The flames still burned when Kael Veyr opened his eyes.
Smoke coiled like dying serpents around the broken pillars of what had once been the High Hall of Veyron. The throne—his throne—lay cracked and tilted, half-buried in rubble. Its obsidian arms were stained with blood and ash.
His blood.
But Kael didn't breathe. He didn't need to.
His body felt... different. Cold, but not lifeless.
A hollow chime rang through his mind.
[System Initializing...]
[Soul Sync Detected... Complete.]
[Welcome, Kael Veyr.]
[Designation: Fallen Royal]
[System Binding: Confirmed.]
You have inherited the System of the Fallen Prince.
This world has rejected you.
Override successful.
Kael slowly rose from the stone floor. The air shimmered with residual heat. His long black hair drifted with each flicker of flame. His eyes—once warm and uncertain—now glowed with faint traces of data.
He looked down and saw the corpse at the base of the stairs.
His own body, broken and still impaled on the ceremonial blade. The hilt bore the crest of House Veyr.
His brother's crest.
[System Alert: Cause of death – Treason.]
[Initiating Vengeance Protocol...]
Kael didn't react outwardly. But inside, a cold clarity settled.
His right hand clenched—and light answered.
A translucent blue interface flared into existence. Code. Glyphs. Skill trees. Threat markers. Underneath them, a single active quest flashed red:
Main Quest: Reclaim the Throne
— Objective 1: Survive
— Objective 2: Ascend
— Objective 3: Rule
Status: Active
Before the Fall
Kael Veyr was never meant to be a warrior.
He was a thinker. A tactician. While others trained with swords, Kael studied war theory, legacy martial scrolls, and forbidden magic philosophy. He knew the theory behind every blade technique—even if he'd never needed to swing one.
Until now.
He remembered it all. The feast. The smile on Adrion's face. The steel through his ribs. The cheers of nobles who had once bowed to him.
He remembered dying.
Now he remembered... returning.
Aetherion: The New World
Kael stepped outside the throne hall. The palace, once grand, was in ruins.
But the world beyond had changed.
Above him, the sky fractured—split into floating landmasses and islands suspended in strange currents. The Kingdom of Veyron was gone.
He had awoken in Aetherion, a world ruled by arcane systems, dungeon guilds, and blood-forged power.
A message shimmered into view above him.
[Zone: Ruinfall Exile District]
Status: Abandoned
System Activity: Suppressed
Power Level: 0
Factions Detected: None
Kael tilted his head.
"Good," he whispered.
[Tutorials: Disabled.]
[Assistance Level: Zero.]
No guidance. No mercy.
Just like he preferred.
System Evolution Begins
He walked down the broken marble corridor, once reserved for royal ceremonies. Now vines and time had claimed it.
Statues of kings before him lay shattered. Mosaics depicting his ancestors cracked under his steps. The system flared again.
[Skill Acquired: Mind of the Strategist (Lv.1)]
+10% combat clarity
+Enhanced situational awareness
+Reveals tactical patterns in enemies
Kael's eyes narrowed.
A shadow darted across the hall.
The silence was too still.
[Warning: Hostile Presence Detected]
Entity: Scavenger Wraith
Type: Etherbound
Level: 5
Threat Level: Moderate
It lunged.
Kael didn't move.
[Combat Ready: No Weapon Detected]
[Emergency Protocol Triggered: Manifesting Phantom Armament]
A sword burst to life in Kael's hand—formed entirely from system data.
Its blade glowed with runes, the hilt engraved with a shattered crown: the mark of the Fallen Prince.
The wraith struck. Kael's instincts answered.
Steel met shadow. Sparks flew.
A split-second decision tree appeared in his vision:
— Dodge left: 40% success
— Parry high, counter low: 65% success
— Lunge directly: 10% risk, 85% kill chance
He lunged.
One slash.
The wraith fell into pieces, its form dissipating into mist.
[Victory Achieved]
XP Gained: 120
Skill Leveled Up: Mind of the Strategist (Lv.2)
Drop Obtained: Fragment of Broken Core (1/7)
Kael exhaled.
Not from exhaustion—but from control.
This system wasn't his second chance.
It was a weapon.
Elsewhere…
High above the ruins, cloaked seers gathered around a floating crystal.
One trembled.
"He awakens. The System moves again."
A woman clad in silver stepped from the shadows, eyes locked on the image of Kael's system flare.
"The Fallen Prince returns... and the world will burn."
Beneath the Throne
Kael stood before the sealed stone arch beneath the broken throne.
His system flared with new prompts.
[New Objective Available: Unlock Legacy Vault]
Requirement: Bloodline Verified
Hint: Only those who have fallen may rise again.
Kael placed his palm on the stone.
A rune flared on his wrist—the sigil of the Fallen Prince.
The vault rumbled, and the stone door began to open.
Behind it waited answers. Power. Secrets.
And his first step toward reclaiming the world.
[Chapter 1 Complete]
[New Title Unlocked: System-Bound Heir]
[Perk Gained: Legacy Memory Retention]
Progress Saved. Destiny Altered.