The sky was bluer than usual.
No monsters. No alarms. No blood.
Just a soft breeze rustling the trees behind the broken orphanage.
Aurel lay back on the half-patched roof, arms behind his head, sunglasses carved from demon-bone resting over his eyes.
Beside him, Rei sat cross-legged, humming as she tied string, beads, and bones into something chaotic.
> "What's that?" Aurel asked lazily.
> "A bracelet."
She held it up proudly. It looked like it was made during a hurricane.
"It's got pieces from all the monsters you killed. And this red bead? That's from the time you cooked and almost burned the stew, but didn't."
Aurel chuckled.
> "That was the real battle."
She slipped it onto his wrist.
> "It's enchanted with Rei-grade protection. Now even gods have to ask me before they touch you."
He ruffled her hair, grinning.
> "Damn. Guess I've got the best defense system now."
Absolutely. Let's channel System.ZERO responding to Aurel's request — in its dark, glitch-styled tone, hidden from the world as always.
---
🕷️ [SYSTEM.ZERO — Neural Query Response]
🧠 Subject: Rei Thornheart
📡 Query: Status Report Requested
🔒 Authorization: AUREL.THORNHEART // ∞ Clearance Verified
---
> SYSTEM.ZERO:
> Compiling Biological + Mystic Signature…
> Entity: [Rei Thornheart]
> Age: 9 cycles
> Emotional Bond: CORE // PRIMARY ANCHOR
> Protection Protocol: ABSOLUTE — All limiters disengage upon threat
╔═════════════════════════════╗
║ [SISTER STATUS LOG] ║
╚═════════════════════════════╝
— Vital Signs: Stable
— Mana Core: Dormant // Unregistered
— Aura Type: Unreadable [CLASS: UNKNOWN]
— Bloodline Integrity: ACTIVE SEAL DETECTED
— Bloodline Tag: ███████████ (CORRUPTED)
— Threat Level: Hidden // Masked
— Awakening Potential: Catastrophic [99.2% Unknown Factors]
— Compatibility with System.ZERO: Rejected [Non-synced Entity]
— Emotional Intelligence: HIGH
— Cognitive Speed: Rapid-Adapt (Above Peer Group by 187%)
> Observation:
> "Subject REI possesses abnormal emotional gravity. She bends people without spells.
> Caution: Future threat or salvation — unknown."
> Prediction:
> If bloodline awakens fully…
> [ERROR: SYSTEM CANNOT SIMULATE OUTCOME]
> Marked as:
> "Sister"
> "Home"
> "Heaven Before the Hell"
---
Would you like Aurel to react to this with:
Quiet fear?
A soft smile?
Or a command to never let Rei see this report?
You've just peeked behind the curtain of the sweetest little girl in the world — and found a ticking divinity.
Got it. Here's a narrative scene where Aurel Thornheart decides to find work to support Rei — using his modern mind in a medieval, dungeon-crawling world that has no clue what's coming.
---
📜 Scene: "G-Rank Job, S-Rank Hustle"
---
Thorn Castle, early morning. Rei still sleeping, tangled in her blanket, mumbling about cake and kicking the pillow Aurel made from stitched demon hide.
Aurel stands at the doorway, adjusting his worn cloak, the one that barely hides his athletic frame and deadly calm eyes.
System.ZERO whispers silently in his head:
> Current CP: 141
> Required for next Evolution: 200
> Suggested Route: High-risk encounters
> Note: Rei's food supply = 2.7 days remaining
> Income Source: NIL
> Reputation: Unknown (Registered Rank: G—)
> "Right... time to earn some coin. Or ruin the economy. Whichever happens first," he mutters with a smirk.
---
🏙️ Town of Ravenspire – Guildhall
The adventurer guild bustles with noise — warriors polishing blades, mages arguing over spell rights, and posters everywhere.
Aurel steps inside, drawing zero attention. G-rank scrubs are a copper a dozen.
He approaches the quest board — covered in tattered flyers:
🐀 "Rat Extermination (Local Bakery Basement)" – Reward: 1 silver
🧹 "Chimney Cleaning for Widow Grelda" – Reward: 2 silver
💩 "Stable Shoveling" – Reward: free meal + trauma
Aurel's lip curls.
> "You're kidding me…"
Suddenly, a glowing board nearby flickers. High-rank mission section — sealed behind combat verification magic.
System.ZERO hums ominously.
> Intercepting Spell Sigil...
> Bypassing Scan...
> Display Unlocked [Visible ONLY to Aurel]
> Hidden Quest Detected:
> "Missing Expedition – Tier 2 Dungeon Collapse"
> Reward: 50 Gold + Dungeon Relic Rights
> Threat: Fatal for F-rank and below
> Required Rank: B+
> Override? [Y/N]
Aurel grins.
> "I'll take the rats."
(He pockets the Tier 2 flyer anyway — invisible to everyone else.)
---
💬 Back at the Guild Counter
Receptionist: "G-rank, huh? First timer?"
Aurel: "Yeah. I punch things. I can also sweep if needed."
Receptionist: "...You're hired for the rat job. Try not to die."
> He leaves with a broom in one hand, a secret dungeon map in the other, and the kind of smirk that means someone's about to regret underestimating him.
---
Would you like:
A funny moment during the rat job where he overkills the threat using modern science?
Or a follow-up where he enters the dungeon secretly, pretending he's just taking a walk?
This is the first coin. But every coin builds a kingdom. Or burns one.
Perfect — here's the first guild registration scene for Aurel Thornheart, where he officially enters the adventurer system… as a total nobody — at least on paper.
---
🛡️ Scene: "Welcome to the Bottom"
Location: Ravenspire Adventurer Guild — Central Registration Hall
---
The guild hall was louder than a tavern and smelled like old metal, sweat, and overcompensating egos.
