Days passed. Then weeks. Then a whole month.
Kian had spent every spare moment hunting, collecting, and devouring souls. The streets, alleys, abandoned buildings, and quiet corners of Hell's Kitchen became his hunting grounds. He grew sharper, faster, smarter—his senses trained to detect the faintest flicker of a lingering spirit.
Finally, after countless nights, he had enough. Not just enough to complete his First Hunt quest, but more than he had ever imagined:
19 Uncommon Souls
5 Common Souls
1 Rare Soul
He stared at the Rare Soul floating faintly before him in his room. It was delicate, soft, almost hesitant, yet undeniably powerful.
Coiny spoke in a calm, almost reverent tone:
[ Host, this Rare Soul is the pinnacle of your collection so far. It carries latent Inhuman potential. ]
Kian's eyes narrowed. "So, she died in a hospital due to blood cancer," he murmured, seeing the appraisal result of the soul. "A girl… potential Inhuman. Ability: Phasing. Can pass through anything. Ninja-level stealth. Extremely rare."
He stared at the faint wisp of blue-white light that was once a young girl.
[ Host, combining this Rare Soul with your Uncommon and Common Souls will allow the creation of your first Wraith. Her abilities will influence its capabilities. ]
Kian tilted his head, curious. "Wait… you said I don't permanently kill anyone by absorbing souls. Can you explain how that works?"
Coiny's voice responded calmly:
[ Host, it's simple. Each soul, before being born here, exists in a pure, pre-born state. When they manifest in this world, their souls continue to grow and gain extra strength. When you absorb a soul, you are not taking the whole soul—you are only absorbing the extra strength and energy they accumulated. ]
[ All souls absorbed by the Host can even be considered lucky in most cases. The Host is not affected by absorbing them, and if humans believe in an afterlife, they are not going to Hell simply because of your absorption. Their karma gets cleaned by host. ]
Kian blinked slowly. "So… I'm just taking what they didn't need in afterlife? Their growth, their energy… not their existence?"
[ Correct, Host. You do not erase their consciousness. You merely use the excess energy that would otherwise dissipate naturally. ]
Kian exhaled, a little relieved. "Okay… that's… actually better than I thought. So no guilt, just… power and growth."
[ Precisely. That is why your class can be so strong without causing harm to the living or the departed. ]
Kian shook his head as he mounted his bike. "Okay… time to go home and create my very first Wraith."
He pedaled through the familiar streets, after saying goodbye to Sam, his friend who had been the reason he even set foot in the hospital that day. Sam had gotten into an accident, and Kian had come to check on him. On the way, he had passed the morgue and spotted the soul that would become the rare component of his Wraith.
"…Maybe I should've just gone to the hospital or even a graveyard to get souls," he muttered to himself. "Would've saved a lot of time."
[ It's okay, Host. In excitement, you forgot a bit of common sense—nothing major. ]
Looking at Coiny's reply, he wondered if the system was mocking him or not.
Kian finally reached his apartment and quietly slipped inside. He went straight to his room, shutting the door behind him, and sat down on his gaming chair. He took a deep breath and muttered to himself:
"Okay, system… time to get my first Wraith."
A soft hum filled the room as he placed the collected souls in front of him. Another vortex began forming in his palm, but this time it glowed white, pulsing gently. The souls he had stored within himself streamed outward, merging into the vortex, spinning faster and faster. Slowly, they condensed into a strange, smooth white egg. Silver flower-like patterns shimmered across its surface, shifting and moving as if alive.
[ Wraith Egg created. Please provide a drop of blood to hatch it, Host. ] Coiny's voice prompted.
Kian hesitated for a moment, then pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the egg. A soft hiss escaped as the egg absorbed the blood. Mist curled around it, and the egg began to crack.
From the mist emerged a figure—an ethereal, humanoid form, delicate and curvy, with long, flowing hair. In an instant, Kian blinked.
"…Coiny… why is she… naked?" he asked, flustered.
[ Don't worry, Host. She isn't truly naked. She will form her clothes shortly. ] Coiny replied calmly.
Kian rubbed his eyes and muttered under his breath: "Who even thinks of doing this first?"
[ The Wraith is forming her base personality and physical structure. This is normal. ] Coiny added.
Kian took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus. He felt a strange heat from the figure, like life settling into her form. Despite the oddness of the situation, he couldn't help but feel excitement building.
[ Host, do not be alarmed by her initial state. She is developing normally. ] Coiny continued.
"Okay… just focus," Kian muttered, watching the white, silver-flowered figure solidify. Slowly, the mist dissipated, and the Wraith took on a more complete, clothed appearance, her body emanating a soft, subtle glow.
Kian exhaled, a mix of relief and awe washing over him.
"She's… here. My first Wraith."
[ Congratulations, Host. She will now follow your commands and grow stronger alongside you. Her abilities are influenced by the souls you used—especially the Rare Soul. ]
Kian finally took a proper look at her—
A woman in her prime, ethereal yet solid, with silvery moonlight hair cascading down her back like a flowing waterfall.
Her skin was pale and flawless, her features delicate, soft, almost otherworldly.
A white robe-like garment formed around her body, wrapping her in faint silver patterns that pulsed like living runes.
She stood still, eyes closed, serene like a statue carved from moonlight.
Coiny spoke again:
[ Host, call her name to awaken her. ]
"What is—her name?" Kian asked, raising an eyebrow.
[ Host needs to decide. Place your hand on her head and speak the name you choose. ]