There was an endless darkness and he floated around in it. It was all over him, and he couldn't feel anything.
"Is this how death feels like?" he muttered slowly.
The darkness didn't allow him to feel or express any emotions, so he couldn't cry about it or laugh about dying by choking on an egg.
"Must be the worst way to die."
Then, in a sudden rush, he felt a strong pull. He didn't know where it was pulling him from or to, but he knew he was being pulled somewhere.
"I guess this is the end."
Then, in a flash, everything faded.
He opened his eyes softly, his vision blurry due to the excruciating pain in his head, though he didn't know why.
He saw an unfamiliar ceiling—not the white ceiling of his bungalow. This one held a golden chandelier that gleamed above him with candlelight. It dangled like something out of a fantasy story.
Then he noticed—his bed didn't feel the same. Not squishy, not overly occupied with clothes and accessories. It didn't feel like a hospital either, because a hospital definitely wouldn't have a chandelier in it.
The bed felt like silk—soft and comfortable. His hands felt lighter and longer. Overall, he felt taller than usual. With the throbbing ache, he slowly sat up to take in his surroundings.
He stared at the wide, well-designed room which he didn't recognize. Candlelights stood at each edge of the room, brightening it up even though it was morning.
He stared at his hand.
"What happened? Last I remember, I was in an endless darkness," he muttered, his voice sounding softer, but deeper than usual.
His heart wasn't panicking like it was supposed to. He was supposed to be sweating, because one—it wasn't possible to wake up from the dead, and two—transmigrating was only something he read and watched in mangas and anime. It wasn't real.
So whose body was this? Whose house was he currently in? How did he end up here? Questions filled his head, but none of them could be answered, because he didn't know the answer to any of them.
He slid down the soft bed, noticing slippers beside it, which he wore. He strode through the room, noticing pictures of someone and a family in a large portrait, a notebook left on the desk with a sentence on it: "I'm gonna make them proud one day!" and school gear, but not the type he'd see in the modern day. They looked futuristic.
"What is this place really?" he said, stopping right in front of a mirror, then noticed his features.
He was taller. Muscular. Well-fed. A cleaner haircut. He looked sixteen or at least, that's what he felt.
If this was a transmigration, why couldn't he remember anything? The owner of the original body? The family? Or the concept of the world he had been transmigrated into?
Then a soft sound echoed in his head, like a mechanically automated voice:
[SYSTEM INTEGRATION COMPLETE]
Welcome, Erwin Bellingham
| USER PROFILE |
Name: Erwin Bellingham
Bloodline: Noble – House Bellingham
Class: Arcane Wielder (Initiate)
Rank: F-Class
Level: 1
EXP: 0 / 100
| CORE AFFINITY |
Affinity: SHADOW (Assassin-Type)
Type: Innate Combat Affinity
Description: Grants the user heightened affinity with darkness and shadows. Enables stealth-enhanced movement, critical strikes, and shadow-based skills.
Passive Effects:
• +15% Stealth Effectiveness
• +10% Critical Strike Chance (from stealth)
• +5% Movement Speed (in low light or shadowed areas)
Unique Trait Unlocked: [Shadow Veil]
• Automatically reduces detection chance when crouching or still
• Bonus stealth duration when in complete darkness
| COMBAT CLASS: NIGHTBLADE |
Type: Assassin Specialization
Style: Silent Executioner | Agile Striker
Combat Bonuses:
• +10% Backstab Damage
• +10% Critical Accuracy
• Enables Assassination Skill Tree
• Unlocks Weapon Affinity: Daggers, Short Blades, Throwing Knives
Class Passive Unlocked: [Assassin's Instinct]
• Briefly reveals enemy weak points when undetected
| SKILLS & ABILITIES |
[Shadow Cloak] – Active
• Type: Movement | Stealth | Escape
• Description: Grants partial invisibility and heightened stealth for a short duration
• Duration: 30 seconds
• Cooldown: 10 seconds
• Effects:
• +20% Stealth Effectiveness
• +25% First Strike Damage
• Silences footsteps
[Night Step] – Passive (LOCKED)
• Unlock Requirement: Reach Level 5
• Description: Short-range blink through shadows. Allows instant positioning behind target.