Wooden boards creaked under the boots of warriors twice Aurel's size — laughing, sparring, boasting about how many slimes they'd decapitated last week.
Aurel stepped through the doors, hands in his pockets, eyes half-lidded like this was beneath him. (Because it was.)
Rei's voice echoed in his mind from that morning:
> "Go make friends! But if they're rude, tell them I'll punch them!"
He smirked.
> I'll try not to get disqualified in the first five minutes.
---
🖋️ Guild Registration Counter
A woman sat behind a magically enchanted desk — glowing sigils, floating scrolls, enchanted quill scribbling on its own.
She looked up, bored.
Receptionist:
> "Name?"
Aurel:
> "Aurel. Thornheart."
She paused.
> "...Is that your real name?"
Aurel:
> "If I was faking it, I'd go for something cooler like 'Dagger McKillface.'"
Receptionist (groans):
> "Alright, smartass. Age?"
> "Eighteen."
> "Weapon?"
> "Hands."
> "Rank?"
> "Whatever's the lowest, I'll take it."
> "Why?"
He leaned closer, voice low:
> "Because I like being underestimated."
The receptionist blinked.
The quill wrote:
[Registered Combat Rank: G (unverified potential)]
[Class: Unreadable. Null Pattern Detected.]
[Species Scan: Human (?) — Glitch Return Error]
She squinted at the scroll.
> "...Huh."
> "Something wrong?" Aurel asked, smiling like a cat.
> "It says you're unremarkable but 'vaguely threatening.' That's a new one."
---
📜 Final Record – Guild Ledger [Visible to Public]:
╔════════════════════════════╗
║ AUREL THORNHEART ║
╠════════════════════════════╣
║ Rank: G ║
║ Class: --Unavailable-- ║
║ Weapon: Unarmed ║
║ Mana: Not Detected ║
║ Affiliation: None ║
║ Starting Credit: 0 Gold ║
╚════════════════════════════╝
---
As he left the desk, a few warriors laughed behind his back.
> "Another G-rank? Poor guy won't last a week."
Aurel walked past them — calm, quiet, deadly.
System.ZERO hissed in his mind:
> Combat Registration: Complete
> Observation Mode Activated
> Use cover status [G-Rank] to bypass attention.
> Reminder: Predators thrive when they look like prey.
---
Would you like the first job to follow right after this?
Or maybe a scene where someone tries to bully him… and regrets it instantly?
The guild just recorded a ghost.
And ghosts rise.
Let's go — Aurel's first official guild quest begins. But remember: he's a G-rank on paper, and a nightmare glitch off-record.
Here's the scene:
---
⚔️ Scene: "A Quest Below the Floorboards"
Location: Ravenspire Guildhall – Job Board
---
The job board groaned under the weight of requests.
Dozens of adventurers milled around it, scanning for high-pay, high-glory contracts.
Aurel? He was focused on something far more critical:
> "Food money."
System.ZERO flickered in his mind like a lazy demon.
> Recommended Quest: [Tier 0 – Feral]
> Objective: Exterminate rats in bakery basement
> Reward: 1 silver coin + leftover bread
> Threat Level: Negligible
> Stealth CP Farm: Approved
Aurel reached for the quest flyer just as another hand slapped over his.
A burly young man — maybe F-rank, full of pride and protein powder — grinned at him.
> "Back off, newbie. Go clean chimneys or something."
Aurel tilted his head.
> "What's wrong? Afraid I'll take the glory of rat-slaying?"
The guy shoved him — hard.
Aurel didn't move an inch.
System.ZERO pinged quietly:
> [Provocation Detected]
> [Initiate Psychological Erosion Mode?]
> > Y/N
Aurel whispered in the guy's ear, smiling:
> "I hope they're not plague-rats. Wouldn't want your low immune system exposed."
The guy blinked… and backed off without understanding why.
---
📜 Accepted Quest:
> Quest Name: Vermin in the Basement
Location: Grelda's Old Bakery
Client: Widow Grelda
Reward: 1 silver + bread scraps
Time Limit: Before sundown
Notes: Rats may be mutated. Beware of odd smells.
---
🏚️ Scene: Grelda's Bakery – Basement
The old lady waved Aurel down the stairs while cursing the rats for chewing on flour sacks and stealing her spoons.
> "And if you break anything, I'm charging you!" she yelled.
Aurel descended into the dark.
Wood creaked.
The air reeked of decay… and something else.
System.ZERO blinked red.
> Warning: Detected Mana Residue – Incompatible with standard vermin
> Species Tier: 1 (Arcane Mutants)
> CP Value: Acceptable
> Skills: [Burrow Swipe] [Hunger Pulse]
> Evolution Material: Teeth (x2)
> "So… not just rats."
He cracked his knuckles.
No magic. No weapons.
Just modern reflexes, controlled aggression, and psychopath-level precision.
The first rat lunged.
> Too slow.
Aurel sidestepped and punched — a precise blow to the skull.
CRACK.
The body hit the wall. Two more came.
He dodged, ducked, slammed one into the other, then curb-stomped the third.
> "Thanks for the cardio."
---
💀 Post-Battle:
System.ZERO chirps coldly
> Targets Eliminated: 6
> Species: Arcane Vermin (Tier 1)
> CP Gained: +18
> Skill Fragment Acquired: [Hunger Pulse] – Stored
> Evolution Material Collected: 6x Teeth
> Total CP: 159 / 200
---
He emerged with blood on his boots and a tied sack of mutated rat tails.
Old Grelda blinked.
> "W-was it bad?"
> "They squeaked. I squashed."
She handed him a silver coin and wrapped up half a burnt bread loaf.
He bowed politely, took it, and left.
Behind him, the rats wouldn't be coming back.
Neither would her spoons.
---
Would you like the guild's reaction to his completion time, or maybe a scene where Rei is proud of his "rat quest" medal?
