The impact cracked the air.
No.441 barely held the chain steady as the Rat King's claws slammed down. The force sent him sliding across the dirt, boots scraping against bone and stone. His forearms burned from the backlash.
It was like trying to stop a charging boulder with string.
But he held on.
Oathlink coiled tight, catching the second blow mid-swing. The chain absorbed the hit, dispersing the force just enough for him to sidestep.
He ducked low.
A claw raked past his head, missing by inches. Another smaller rat latched onto his leg—he kicked it free, snapping the chain down to crush it mid-air.
[Exposure Time: 74 seconds]
[System Suggestion: End engagement within next 15 seconds to avoid poison accumulation.]
Easier said than done.
The Rat King reared back again. No.441 felt it building—another breath, another wave.
He couldn't dodge another one. Not in time.
So he didn't.
He moved forward.
The Rat King inhaled, ribs swelling—
—But Oathlink struck first.
No.441 flicked both wrists. The chains shot up like twin vipers—one coiled around the creature's open jaw, yanking its head sideways. The other chain looped behind its hind legs.
Then he pulled.
The Rat King roared as it stumbled, choking on its own breath. The toxic gas burst out unevenly, spraying harmlessly to the side.
No.441 used the moment.
He dashed in, every step screaming through his legs.
The Rat King snapped wildly, claws swinging in chaos, but its balance was broken.
No.441 ducked the first swipe, then jumped.
The chain looped backward—he used it like a slingshot, yanking himself forward and up. He soared just over the Rat King's shoulder and came down with the full weight of his body behind his fist.
But not just a fist.
A stone.
He'd picked it up in the middle of the fight—dumb instinct.
Now it was a weapon.
He drove it down with everything he had—right into the top of the Rat King's skull.
Crack.
The sound echoed.
The Rat King froze.
Then let out a dry, gasping noise.
And collapsed.
No.441 rolled off its hunched body and dropped to one knee, breathing hard. The poison still hung in the air, thin but present. He staggered to his feet, backing up until he was clear of the cloud.
His lungs burned.
His hands trembled.
But he was alive.
[Battle Complete – Plagueborn Rat King Eliminated]
[Threat Level Cleared: High E]
[Bonus Award Granted – Performance Rating: Excellent]
+ 2 Talent Points Earned
+ 1 Astral Shard Cluster
+ Beast Core (E-Tier: Corrupted)
System Note: Caution — Core is unstable. Do not consume.
No.441 looked down at the Rat King's body. Black fluid leaked from its mouth. The chains slid back to his arms, coiling once again around his forearms like they'd never left.
His knees nearly buckled.
He sat down hard against the cave wall, chest rising and falling fast.
[Exposure Time: 89 seconds – safe threshold not exceeded.]
Just barely.
He looked at the rewards again. The beast core shimmered faintly with green corruption. He didn't touch it.
Instead, he leaned back.
His head hit the wall. The cold stone felt good.
"That… was a lot."
He let himself rest.
Just for a minute.
No.441 leaned against the cave wall, chest rising and falling. The last of the rats lay still behind him, broken bodies sprawled in the fading poison mist. His legs ached. His lungs still burned.
But he was alive.
He pushed himself upright, stumbling once as he stepped over the cracked bones and began walking toward the exit. Oathlink slid back into his sleeves, the loose ends dragging lightly across the ground before vanishing.
Each step felt heavy. Not from pain, just... weight. The weight of what he'd done.
"I fought a High E-tier beast… and I'm still breathing."
No.441 stopped just at the forest's edge. The light had shifted. Afternoon, maybe. The sun hung warm above the canopy, casting golden shadows through the thinning trees. A breeze hit his skin, carrying clean air—no rot, no blood.
He looked down at his hands. Bruised. Scraped. Still shaking slightly.
"Thank you. Oathlink… System…"
He let out a long breath and opened his interface.
[Talent Points Available: 1]
[Use Talent Point?]
— Confirming will enhance Astral Heart's retention and efficiency.
"Yes," he whispered. "Use it."
A soft warmth spread across his chest. Then a sudden heat. The air thickened for a moment—like something unseen was pressing down on him—before vanishing. He stumbled back a step, then caught himself.
