Chapter 22: Rebirth
Eldertwine Tree Region, Mirage Woods
Beneath the vast roots of the Eldertwine Tree, a faint crimson glow pulsed from within the hidden cavern Raven had discovered earlier. The red feather resting inside began to shimmer, its light growing brighter until it flared like a living ember.
The glow twisted, flickered—and then ignited.
A small flame took shape, flickering gracefully as it swelled in size, molding itself into the outline of a person. In seconds, the flame stretched, reshaping until it resembled a figure lying flat on the ground.
That figure was Raven—his body sculpted entirely from fire.
At first, he was nothing more than burning essence. But soon, faint hints of flesh appeared—starting from his left thumb, where the flame thinned into a pale yellow glow, revealing real skin beneath. The rebirth had begun.
Hours slipped by. The crimson flame continued to pulse, the cavern bathed in a soft red hue. When ten hours had passed, the fire form began to solidify. The reddish blaze dimmed slowly, revealing a body beneath—a real, breathing Raven.
Even the severed wound at his neck had vanished, replaced by unbroken skin. The fire had rebuilt him, piece by piece, reattaching what death had once taken.
As the last of the yellow flame faded, his pale face emerged from the shadows—unburned, alive, and eerily calm.
More hours passed in silence.
When the moon rose high, darkness filled the cavern. It was close to midnight when Raven's eyelids trembled. With a slow inhale, he opened his eyes and stared up at the familiar ceiling made of twisted roots.
"W-Where am I?" His voice rasped. Memories struck him like lightning—his head being severed, the dark-robed assassin, the agony before death. The horror still lingered in his chest.
"Wait… I died. I remember dying. How am I here? Zera? Are you still with me?"
[I'm here, lad.]
Zera's calm voice echoed in his mind. [You're alive because of the red feather I gave you. It contained the essence of the Rebirth Flame—a divine fire capable of restoring even a shattered soul.]
"Rebirth Flame?" Raven's eyes widened. "That kind of spell actually exists?" He tried to sit up, but his arms trembled.
[Don't force your body.] Zera's tone turned firm. [You've returned from death, but your strength hasn't. Rest for at least a week before moving.]
Raven exhaled shakily and nodded, though frustration burned in his chest.
He clenched his fists weakly. "Zera… my aunt and sister. I need to save them before it's too late!"
[Calm yourself.] Zera's mental voice sharpened. [If you rush now, you'll die again. You can't even stand against an Elite Rank Walker, let alone the guards of the Royal Palace. Even a Legend Rank would struggle to defy the Empire's reach.]
Raven fell silent, anger giving way to grim acceptance.
"What do you suggest then? I can't abandon them! Even if the entire Zenith Empire stands in my way, I'll face them all!"
[With that pitiful strength? Foolish.] Zera sighed. [Power isn't the only path. Think. Is there no other way to save them—one that doesn't involve walking straight into the lion's den?]
Raven closed his eyes, thinking hard. Then a spark of realization lit his mind.
"The Royal Crown Challenge…" he whispered. "If I win it, I'll have the right to demand anything from the Emperor himself."
He recalled his aunt's words—the conditions to participate. "Two Dukes, four Margraves, and seven Counts… I need their support. But no one even knows I exist. Even if I prove I'm the 66th prince, no noble will stand by me." His expression darkened. "Not even a rural baron."
[Then become one of them.] Zera's tone softened. [You have one advantage—the Emperor and the Prime Minister think you're dead. Use that. Hide in the shadows, build strength, and return under a new name. Let them fear the ghost they tried to kill.]
Raven's heart steadied. He nodded slowly. "Then my new life starts here. I'll need a new identity… and an ally."
He reached into his inventory and pulled out a small, velvet-colored gemstone. Its surface shimmered faintly.
Zera immediately groaned. [Don't tell me—you're calling her? That woman is dangerous. Her record says she's part of a shady organization, the Velvet Eclipse.]