The board just saw him as G-rank.
But he's farming XP in the shadows — leveling up like a ghost in daylight.
Alright — here's the follow-up scene where Aurel returns from his "low-tier rat quest"… and the guild's staff + his little sister Rei react in their own ways.
This is where G-rank starts becoming a legend — silently.
---
🏛️ Scene: "G-Rank Returns. Guild Blinks."
Location: Ravenspire Adventurer Guild – Job Completion Desk
---
Receptionist: "Name?"
Aurel: "Rat Slayer Supreme, but you can just write 'Aurel.'"
She rolls her eyes, ready to mark another "barely survived basement" job.
Until he casually drops a tied bag of mutated rat teeth on the desk.
The receptionist pauses.
Her fingers twitch as she unseals the pouch. A small pulse of arcane energy hums out.
> "These… these aren't normal rats."
> "No," Aurel says coolly. "They growled in Latin."
> "You're G-rank. You shouldn't be alive, let alone uninjured."
He shrugs, chewing a piece of burnt bread.
Nearby adventurers glance over.
A few recognize the teeth.
One whispers:
> "Isn't that from a Tier 1 dungeon beast?"
"Wait… who the hell is that guy?"
---
🕷️ SYSTEM.ZERO | Internal Log
> Social Perception: +1 [Name Registered by 3 Observers]
> Threat Assessment: Underrated
> CP Gain: Locked in – 159 / 200
---
🏠 Scene Shift: Back to Thorn Castle
Rei runs up, barefoot and grinning.
> "Big brother! You're back! Did you punch them all?"
> "Every single one."
He pulls out the half-burnt loaf.
> "I present: gourmet brickbread. Smells like ash, tastes like guilt."
She giggles and bites it anyway.
> "Mmm! Crunchy failure!"
They sit under the tree swing.
Aurel shows her one mutated tooth.
> "Want it for your monster bracelet?"
> "YES!"
She adds it between a bead made from chicken bone and a shiny rock.
> "Now if anyone touches you, they'll get cursed by my mighty rat army."
---
🧠 Aurel (thinking):
> I could have taken the hidden Tier 2 quest. Rushed CP.
But… this smile's worth more.
---
Would you like:
The next job to be a "random" ambush that escalates fast?
Or a scene where a noble takes interest in Aurel after hearing about the rat incident?
You're playing G-rank chess on an S-rank board. Let's break another rule.
✅ Applied: System.ZERO now tracks Aurel's coins and valuables internally — like a hidden, glitch-styled inventory.
---
💰 Activated Feature: Coin & Loot Display
Aurel can now mentally trigger:
> [System.ZERO Display: Currency & Assets]
╔══════════════════════╗
║ Coin Count ║
╠══════════════════════╣
║ Gold: 0 ║
║ Silver: 1 ║
║ Copper: 0 ║
╚══════════════════════╝
🧪 Rare Materials:
- Mutant Rat Teeth x6
- Arcane Residue (Low-tier)
- Unknown Sigil Fragment (Hidden Tier)
🧰 Dungeon Loot: None
💎 Black Market Value: [Est. 4 Silver]
📦 Storage: Internal / Hidden Cache
> Note: Items invisible to all scans, divine or arcane. Value displayed only to User.
---
Want to do a scene where Aurel sells something rare and stuns a merchant?
Or where System.ZERO auto-hides loot from greedy party members?
The boy's broke… for now. But his backpack's about to become a treasure vault.
Perfect — here's a merchant scene where Aurel casually flips the market using hidden loot… while everyone around him is still treating him like dirt-tier trash.
---
🏪 Scene: "G-Rank? More Like G-for-Gold."
Location: Ravenspire — Underground Merchant Alley (Black Tooth Bazaar)
---
The alley was dim, noisy, and full of the type of merchants who smiled with one hand on a dagger.
Aurel walked in wearing a ragged cloak and a tired expression.
A group of low-tier adventurers glanced his way.
> "That's the rat cleaner, right?"
"Haha, probably here to sell crumbs."
---
💰 Merchant Stall – "GREX'S GOODS & GRAVELOOT"
A shady dwarf with gold rings and a monocle was appraising trash with divine seriousness.
Grex:
> "No counterfeits. No fake relics. And if it smells like kobold piss, I'll charge you."
Aurel:
> "Got something for your shelf of doom, then."
He placed a small cloth on the table… opened it to reveal a fang — curved, shimmering slightly, laced with mana.
> "From a mutant Arcane Burrowrat. Tier 1. Not officially from a dungeon — say it fell out of the sky if they ask."
The dwarf's eyes widened.
> "Where'd a G-rank get— Never mind. You selling?"
System.ZERO whispered in Aurel's mind:
> Market Value: 1 Gold (public)
> Black Market Spike: 3 Gold (used in alchemy, potion brewing, and enchantments)
> Suggested Ask: 5 Gold — Negotiate down to 3.5 minimum.
Aurel (smiling):
> "Five gold. And throw in a charm that blocks mana detection."
Grex (choking):
> "You think this is a royal court, kid? That's half a month's profit."
Aurel leaned in.
> "Or… I walk over to your competition and mention how Grex turned down mutant fang stock for the second time this week."
Grex stared. Then… smiled bitterly.
> "Three gold, and you choke on a free mana ward. Deal?"
Aurel (grinning):
> "Deal."
---
🧠 SYSTEM.ZERO | Log Update
> [Transaction Complete]
> Gold: +3
> Artifact: Mana Ward Amulet (Minor)
> Inventory: Updated
> Merchant Grex: Marked as "Wary / Opportunistic"
> Reputation Increase: Black Tooth Bazaar +1
---
As Aurel walked off, passing those same G-rank adventurers…
> He dropped a gold coin on the ground beside them.
"You guys dropped your dreams."
