---
Haruki's eyes flutter open to the sound of muffled whispers, distant footsteps, and the rustle of silk curtains dancing with morning light. For a moment, he forgets where he is. The soft linen beneath him, the scent of incense drifting in the air, the gentle warmth cradling his body—it feels too peaceful, too serene.
But then it all comes rushing back.
He is not Yamato Akio anymore. Not the worn-down, aging laborer trudging through life in a black company. Not the heartbroken husband with betrayal etched into his bones.
He is Haruki Kurosawa. Son of the Vampire King and Demon Queen. Born anew in a realm brimming with magic, secrets, and ancient power.
And this is only the beginning.
---
The room is enormous. White marble floors laced with crimson veins stretch in every direction, glistening like polished blood. Towering columns support arching ceilings painted with constellations, each star shifting ever so slightly, like the sky itself watches over him. Rich tapestries depict battles between monstrous beasts and cloaked warriors wielding spears of lightning and fire.
Haruki lies swaddled in a luxurious black-gold blanket in an obsidian crib carved with runes that pulse faintly, matching the rhythm of his heartbeat. His mother, Seraphiel, sits nearby on an upholstered chaise, her crimson eyes glowing softly as she hums a lullaby older than memory. Despite her regal aura, there's a profound gentleness in the way she watches him—as if he's the first light she's seen in eons of darkness.
The door opens silently. A tall figure enters, draped in a robe of muted midnight tones—a court mage, Haruki guesses. The figure bows low before the queen.
"Your Majesty. The High Council requests an audience."
Seraphiel rises smoothly, her movements graceful yet laced with power.
"Tell them I will join them shortly. My son must be fed first."
The mage bows again and disappears.
Seraphiel approaches Haruki's crib. He meets her eyes, and she smiles—not with formality, but with warmth.
"You were quiet last night," she murmurs. "Perhaps the stars whispered dreams to you."
Haruki gurgles instinctively. Internally, he winces. Communicating is... a challenge.
> *\[System Alert: Passive Skill Acquired – "Infant Expression Translator"]*
> *\[Your thoughts will now be interpreted subtly through body language, energy fluctuations, and expression.]*
That's new.
Haruki tries blinking twice slowly, then once. Seraphiel tilts her head, thoughtful.
"...Curious child," she says. "You see more than you should."
A sudden chill enters the air.
The wall to Haruki's left flickers. A figure materializes—his father, Aiden Kurosawa, stepping out from a portal of living shadow. He is dressed in ceremonial armor trimmed with blood-red sigils. His presence, unlike Seraphiel's soothing aura, exudes control, authority, and restrained violence.
"The southern barrier flared again," he says to Seraphiel.
She nods. "The seal weakens."
Haruki watches as his parents speak in riddles. They don't seem concerned about his presence—either trusting in his innocence or simply believing a newborn couldn't comprehend what they say.
But Haruki isn't a normal child.
---
> *\[System Notice: Mission Updated – "Observe the Shadows"]*
> *\[Objective: Detect the source of magical instability within the Nightclad Palace]*
> *\[Time Limit: 7 days]*
> *\[Reward: Minor Shadow Affinity, 500 EXP, ??? Hidden Bonus]*
Haruki blinks again. Seven days? That's quick.
> *\[New Skill Acquired: Observation Lv. 1]*
> *\[You can now detect irregularities in mana flow and ambient energy. Skill effectiveness depends on environment and concentration.]*
He focuses.
Almost immediately, the world begins to shimmer.
Tiny threads of mana, like silver mist, drift lazily through the room. Most are calm, harmonious. But one—near the far corner, by a tapestry depicting the Eclipse War—is... wrong. The mana there coils violently, like a snake trapped in a jar. It pulses erratically.
Haruki narrows his eyes.
---
**Three Days Later**
Word spreads through the palace: The prince is no ordinary child. Servants whisper tales of his uncanny awareness, how he always seems to look directly at them when they enter the room, even from across the hall.
One nursemaid reports that the prince began crying moments before a magical artifact exploded in the eastern wing—saving her life.
Some call him blessed. Others whisper... cursed.
Aiden pays it no mind.
"He is ours. That alone makes him more than ordinary," he tells Seraphiel one night.
But Seraphiel watches their son with quiet intensity. She notices how his eyes follow not toys or lights—but glyphs, spell circles, and books. She sees the way his fingers twitch near energy distortions, as if trying to shape the air.
Something stirs within her.
An old instinct.
A memory.
---
**Night.**
The moon hangs low, fat and red. Shadows creep across the palace walls. In the silence, a cloaked figure darts along the outer corridors, unseen by guards and undetected by wards.
But not unnoticed by Haruki.
The moment the figure steps into the nursery, the ambient mana screams.
> *\[Alert: Hostile Intent Detected]*
> *\[System Options: Trigger Passive Defense?]*
> *\[Cost: 5 Energy Units]*
Haruki triggers it without hesitation.
A low pulse radiates from his body. The runes in the crib ignite. Crimson lines of protection flare to life, forming a barrier.
The intruder—a gaunt figure with glowing blue tattoos and a wicked dagger—screeches as the magic barrier slams into him.
The guards arrive seconds later.
Kael'thas appears *immediately* after, tearing through space.
The intruder doesn't survive long enough to speak.
---
Later, Kael'thas stands beside the crib. His silver eyes glow with thought.
"He activated the barrier," the king says.
Seraphiel nods slowly. "No child should be capable of it."
Kael'thas places a hand over Haruki's chest.
"He is not just a Kurosawa."
---
> *\[Mission Complete: Observe the Shadows]*
> *\[Reward Unlocked: Shadow Affinity (Minor), 500 EXP, Hidden Trait Revealed: Memory Echo]*
> *\[New Passive Trait: Memory Echo – You retain the emotional weight and sensory experience of critical moments. These may awaken skills, instincts, or unique reactions in similar future situations.]*
> *\[Level Up! Haruki is now Level 2]*
> *\[Attribute Points +5. Skill Points +3]*
> *\[System Shop Unlocked – Tier 0]*
> *\[First Purchase Bonus Available. Would you like to view offers?]*
Haruki opens the shop panel mentally.
Tier 0 is basic, mostly supportive items and stat boosters. But one option catches his eye:
**"Shadow Pocket: Create a small extradimensional space for storage or concealment. Limit: 1 cubic meter. Cost: 1 SP.**
He selects it immediately.
> *\[Skill Acquired: Shadow Pocket Lv. 1]*
A black rift forms in his palm, barely the size of a teacup.
But it's a start.
And Haruki is just getting started.
---
**Elsewhere. Far beyond the palace walls.**
In a cavern veined with bloodcrystals, seven hooded figures gather.
"He has awakened," one hisses.
"Too soon," says another.
"The seal weakens because *he* was born," snarls a third.
A fourth laughs bitterly. "Let him grow. Let him believe. When the thirteenth moon rises, we *harvest*."
They bow toward the center—toward a pulsating orb of darkness that beats like a heart.
---