"I know." Raven's voice was faint. "But I don't have another choice. I'm fading, Zera. I'll die here if I don't get help."
Without hesitation, he crushed the gem. It shattered with a muted pulse of light.
[Before you pass out—remove that silver bracelet.] Zera urged.
"This thing?" Raven glanced at his left wrist. The artifact that had once been fused to his skin now felt loose. He pulled, and to his surprise, it came free.
[When you were assassinated, the link broke. That bracelet carries a tracking rune tied to your blood. Keep it hidden if you wish to stay alive.]
"So the Emperor's been watching me all along…" Raven muttered.
[Hide it in your inventory.]
He did. Then, grabbing a small notebook, he scrawled a message across the first page before fatigue crushed him.
"By the time you find me, Teacher, I may be unconscious. Please—hide my identity and don't look for my family. They're gone."
The pen slipped from his fingers. His breathing slowed as darkness claimed him again.
…
Minutes later, a faint ripple of mana stirred the air outside the cavern.
A woman with blonde hair stepped through the fog, her sharp eyes scanning the forest. She wore a sleek black combat dress—its fitted sleeves and short skirt built for movement rather than show. Leather boots reached her calves, dusted with red leaves from the Mirage Woods.
"Did I get the wrong location?" she muttered, tapping the silver watch on her wrist.
A soft click—and the device glowed blue. A holographic map appeared, showing the Eldertwine Tree and a blinking pulse beneath its roots.
A familiar voice chuckled through the watch. "There's a presence beneath that old tree, my beautiful Eli."
"Got it." Elizabeth leapt over the twisted trunk and landed beside a patch of concealed branches. She brushed them aside, revealing a small cavern hidden beneath the roots.
Inside, her eyes widened.
"Raven?!"
He lay motionless, breathing faintly, his skin pale and feverish.
A tiny illusionary mouse appeared on her shoulder, its voice cautious. "I sense a strange energy from his closed eyes. Could it be an Arcane Fragment?"
"Impossible," Elizabeth snapped. "Fragments are relics—there's no way…" She paused, then narrowed her eyes. "And don't even think about touching him, Whis. He's my student."
The mouse sulked but said nothing as she checked Raven's pulse.
"He's burning up… heartbeat unstable." Her gaze fell on the open notebook resting on his chest. She read the message and froze.
Please hide my identity… and don't search for my aunt or sister.
Elizabeth exhaled softly, a flicker of worry in her expression.
"Something must've happened. I'll find out soon enough."
She gathered him gently in her arms and turned toward the forest.
The illusionary mouse sighed. "To Darkcross Town again?"
"Yes," Elizabeth said firmly. "Let's bring him home."
Then, with a swirl of mana and falling leaves, the cavern fell silent once more.
When Raven regained consciousness, the first thing he noticed was the softness beneath him. The bed felt far more luxurious than anything he'd ever slept on—warm sheets, faint lavender scent, and enough space for two.
He blinked and looked around.
Velvet curtains draped the windows, the floor gleamed under a woven mat, and crystal lamps bathed the room in golden light. A chandelier glittered above, scattering fragments of brightness across polished furniture.
"Am I... in a noble's mansion?" he murmured.
"You're not," a calm voice replied from his left.
Raven's muscles tensed. He turned—and saw Elizabeth sitting on a chair near the table, her sharp eyes fixed on him.
"You really made quite a mess," she said with a sigh. "When I found you, you were half-dead under that tree. Your aunt and sister are gone, and even Baron Alexander has gone strangely quiet about it. No search notice, no uproar. It's as if he already knew who you really were."
She crossed her legs, studying him. "I don't want to pry. But Raven—whatever you've gotten yourself into, you can't face it alone. Someone wants you dead. So tell me… what's your plan now?"
Raven looked down at his hands. His thoughts raced.
'She tried to dig into my background… but she found nothing. As expected.'