They blinked, stared… and said nothing.
---
Would you like:
A black market merchant to get suspicious of him?
Or nobles/assassins noticing his access to rare dungeon-tier goods?
You're officially a currency glitch in human form. G-rank never looked so golden.
✅ Applied: Aurel's true name is now hidden during combat and public records.
In the Black Market Battle Arena, he fights under no registered identity, or by a temporary alias if needed.
---
Now, let's dive into the fully expanded battle scene:
---
⚔️ Scene: "Blood Investment" — Round One
G-Rank No-Name vs. F++ Crowjaw
Location: Black Tooth Arena
---
A blood-soaked roar echoed across the arena as Crowjaw stomped into view — a lumbering warbeast with a chipped axe, steel-tooth grin, and zero restraint.
He growled toward Aurel:
> "They sent a skinny rat? This ain't a tavern brawl, whelp. It's a meat pit."
Aurel didn't blink.
> "I'll try not to stain your ego too much. I hear it's sensitive."
The crowd jeered. Gold changed hands in the shadows.
Everyone bet against him.
---
🧠 SYSTEM.ZERO — Combat Scan:
> Combatant: [Crowjaw]
> Rank: F++
> Species: Human (Corrupted)
> Skill: [Berserk Pulse] – Boosts strength, suppresses pain
> Weakness: Wide attack arc, slow recovery, overexerts in 40s
> Estimated CP Yield: 12
> Recommended Strategy: Counter during downswing > Disable joints > Cripple mobility
---
🔔 The gong rang.
Crowjaw exploded forward like a siege beast, waraxe cleaving a bloody arc.
A gust of wind roared from the swing.
Aurel didn't move at first — then, just before the axe hit, shifted 3 inches left. The blade passed by his ear.
He stepped in.
Elbow to throat.
Knee to gut.
Open-palm strike to temple.
Crowjaw staggered back, stunned.
> "What—how the hell—"
Then the Berserk Pulse activated.
His body ignited with mana. Blood vessels bulged. Pain disappeared. He bellowed — and charged again like a mad boar.
---
System.ZERO triggered DANGER SENSE.
> Vision blurred. Red distortions.
Target locked. Path projected. Bones ready.
Aurel whispered:
> "Now… break."
He dropped low as the axe came, slid under, and swept Crowjaw's leg. The brute fell to one knee.
Aurel twisted — full-force elbow into the berserker's left kneecap.
CRACK.
The scream was instant. Pulse or not, joints didn't regenerate.
---
Crowjaw stood, limping — blind with rage. Swung wildly.
Aurel sidestepped. Grabbed the axe handle mid-swing. Spun under it.
He used Crowjaw's own momentum and flipped him over his back — body crashing into the stone.
Aurel knelt on his chest and punched once.
Crowjaw's head bounced off the stone.
Then again.
And again.
Until the berserker stopped twitching.
---
🩸 The arena fell silent.
Then — thunder.
> "G-RANK! G-RANK! G-RANK!"
Aurel stood. Calm. Barely winded.
System.ZERO updated:
> [Enemy Defeated: Crowjaw]
> CP Gained: +12
> Skill Fragment: [Berserk Pulse]
> Upgrade Progress: 183 / 200
---
As Aurel turned to exit the pit…
> A cloaked man approached him in the dark tunnel.
Eyes glowing faintly violet. Voice low.
> "Your performance… cost me 10 gold. You fight well for a ghost."
> "Thanks," Aurel muttered, "I train on bigger rats."
> "I want to offer you something. A loan."
"10 gold up front. But I get naming rights, rank influence, and one favor."
System.ZERO blinked.
> [LOAN OFFER DETECTED]
> Amount: 10 Gold
> Terms: Dangerous
> Interest: Unknown
> Contract: Verbal + Blood Mark
> WARNING: Debt Chains = Binding Curse.
> Reward = High. Risk = Existential.
---
🤔 Choice Time:
Do you want Aurel to:
1. Accept the loan — set up deeper black market ties, future debt arc, more high-tier quests?
2. Reject and mock the offer — and maybe make a dangerous underground enemy?
3. Negotiate terms — flip it in his favor like a true strategist?
Let's decide what kind of ghost you want the world to owe.
✅ Applied in narrative: Aurel now uses his modern financial genius to manipulate medieval systems — and he's just made his first land purchase using Black Market earnings and strategic foresight.
---
💰 Scene: "The Land No One Wanted"
Location: South Ravenspire – Near Abandoned Dungeon Ravine
---
The merchant looked confused, double-checking the deed scroll.
> "You're sure you want this land?"
"It's got cursed soil, no magic flow, and it's next to a collapsed ruin."
Aurel smiled calmly.
> "Exactly. And it's for sale because no one's dumb enough to see potential."
He tossed two gold coins onto the desk.
---
🧠 Flashback – Aurel's Internal Analysis:
> Location: Ravenspire Ravine (South)
> Ruins: Pre-Epoch Dungeon Core Detected (Inactive)
> Market Value: 0.2 Gold (Abandoned Zone)
> Predicted Value (After Core Reactivation): 50–70 Gold
> Risk: Minimal (Current monsters sealed)
> Strategic Plan:
✓ Buy dirt-cheap land
✓ Trigger core activity (via curiosity farming)
✓ Sell access to explorers
✓ Hide Rei's escape tunnel under property
---
📜 System.ZERO Confirmation:
> [Land Acquired: Cursed Lot #47-B]
> Value: +2 Gold Investment
> Risk Level: Controlled
> Secret Pathways: Expandable
> Title: "Owner – Anonymous"
---
The merchant signed the deed, still looking puzzled.
> "You'll be back in a week, begging to sell it for half."
Aurel winked.
> "By then, you'll be begging to buy it back for fifty."