[Talent Increased]
Current Astral Retention Rate: 38% → 52%
The difference wasn't instant. But it felt… smoother. Like his body had stopped resisting the energy and started accepting it.
Then he reached into his inventory and pulled out the cracked, dark-green crystal: the Rat King's corrupted core. It pulsed faintly in his palm.
"Can I use this?" he asked. "Or is it too corrupted?"
[System Response]
— Corruption detected: 81%
— Direct absorption inadvisable. However...
— System can safely refine and process the core.
Pain expected. Risk: None.
Potential yield: High.
He looked at the core one more time. Then nodded.
"Do it."
The core vanished from his palm. For a second, nothing happened.
Then pain hit.
It wasn't sharp or tearing—it was deep. A sudden pressure behind his ribs, like something heavy was being shoved into the Astral Heart. His breath caught. He dropped to one knee, clutching his chest.
His body didn't convulse. He didn't scream. But it hurt. The kind of pain that reached somewhere behind your bones.
Then it ended.
He sucked in a breath, blinking through the dizziness.
[Refinement Complete]
Astral Heart strengthened.
Slight progress toward next sub-tier.
[System Update – Passive Cultivation Progress: 97% → 99.2%]
One last push to break through.
But not now. He stood slowly, eyes fixed on the path back to town.
—
By the time he returned to the Guild Hall, the sun had dipped lower in the sky. The same woman from before—dark hair, slightly narrowed eyes—sat at the counter.
He stepped up and placed the bronze badge and a small cloth pouch on the table.
She looked up, brows raised.
"Back already?"
He nodded once. "Nest is cleared."
She opened the pouch. Her hands paused. Inside was a torn chunk of corrupted hide, twice as thick as normal. The hairs on her arms stood up.
"This is…"
"Rat King," he said quietly.
She stared at him. "You're sure?"
"Yellow eyes. Poison breath. Commanded a swarm."
There was silence behind the counter. A few adventurers nearby had stopped talking.
The clerk's expression shifted. Not fear—just disbelief.
"Bronze rank clearing a Rat King… You should've died."
He didn't respond.
The system did.
[Quest Complete – Unexpected Triumph]
Parameters exceeded: Success against High E-tier threat despite low cultivation.
Reward Multiplier: x3
— +5 System Credits
— +1 Bonus Talent Point
— Title Unlocked: "Lowborn Slayer"
Grants minor resistance to fear and beast aura effects from creatures below Mid E-tier.
No.441 didn't smile. He just accepted the reward silently.
But deep in his chest, the Astral Heart pulsed stronger than ever.
He was moving forward…
No.441 leaned back against the wall of a quiet alley, just out of sight from the passing crowd.
[System Shop – Open]
Credits Available: 15
A familiar blue screen blinked to life before him.
He scrolled. Most of it didn't make sense yet—techniques, gear, rare materials, cultivation cores too expensive to even imagine touching.
Then something caught his eye.
[Worn Astral Shroud] – Adaptive Equipment
Cost: 15 Credits
Defense Rating: 130
Buffs:
– +5 Astral Resistance
– +3 Evasion
– Passive: Shadowblend – Slightly reduces user's presence in dim light
Special Trait: Adaptive Appearance – Looks like common clothing. Reinforces when attacked. Repairs itself slowly over time.
"…It's everything I need," he muttered.
It didn't shine or glow.
It didn't promise power.
But it promised cover. Protection. A way to disappear into the world.
[Purchase Confirmed]
A quiet shimmer followed. Threads of fabric emerged from the air, wrapping themselves around him layer by layer. Loose dark pants. Faded boots. A long, worn tunic with a hood.
All of it looked like something anyone would wear.
But when he moved, he felt the weight shift like armor. Strong. Durable. Hidden.
He pulled the hood lower and stepped back into the street.
The small food stall at the edge of town was tucked behind a crooked fence, barely big enough for five people. No.441 approached without looking at anyone.
A man stood behind the counter, stirring a pot that smelled… warm. Like spiced meat and broth. It hit his nose and made his stomach cramp.
He waited until the vendor looked up.
Held out a silver coin.
The man nodded. Took the coin.