[Assassinate] – Active (LOCKED)
• Unlock Requirement: Kill 10 enemies undetected
• Description: Executes a high-damage strike when used from stealth. Instantly kills lesser enemies.
| MAGICAL PATH |
Path: Arcane Wielder
Type: Magical Specialization
Focus: Spellcasting | Incantations | Arcane Control
Path Effects:
• +10% Spellcasting Accuracy
• +5% Base Magical Damage
• Grants access to Basic Spellbook
Beginner Spell Slots: 2
Spell Unlock Progress: 0 / 2
| RANK |
Rank: F-Class Initiate
Tier: Novice
Description: Entry-level classification for new Awakened. Limited stats, low mana pool, and basic magical access.
Rank Perks:
• +5% EXP Gain from Combat
• Access to Basic Spells
| SPECIAL ABILITY |
[Shadow Cloak] – Active
• Type: Stealth | Movement | Utility
• Description: Wraps the user in a veil of shadow, rendering them nearly invisible for a short duration. Perfect for infiltration, ambush, or retreat.
Ability Stats:
• Duration: 30 seconds
• Cooldown: 10 seconds
• Effects:
• +20% Stealth Effectiveness
• Silences footsteps and magical presence
• Slight detection delay when struck during effect
Activation Method: Manual (Skill Menu or Assigned Hotkey)
Current Status: UNLOCKED
| SYSTEM UPDATE |
Shadow Cloak ability has been added to your Skill Menu.
Arcane Spellcasting Protocols Now Accessible.
You may now equip and cast Basic Shadow Spells]
"Erwin Bellingham?" he muttered in confusion. Who was that? And how did he awaken a system right after getting transmigrated?
In that state of confusion, panic started rising slowly, even though the system requested him to remain calm.
He turned to the notebook to check the name inscribed on it. It read exactly: Erwin Bellingham, and his eyes widened in shock.
"Am I Erwin Bellingham?" he muttered, before a wave of memories started pouring into his head.
He started remembering subtle memories—he was the heir to the Bellingham family. His dad was a noble who served the kingdom as a knight before he died during a clash war between countries.
His real mother died right after giving birth to him, and so his dad remarried a woman named Janet, who bore him two children—twins to be exact, both girls.
Their names were Pamela and Satella, his step-sisters. This world was a fantasy world where magic, cultivation, and status mattered more than anything.
His family was constantly bullied by slaveholders—always threatening to take away his sisters and mother. But he always felt weak and helpless, no matter how hard he tried to level up and that's why he ended up committing suicide.
The memories were still filling in, his head throbbing as more information flooded his empty skull.
"I don't want to know any more than this!" he screamed.
Then a knock on the door jolted him out of his thoughts, making him stumble toward it.
He unlocked the door and saw a man in his mid-fifties.
"Young master," came a crisp, polite voice. "It's time to prepare for your induction ceremony at Primordial College. The carriage awaits."
He stared at the butler like he was speaking blabberish.
"What?" he asked.
"I said, it's time to prepare for your induction ceremony at Primordial College. The carriage awaits," he repeated.
Then he recalled from one of the memories that he'd been filled into a college to further his education in magic—since his stepmother was so worried about him not fully grasping magic.
"I'll be down in a minute," he said, trying his best to sound casual and composed.
"Alright," Butler James said before heading out, shutting the door behind him.
"So I really was transmigrated," he said, a faint smile tugging at the side of his lips.
This was his dream—well, not exactly, but close enough. He finally got to witness that rush of adrenaline, adventure, and a less boring life where he had money and powers.
He walked into the bathroom, which was designed to meet his perks. He was amazed by it.
"I don't see much difference between me and this guy," he said, pulling down his towel and heading into the bathroom.
Soon, he was done bathing and getting dressed, remembering that he had packed everything the night before his death.
He looked around the room and noticed the traveling bag—sitting just there. It was different from the ones he knew in the normal world, but he recognized it due to the memories in his head.
As he was fixing his cufflinks and collar, another system message displayed on the screen:
[Mission Log]
Objective: Survive for 365 days at Primordial College.
[Mission Parameters:
- Survival Duration: 365 days
- Second Path Unlock: Meet requirements to unlock your Second Path]
[Rewards:
- Bloodline Upgrade: Bloodline Level +20
- Memory Fragment Recovery: +10% Memory Recovery Rate]
[Consequences of Failure:
- Survival Failure: -20% Health, -10% Experience Gain
- Second Path Failure: -5% Ability Power, -5% Experience Gain
Mission Status: Active
Progress Tracking: Enabled
Reminder: Your survival is crucial, unlock your Second Path to enhance your abilities]
"Sounds easy enough for me," he smirked, staring at his reflection in the mirror.