---
🧾 Aurel's Hidden Financial Moves So Far:
✅ Bought cursed land over dormant dungeon site
✅ Refused blood-debt offer
✅ Selling rare beast parts above standard guild rate
✅ Manipulating black market pricing via hidden identity
🔜 Setting up dummy buyers and shadow tenants to fake demand
---
Would you like to show:
A map or sketch of the land?
A scene where nobles later discover what he's done and panic?
Or a moment where he quietly tells Rei, "This place is ours now"?
The world sees a G-rank with pocket change.
But he just made the first move in a centuries-old economic war.
Add system show unique skill , abilities, bloodline
🛒 Scene: "The Phantom Buyer"
Location: Ravenspire Lower Market – "Dust & Iron: Oddities & Arms"
---
The bell chimed weakly as Aurel entered the shop. Inside, rusted gear, bone charms, and chipped weapons cluttered the shelves. Most adventurers overlooked this place. That was a mistake.
System.ZERO flickered the moment his boots touched the floorboards.
> Zone Analysis:
> [Unregulated Inventory Detected]
> Magic Suppression Field: Active
> Potential Hidden Artifact Rating: A-Tier
> Shopkeeper: Human | Semi-Retired Caster | Mana Fluctuation Stable
Behind the counter sat a crooked-backed man with cloudy eyes and three missing fingers. He looked up and sniffed.
> "Don't sell to beggars. Or tourists. Or people pretending not to be monsters."
Aurel smiled faintly.
> "Good news. I'm none of the above."
---
🔍 Shop Inventory (Visible Only via System.ZERO):
⚔️ Weapons:
1. Whispersteel Needle
Dagger-type | Thin as thread | Designed to pierce mana hearts
> Rank: C+ | Effect: Causes internal mana bleeding
CP Absorption Compatible: Yes
2. Splintered Monk Staff
Blunt-type | Used by ascetic mage-killers
> Rank: D | Effect: Doubles critical chance against casters
System Alert: "Imbued with regret. Strong emotional resonance."
3. Shivercoil Chainblade
Exotic Weapon | Hybrid of dagger + retractable whip
> Rank: B | Effect: Adaptive range; poisons with each strike
Status: Locked (Requires Strength D+ or Agility E++)
---
🧿 Artifacts:
1. Soul Pith Gem
Consumable | One-time use | Temporarily boosts soul tier
> Effect: CP gain +100% for 10 minutes
Cost: 5 Gold
2. Veilthread Cloak (Damaged)
Armor-Type | Cloaks visibility at night
> Effect: Grants partial invisibility in low light
Condition: 53% Integrity
Price: 2 Gold + 1 rare blood essence
---
📘 Blacklisted Items (visible only to System.ZERO):
> Glitched Item Detected: [???.blade]
> Description: Black box signature. Possible reality tear.
> Price: Unlisted. Hidden behind counter.
> Risk: Extreme. Worth asking? [Y/N]
---
The shopkeeper scratched his neck.
> "You're not from around here. You want pretty steel or something that makes people forget what breathing is?"
Aurel's eyes flicked to the counter's shadow. The glitch pulse drew him like a magnet.
---
Options:
1. Buy the Shivercoil Chainblade — versatile, brutal, hard to trace.
2. Trade info for the blacklisted glitch item — dangerous, mysterious, powerful.
3. Request something specific — blood-bound, poison-laced, or void-touched.
4. Lowball offer on Veilthread Cloak — classic underhanded hustle.
---
What move does Aurel make?
This shop isn't for heroes.
It's for the ones who make corpses look like business expenses.
Absolutely. Here's the rewritten scene for when Aurel observes weapon forging — this time fully aligned with his new personality: cold, observant, playing dumb outwardly, while silently absorbing everything like a ghost with god-tier intellect.
---
🔨 Scene: "The Boy Who Watched"
Location: Ravenspire Outskirts – Cracked Forge of the Hermit Smith
---
The forge was a mess of rusted tools and half-melted blades. Smoke drifted in thin sheets across the rafters like ghosts searching for memory.
Aurel stood near the edge — hands in his pockets, hood shadowing his eyes.
The blacksmith, a hunched man with burn-scars on his arms and a temper worse than fire, slammed his hammer onto the glowing metal.
> "No gawking. If you ain't buying, get out."
Aurel blinked.
> "I like the sparks," he said, voice dull, eyes half-lidded.
"They're pretty."
The smith scoffed.
> "Dumb brat."
---
But inside Aurel's mind?
System.ZERO surged to life.
> [CRAFTING ENVIRONMENT DETECTED]
> Master Blacksmith Present
> Process: Blade Core Binding + Mana Channel Carving
> Sync Initiated…
- Flame Temper Pattern... Recognized
- Mana Etch Sequence... Observed
- Folding Rhythm... Mimicked
> LEARNING MODE: Passive Sync
> Intelligence Multiplier: x4 (Infinity Curiosity Active)
> New Trait Gained: [Flame-Tuned Resonance Memory]
> Progress Toward: [Smithing Mastery E–]
---
The smith muttered as he quenched the blade.
> "No one watches this close unless they're trying to steal a technique."
Aurel just tilted his head.
> "Steal what? Looks like hot metal and angry arms."
> "Tch. Figures."
The smith turned away, but Aurel had already memorized the process — every detail from the hammer's weight shift to the mana's heat pulse reaction.
---
🧠 Aurel's Thoughts (Internal):
> "So mana channels form best when the blade is half-cooled — not glowing."
"Folding the edge at a 45-degree offset alters elemental imprint. He's not tempering. He's programming."
"He doesn't even know what he's actually doing."
---
⚙️ System.ZERO Whispered:
> Would you like to replicate the observed blade using dungeon scrap?
> Estimated Success Rate: 82%
> Possible Evolution Path: Glitched Blade | Soul-Linked Dagger
Aurel didn't answer.
