When Kairen finally left, I stayed behind to rinse out the buckets.
The hall was empty—quiet, except for the slow, rhythmic drip of water from the ceiling.
I sank down against the cold wall, catching my breath. My arms ached, and the smell of wet wood and rot still clung to my clothes.
Taking a deep breath, I focused.
"Status Window—open."
The air shimmered, and a faint blue light flickered before me, spreading into a translucent screen.
───────────────────────────────
Name: Cael Ardentis
Level: 1
Rank: Novice
Gift: —
Talent: Infinite Comprehension (New)
Attributes:
Strength: F+
Agility: F
Intelligence: F+
Endurance: F
Vitality: F
Mana: —
───────────────────────────────
Right beneath Talent, where there had once been only question marks, new text glowed in soft blue letters.
{Talent Unlocked — "Infinite Comprehension"}
The words pulsed lightly, as if the system itself was proud of its revelation.
Then a faint hum followed—text scrolling across the screen, revealing a description.
{A mind that sees the patterns of all things.
Every movement, every law, every concept—
Once perceived, it can be understood.
Once understood, it can be replicated.}
I stared at it, the glow reflected in my eyes.
Infinite Comprehension…
I flexed my fingers, testing the words in my mind.
Once perceived, it can be replicated.
"So if I understand something," I murmured, "I can… do it?"
The air around me seemed to stir, the faint blue light rippling in response—almost like the system was confirming it.
A small laugh escaped my throat. "You've got to be kidding me. I don't know how this exactly works, but if I can figure it out… this might be my way out of here."
It wasn't brute strength. It wasn't magic—at least not yet.
But it was something.
A beginning.
In a world built on power, maybe understanding was the strongest weapon of all.
Kairen's words echoed back in my mind.
"Unless you become a Hunter… you're stuck here."
Hunters could leave the walls—even if it was just beyond the gates.
That meant opportunity.
Freedom.
I needed to see this world for myself.
To learn it.
To understand everything it hid.
The blue screen flickered once before fading away, leaving the hall dark again.
"I'll join the Hunters," I whispered.
My hands clenched into fists.
If Infinite Comprehension truly let me learn and mimic anything I witnessed, then I'd master combat, magic, language—whatever it took.
I'd rise through the ranks.
And one day, I'd walk out of this cage.
⸻
The next day crawled by.
Work, meals, silence — the rhythm of survival here. I scrubbed floors until my hands blistered and carried water until my back ached. The guards barked orders, the kids obeyed, and the forest wind outside never stopped howling.
But I watched. Every motion, every command, every exchange.
Infinite Comprehension wasn't loud, but it worked.
I began to notice patterns — the way the guards moved in formation, the timing of the food lines, even how the older kids hid scraps under the table when the guards weren't looking.
By noon, I'd already mapped half the routine in my head.
When the horn finally blared, the courtyard gates creaked open again.
The Hunters were back.
They came in groups — torn clothes, splattered with dirt and blood. Some limped, some carried sacks full of meat and herbs. Others… didn't return at all.
Everyone went quiet as the guards counted heads.
Kairen sat with his group near the edge of the yard, a tray of thin stew in front of him. He looked exhausted — the kind of tired that didn't fade with rest.
I grabbed my tray and walked over.
He looked up as my shadow fell across the table. "What, already tired of cleaning duty?"
I sat down across from him. "You said only Hunters can leave the walls."
He raised an eyebrow. "Yeah. Why?"
"I want to join them."
Kairen's spoon froze halfway to his mouth. "You what?"
"I need to get out of here. And if that's the only way, then tell me how."
He stared at me for a long moment, then sighed and set the spoon down. "You don't get it, Cael. Being a Hunter isn't a promotion — it's a death sentence. The forest out there? It eats people like us alive. Monsters you've never seen before crawl out of that darkness. Even the captains don't go out alone."
"I'll take my chances," I said.
Kairen leaned back, studying me like he was trying to see through the words.
"You've got guts, I'll give you that." He hesitated, lowering his voice. "There's three ways in. You either pass the Hunter Trial — but you've gotta show some skill for that to even happen — or you get recommended by a guard, though that's only if they bother to notice you."
'I don't know how long getting recommended would take… The trial sounds better anyway.'
"How do I take the trial?"
He snorted. "You talk to that one."
Kairen nodded toward a towering man patrolling the yard — Senior Guard Darius Venn.
