The room was silent except for the slow, steady breath of the boy who was not a boy—Alaric Thorneveil. His eyes, storm-grey and sharp beyond his ten years, flickered over the translucent interface hovering before him.
System Prompt: First Binding Target Acquired.
The interface glowed ominously.
"Bind a person. Returns enhanced by 500x for this binding only."
His heart thundered. Not from excitement—from warning.
He knew this world. Power came not from strength alone, but from how you used the people around you. The Thorneveil family had mastered that dance: bloodlines, marriages, betrayals. Alaric had read about it all. Lived parts of it in his first life.
He had no system in his old world. Just pain. Practice. Perfection.
But now? The system offered him something more dangerous than any weapon.
Influence.
Names flickered past. Servants. Tutors. Guards. Each a possible thread he could pull. But then one name pulsed at the top of the list.
"Caelan Thorneveil."His father. The Iron Duke. Head of the most feared house in Elyndra.
To bind a man like that? A child binding their own father?
Unthinkable.
Unheard of.
Unsurvivable—if caught.
But that was what made it worth it.
The air around him thickened. The faint scent of incense was drowned out by something colder, heavier.
System Warning: High-risk target. Severe backlash possible. Confirm binding?
He hesitated for only a second.
"I was forged in a world where mercy got you killed," he whispered.
Then tapped Confirm.
Silver chains of light burst into being, spiraling through the air. They plunged into the floor, the ceiling, and then into his chest. Power slammed into him like a tidal wave. His knees buckled. A cry tore from his throat, but he didn't fall.
He clung to the pain.
He drew strength from it.
He survived it.
[Binding Successful: Caelan Thorneveil — Influence, Noble Aura, Tactical Instinct][Return Multiplier Consumed: 500x][System Trait Unlocked: Aura of Command (Dormant)][System Note: You have established a connection. Future returns scale with trust, loyalty, and proximity.]
Alaric gasped. His body trembled. But the interface wasn't done.
A final prompt appeared, colder than all the rest:
[System Core Unlocked: Person-Binding Protocol]This system can only bind with living people. Skills, traits, and affinities must be acquired through those you bind with.Note: You cannot bind inanimate items, raw skills, or energy sources directly.High-level skills require strengthened emotional or social links.Warning: Binding unwilling targets increases backlash. Shared emotions may affect your psyche.
He stared at the message.
No spells. No artifacts. No cheat codes.
He could only grow by weaving himself into others—ally or enemy. Strength through understanding. Power through connection… or domination.
A true strategist's system.
And then the skills downloaded into his mind—rushing in like a flood breaking a dam:
— Iron Will (S-rank, Dormant): A legendary trait of Caelan, resisting all mental manipulation. Half-awakened through bloodline bond.— Aura of Command (Locked): Causes all lower-ranked individuals to hesitate, obey, or submit subconsciously. Must prove leadership in a real-life trial to unlock.— Strategic Intuition (Rare): Provides battlefield awareness, troop movement prediction, and instinctive tactical adjustments. Partially active.— Dominion Bond (Hidden): Grants passive influence over Thorneveil retainers. Loyalty-based skill. May backfire if trust breaks.
He gripped the edge of the bed, his breathing ragged.
"So this… is just the first step."
A single person, and he had gained this much.
What if he bound a swordmaster? A rogue assassin? A bloodline mage?
The possibilities were terrifying.
But so were the consequences.
Someone knocked at the door.
"Your Grace," a voice said. "The council awaits your son."
Alaric rose. Taller than before—not in height, but in presence.
He stared out the stained-glass window, the Thorneveil crest painted in crimson and gold.
"I'll come when I'm ready," he said, voice calm.
As the footsteps receded, he whispered to himself:
"Let them think I'm soft. Let them see a boy."
He looked at the glowing interface one last time.
"I'll build my kingdom one soul at a time."
And somewhere, the system pulsed as if in approval.
[Next Binding Slot Unlocked in: 12 hours]
[Bonus Challenge Available: Bind a Disloyal Enemy]