"Before that, tell me one thing."
Alaric clenched his fists. "Why this body? Why throw me into a slave's skin?"
The blue panel flickered, text changing.
[Host doesn't have the sufficient authority to access that information.]
His eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by that?"
[The system is currently at very low level. Information access is limited. As you upgrade it, more will be revealed.]
Alaric's brows furrowed, jaw tightening. "You're telling me I'm supposed to stumble in the dark and just hope that the truth comes later?"
[You misunderstand; system is here to guide the host, for now I can only give you a hint. This body… is more than suitable for you. It was chosen specifically.]
That made him freeze.
He then spoke in low, chilly tone. "Why? What's so special about it?"
[You do not have enough authority.]
"Of course," he spat.
"Damn it..."
He paced the small filthy room, jaw clenched, resisting the urge to scream.
Then, breathing hard, he forced the anger back down. "Fine. Then tell me what should I do now? How I can upgrade your damn level."
[Host can upgrade system level by completing quests, earning domination points.]
"Then give me the first task."
[Error!]
[Host's Power Level incompatible with Main Questline]
Alaric's expression hardened, lips pressing into a thin line. "Hah. Incompatible? What a joke," he muttered.
Then, the panel flickered and-
[Initiating Daily Quest...]
[Daily Quest Generated.]
A new panel popped out before his eyes, glowing faintly in the darkness of the room.
[Daily Quest: First Spark]
Objective:
Maintain your pride. Refuse to bow your head the next time you're ordered to do so.
Reward: +5 Domination Points, +1 Willpower, +1 Exp
Penalty:
None (System understands early limitations)
[Host can keep track of your missions and stats through the status window.]
"Status window?" Alaric muttered, narrowing his eyes. "What the hell is that now?"
[Simply think or say the command 'status'.]
Alaric hesitated for a second, then thought the word.
Status.
A new translucent screen flickered into existence before his eyes—hovering silently, glowing in a faint blue hue.
His brows furrowed as he read the unfamiliar display.
---
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Brandon
(Past Life: Alaric Noir)
Race: Human
Age: 19
Title: Slave, (The Fallen King)
Essence Path: None
Rank: Unawakened
EXP: 0 / 100
Stats:
Strength: 2
Agility: 3
Endurance: 2
Willpower: 10
Charm: 4
Intelligence: 6 (??)
Domination Points: 0
Daily Quest: First Spark (In Progress)
System Level: 0 (Requires 100 Domination Points to Upgrade)
??? (Locked – Requires System Level 1)
---
Alaric stared at the panel, his eyes narrowing at the title beneath his name. Slave... But right under it— The Fallen King.
He then squinted at the line marked "??".
"What does that mean?" he asked, pointing at them.
[Locked information, As the system levels up, more data will be revealed. At System Level 1, this function will be unlocked.]
"Tch." Alaric clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Fine. Then what about these stats? What do these numbers even mean? And what's with this 'Essence Path' and 'Rank: Unawakened'?"
[Your stats represent your base capabilities. Most humans average around 5 in each. As you grow stronger, stats will increase through quests, rewards, or training.]
[Stat Breakdown]
Strength (STR): It indicates your raw physical power. Affects melee damage, lifting capacity.
Agility (AGI): Speed, reflexes, movement precision.
Endurance (END): Physical resistance, stamina, health pool.
Willpower (WIL): Mental fortitude, resistance to control, magic resistance.
Charm (CHA): Charisma, influence on others.
Intelligence (INT): Learning speed, magical understanding, and problem-solving.
[Essence Path: - In this world, every being is born with a core Essence. Through training, contracts, or rituals, an individual can unlock their Essence Path. The Essence Path is the foundation of magical evolution. There are many different paths one can awaken into. The host currently has none but can awaken a path based on their affinity or quest direction.]
Alaric's eyes lit up in determination, Does that mean I could use magic too?
[Yes, after awakening your Essence Path, host could be able to wield mana.]
Great!
"And then what about unawakened?" He asked.
"You're currently just a mere mortal. Once you awaken your Essence Path, you will ascend to the realm of powerful beings. The Essence Paths are categorized by rank according to their power. The ranking goes from lowest to highest as follows: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS."
Alaric frowned. "So right now... I'm nothing."
[Correct.]
But Alaric grinned, just as the system said, it will help him guide to gain power and domination over this world, he was getting little exited.
But then he composed himself, knowing he still had a long way to that path.
"Haa..."
He let out a long, controlled breath, his eyes still fixed on the hovering status window.
"All I have to do... is not bow for the day," he muttered.
[Correct.]
A small, bitter smirk tugged at Alaric's lips. "Fine. I won't bow to anyone. By the way, how can I get rid of these windows?"
[To close the interface, simply think the command.]
Alaric nodded and thought.
Close.
The panel vanished in a blink.
Silence returned to the grimy cell.
Alaric sat still for a while, staring at his hands—weak, thin, trembling.
Pathetic.
"Tch..." he clicked his tongue, annoyed at his own fragility.
A fire still burned in his chest.
Rage, humiliation, and now—purpose.
He wasn't going to stay like this. Not forever.
"Let's see how broken this body really is," he muttered, lowering himself to the ground.
He clenched his fists, placed them shoulder-width apart, and started pushing up.
One.
His arms quivered like wet noodles.
Two.
A jolt of pain screamed through his shoulders and ribs.
The injuries from his beating flared up violently.
"Argh!"
And he collapsed with a grunt, face pressing into the cold, foul-smelling floor.
"Gah—damn it..." he hissed through clenched teeth, rolling onto his side, breath ragged.
His muscles throbbed, his skin burned, but his eyes—those cold, determined eyes—didn't lose focus.
"I'll get stronger… no matter what."