"Power rewards those who endure its pain."
— Unknown
The forest had gone silent.
The goblin chief's body lay still, its blood mixing with the damp soil.
Kael sat on a broken log, staring at his trembling hands. The faint glow of spectral chains still lingered under his skin, pulsing like veins of molten silver. Each throb sent a strange warmth through his body — painful, intoxicating, alive.
He flexed his fingers.
The chains obeyed.
A single link shimmered into existence before fading again, leaving only a ringing echo in the air.
Kael exhaled slowly, his breath white against the cool forest air.
[Trait: Chain Sovereign — Activated]
[World Resonance Established]
He could still hear the system voice in his head, calm and mechanical, yet impossibly divine.
Mythic.
He had awakened a Mythic Trait.
⚙️ The Price of Power
The euphoria lasted only moments before the fatigue hit him.
Every muscle screamed, his vision blurred, and the world tilted sideways.
Kael leaned forward, clutching his chest. "It… burns."
The chains inside him weren't gentle. They pulled, coiled, tightened, demanding control he didn't yet possess.
Each pulse of mana through them felt like dragging molten metal through his veins.
He forced himself to stand.
Power had a price.
And he was willing to pay every coin of it.
Hours later, he stumbled out of the Verdant Abyss, battered but breathing.
The stars were out — cold, distant, and uncaring.
Behind him, the forest whispered.
Ahead, the lights of Rynvale flickered in the distance, calling him home.
Kael adjusted the strap of his sword and began walking.
Every step sent pain through his legs, but beneath the exhaustion was something else — a rhythm.
A steady, rising pulse that wasn't from his heart but from the chains that now lived within him.
🌆 Return to Rynvale
By the time he reached the gates, the guards had already changed shifts.
One of them squinted at his torn clothes and bruised arms. "Out training again, kid?"
Kael nodded. "Something like that."
The man grinned. "You look like you wrestled a bear and lost."
Kael's faint smile didn't reach his eyes. "The bear lost too."
He slipped past them into the city streets. The smell of roasted meat and fresh bread hit him like a wave. Lanterns burned bright along the cobblestone path, casting golden halos over vendors closing for the night.
For a moment, it almost felt peaceful.
But Kael knew better.
The forest didn't let go that easily.
🏠 Home
When he pushed open the door, Darius Dravenhart looked up from his chair, the whetstone in his hand pausing mid-stroke.
The man's eyes hardened. "Kael."
Kael dropped his satchel by the door. "I'm home."
"You went into the forest again."
Kael didn't answer.
Darius stood. The man wasn't tall, but his presence filled the small room like a storm. "You're not ready for the Verdant Abyss. You could've died."
"I didn't."
"That's not the point—"
"I didn't, Father!"
The words came out sharper than he intended. The silence that followed was heavy, broken only by the faint crackle of the oil lamp.
Darius's eyes softened. "Kael… I just don't want to bury you too."
Kael's jaw clenched. The words too hit harder than any blade.
He turned away, voice low. "Mother wouldn't have wanted me weak."
"That's not what she—"
"Goodnight, Father."
He walked past, leaving his father staring at the empty doorway.
🛌 The Whispering Chains
Kael lay in bed, staring at the wooden ceiling.
The ache in his muscles refused to fade. His mana was nearly dry, his body screaming for rest — but the chains wouldn't let him sleep.
They pulsed beneath his skin like a heartbeat not his own.
"Bind… or be bound."
The whisper wasn't human. It came from deep within — the same voice that had offered him power.
Kael's fingers twitched. A small link of light appeared above his palm, spinning slowly before fading.
He felt its weight — faint, but real.
He smiled faintly. "You're not going to let me rest, huh?"
The whisper came again, softer this time.
"Grow stronger… or break."
His eyelids grew heavy, exhaustion finally taking hold.
"Then I'll grow stronger," he murmured, voice slurring into sleep. "Stronger than anyone."
🌅 Morning
When Kael awoke, sunlight spilled through the window, warm and gold.
The ache had dulled, replaced by a low hum of energy.
He opened his Status Window again.
Name: Kael Dravenhart
Level: 30
Trait: Mythic — Chain Sovereign (Dormant)
Status: Stable Resonance (Low Sync)
Note: Trait evolving through user adaptation.
He traced the glowing letters with his eyes.
"Dormant," he muttered. "So you're not done yet."
He grinned. "Good. Neither am I."
⚔️ The Dreamers' Pact
Later that day, Kael met his friends near the cliffs above Rynvale — their usual meeting spot.
The wind was sharp, carrying the smell of sea salt and the distant clang of ships at the harbor.
Eren was tossing a dagger in the air, as usual. "You look like you fell off a cliff."
Kael smirked. "Almost."
Lira crossed her arms. "You're hiding something. I can feel it."
Selene, leaning against a rock, raised a brow. "His aura's changed. He's heavier now."
Taren snorted. "He's always heavy. It's called muscle."
They laughed — all except Kael. He stared out at the horizon, silent.
Eren followed his gaze. "What are you thinking about?"
Kael's voice was quiet, but the wind carried it clearly.
"The next time I walk into that forest, I'm not coming out until I've broken my limits again."
The laughter died.
Even Eren stopped smiling. "You're serious."
Kael turned to them, eyes glinting gold in the sun.
"I'm done being weaker than anyone."
Far away, deep beneath Sol Aurea, the capital of Aurelid —
a black-armored knight knelt before a golden throne.
"My Emperor," he said. "A resonance has been detected near Rynvale. Mythic-class."
The figure on the throne leaned forward, his voice calm yet echoing with power.
"Send the Black Sigil. If a Mythic awakens… the Empire will know."