Moments later, he handed over a heavy wooden bowl.
No.441 didn't speak. Just found a spot on a low bench and sat.
The food was thick. Hot. The broth soaked into the rice, and the meat fell apart with the lightest touch.
He didn't cry. He didn't smile.
He just… ate.
He had money.
He had bought this.
Not taken it. Not been given it as pity. Not stolen it.
His body still ached. His arms were sore. But right now, everything felt steady.
Someone sat down beside him.
Another bowl hit the bench.
"You handled the Rat King job, right?" a voice asked.
It was a young man, maybe a few years older, with short black hair and a relaxed tone. Bronze badge clipped to his collar. "Didn't think anyone'd take it. Heard the thing mutated."
No.441 didn't answer.
The stranger chuckled, unfazed. "You're not big on talking, huh?"
Still nothing.
"That's alright. Just figured I'd say welcome. We don't get many new faces around here that aren't corpses by the end of the week."
No.441 glanced at him.
He wasn't mocking. He wasn't sneering. Just talking.
"You don't have to say anything," the guy added. "Just—welcome. Not everyone in this world wants to chain you up."
No.441 looked away.
The bench creaked as the stranger stood and walked off, whistling quietly.
He sat there a while longer, silent.
Then he whispered under his breath.
"…Thanks."
The wind brushed against his back as Zero sat alone on the rooftop, knees pulled in, bowl of rice finished and long forgotten beside him.
It was quiet up here.
The market noise below had faded. The people had gone home. Only a few windows still glowed with light, and the stars peeked through the clouds overhead.
He breathed slow. Not because he was calm. But because it felt right.
[System Update Complete.] [+10 System Credits] [New Trait Unlocked: Chain Mastery (Level 1)]
Chain-based weapons now flow more naturally in your hands.+15% precision, speed, and adaptive control during combat.
Zero flexed his arm. The chains coiled faintly, responding almost like they were alive. He rolled his wrist and watched the metal shift and bend, sharper, tighter. The weight obeyed him better than before.
It felt good. Not strong. Not invincible. But better.
He stared out across the town, where warm lights lit up rooftops and streets. From here, the town looked peaceful. Honest. But he knew better.
He thought of the Rat King again. The poison. The pain. And the fight he barely won.
That shouldn't have been possible. Not for someone like him. Not for a runaway slave.
So why was it?
"System," he said quietly. "Why did I survive that?"
[Because you refused to stop. Because you fought beyond your limit.]
"And what now? What am I supposed to be doing with this... power?"
A pause. Then:
[Do you wish to declare a Core Directive?]
Zero raised a brow. "What is that?"
A Core Directive is a long-term personal goal. High difficulty. Life-defining. Declaring one will refine your cultivation path, growth rhythm, and internal alignment.
He went still. A few seconds passed. Then he spoke.
"I want to destroy the slave system. Not just the place I came from. All of it. Every link in the chain. Broken."
[Analyzing Goal Complexity...]
[Minimum Power Level Required: Celestial Bloom – Greater Tier (for dismantling a mid-tier slave operation)] [Recommended Tier for Global Disruption: Eclipse Ascendant – Peak Tier or higher]
[Core Directive Confirmed. Registered.]
He felt a quiet pulse in his chest. Not from the system. From himself.
He looked down at the marks on his arms. The black chain tattoos still clung there, a reminder of his vow.
"Zero," he said. The name rolled out quiet. Familiar.
"Because that's how many slaves there should be."
[User Alias: Zero – Confirmed.]
The system paused. Then chimed again.
[Issuing Challenge Quests:]
[Time-Limited Quests Issued]
Challenge 1:Rise Through the Ranks
Goal: Bronze Rank ➔ Gold RankTime Limit: 30 DaysReward: +2 Talent Points, 25 Credits, Rare Item
Challenge 2:Climb to Power
Goal: Achieve Diamond RankTime Limit: 90 DaysReward: Major Trait Selection, Chain Mastery Level-Up, ???
He didn't flinch at the time limits.
He just looked back up at the sky.
He remembered the mines. The chains. The blood. The woman. The cage.
Now? He had a name. A path. And a system that backed him.
The stars above didn't look as far anymore.