The slums of Oakhaven were affectionately known as "The Rot." It was a labyrinth of crumbling brick, stagnant water, and desperate people. It smelled of wet dog and bad decisions.
Silas stepped over a puddle of something he hoped was mud, holding his nose high. Despite the stench, he walked with the confident stride of a man who had just eaten a C-rank monster and didn't fear death—or laundry.
"Charming atmosphere," he muttered, eyeing a rat that was staring at him with territorial aggression. "Very rustic. Needs more lighting. And a fire. A big one."
He wasn't here for the real estate. He was here for Elena.
He found her in the usual spot—a dead-end alley behind a dilapidated tannery. She was small, wiry, and currently hanging upside down from a clothesline by her ankles, picking the lock of a wooden crate with a rusty nail.
"Elena," Silas announced, leaning against the wall. "You know, blood rushing to your head isn't a substitute for brains. Though in your case, it might be an improvement."
The girl flinched, lost her balance, and tumbled to the ground with a graceless thud. She scrambled to her feet, a dagger appearing in her hand as if by magic.
She was fourteen, with messy auburn hair and eyes that were far too old for her face. She wore rags that had seen better centuries.
"Silas," she sneered, relaxing slightly. "Come to pay me the five silver you owe me? Or are you just here to stink up my office?"
"I owe you?" Silas gasped, clutching his chest. "I believe you still owe me for the information on the slime migration that turned out to be a puddle of spilled ale."
"That was actionable intelligence!" she snapped, sheathing the dagger. "What do you want, Vane? And why do you look like you just bathed? It's unsettling."
Silas smirked. "I'm turning over a new leaf. A leaf made of gold. I'm here to offer you a job."
Elena stared at him. Then she burst out laughing. It was a dry, hacking sound. "You? Offering a job? The only thing you offer is bad puns and unpaid tabs. I'm not interested."
"It pays well," Silas said casually, tossing a gold coin in the air.
Elena's eyes tracked the coin like a hawk. She snatched it out of the air before it could land. She bit it. Her eyes widened.
"Gold? Real gold?" She looked at him with sudden suspicion. "Who did you rob? No, wait—did you rob a grave? You robbed a grave, didn't you?"
"I did not rob a grave," Silas said indignantly. "I liberated resources from a hostile entity. Now, are you interested, or do I have to find another street urchin with sticky fingers?"
Elena pocketed the coin instantly. "I'm listening."
Silas looked around. "First, tell me your Rank. The Guild hasn't updated your file in ages because you refuse to register."
Elena crossed her arms. "I don't need the Guild. I'm Level 8. Close enough to E-Rank."
Silas nodded, pulling up the mental map of the world's power structure he'd studied from the Codex. The gaps between ranks were massive, chasms of power that took years to bridge.
[Adventurer Rank System]
F-Rank (Civilian): Level 1 – 10
E-Rank (Novice): Level 11 – 25
D-Rank (Apprentice): Level 26 – 45
C-Rank (Journeyman): Level 46 – 70
B-Rank (Expert): Level 71 – 100
A-Rank (Master): Level 101 – 150
S-Rank (Hero/Lord): Level 151+
"Level 8," Silas mused. "So you're technically a high-tier civilian. That explains why the city guards keep chasing you; you don't even have the official Novice license to cause trouble yet."
He activated [Sovereign's Gaze].
The world turned grayscale. He focused on the interface, pulling up the deeper mechanics of his class.
[Skill System Information]
Skill Grade: Determines potential power (Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic).Skill Mastery: Determines current efficiency (Novice, Adept, Expert, Master, Grandmaster, Sovereign).
He checked his own profile quickly.
Void Step:Grade: Legendary. Mastery: Novice.
Void Consumption:Grade: Mythic. Mastery: Novice.
"Legendary Grade, but Novice Mastery," Silas muttered. "So I have a nuke, but I only know how to use it as a firecracker. Good to know."
He looked back at Elena. With the Gaze active, he saw her "Street Rat" class glowing with a faint, dirty grey aura. But underneath that, buried deep in her soul, was a crack. A tiny, jagged fissure of darkness.
The system notification from earlier flashed in his mind: Look for the broken ones.
She was broken. Orphaned, starving, living in the mud. Perfect.
"Elena," Silas said, his voice dropping the playful tone. "I have a secret."
"Is it that you're actually a noble in disguise?" she deadpanned. "Because your posture is terrible."
"No. I have a Class," Silas said. "A real one. And I need a lieutenant. A Shadow. Someone who can go places I can't, and see things I miss."
He stepped closer. "But to do that, you have to let me change you. It might hurt. It might kill you. But if it works... you won't ever have to steal a copper again. You'll steal the world."
Elena looked at him, her expression unreadable. "You're crazy. You've finally snapped."
"Probably," Silas agreed. "But I have gold. And I have power. Do you want to stay in The Rot eating rats, or do you want to eat the people who look down on you?"
Elena hesitated. She looked at the gold coin in her hand, then back at Silas. "What do I have to do?"
"Just stand still," Silas said. "And try not to scream."
He reached out and placed his hand on her forehead.
[Initiating Void Infusion]Warning: Subject Soul Integrity low. Risk of Rejection: 40%.Proceed?
"Come on, you little ragamuffin," Silas whispered. "Don't die on me."
