In the world of Istahar Online, destiny was a roll of the dice. Every player was assigned a random background they had to adapt to, and Ryan had rolled the rarest of them all: "Dark Seed Host."
It was a brutal start. Most players avoided it because of the "Rampage" debuff, but Ryan had realized early on that the seed was simply a mana core with a different attribute. By managing the corruption and increasing his assimilation of infernal power, he gained access to the devastating spells of high-level demons while maintaining a "Good" alignment—something players who sold their souls could never do.
Combined with his Dual Job selection, Ryan had become a legend. While others chose flashy roles like Paladins or Warlocks, Ryan pioneered the Combat Blacksmith. It was a hybrid of a Blacksmith and an All-Rounder Combatant. He didn't just use every weapon and spell; he forged gear that surpassed anything found in loot drops or NPC shops. By the time he hit 100% assimilation, he was the Rank 1 player in the world.
Now, trapped in the reality of this world, Ryan realized he was no longer limited to just two jobs. He could learn it all.
He had spent the last few years in the forest manor perfecting his craft. By selling high-quality blades through his servants, he had filled his personal treasury, all while secretly practicing the forbidden art of drawing aura from the Dark Seed. In this age, people believed it was impossible for a host to use magic; they didn't know that the seed was simply waiting to be harnessed.
One morning, Ryan found Amelia in the hallway, busy mopping the floor.
"Amelia," Ryan said, his voice calm. "I've made a decision. I am going to join the Adventurer's Guild."
The mop clattered to the floor. Nearby, the other servants froze in shock.
"Have you forgotten your condition, Young Master?" Amelia cried, her face pale. "If you go outside and something triggers the seed, you'll go berserk!"
"She's right," a maid added, trembling. "You shouldn't leave with that curse in your veins."
"Please, rethink this, Young Master!" the butler pleaded.
Ryan didn't flinch. "Then how about Amelia comes with me?"
"Me?" Amelia blinked, pointing to herself.
"Yes. I promise I will never go berserk, and with you around, you can act as my anchor."
"But Young Master," Amelia whispered, stepping closer. "You can't even form a mana core. Without one, you can't use magic or aura. You'll be defenseless."
"Who told you that?" Ryan asked.
Suddenly, the air in the hallway grew heavy. A dark, sinister pressure erupted from Ryan's small frame. A swirling, reddish-black aura flickered around him like ghost fire. The servants fell back, their eyes wide with terror and awe.
"How...?" Amelia stammered. "Without a core, no one can emit aura. The seed occupies the very place a core should be!"
Ryan watched their stunned faces. He realized then that the "common sense" of this world was his greatest advantage. They didn't know that the Dark Seed was the core—they just didn't have the Rank 1 knowledge to unlock it.
"Fine," Ryan said, retracting the aura. "I'll tell you exactly how I can use mana. I'll tell you the true identity of the Dark Seed."
He gestured for them to follow him into the dining hall. It was time to rewrite the legends of this world.
******
The servants gathered in the candlelit dining hall, the heavy oak doors barred against the night. Ryan stood at the head of the table, his small stature betrayed by a presence that felt far older than his eight years. A dark red-black shimmer of aura flickered around his fingers like frayed silk.
"Listen closely," Ryan began, his voice possessing a gravity that made the room turn cold. "What I am about to tell you would be considered heresy by the Church and madness by the Mages' Tower. The 'Dark Seed' isn't a tumor or a curse. It is an Infernal Mana Core."
A heavy silence fell. Amelia's eyes widened, her breath hitching in her chest.
"According to natural law, one can have only one mana core," Ryan explained, releasing a steady pulse of his aura. "Since the Dark Seed is also a mana core, it prevents a second one from forming. People use pure mana—the light of the world. My core uses infernal mana—the heat of the abyss. The 'madness' people fear is simply the body rejecting a high-octane fuel it doesn't understand. If you fight the seed, it breaks you. If you assimilate it..."
He reached out and touched a silver candlestick. Under the influence of his aura, the silver didn't melt; it turned a deep, lustrous black, humming with a vibration that made the air feel heavy.
"Then it is the same as using a pure mana core," he continued. "I am merely using a different attribute."
"If the Duke finds out... or the Holy Inquisitors..." a maid whispered, her face pale.
"I will explain everything to my father," Ryan said firmly. "I have made no demonic pacts, nor am I a descendant of a demon. As for the Inquisitors? They won't know. Because you are going to help me. Amelia, you will register as my 'Handler' at the Adventurer's Guild. To the world, I will be a talented young noble specializing in occult magic. We keep the term 'Dark Seed' within these walls."
Amelia bowed her head. "Understood. I will do as you say, Young Master."