The Ruler Of Judgement

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and red. It was a beautiful evening, but inside a small village house, a different scene unfolded. A 14-year-old boy lay unconscious, his body wracked with fever for the past three days. Beside him sat a worried old man, his face etched with concern. William, the village chief and Magnus's caretaker, was a former adventurer and a seasoned warrior. Though his knowledge of healing was limited, it wasn't enough to diagnose the boy's illness. Magnus was an orphan, and William had taken him in out of compassion and a desire to raise a child. Now, William felt helpless. The village, dependent on agriculture and devoid of any luxuries, lacked a healer. There wasn't even a church where William could seek guidance. He replaced the damp cloth on Magnus's forehead and felt his burning skin. Dejected, he remembered finding Magnus unconscious in the forest, with no sign of anyone else around. William wasn't willing to give up on the boy. However, the nearest town was a ten-day journey by horse cart, and the cart only traveled once a month. The next departure was in fifteen days, a wait William couldn't bear. He considered carrying Magnus on his back, but the path through the deep forest teemed with wild beasts, posing a mortal threat to them both. William, burdened by age and experience, knew their chances were slim. He had to find another solution. Meanwhile, within the unconscious Magnus, a different story unfolded. His mind, though unawake, was bombarded by a strange phenomenon. A window materialized in his thoughts, displaying a status screen: [[ Name: Magnus Age: 14 Strength: 5 Speed: 5 Stamina: 5 Intelligence: 15 Health (HP): 80 Magic Power (MP): 0 (Dormant) Magic Attribute: Judgement (Dormant) Mage Level: 0 Weapon Power (WP): 0 (Dormant) Weapon Type: Soul Sword (Dormant) Warrior Level: 0 Skills: None Title: Ruler Of Judgement (Not Qualified to Equip Yet), Hope of The Judgement (Not Qualified to Equip Yet) Advice: The host's body is very weak now. Host is advised to eat something. If host has any questions, he can ask by calling system in his mind. ]] Magnus, a simple village boy with limited literacy, was overwhelmed. He could barely read, yet he understood the information on the screen. It displayed his physical capabilities, and to his surprise, it mentioned dormant magic and weapon powers. Like most boys, Magnus harboured fantasies of wielding magic, fuelled by the stories of heroic mages William shared. But William also explained that awakening such powers was rare, mostly limited to nobles and their children. In the 250-year history of their village, no one had ever awakened a power. William instilled this truth in the children to prevent disappointment. Now, a spark of hope ignited within Magnus. The thought of wielding magic in the future filled him with delight. But his euphoria was short-lived as he noticed the advice displayed. Heeding the prompt, Magnus called out in his mind, "Who are you and why can you converse with me?" A monotonous voice replied, "Host, I am an assistant that will provide help to you in becoming powerful. I can converse with you in mind because I am fused into your soul." Cautiously, Magnus asked, "Then why me? I don't have any special abilities to warrant such a powerful thing like you fusing into my soul?" The system's voice remained unchanged. "Host, I am given to you by my previous master. He was the man you saw three days ago." A jolt of memory flickered in Magnus's mind. He recalled venturing into the forest with his friend Devon to play. There, they stumbled upon an unconscious man. While Devon ran for help, Magnus stayed behind. The man's eyes snapped open, locking onto Magnus. Fear gripped Magnus as he tried to flee, but his body wouldn't obey. The man's laughter echoed eerily as he rasped, "Hope is not dead yet." He then approached Magnus and touched his forehead. That was the last thing Magnus remembered before darkness consumed him. "Who was he? And why did he give me his memories and a system like you?" Magnus pressed the system for answers. "I cannot tell you now who he was. It will hinder your development. At the right time, I will tell you," the system replied evasively. Frustrated but powerless, Magnus accepted the system's response. "Host, please believe that I am on your side and all your questions will be answered at the right time. Now you should eat something as you did not eat anything from last three days." The reminder triggered a pang of hunger in Magnus's stomach. He opened his eyes to see William's worried face hovering above him."Child, are you alright? You haven't woken up in three days!" William exclaimed anxiously.Magnus smiled weakly. "Grandpa, I'm alright."William reached out to touch Magnus's forehead, relieved to find it cool and damp. He had been prepared to make the arduous journey to town on foot if Magnus hadn't woken up soon. "Grandpa, I'm hungry. Could you please get me something to eat?" Magnus requested. William hurried to the kitchen and returned with two pieces of coarse bread. "Eat this first, child. I'll make some meat stew in the meantime. You haven't eaten in three days, you must be famished." Despite the lack of flavour, Magnus devoured the bread, his body desperately craving nourishment. He usually ate just one piece, but now he devoured both and still felt hungry. He watched his grandfather build a fire to cook some rabbit meat. Meat was a rare treat in the village, but the hunters had specifically brought some to their house knowing Magnus was ill. Magnus felt a surge of gratitude for his caring grandfather and the supportive villagers, despite being an orphan. By the time William finished cooking the meat, night had fallen. He watched Magnus eat and waited patiently until the boy finally declared himself full. William then ate the leftover meat himself. "Magnus, you seem alright for now," William said cautiously. "But we should still go to town for a proper diagnosis to prevent this from happening again." Magnus wasn't thrilled with the idea. The horse cart ride was expensive, and the diagnosis itself could be costly. However, he also didn't want to risk another relapse. He decided to discuss it further with the system later. "Grandpa, the cart leaves in 15 days. If I'm feeling well by then, we don't have to go. But if I get sick again, I'll follow your advice." William wasn't entirely convinced but relented. "Alright, but tell me if anything feels wrong. Don't hide it. Your old man has enough money for your treatment." While William's personal savings might not have covered it, the villagers would readily help if he asked. After all, the village was a small, close-knit community of only 50 people. "You should get some sleep now," William said gently. "You've just recovered, and you need your rest." "Okay, Grandpa. You should rest too," Magnus replied. "I'm fine, brat," William chuckled. "You worry about yourself." With renewed energy coursing through his veins, Magnus felt ready to delve deeper into the system's mysteries. "What is your goal? Why do you want to make me powerful?