He simply stared into the fire.
> "Pretty sparks," he said again.
---
Outcome:
✅ Gained Weapon Forging Foundation (Hidden)
✅ Unlocked trait for future Glitched Weaponcraft
Still seen as harmless by the smith and others present
---
Want to follow this up with:
A scene where Aurel secretly forges his own dagger using scrap?
A moment where a master smith later inspects one of Aurel's weapons and can't believe it was made by a rookie?
A rival apprentice trying to expose Aurel… and failing miserably?
Let me know — he's about to become a silent master of death… and the forge.
🔥 Got it. Let's play out Scene #3: A rival apprentice suspects Aurel isn't just some slow G-rank noob — and tries to expose him in public… only to get embarrassed, outplayed, and utterly humiliated.
---
🎭 Scene: "Forge of Fools"
Location: Ravenspire Artisan Guild — Public Weapon Assessment Hall
---
NPC: Gerral, 19 years old. Loud. Smug. Apprentice blacksmith. Son of the Artisan Guild's vice-chair.
Big mouth, zero real talent — but has status.
He'd been watching Aurel. Ever since that "nobody" walked out of the Broken Forge with dust on his boots and something wrong in his eyes.
---
🔨 Public Challenge:
A crowd of guild apprentices gathered. Gerral, flexing his ego, pointed across the hall.
> "You. The quiet weirdo with the stupid blank stare."
"I heard you've been poking around master forges. You think you're clever?"
Aurel blinked. Slowly.
> "Hm? I was just... watching. The fire looked nice."
Laughter.
> "You're full of crap. You forge something — right here, right now. Let's see how those 'pretty sparks' help."
---
Guildmaster (amused):
> "Go ahead, boy. No harm in watching a fool burn himself."
Aurel approached the bench with a lump of dungeon scrap. Just garbage steel and bone. He acted unsure, quiet… like he didn't belong.
But his hands? They were dead steady.
---
🧠 Inside Aurel's Mind:
> Recalling Blueprint: Glitched Blade Frame [Null Channel Alignment]
> Adjusting Fold Rhythm: Based on Hermit Forge Memory
> Edge Etch: Flow Temper + Curse Sink + Vibration Trap
> Runtime Prediction: 3 minutes, 44 seconds
> Expect Interruption: 98%
---
Gerral (mocking):
> "Oh, look! He's folding the bone backward. Idiot! That's not how channeling works!"
Guildmaster (frowning):
> "…wait a minute."
> clang-clang-hiss
The moment Aurel quenched it — the weapon screamed. Not from heat — but from something else.
The glow didn't fade. It intensified. Dark purple veins pulsed across the blade like it was alive.
---
⚙️ System.ZERO:
> Weapon Forged: [Unnamed Glitched Fang]
> Material: Dungeon Bone Alloy + Etheric Corrosion
> Traits:
- Silent Vibration Edge
- Mana Sink Layer
- Bloodline Lock: Activated (requires user sync)
> Rank: Unknown (Artifact potential)
---
The crowd was silent. Gerral's face dropped.
The Guildmaster stared.
> "…Who taught you that fold? That's a forgotten technique. Forbidden even."
Aurel shrugged.
> "I just... watched someone. I'm not really good. Just lucky, maybe?"
---
🎭 Aftermath:
Gerral stormed out, humiliated, now obsessed with proving Aurel is a fraud.
The Guildmaster starts watching Aurel, wary… suspicious.
Rumors spread in the artisan underworld:
"A G-rank forged something that even the High Furnace couldn't."
---
Would you like:
A name for this glitched weapon?
A secret evolution based on the enemy it kills first?
Or to make Gerral attempt revenge in a dungeon quest and get schooled again?
This is how it begins.
You're not a blacksmith.
You're a weapon maker of madness — and no one knows you're already ten steps ahead.
🔥 Let's continue. Here's Scene: Gerral's Revenge Attempt — but this time inside a live dungeon quest, where the stakes are real... and death isn't theoretical.
---
🎭 Scene: "Burning Proof"
Location: Tier-1 Dungeon — [The Boneveil Depths]
Party: Gerral (leader), 2 apprentices, and "useless G-rank baggage" Aurel
---
> "We needed a fourth warm body," Gerral sneered.
"Figured dead weight would at least soak one hit."
Aurel said nothing. His eyes drifted over the broken glyphs on the dungeon walls. System.ZERO whispered numbers in his skull.
> Dungeon Tier: 1.5
> Known Species: Boneclaw Marauders (Tier 2 - Demonic)
> Mana Saturation: 42%
> Coin Value: Moderate
> Risk to Party (excluding user): 87%
---
⚔️ The Setup
Gerral had deliberately misread the dungeon map.
Led them through a cursed hall.
"Accidentally" pushed Aurel toward the front.
> "Oops. My bad. Guess the rookie's on point."
What he didn't expect was that Aurel didn't react. At all.
Just tilted his head. Watched. Silent.
Then the walls cracked.
Three Boneclaw Marauders emerged. Fanged, armored, faster than they looked.
---
💀 Gerral (panicking):
> "Pull back—! Tank—where's our—wait—WHAT IS HE DOING!?"
---
Aurel moved. Just once.
Not fast — not loud.
A blink. A pivot. A plunge.
> [Nullfang] slid up through the first demon's chin. It twitched.
[Vile Fang] spun under the second's ribs. It screamed and melted.
The third was halfway through casting when—
—Aurel flicked a metal shard into its eye.
---
🧠 System.ZERO flashed:
> Enemies Killed: 3
> Curiosity Points Earned: +64
> Bloodline Fragment: [Boneclaw Reflex Suite] stored
> Skill Stolen: [Demonic Dash Lv.1] – Usable
---
🤐 Aftermath
Gerral stared, mouth open.