A jagged scar split his lip, one of his eyes was milky-white and blind, and his black, steel-lined coat carried the faint crackle of mana along its seams. The metal baton at his hip hummed softly with restrained power.
"That's Senior Guard Venn," Kairen said. "I heard he can get a word to the Lieutenants, maybe get you a trial — but whether that's true or not, who knows."
"Do you know what happens in the trial?" I asked.
"Nope. No one does. Maybe the Hunters, but even they don't speak about it."
'Seems like this is going to be harder than I thought,' I thought, watching Venn's heavy boots crush the mud underfoot. 'It might feel like a novel… but this is real life now.'
"Okay," I said. "Thanks for your help."
If Infinite Comprehension could let me read movements, memorize routines, even mimic skills—
Then all I needed was a way into that trial.
Kairen must've seen something shift in my eyes, because his expression hardened.
"Don't do anything stupid," he muttered. "You're not ready for that world yet."
"Maybe not," I said quietly. "But I don't plan on staying in this one."
He went back to eating, shaking his head. "Your funeral "
—-—
The next morning came wrapped in fog and the sharp scent of steel.
Whistles cut through the air as guards herded everyone into their routines — the same endless rhythm of cleaning, hauling, obeying.
But today, I had one goal.
Venn — the Senior Guard Kairen had pointed out — was barking orders near the weapon racks. His black coat gleamed with thin threads of metal woven through it, faint arcs of mana crackling along the baton at his hip. One eye was milky and lifeless; the other was sharp and cold as broken glass.
I waited until the other kids scattered before stepping forward.
"Senior Guard Venn."
He turned, brow lifting. "What do you want, kid?"
"I want to join the Hunters."
For a moment, he just stared — and then burst out laughing, the sound echoing off the stone walls.
"You? I think you're in over your head. You're built like a twig that's about to snap."
"I can handle myself," I said, keeping my voice steady. "Just give me a chance."
He snorted. "You've got more guts than sense."
Then, after a beat, his grin sharpened. "Fine. Come with me."
⸻
He led me down a dim corridor that smelled of dust and old ink, stopping before a heavy iron door. Inside was a round table scattered with ledgers and maps, five seats arranged around it like a council chamber.
A man sat in one of the chairs — pale eyes, short-cropped hair, and a silver insignia gleaming on his shoulder. The air around him felt heavy, disciplined.
"Lieutenant Draen," Venn said, shoving me forward. "We have a volunteer, sir. Says he wants to join the Hunters."
Draen looked up slowly, studying me with cool, unreadable eyes.
"And why would you want to do that?"
"Well," I said with a half-smile, "it's kinda boring in here. I heard the Hunters get to have the most fun, so I figured… why not?"
"Fun?" Draen repeated, voice flat. "You really don't understand what's beyond those walls — what lives in that forest."
"I don't," I admitted. "That's exactly why I want to join. To see what everyone's so afraid of."
Draen leaned back, expression unreadable — the kind of look reserved for people walking willingly into their own graves.
"Have you awakened?"
"No."
His gaze lingered for a long moment. "Let's hope you can fight, then. You'll join the Hunter trainees. If you survive the week, you'll face a captain. They decide who's fit to wear the badge."
He turned to Venn. "Take him to the training yard."
"Yes, sir," Venn said, bowing slightly before motioning me to follow.
⸻
The Hunter Yard was unlike the rest of the orphanage — open, wide, lined with cracked stone pillars and weapon racks scarred from countless fights. The air hummed with mana and sweat.
Half a dozen Hunters sparred inside the ring, their movements brutal and efficient, the sound of clashing metal ringing through the courtyard.
Venn stopped at the gate and nodded toward four others standing off to the side, each wearing the same gray uniform I did.
"You five are the new trainees," he said. "This is your proving ground. Survive the week, and you'll face a captain. They'll decide if you're worthy of joining their squad."
I glanced at the others.
A short girl with ash-blond hair stood first — faint traces of mana flickered in her hands. Probably an early Awakener.
Next to her, a broad-shouldered man with scars running up both arms. His eyes carried the dull calm of someone who'd already seen too much.
Beside him, a wiry kid with a grin too sharp for this place — cocky, restless, dangerous. Trouble.
And finally, a small girl, maybe twelve at most, her eyes darting nervously at every sound. The youngest by far.