He pushed a thread of Void energy into her. It wasn't like the consumption; this was an injection of pure, chaotic cold.
Elena gasped. Her eyes rolled back. Her body arched, and she let out a strangled cry. Her grey aura began to turn violet, swirling violently around her small frame.
Silas watched the progress bar.
10%... 25%... 50%...
Suddenly, a spike of pain shot through Silas's arm. The Void was resisting her, or she was resisting it.
"Fight it!" Silas hissed. "You're a street rat! You're stubborn! Don't let the darkness push you around, punch it in the face!"
Elena's eyes snapped open. They were completely black for a second, before fading back to her normal brown. She inhaled sharply, collapsing forward. Silas caught her.
[Success.]Subject has been touched by the Void.Class Evolution Detected...
A new screen appeared, outlining Elena's transformation.
Target: Elena Vance
Class Evolution: Street Rat -> Void Strider (Rare Grade)
New Skills Unlocked:
[Shadow Meld] - Grade: Rare. Mastery: Novice.
[Void Dagger] - Grade: Epic. Mastery: Novice.
Elena looked up at him. She looked... different. Sharper. Her shadows seemed to cling to her clothes.
"I feel... cold," she whispered. "But... good cold."
Silas grinned. "Welcome to the team, Mini-Sovereign."
He pulled her to her feet. "Now, check your status. Tell me I'm a genius."
Elena blinked, clearly seeing the interface for the first time with her new eyes. "I... I have a Class. A real Class. Void Strider?"
"Rare Grade," Silas noted. "Not bad for a start. With training, you might actually become useful."
Suddenly, the alley entrance darkened. A heavy boot slammed into the mud.
"There she is! The little thief!"
Three men blocked the exit. They were large, scarred, and wore the leather vests of the local gang—the Iron Fists.
The leader, a brute with a missing ear, pointed a thick finger at Elena. "You stole from the Boss, rat. Time to pay the toll. With your teeth."
Silas sighed, stepping in front of Elena. He dusted off his shoulder.
"Ah, the cannon fodder arrives," Silas said. "Gentlemen, can we reschedule? We're in the middle of a pivotal character development arc here."
"Who's this pretty boy?" the leader spat. "Crush him too."
[Enemy Analysis]Target: Iron Fist Thug (Leader)Rank: E-Rank (Novice)Level: 13Threat Level: Low
"He's E-Rank," Silas noted, reading the data. "Level 13. Just one level above me."
Silas was Level 26. According to the new system, he was also an E-Rank Novice. On paper, they were equals.
"He's E-Rank, I'm D-Rank," Silas muttered. "This should be a one sided fight."
"I'll take the big one," Silas said over his shoulder. "Elena, take the two on the right."
"I don't have a weapon!" Elena hissed.
Silas smirked. "Check your pocket."
Elena reached into her ragged tunic. Her eyes widened as she pulled out a dagger that looked like it was carved from a piece of the night sky. It was weightless and hummed with power.
"Void Dagger," Silas explained. "Epic Grade. It bypasses physical defense. Try not to cut yourself, you'll lose a limb."
The thugs charged.
Silas didn't use [Void Step]. He wanted to test his base stats against a fellow E-Rank.
As the leader swung a heavy club, Silas parried with The Last Resort.
Clang!
The impact jarred Silas's arm. The thug was strong—Level 13 strong. The difference of one level meant the thug had more raw physical strength.
"You're sturdy," Silas grunted, sliding back a foot. "I'll give you that. But you lack finesse."
Silas twisted his wrist, sliding his blade off the club, and kicked the thug in the knee. The thug grunted, stumbling.
Meanwhile, Elena moved.
It was clumsy, desperate, and untrained. But as the two other thugs lunged for her, she instinctively activated [Shadow Meld].
She dissolved into the darkness of the alley wall.
The thugs blinked. "Where'd she go?"
The shadows rippled. Elena reappeared behind them, stabbing downward with the Void Dagger.
The blade—Epic Grade and made of solidified void energy—sliced through the leather armor of the first thug as if it were water. He gasped, dropping to his knees. The second thug turned, eyes wide in terror.
Elena didn't hesitate. She slashed his arm.
"Get away from me!" she screamed.
The thugs, seeing their leader struggling and facing a girl who appeared out of shadows with a magic knife, broke.
"Retreat! Freaks! They're freaks!"
They scrambled over each other to get out of the alley.
Silas applauded slowly. "A bit messy on the footwork, Elena. But the disappearing act? Nice touch. You're already at Novice Mastery for Shadow Meld."
Elena stared at the dagger, her hands shaking. "I... I did it."
"You did," Silas said, walking over to the groaning leader. He placed his hand on the man's chest. "Now, let me deal with this gentleman."
[Void Consumption]
A purple light flickered, and the thug's mana was drained instantly, knocking him unconscious.
Silas sighed, feeling a small replenishment of energy. "Not very filling. E-Ranks have low quality mana. Like cheap beer."
He turned to Elena. "So. Ready to leave The Rot?"
Elena looked at the dagger, then at Silas. She wiped the grime from her face, standing straighter for the first time.
"Yeah," she said, a spark of ambition lighting up her eyes. "Yeah, I'm ready."
"Good," Silas smiled. "Because I need a valet. And someone to carry my loot. Welcome to the Sovereign's Court, Elena. Try not to die in the tutorial."