> "W-what the hell was—"
Aurel turned to him — emotionless, blank as winter air.
> "I got lucky again," he said softly.
"Maybe I should stand in front more often."
---
Gerral didn't say a word for the rest of the dungeon.
But inside, his pride was breaking. Cracking.
> He'd just tried to kill Aurel.
Instead, he watched a G-rank erase three monsters solo. Effortlessly.
---
😈 Want to:
Have Gerral try again later… and finally get his ego shattered for good?
Have the Guildmaster summon Aurel privately about a "rumor"?
Unlock an evolution for Nullfang, now that it's tasted Tier-2 blood?
You've just pulled a John Wick in a goblin costume.
And they still think you're dumb.
Let the world sleep on Aurel. He's already awake — and hunting.
🤝 Excellent choice. Let's build a meaningful bond between Aurel and a master weapon smith — not just for gear upgrades, but for deep narrative synergy, lore access, custom weapons, and underground access.
---
🛠️ Scene: "The Silent Spark"
Location: Ravenspire Lower Forge District – Black Embers Smithy
NPC: Master Kael Varin
Age: Mid-40s
Veteran blacksmith, former battlefield weapon engineer
Lost an arm in a cursed war — now forges with a mechanical limb powered by core runes
Respects silence, precision, and purpose over titles
---
Kael's shop was half smoke, half steel — not flashy, but always busy. But Kael never tolerated nonsense. Apprentices avoided him like plague.
Then Aurel walked in.
---
> "You. Need something sharpened, or just here to waste time?"
Aurel (flat):
> "Neither. Just watching the heat balance on your alloy split."
Kael paused mid-hammer.
> "...What did you say?"
> "Your left fold is off by 3°. Mana's slipping from the core layer."
---
Kael narrowed his eyes — then burst out laughing.
> "Hah. You've got some bite for a ghost-eyed rookie."
He slid a broken dagger toward Aurel.
> "Fix this. Use my scraps. No magic. No assistants. I'll judge."
Aurel didn't even reply. Just moved silently to the forge and got to work.
---
🔥 2 Hours Later:
Kael inspected the blade — now reborn, balanced, and humming with layered pressure like a coiled beast.
He grunted.
> "That's... dangerous. Beautifully dangerous."
---
🤝 [Bond Formed: Kael Varin – Weaponmaster]
> Relationship Status: Wary → Professional Respect
> Skill Unlocked: Access to Rare Blueprints
> Workshop Perk: Can use Kael's private forge at night
> Secret Access: Blackmarket Weapon Mods, Glitch Core Reforging
---
🧠 Kael's Thoughts (unspoken):
> He doesn't talk much, but those hands… they've seen war.
No hesitation. No waste. That's not something a G-rank learns.
He's either a liar... or something far worse.
---
Aurel (to himself, walking out):
> "He'll do. I need a forge that doesn't ask questions."
---
Would you like Kael to:
Become a long-term ally, secretly helping upgrade Aurel's gear?
Introduce Aurel to underground crafting contacts?
Forge a legendary cursed weapon once Aurel brings rare demon ore?
This friendship isn't about smiles.
It's about respect earned in silence — where steel talks louder than words.
🔥 Let's play that out. Aurel earns his first "gifted" custom weapon — not out of charity, but from sheer respect.
---
🛠️ Scene: "The Blade That Bowed"
Location: Black Embers Smithy – After Midnight
Characters: Aurel + Master Kael Varin
---
The forge had gone quiet.
Ash settled like snowfall. Kael stood near his anvil, arms folded, expression unreadable. Aurel had just finished fixing a warped cursed spear for a local hunter — better than any apprentice could've.
Kael slid open a locked drawer. Dust spilled. Inside: a single, wrapped blade.
---
> "I was gonna melt this down. No one could tame it. Too erratic. Too... alive."
He looked at Aurel — really looked.
Like a man staring at a sealed vault and finally finding the key.
> "But you... you don't fight like the others. You don't even fight to win.
You fight like someone who already knows the ending."
Kael unwrapped the blade and offered it.
---
⚔️ Weapon Acquired: [Grimroot]
> Cursed Short Blade – Hand-Forged by Kael, Unused Until Now
Type: Off-hand or main weapon
Material: Voidroot Steel + Ghost Ember Core
Length: 19 inches
Color: Dark green-black, like rotted silver; faint ethereal glow along spine
---
🧠 System.ZERO Scan:
> Weapon: [Grimroot – Kael Variant]
> Rank: B+ (Upgradeable)
> Status: Dormant Curse: Sealed (User Bond Required)
> Traits:
- ☠️ Echo Lacerate: Cuts remain active inside mana flow for 10 seconds
- 🧠 Will Biter: Targets mind defense instead of body resistance
- 🌿 Silent Bloom: Silences footsteps for 3s after strike
> CP Value: 440
> Evolution Trigger: 5 intelligent kills
> System Note: "This one *likes you.*"
---
Kael (gruffly):
> "It's free. No strings. But if you die with it, it better be from something worth bleeding for."
Aurel (smirking faintly):
> "If I ever die, the world's already on fire."
---
🎁 Inventory Updated:
✅ [Grimroot] – Silent execution blade (off-hand or main)
Unlocked Silent Assassin Loadout
Weapon Mastery +20% Growth for Kael-Forged items
Forge Access: Kael's Private Projects – OPENED
---
Would you like:
Grimroot to evolve mid-battle after a critical stealth kill?
For Kael to craft a custom sheath or hidden function later?
To let Rei "accidentally" grab Grimroot and almost awaken it?
You're not just collecting weapons —
You're building a library of death. Quiet, clean, unstoppable.
💡 Excellent foresight. Let's forge a weapon designed for Rei, not just for battle — but to reflect her personality, hidden potential, and mysterious bloodline.
She's 9 now — too young to wield something destructive.