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion. He wanted to gauge the system's intentions, wary of any hidden agendas. "Host, my only goal is to make you powerful," the system replied in its monotonous tone. "My previous master may ask something of you when you are worthy, but I am merely a tool to facilitate your growth." "If I become powerful as you say, will I be obligated to do what your previous master desires, or is it a choice?" Magnus pressed, determined to avoid becoming someone's slave. "Host, it will always be a choice. You will never be forced," the system assured him. Magnus smiled, but a flicker of doubt remained. Still, this was his only chance to become powerful and potentially shape his own destiny. He also felt a strange pull, an intuition urging him down this path. Perhaps it was a side effect of the extra memories, but his heart resonated with the idea of embracing this opportunity. "What is a judgment attribute?" Magnus inquired. "Grandpa has only told me about six attributes: fire, water, earth, air, light, and dark." "The judgment attribute is unique and the strongest when its requirements are met," the system explained. "It can only be possessed by one person at a time and governs the law of judgment. However, it's crucial to keep this attribute a secret until you have the power to defend yourself." Sensing a hidden danger with his attribute, Magnus pressed for more information. "The system is too low level for me to reveal more at this point. But when you awaken this attribute, you will understand its significance on your own," the system hedged. Undeterred, Magnus pressed on. "So how do I awaken this attribute?" "Neither your magic power nor your weapon power can be awakened yet," the system informed him. "You won't turn 15 until next year. Until then, you need to focus on your physical development and weapon skills. I recommend running at least five laps around the village perimeter every day. There are also exercises available in a dedicated section that you can perform. However, I cannot assist you directly with these tasks. It requires your own dedication and effort." The thought of running five laps, roughly equivalent to 20 kilometres, was daunting for a 14-year-old boy who barely exercised. He could only manage half a lap on the first day. But with unwavering determination fuelled by the system's encouragement, he reached his target within ten days. There were moments of self-doubt and questioning, but the system's constant support kept him going. William, initially surprised and worried about the strenuous activity, eventually conceded in the face of Magnus's persistence. The exercises in the system's section, while appearing peculiar, were followed diligently by Magnus based on the system's recommendation. After forty gruelling days, his status reflected the improvements: [[ Name: Magnus Age: 14 Strength: 10 Speed: 10 Stamina: 12 Intelligence: 15 Health (HP): 100 Magic Power (MP): 0 (Dormant) Magic Attribute: Judgement (Dormant) Mage Level: 0 Weapon Power (WP): 0 (Dormant) Weapon Type: Soul Sword (Can be awakened) Warrior Level: 0 Skills: None Title: Ruler Of Judgement (Not Qualified to Equip Yet), Hope of The Judgement (Not Qualified to Equip Yet) ]] He had finally achieved his physical goals, with his HP increasing as well. Eager to take the next step, he asked the system, "What do I need to do to awaken my sword?" "You must meditate and delve into your soul," the system instructed. "The sword is already formed. You just need to discover it and bring it forth." A wave of elation washed over Magnus, quickly replaced by frustration. Days turned into weeks as he searched his soul in vain. He consulted the system, but it reiterated that the action was solely his to perform. Finally, on the seventh day, he felt a faint presence within. However, it took another four days of persistent effort to fully manifest the sword. Overjoyed, he burst into laughter, alarming William who feared Magnus might be delirious. But Magnus simply explained he had achieved a small milestone and was celebrating. The moment Magnus laid eyes on the sword, he felt an undeniable connection, even when it resided outside his soul. The system chimed in with a new feature, "Appraisal function unlocked. You can appraise items or people with this function." Magnus's happiness doubled, but the system, as usual, doused his enthusiasm with a caveat, "However, the item cannot be more than one level higher than your current warrior or mage level, depending on the appraised item." Disappointed but accepting, Magnus decided something was better than nothing. He eagerly appraised his soul sword: [[ Magnus's Soul Sword Attack : 10 - 40 (Depends on where you hit on the body) Type : Growth (Depends on User Warrior level) Defence : 100 Weapon Power (WP) Attacks : Not Unlocked Yet (Can't be equipped by anybody else) ]] The system explained that the soul sword was a unique weapon that grew stronger as Magnus's warrior level increased. It also delivered a stern warning, "Host, this sword is an extension of your soul and must be protected at all costs. If the sword is destroyed, a part of your soul will die. It won't result in death or illness, but for a short time, you will experience such excruciating pain that you'll wish for death. Even when the sword's defence reaches 1, it can be repaired within your soul. However, never let it reach 0." Fear gripped Magnus, but the system offered consolation, "There's no need to worry excessively. After the pain subsides, you can recreate another sword from your soul using the same process." Astounded by the system's nonchalance in the face of such a horrifying consequence, Magnus found himself speechless. Two months after acquiring the system, Magnus finally held a weapon coveted by many, even nobles and seasoned warriors. He was unaware that a soul sword was an item most would risk their lives to obtain, yet never achieve. Filled with the motivation to hone his swordsmanship skills, as instructed by the system, Magnus drifted off to sleep, oblivious to the fact that peaceful nights would soon become a luxury of the past.