Chapter 2: The First Quest
772 Words
The weak sunlight that bled through the cracked window was faint, but to Kael it felt brighter than fire. He sat on the edge of the straw bed, his fists clenched as he studied his hands.
Smaller. Younger. But trembling with something new.
The words still floated before his eyes:
[Quest: Survive the next 7 days without dying.]
[Reward: Beginner’s Gift Pack.]
[Failure: Permanent Death.]
Kael’s jaw tightened. "Seven days… a test."
The air in the orphanage was thick with mold and despair. Every corner smelled of rot, every c***k in the walls whispered of hunger and beatings. He knew this place too well.
The Orphanage. His first hell.
And he knew who ruled this place.
Brann.
The bully of the dormitory, taller and stronger than most boys, a beast who had once broken Kael’s ribs and stolen his food day after day. Back then, Kael had been weak. A rat scurrying in shadows.
But Kael was no longer that boy. He was Kael Draven, warlord reborn, branded by the System itself.
The door slammed open.
“Well, well,” came a sneering voice, all too familiar. “The rat is awake.”
Brann filled the doorway. His broad shoulders blocked the light from the hall, his crooked grin stretching across his face. Two other boys hovered behind him, laughing like hyenas.
Kael rose slowly, his gaze sharp, his pulse calm.
“What do you want?” he asked.
Brann cracked his knuckles as he stepped inside. “What I always want. Your bread. Your bed. Maybe today…” His grin widened. “…your blood.”
The lackeys chuckled.
Kael’s lips curved faintly. "Try."
Brann’s grin faltered. This was not the response he remembered. The weakling orphan had never talked back before. But the bully sneered and lunged forward, throwing a fist at Kael’s face.
Time slowed.
A faint glow appeared on Kael’s forearm.
[Optional Quest: Defeat Brann.]
[Reward: +5 Strength, Random Skill.]
Kael’s eyes lit with dangerous amusement.
The fist slammed into his cheek. Pain shot through his jaw, white-hot and sharp. His young body staggered. Blood filled his mouth.
But Kael did not fall. He swung back, his fist crashing into Brann’s stomach.
The bigger boy grunted, surprised by the force, but anger twisted his face. He shoved Kael hard to the ground. His boot came crashing down, aiming for Kael’s ribs.
Kael rolled aside, his eyes catching on a jagged piece of broken wood lying on the floor. His hand shot out, gripping it tight. With a snarl, he thrust it upward.
The shard tore into Brann’s thigh.
Brann screamed, collapsing to the ground. Blood pooled on the floor.
The two lackeys froze, their smirks wiped clean.
And then, the System spoke.
[Ding! Quest Complete.]
[+5 Strength.]
[Skill Acquired: Savage Strike.]
Power surged through Kael’s veins. His body felt alive, sharper, stronger. His grip on the shard tightened. His presence filled the room like a predator’s shadow.
Kael rose slowly, his dark eyes burning.
“You should have killed me when you had the chance,” he said coldly.
Brann whimpered on the ground, clutching his leg, his arrogance gone. The lackeys stepped back toward the door, fear etched across their faces.
Another glow appeared before Kael’s eyes.
[New Prompt: Kill Brann for Bonus Reward.]
[Reward: +10 Strength, Hidden Skill Unlock.]
The shard of wood trembled in Kael’s hand. The System’s hunger pulsed inside him, whispering for blood. Promising power.
Brann’s wide, terrified eyes met his. “P-Please… don’t kill me.”
Kael froze. The rage in his chest burned. He saw Serenya’s dagger. Darius’s mocking smirk. The betrayal. The poison.
Killing Brann would be easy. One thrust. One scream. The System promised power, and Kael craved it.
But something inside him stilled.
Not yet.
Brann was nothing but a small beast. Killing him now would be wasted. Kael needed to learn control. He needed to learn the System’s hunger, not be consumed by it.
Slowly, he lowered the shard.
The room was silent. Brann sobbed softly. The lackeys pressed against the wall, pale and shaking.
Kael’s voice was low, deadly calm. "Touch me again, and you won’t leave alive."
He dropped the shard, turned, and walked toward the door.
[Ding! New Passive Skill Acquired: Aura of Fear.]
Kael smiled faintly. The air around him seemed colder, heavier. The System had given him strength, and now it gave him presence.
As he stepped into the sunlight, his heart beat steady and strong.
This was only the beginning. Seven days to survive. Seven days to rise.
And when the time came, he would carve his path of vengeance with blood.
- Writer
