The rain didn't fall gently that night—it slashed through the darkness like knives from the heavens, drenching the once-proud Blackwood Estate in icy sheets. Thunder cracked across the sky as if mourning what was about to happen.
Ethan Blackwood stood on his knees, chained, bloodied, and bruised, his breath shallow. The courtyard that once echoed with his childhood laughter now rang with nothing but silence and the cold stares of his own family.
His father, Alaric Blackwood—the head of the clan—stood before him with disappointment etched into every line of his stern face. Around him stood council elders, distant cousins, and his own elder brother, Marcus, whose smirk twisted like a knife in Ethan's gut.
"You were never meant to inherit the Shadow Flame," Alaric said, voice booming and heartless. "Your existence was… a mistake."
Ethan tried to speak, but the blood on his lips made it impossible. Everything he thought he understood was crumbling before him. The whispers, the cold glares, the secrets—they all made sense now. He had been set up.
"You were born of a commoner," Marcus added, stepping forward. "Mother always knew. Father just… tolerated you. But that ends tonight."
Ethan's eyes burned, not from pain—but betrayal. His own brother. His own blood.
"I trained harder than any of you," Ethan managed to whisper through clenched teeth. "I earned my place."
"But you were never chosen," Marcus snapped. "And now… you'll die forgotten."
Without another word, Marcus raised his hand. A circle of crimson runes ignited beneath Ethan, binding his limbs with dark energy. The forbidden execution seal—used only on traitors.
"I'm not a traitor," Ethan whispered, eyes locked on his father's. "I'm your son…"
Alaric turned away.
That was all it took. The spell activated, erupting in a pillar of red light that swallowed Ethan whole. Pain seared through every nerve. It wasn't death—it was worse. The seal didn't kill instantly. It erased you—body, soul, and spirit.
But just as his vision blurred, and the world slipped into shadow, something strange happened.
Ding.[Shadow Heir Detected.][Initiating System Reboot…]
A cold wind whooshed through his collapsing mind, and then…
[Welcome, Ethan Blackwood. You have been chosen by the Forgotten System.][Would you like to survive?]
Ethan's soul, adrift in a sea of darkness, latched onto the voice. It echoed with calm, mechanical certainty—a system interface. He had heard legends of such things, but none had been seen for centuries.
Yes, he thought.
[Initializing… Uploading Host Memories… Reconstructing Body…]
He felt a jolt. Suddenly, he wasn't in the courtyard anymore. He was lying on a cold stone floor in a dim, abandoned ruin. Moss clung to cracked pillars. The air was heavy with ancient energy.
He sat up, breathing hard. His wounds were gone.
"Where… am I?" he muttered.
[Location: Shadow Vault, Realm 0][Tutorial Mode Engaged.][Host has been Reborn.]
"What the hell is this?"
[System Objective: Reclaim your destiny. Level up. Surpass your enemies. Become the Shadow Sovereign.]
Ethan's heart pounded in his chest. He had died. And yet… here he was. Reborn, in a realm forgotten by time, with a power no one else had.
He opened his hand. A glowing menu appeared in the air before him:
Name: Ethan BlackwoodLevel: 1Class: Shadow HeirAffinity: Darkness, FlameSystem Perks:– Shadow Sense (Passive)– Phantom Step (Active)– Flame Veil (Locked)– Sovereign's Will (Locked)
A low growl echoed in the distance. Ethan stood, trembling slightly as he took in his surroundings. The vault was ancient—made for trials. He could feel it.
"Alright…" he muttered, eyes narrowing with purpose. "If I've been given a second chance, then I'll use it. I'll rise from the shadows."
His fist clenched, shadows wrapping around his arm like a second skin.
"Marcus… Father… The entire Blackwood Clan. I'll come back for all of you."
From above, a massive beast dropped down—a wolf-like creature with glowing red eyes and bones laced with metal.
[Tutorial Enemy: Shadowfang Lv. 5 - Initiating Battle.]
Ethan didn't flinch. "Let's test what this system can really do."
End of Chapter One