
Then she stepped out, the door closing softly behind her.
Silence filled the room once again.
After a few moments, Kael lowered his gaze and began mumbling to himself.
"In this arc… the Rona incident is what introduces the final boss—Hakuri, the War Tyrant," he said quietly.
"In the original story, everyone in that warzone died… killed by him."
He paused.
"But now… the storyline has changed."
He clenched his hand slightly.
"Kael… survived."
He slowly stood up, stretching his body as if testing it.
"…So what happens now?"
Before he could think any further—
Ding!
A red interface appeared before him.
[Due to the skill 'Reaper's Bloom,' the host's stats have increased.]
[All Stats: +150]
[Due to the skill 'Reaper's Bloom,' you have leveled up.]
[Current Level: 2]
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at the screen.
"…So it already activated," he muttered.
After a few more moments of silence, Kael finally processed what had just happened.
His stats had increased… and he had leveled up—
All because Reaper's Bloom activated automatically.
Then something clicked in his mind.
'That skill…'
'It only activates when the host dies.'
"W-what…?"
Kael's eyes widened in confusion.
'So I leveled up… because I died?'
Before he could think any further—
A red interface appeared in front of him.
[Reaper's Bloom]
[Description: A unique skill that activates upon the host's death.]
[Requirement: 500 Soul Points]
[Effect: Each death triggers the host's evolution, increasing overall stats and strengthening the body.]
Kael stared at the screen, his expression slowly turning blank as he read the final line.
"…Is this even allowed?" he muttered under his breath, disbelief still lingering in his voice.
He let out a quiet breath, trying to process it.
"So every time I die…"
"…I become stronger?"
The room fell silent again.
Then, as if needing confirmation, he turned and walked toward a large mirror across the room.
He stopped in front of it.
The reflection staring back at him was unfamiliar.
A tall teenage boy, with dark black hair and calm brown eyes.
"…So this is Kael," he said quietly.
He moved slightly, turning his body, observing every detail as if trying to convince himself it was real.
Before he could think any further—
The red interface flickered again, displaying another line of information.
But the moment Kael read it—
His heart skipped.
[Warning: Excessive and repeated deaths may negatively affect the host's sanity.]
[It is advised to use this ability only in emergency situations.]
Kael's expression slowly stiffened.
"…So there's a catch," he muttered under his breath.
He let out a quiet breath, his gaze lowering slightly.
'Getting stronger by dying…'
'But losing my mind in the process…'
For a moment, the room felt heavier than before.
"…Yeah," he said quietly.
"That makes more sense."
—
Then
Kael walked toward his private bathroom, located inside his lavish room.
He took a quick bath, washing away the lingering confusion of the previous events, and changed into well-tailored noble attire.
Stepping out of the room, he wandered down the long, polished hallways.
Every maid or servant he passed bowed respectfully, some even lowering their heads slightly in awe
'So… this is how nobles live, huh,' he thought, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
After a few moments, he reached a spacious, wide room. At its center stood a long, elegant table, surrounded by several chairs.
The table was covered with a spread of food—dishes of every kind, cooked to perfection, the aromas wafting through the air.
Kael's eyes widened, sparkling with excitement.
'Now that I think about it… ' he muttered inwardly, 'I'm really hungry.'
A small grin spread across his face as he slowly approached the table.
Just as Kael took a few steps toward the table, a deep, commanding voice interrupted him.
"So… you're finally awake."
Kael's gaze immediately snapped toward the source of the voice.
Standing there was a tall man, exuding authority. His dark hair was perfectly groomed, and he wore an expensive, tailor-made outfit that screamed nobility. His eyes were partially hidden behind a pair of sleek, costly glasses, adding to his intimidating presence.
Kael's mind raced.
'It… it has to be him…'
'Father… Mr. Viermont himself.'