Morning light filtered through the cracked blinds, painting dusty streaks across the cluttered room. The alarm on the old digital clock buzzed softly but never had the power to wake Dante — not that he needed it anymore.
He hadn't slept.
Not after what happened the night before.
Dante sat on the edge of his bed, hands clasped tightly, staring at nothing. His mind was still replaying that voice… that cold, ancient voice that wasn't human.
"You are broken… Let me remake you."
He had felt it in his bones. The words weren't just spoken — they *carved* into his very being. Something had changed inside him, something that couldn't be undone.
Suddenly, a shimmer passed through the air like a heatwave in reverse.
A red, faintly glowing screen blinked into view.
[Demon System Activated]
< Restriction Level: Partial>
Dante's breath caught in his throat.
[Skill Unlocked: Inspect]
[Allows analysis of living beings, objects, and environments.]
< Cost: 0 Demon Energy>
Still shaking, he muttered, "Inspect… me."
A soft hum resonated in his ears, and the screen changed.
---
[Target: Dante Kael]
---
Infernal Seed? His fingers curled slightly. The system didn't feel like magic. It felt older. Deeper. It didn't ask — it commanded
Before he could process it all, a new prompt appeared
[Daily Quest Issued]
[ Note: Early exposure to system powers may attract unwanted attention. Stay hidden.]
*Stay hidden…* Dante repeated silently. That part he understood well. He'd spent his whole life doing just that.
A sharp knock at his door pulled him back.
"Dante!" came Max's voice, muffled and annoyed. "You're gonna be late! Again!"
Dante stood up, took a breath, and opened the door.
His cousin barely spared him a glance before storming down the hallway. "Hurry up. You know the academy doesn't tolerate 'low-rankers' being late. They'll just use it as an excuse to toss you."
It always felt like walking into a different world.
Syreth High stood tall, a fortress of glass, crystal, and glowing sigils carved into every surface. Students passed through anti-magic scanners at the gates, their crystal-banded wrists flashing green. Everyone wore uniforms tailored to house rankings — the elite in deep blue and silver, the average in white and navy, and the "nobodies" like Dante in grey.
He passed through unnoticed — like always.
Or so he thought.
"Look what the mana scanner dragged in," someone jeered.
Dante didn't even need to turn. He recognized the voice immediately. *Rylen Thorne.* Born to a third-circle mage, blessed with natural fire affinity, and an ego to match.
Rylen stood in the courtyard with his usual group of tagalongs. His hair was perfect, his smirk sharper than any blade, and his mana aura pulsed with the confidence of someone who had never known powerlessness.
"You still breathing, Kael?" Rylen called out. "Thought maybe the mana gods would do us a favor and let your core explode already."
The laughter that followed stabbed more than any insult. Not because it hurt — but because it was always the same. Predictable. Empty.
[Optional Quest Unlocked]
< *Title:* Bait the Flame >
The box hovered temptingly.
Dante's fingers twitched. His jaw clenched. Not yet, he thought. *Not here.
He walked on.
Rylen clicked his tongue. "What? Cat got your cursed tongue? Pathetic."
Dante didn't look back. But his mind was screaming. Not in fear — but in fury.
As he entered the academy's side hall, the system responded to his rising emotion.
<[Emotion Spike Detected: Rage] >
< Available Soon.>
"You are beginning to awaken, Dante Kael. Soon, they will see."
Dante stopped walking.
For a moment, everything felt... still.
He looked at his reflection in the glass wall — and for a split second, he swore he saw red eyes staring back.