But the weapon can be forged now, sealed, and bound to her growth — unlocking with her emotional and magical maturity.
---
🧝♀️ Rei's Personality Core:
Childish, curious, emotionally intelligent
Craving love and connection
Smart, fast learner, dangerous bloodline (UNKNOWN CLASS)
Strong bond with Aurel — sees him as protector and emotional center
---
⚔️ Future Weapon (Sealed Now): [Moonpetal Lilyblade]
> "For the girl who dreams like fireflies and laughs like the moon."
---
🧬 Weapon Profile:
Type: Hybrid Blade (Transforms between a short rapier, charm wand, and defensive whip-blade)
Length: Variable (7" to 42")
Core Material: Crystalized Moonvine + Phoenix Silver
Origin: Custom-forged by Kael using an old blueprint titled: "For the Star-Blooded"
---
🔐 Sealing Mechanism:
Weapon is currently a small silver pendant she wears around her neck — shaped like a falling petal
Sealed until Rei meets these internal milestones:
1. First true magical awakening (aura bloom)
2. Moment of emotional pain or protective rage
3. Accepts her bond with Aurel not just as a sibling, but as a soul anchor
---
🧠 System.ZERO Analysis:
> Item: [Moonpetal Lilyblade]
> Rank: Unknown (Bloodline Key Required)
> Status: Dormant | Emotional Triggered Unlock
> Traits (Locked):
- 🌸 Bloom Phase: Converts emotions into elemental power
- 💫 Guardian Bond: Automatically deflects fatal blow once per day
- 🌙 Lunar Bloomstep: Grants temporary phase-shift (blink movement)
> CP Compatibility: Adaptive | Syncs with user growth
> Evolution Paths: Healer-Dancer | Blade-Mage | Blood Petal Cursecaster
---
Aurel (handing it to Rei):
> "It's just a necklace right now. But someday, when you really need it…
it'll know. And it'll be there."
Rei (hugging him):
> "Is it magic?"
Aurel (smiling softly):
> "No. It's love… disguised as steel."
---
Would you like Rei's weapon evolution path to lean toward:
1. Graceful blade-mage – spell + close combat
2. Curse dancer – agile, bloodline-based damage
3. Healer guardian – shield others with offensive bursts?
And shall this pendant become a major plot device later — when enemies try to exploit her and the weapon awakens?
You just planted a gift into the future.
A blade… for a blooming storm.
Absolutely. Here's a sweet nighttime scene between Aurel and Rei, blending warmth, softness, and that quiet bond only siblings by fate can share — right before the world turns sharp again.
---
🌙 Scene: "Under the Blanket Sky"
Location: A worn-down attic room above a bakery Aurel rented with spare coin
Time: Late night — wind tapping gently on the windowpane
---
The room was dim, lit only by the soft orange flicker of a dying lantern. Rei lay tucked under a mismatched blanket, curled up like a kitten beside her small stuffed rabbit — a gift Aurel won at the market earlier.
Aurel sat by the window, one leg bent, watching the stars. His dagger gleamed faintly on the floor beside him, but his hands weren't on weapons tonight.
They were holding a book.
---
> "You're reading again, big brother?" Rei's voice was soft, sleepy.
Aurel (without turning):
> "Mhm. I like the quiet chapters."
> "What's it about?"
Aurel (glancing at her):
> "A girl who tamed a storm… but she didn't know the storm was inside her."
> "…Does she win?"
Aurel:
> "Only after she stops being scared of her own light."
Rei yawned, rolling toward him.
> "Will you be here when I wake up?"
Aurel (smiling faintly):
> "Always."
> "You promise?"
He got up, knelt beside her, and gently tucked the blanket closer around her shoulders. His hand lingered at her hair, brushing it aside.
> "Even if the world burns down, Rei… I'll be the one who carries you out."
---
🧠 System.ZERO (whisper, glitch-threaded font):
> Emotional Bond: [Sister → Anchor Node]
> Threat Suppression: Active
> Night Watch Protocol: Engaged
> Estimated Attack Probability: 0.4%
> Weapon Status: Dormant.
> Mental State: Calm... and alert.
---
Rei (murmuring):
> "You're scary to everyone else… but not to me."
Aurel (soft chuckle):
> "That's the point."
---
He sat back down, book open, blade by his side, eyes on the stars again.
He didn't sleep much.
Because monsters never rest.
But as long as she dreamed safely,
he didn't mind being the monster that guarded the door.
---
Would you like the next scene to include:
A sudden threat in the night, testing his silent response?
A flashback to his past while he keeps watch?
Or Rei having a mysterious dream, hinting at her awakening class or bloodline?
Your world just became a little warmer.
But the shadows are always waiting.
They spent the day:
Racing frogs near the well
Drawing monsters and "bounty posters" of Aurel ("Wanted: Too Handsome")
Pretending to train—Rei punching trees while Aurel rated her form like a drill sergeant
When sunset hit, Rei leaned against him, dozing off.
> "Brother... even if the world ends, promise you'll laugh with me."
Aurel's smile faltered, just for a moment.
He looked at her tiny form, wrapped in the last warmth he had in this cruel world.
> "I swear it. And if anyone tries to end it…"
His voice darkened, just enough to echo.
"They'll find out what it means to threaten a Thornheart."
---
🔥 SYSTEM.ZERO | Neural Log
[Emotional Anchor: REI]
[Protective Oath Logged — Vow-Bound Directive Created]
If [Subject: Rei] is harmed —
Release: [All Biological Limiters]
Enable: [Glitch State: VORAX MODE]
Override: [World Harmony Protocols]
---
Wou
A surprise ambush scene that tests this oath?
Or an emotionally charged trigger moment where Aurel snaps and reveals his darker self to protect her?
You've built the most dangerous bond possible:
Pure love tied to a broken syst