Venn folded his arms. "You'll train with the Hunters starting today. If any of you slack off, I'll personally make sure you regret it."
Then he turned, voice booming across the yard. "Hey, Max! Get over here!"
A tall, muscular teen jogged over, sweat dripping from his brow. "Yes, sir?"
"These five are the new Hunter trainees," Venn said. "Get them used to the regimen. They need to be ready for the Captain's Trial."
"New recruits, huh?" Max said, grinning faintly. "Alright, follow me. Let's see if you can last till sundown."
Max led us deeper into the training yard, weaving between sparring rings and weapon racks. The clang of steel echoed through the air—sharp, rhythmic, like a heartbeat.
"The yard's open from dawn till lights out," Max said as we walked. "You'll eat, train, and bleed here."
He pointed toward the far end, where several Hunters were striking wooden dummies, their blades moving like flashes of silver. Each motion had weight—power—control.
"That's what you're aiming for," Max said. "Most Hunters are either Awakened or have a background in fighting. So you're gonna have to pick up your weight. You're responsible for yourselves out there."
He took us to an empty part of the yard near the weapon racks. A row of battered straw dummies lined the far wall, their torsos already hacked apart from years of training.
"Pick a weapon. Whatever feels right. You'll be stuck with it till the trial."
The others scattered toward the racks.
The ash-haired girl reached immediately for a staff, her hand closing around it like it belonged there—mana flickering faintly along the wood.
The scarred man picked up a heavy axe—the kind that could split a man in half.
The wiry kid twirled a pair of daggers, testing their balance with a smirk.
The youngest girl hesitated, then took a short spear that was almost taller than her.
I decided to go for the sword. In my opinion, it's the easiest to learn—and I was banking on my talent to help in that regard.
"Got your picks?" Max called out. "Good. Watch closely."
He stepped in front of the first dummy, rolling his shoulders. The air around him seemed to tighten—his stance sharp, deliberate.
He drew his blade up beside him, then exhaled.
The next instant, the wooden sword cut through the air in a clean, fluid motion.
A faint crack echoed as the straw dummy's torso split from shoulder to hip—the strike precise, fast, almost effortless.
For a heartbeat, the yard went silent.
Then—
{Talent — "Infinite Comprehension" Activated.}
{Pattern Detected: Sword Technique — "Silver Fang Arc."}
{Understanding: 92%… 100%}
{Skill Memorized.}
The words shimmered faintly in my vision, translucent blue.
My hand tightened on the hilt. Silver Fang Arc.
Max turned back to us. "That's what a clean strike looks like. Next!"
One by one, the others stepped up—hacking, swinging, missing. The axe user's blow had power but no aim; the staff girl hit clean but light. Max gave quick corrections, his tone half-annoyed, half-bored.
When it was my turn, I stepped forward.
The sword felt heavier now, my heartbeat loud in my ears.
He used his hips, pivoted through the left leg, then followed the swing in one motion. Weight to control… breath to focus.
I inhaled, letting the stance settle through me—the same form, the same rhythm.
"Anytime now," Max said dryly.
I exhaled.
Then swung.
The sword cut the air with a sharp whoosh, tracing the exact path Max had shown—smooth, clean, decisive.
The dummy's torso split cleanly down the middle, the top half falling away with a soft thud.
Silence fell over the yard again.
I lowered the blade, chest heaving slightly.
Max blinked. His grin faded into something closer to surprise.
"…Huh."
He stepped closer, inspecting the dummy. "That was the Silver Fang Arc."
I froze. "Silver what?"
"That move I just showed," he muttered, eyes narrowing. "How did you do that?"
I shrugged, feigning confusion. "Just followed what you did."
He stared for a moment longer, then barked a short laugh. "You're either a genius or a damn good liar. Either way, this just got interesting. From now on, you're gonna train under me."
As he turned away, I caught his expression—that sharp, measuring look of a man who'd found something worth paying attention to.
{Skill: "Silver Fang Arc" — Permanently Saved.}
I looked down at the sword, faint traces of the system's glow fading around it.
So this is what Infinite Comprehension can really do… If I can understand every move, every style… then there's no limit to what I can learn.
The others were still watching, whispering under their breath, but I barely heard them.
Because for the first time since I woke up in this place
I felt something more than fear or survival.
I felt possibility.
Soon… I'll have my freedom.
⸻