Morning in the Village – Aric's POV
The morning sun peeked through the cracks in the old wooden window, casting warm stripes of light across the room. I slowly opened my eyes, my body sore but feeling different — stronger I searched for darcy on the mattresses but she wasn't anywhere near then I reached for the system screen and summoned the familiar blue interface with a thought.
As expected, several notifications blinked before me.
> [System Notification]
Target 1: Darcy – Slave will effectiveness 1000%
Effect: Darcy will now fully support you emotionally, physically, and mentally at her maximum capacity. She'll provide assistance in daily life and obey any order no matter what it is .
Target 2: Sarah – Slave will effectiveness 60%
Progressing steadily.
More messages followed.
> [Reward Granted]
+50 Mana points +50 Health points
+50 Stat Points for Intimate acts
+250U Tokens Earned
6 New Skills Unlocked – Check Skill Tab
I couldn't help but smile. The system didn't just reward strength — it rewarded connection, effort, and survival. I quickly opened the Profile tab.
---
Name: Aric Valen
Level: 2
Class: Woodcutter
Age: 20
Stats
Strength: 25
Intelligence: 29
Speed: 23
Agility: 25
Senses: 20
Health: 100
Mana: 100
---
"I need to balance these," I muttered. Looking at the numbers, my senses were too low, and speed needed a boost too if I was going to survive out in those wild forests.
I focused my thoughts and used the 50 free stat points I had earned:
Strength: +10
Speed: +10
Senses: +15
Agility: +10
Intelligence: +5
As I confirmed the allocation, a burning wave of pain washed through my body. My muscles cramped, my mind throbbed, and I felt like my very bones were shifting. It lasted a full two minutes — the longest two minutes of my life.But my previous bight injuries that I got when fighting with the wolf were completely healed.
When it stopped, I was drenched in sweat, panting, but alive — and stronger.
> Updated Stats
Strength: 35
Intelligence: 34
Speed: 33
Agility: 35
Senses: 35
I stretched my arms and clenched my fists. My vision felt sharper. I could hear birds chirping far off in the forest. My movements were quicker, smoother. Even my thinking felt more fluid.
"This... this is what it means to level up," I whispered to myself.
Just then, the door creaked open. Sarah peeked in, half-asleep, and asked if I was up. I smiled at her. "Yeah. Let's make today count."
After telling Sarah to wait, I quietly stepped into the washroom and locked the door behind me. My body still ached from the stat upgrade earlier, but it was a satisfying kind of pain — like every muscle was waking up for the first time.
I looked into the cracked mirror, washed my face, and then summoned the blue holographic screen of the system with a single thought.
[SYSTEM INTERFACE OPENED]
> U Tokens Balance: 300
(250 from the latest reward, 50 saved from before)
New Skill Section: 6 Skills Unlocked
I clicked on the Skills tab, and one by one, new icons began appearing. My heart raced a little — this could change everything.
---
New Unlocked Skills
1. Invisibility
Price: 100U Tokens
Effect: Makes you completely invisible for 10 minutes.
Cooldown: 1 hour
Mana Consumption: 1 point per minute (10 total per use)
This one was straightforward but powerful. Whether it's spying, escaping danger, or stealing without being seen — this skill was gold. But I'd need to watch my mana usage carefully.
2. Upgrade Touch
Price: 200U Tokens
Effect: Instantly enhances any non-living object by 20%.
Cooldown: Once every 24 hours
Mana Consumption: 25 points per use
This was a game-changer. I could take an old axe, touch it, and it would suddenly be sharper, tougher — better in every way. I could sell upgraded tools, weapons, even enhance rare items if I found any. This was the real money-maker.
---
I scrolled down and noticed four more skills — cheaper but still useful.
3. Quick Recovery
Price: 30U Tokens
Effect: Speeds up recovery of stamina and minor injuries by 50% for 30 minutes.
Cooldown: 4 hours
Mana: 10
Perfect for forest work or battles. Saves time and energy.
4. Beast Intuition
Price: 40U Tokens
Effect: Temporarily boosts your senses toward detecting nearby beasts or monsters.
Duration: 20 minutes
Cooldown: 2 hours
Mana: 5
No more being ambushed. I could sense threats before they even got close.
5. Minor Telekinesis
Price: 50U Tokens
Effect: Allows you to lift or move objects weighing up to 25 kg with your mind.
Duration: 5 minutes
Cooldown: 2 hours
Mana: 15
Moving logs, tools, or even distractions during a fight? Very handy.
6. Night Vision
Price: 50U Tokens
Effect: Grants perfect vision in the dark for 1 hour.
Cooldown: 3 hours
Mana: 5
Useful for travel, sneaking, or just surviving a night in the forest.
---
I stared at the options, thought about my current situation — I needed stealth, and I needed a plan to make money. That made the choice easy.
Purchased: Invisibility – 100U
Purchased: Upgrade Touch – 200U
Remaining Tokens: 0
A blue flash confirmed the purchases, and both skills were now in my active list. Just the idea of what I could do with Upgrade Touch sent a thrill through me.
I could take a basic wooden axe, improve it, and sell it like it was premium — and no one would even know how. I was no longer just a woodcutter. I had tools the world couldn't even imagine.
Capital City: Arkanhold — Royal Palace, Dawn
The golden light of early morning filtered through the carved archways of the grand palace. The air in the capital of Velmora, Arkanhold, always felt alive — filled with distant sounds of merchants preparing for the day, palace guards switching shifts, and birds chirping above tiled rooftops.
Inside the east wing of the palace, on the highest floor, Prince Christopher sat alone in the balcony of his lavish room. The balcony overlooked the outer gardens, where a mist still hovered above the dew-covered grass.
He sat on a sturdy wooden chair, surprisingly simple compared to the polished marble surroundings. In his hand, a worn leather-bound book lay open:
"Black Fragment" — a mysterious book banned in several territories for the ancient secrets it hinted at.
His eyes were calm, sharp, yet thoughtful. His jet-black hair ruffled slightly in the morning breeze. He wasn't just reading — he was studying, dissecting, absorbing. His fingers occasionally paused on a page, tracing cryptic symbols, ancient magic seals, or forgotten lore.
Then —
Knock. Knock. Knock.
A respectful voice came from outside the ornate wooden door.
> "Sir Prince… your transportation vehicle is ready to depart."
Christopher's gaze lingered on the final line of the page for a heartbeat longer before he closed the book with a quiet thud. Without rushing, he stood up, slid the book into a black box slung beside his desk, and walked across the velvet carpeted floor.
He opened the door.
A butler dressed in deep blue robes bowed slightly, "Your carriage is ready at the front gate, your Highness. As per the Majesty's order, your travel arrangements are complete. You will reach Cube Academy by sunset."
Christopher nodded silently.
He didn't wear traditional royal robes today — instead, he was dressed in traveler's gear. Fitted black leather boots, a deep crimson coat with golden shoulder seams, a utility belt holding a few scrolls and a silver dagger. His fire emblem, the sign of his awakened Fire Element and Absorber Trait, glowed faintly on the clasp of his cloak.
As he stepped out of the room, he gave the butler a calm look. "Make sure the book room is locked. No one touches anything."
"Yes, your Highness."
As he walked down the grand staircase of the east tower, palace staff and guards bowed along the hallway. But Christopher barely noticed. His mind was focused. The Cube Academy — the most elite institution in the central region — awaited him. And there, he wouldn't just be a prince.
He would become a threat.