"Hahahaha! You're so cruel! Your soul! So chaotic!"
A collection of eerie voices filled the air, followed by the metallic sound of swords clashing. Two Awakened cornered a young boy, their expressions perfectly mirroring each other with an eerie sync.
The boy stood, his blade dripping with blood that wasn't his. Wounds lined his body, yet he remained unfazed. His blue eyes gleamed with sharpness as he spoke.
"An assassin does not feel for their targets. I am free to be cruel, Voidborne."
....
Days ago…
Kaiser had woken up late. Almost too late for the event. His butler nagged at him, but he remained unhurried. Standing before the bathroom mirror, he looked at himself.
A delicate face with unbelievably smooth skin, messy electric-blue hair that glistened with water, and sharp icy-blue eyes. His physique was lean and toned, something crafted from specialized training and nutrition. He plucked a strand of his blue hair, then said in a flat tone.
"Yay! Happy Birthday to me."
He finished up and changed into clean clothes, though he refused to put on any footwear. Under his butler's exasperated gaze, they went straight to the grand hall.
When they arrived, he realized that every other junior was already there. Thirty other butlers stood to the side, each accompanying one junior.
As soon as they entered, all eyes turned to them. The other juniors also had sharp blue eyes, like sheathed daggers waiting to be drawn. Seated on the throne in the hall was the Clan Patriarch. He had silver-white hair and the signature blue eyes that belonged to his clan.
"Kaiser, you're late."
His voice was low and firm, spreading through the hall. It wasn't an accusation, but a fact.
"I know…"
Barefooted, Kaiser stepped forward with a yawn, looking unbothered. He ignored the frowns of the other juniors, then joined them on the line.
Ture Solace, the Patriarch, said nothing else and leaned back into his throne. From the darkness behind him, someone stepped out.
Kaiser recognized him immediately. Gomez Solace, one of the best prodigies in the clan and the patriarch's direct son.
"You're all ready, I presume?"
Gomez spoke, his eyes calm and steady. Every single junior nodded. Their eyes were sharp like sheathed daggers, waiting to be drawn.
The man nodded, then raised a hand. On the ground between the juniors and himself, white runes manifested, pulsing with otherworldly light. Everyone, including Kaiser, stared at the runes intently.
"Good. As formality, I'll brief you again. This rune will transport you to the Nirad Realm's past, individually. There, you will be given a quest which you have to complete in order to initiate your awakening. If you fail the quest, you'll be unable to awaken and remain normal humans for life. Most of you might have encounters with other humans in your quests, however, note that they aren't real. You are the ones being summoned into a past that has occurred. Do not make useless emotional mistakes."
He paused, scanned their attentive expressions, then continued.
"Once your quest starts, you will be given a weapon of your choice. As groomed talents of the Solace Clan, I will leave that to your choice. Note, your performance in your quest determines what kind of ability you awaken."
Several juniors tightened their knuckles, tensed. The situation before them was a turning point in the life of teenagers throughout the whole world… a process called Awakening.
Centuries ago, Earth lived in an age of peace, until one year when millions of teenagers vanished overnight. The governments had searched desperately, but the missing simply reappeared days later… changed. They returned as Awakened with strange abilities. While a few remained rational, most descended into depravity, using their powers to unleash destruction the military couldn't contain.
Only the Awakened teenagers who remained righteous managed to stop them. From that moment on, mysterious runes began selecting more youths around the world every year, transforming them into Awakened and marking the beginning of the world's greatest upheaval.
Of course, Kaiser already knew all of this and didn't really care. He just wanted to start the Awakening Quest and see what ability he would awaken.
'Is this it…? The excitement seems a bit dull…'
"Good luck."
Gomez's voice was the last thing they heard before they were swallowed in a flash of white light.
The hall became empty except for the butlers who stood to the side and the Patriarch.
Gomez turned to him, his expression serious.
"Father… you're not going to address the issue?"
Ture rubbed his chin, pretending to be confused. "What issue?"
Gomez's eyes darkened, "You know that the Elders won't be happy with Kaiser using the Legacy Rune. Unlike the others, he isn't from the main branch of the family."
Ture hummed, understanding his son's worries. Unlike ordinary runes that transported teenagers to the Nirad Realm randomly and gave them random quests, Legacy Runes could be manipulated. Like the level of the quest's difficulty, or even the quest's content. Unfortunately, there were restrictions on it, making it a precious thing to be utilized.
"Let them be dissatisfied. It's not like they can deny his talent." Ture's eyes turned nostalgic. "His father, my brother, wouldn't care too, right?"
Gomez sighed, then fell silent. Since his father was confident in suppressing the elders' complaints, there was no need to worry.
...…
[Challenger! Welcome to the Nirad Realm]
[Your quest will begin as soon as you select your Relics]
[You are only allowed to receive three Relics]
As soon as Kaiser regained bearings of his surroundings, he heard a light, feminine voice speak in his head. Also, the words spoken appeared before him, glowing midair. Kaiser immediately recognized this.
'It's the Nirad System. How animated.'
He studied the glowing text for a moment, then looked around. He was standing in space… at least, it looked like space. There was no visible landmark except inky darkness illuminated by countless starry dots. The text changed, showcasing new information.
[Select your Relics:]
[Unremarkable Sword]
[Umbral Dagger]
[Sun Blade]
[Testament]
[Asura Vest]
[Nameless Fang]
Looking at the available options, Kaiser thought for a moment, then selected three items of his choice. The Asura Vest, Unremarkable Sword, and Nameless Fang.
The first one was a light armor made from woven silk, perfect for hiding, and resistant to cuts. The other two were weapons which he deemed necessary in his arsenal.
The black vest manifested on him, hugging his frame comfortably. The sword appeared next, in its scabbard and hung on his back. As for the dagger, it was attached to his belt, dangling from its small sheath.
Prepared and ready, Kaiser immediately spoke to the system.
"Done…"
[Challenger is ready!]
[You have been assigned a quest]
[Quest: Kill the last Voidborne]
A cold glint flashed in the depths of Kaiser's eyes. He was aware that the Legacy Rune altered quests a little. So, the quest must have been a result of some altering.
'Killing, huh… as expected of an Assassin Clan.'
While he thought of this, the world around him changed. He found himself in a dark cave with barely lit torches hung on the walls, casting deep shadows across the ground. A damp smell hung in the air, as if the cave was underwater.
Before him was an altar made from obsidian stone. It seemed like even light itself was being absorbed into its darkness. Curious, Kaiser reached out and touched it. The surface was cold and smooth, like a polished blade.
[You have touched a taboo—Darkness Altar]