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"I need a new identity, Teacher. A complete one. If I'm to save my aunt and sister, I have to disappear and grow strong without the Empire knowing who I am."
Elizabeth's gaze softened—just a little.
'So, he's hiding his lineage. Smart boy… and determined.'
"So your goal is to earn a noble title under a false name?" she asked.
"Something like that," he answered vaguely.
Elizabeth leaned back, tapping her finger against the chair arm. "That's… ambitious. But not impossible."
She paused, gathering her thoughts.
"Normally, there are only two ways to rise in the Empire. The first is by military merit—serving under a noble lord, climbing ranks, and earning the title of Knight. That can take decades. And even then, you'd only receive a non-hereditary title, without land or legacy. Hundreds of such nobles already exist—decorated, but powerless."
Raven frowned. "Is there no faster path?"
"There are two alternatives," Elizabeth said, raising two fingers. "First, politics. Every fifty years, the Empire holds elections for Parliament. Seventy members, one puppet Prime Minister, all under the Mage Council's shadow. It's power, but not true power. The next election is in twenty-two years."
Raven's eyes widened. "Twenty-two years? I don't have that long. My aunt will be taken to the Iron Prison before then."
Elizabeth nodded knowingly. "Then there's the second path. Riskier, but… if you succeed, even the Emperor will notice you."
Raven leaned forward, interest burning in his eyes. "Tell me."
"Have you heard of the Pioneer Knights?"
Raven's breath hitched. Of course, he had.
"They're the ones who lead expeditions into uncharted regions. They tame the wild lands, slay magical beasts, and establish territories under their names. The Whitbard Family's founder became a hereditary noble that way."
"Exactly." Elizabeth smiled faintly. "But it's a bloody path. Only nobles—or those with noble blood—can apply for recognition. Many try; most die. Monsters devour them, or nearby lords seize whatever little land they claim. It's dangerous, but… if you succeed, it's the fastest route to true nobility."
Zera's voice echoed in his mind.
[This idea isn't bad, lad. The borderlands are full of magical beasts. You could grow stronger there faster than anywhere else.]
Raven nodded, determination flashing across his eyes. "Then I'll do it. Teacher, can you help me with a new identity?"
Elizabeth took out a small badge from her ring—a cockscomb flower engraved in silver.
"If you stay in Baron Alexander's territory, your true name will leak sooner or later. You'll leave the city tonight."
She flipped the badge. "Go to Count Spade's territory. In Giaris City, find a man named Franco at the Red Apple Inn. Show him this badge and tell him I sent you. He's greedy, but not treacherous."
Raven sat up slowly and accepted the badge with both hands. "Thank you, Teacher. I'll never forget this."
Elizabeth gave a faint smile. "We'll see. Rest until evening. I'll smuggle you out when night falls. After that, you're on your own. Stay hidden. Stay alive."
As she left the room, her footsteps faded into silence. For a long time, Raven stared at the badge, his thoughts heavy.
'She's risking herself for me… I can't waste this chance.'
He exhaled softly, then asked in his mind, 'Zera, tell me more about the system's hidden functions.'
[Hidden? You already know most of them, don't you?] Zera's tone carried mild confusion.
'I mean that feather—the one that revived me. I didn't know such a skill existed.'
[Ah. That was one of the One-Time Skill Slots. When the system awakened, most of the backup functions were destroyed. I managed to keep a few: Eldritch Analysis, Wisdom Link, and five one-time skills. I used Rebirth to save you when I sensed danger in the Mirage Woods.]
Zera paused, then continued.
[The remaining four are Erase Existence, Destiny Change, Nightmare Loop, and Meteorite Descend. Each can alter fate itself. Use them only when there's no other choice.]
Raven's jaw tightened. "Even those might not be enough to save them."
He closed his eyes, mind racing. After a long silence, he whispered,
"Zera, I have a plan. It's dangerous, but… I need a bloodline spell that can change my appearance. Is that possible?"