Caden woke with a groan, the memory of the brutal training still lingering in every muscle fiber. Yet, strangely, his body felt lighter. The aches that should have pinned him to bed had dulled, replaced by a faint warmth pulsing through his veins.
"Not bad," he muttered, flexing his hands. His bruises were gone, the swelling nearly erased. What should have taken weeks had healed overnight.
Then—
A voice, calm and oddly refined, echoed inside his head:
[Initialization complete. Binding successful.]
Caden froze. "What the hell…?"
[Greetings, Caden. I am the system embedded within your soul. You may call me the Most Knowledgeable and Nutritional Master. For convenience, Master will suffice.]
"…Nutritional Master?" Caden blinked, unsure whether to laugh or panic. "That's… what you call yourself?"
[Indeed. My primary directive is to optimize your growth and survival. From bloodline integration to dietary balance, from stamina recovery to combat efficiency—I am the pinnacle of knowledge in all such matters.]
Caden rubbed his temple. "So… basically a nutritionist with an ego."
[Correction: The most knowledgeable nutritionist. Additionally, I am fully capable of evaluating your status. Would you like to see it?]
That caught his attention. "Status? Like some kind of panel?"
[Affirmative. Initializing now.]
Before his eyes, a translucent display formed, as if etched into the air itself:
[Status Panel – Caden de Aurelius Titanheart (Caden Lawson)]
Race: TITAN (Artificial Awakened Bloodline) (Ancient Giant Bloodline Devoured)
Bloodline: TITAN (Dormant Potential – 1%)
TitanForce Realm: Early 1st Stage (Body Foundation strengthened)
Strength: 11.0 tons (recorded peak)
Agility: Enhanced – Phantom Stride unlocked (Beginner level)
Endurance: Rapid recovery factor (passive – scaling)
Soul State: Unique (synchronizing with embedded system) (Swallowing Physique)
Abilities Unlocked:
Phantom Stride (movement technique – Ghost category, beginner tier)
TitanForce Adaptation (bloodline passive, dormant)
Caden's eyes widened as the words glowed faintly. "This is… insane. It's like a game panel."
[Incorrect. This is reality quantified. You are far from your limits, but even now, you are stepping into the realm of the extraordinary.]
He grinned, the exhaustion from training already forgotten. "So, you're telling me… I get stronger, and you'll keep track? And give me advice?"
[Affirmative. Provided, of course, that you do not ignore my nutritional guidelines.]
Caden sighed. "Knew there'd be a catch."
Still, as he stared at the glowing panel, a fire lit in his chest. For the first time, he wasn't just fumbling in the dark with strange powers and half-remembered memories. He had a guide—eccentric as it was.
But caution quickly followed excitement. He didn't know where this thing came from. A suspicion nagged at him—the Clock system might be involved.
"Where did you come from?" he asked.
[I was always with you, as a soul artifact.]
"You mean that crystalline chip?"
[Yes.]
"What changed, then?"
[I was bathed in energy from three sources, which triggered transformation.]
"Three sources?"
[Soul energy, bloodline energy, and the Clock's energy. The convergence caused my awakening.]
"I see…" Caden frowned.
[It was your soul that allowed you to win.]
"What? You mean the reason I survived?".
[Look at the Status Panel.]
Only then did Caden notice the entry: Swallowing Soul.
"What a weird name," he muttered.
[It is simply due to insufficient data. With time, the meaning will clarify.]
"Fine. I get it."
After finishing the exchange with the system, Caden rose, washed up, and sat at the desk. He needed to review his destination. Though he knew he was headed toward the Empire's frontier, the details mattered.
He logged into the ship's console with his credentials. The interface flickered, pulling up archived records—the closest thing to a "network" they had this deep in space.
"Let's see… Galileo System." He tapped the search field.
The screen expanded, a holo-map projecting five planets in a tight orbit around a dim sun. Two glowed faint blue, marked Habitable.
{Galileo System located. Five planets total. Two classified habitable. Estimated ten light-years from the border.}(this was hologram AI talking)
Caden leaned closer. "So not right on the border… but close enough."
[Correct. The system functions as a staging ground for frontier operations.]
Scrolling further, he found mission outlines: survival drills in hostile terrain, studies of exotic flora, hunting records of beasts that could tear a man in half. Notes flagged with hazard warnings blinked in red.
"Two years…" He exhaled slowly. "Not going to be easy."
[Endurance builds strength. Consider it optimal training.]
His eyes shifted to another note: Blood Marquise Territory—an ancient noble house, its dominion spread across two entire systems. Their emblem—a crimson sigil resembling a bleeding heart—hovered above the file.
"So, I pass through their lands first…"
[Estimated travel: Ten days to the Marquise Territory. After crossing Blood Marquise space, an additional ten days to Galileo.]
Caden closed the holo-map, leaning back in his chair.
It has been close to seven months in transit aboard this ship. It will soon be over.
----
Meanwhile, a scheme was building against Caden—a scheme to devour his bloodline.
On a certain planet, the underworld lay hidden beneath layers of the black market's wares. In a dark chamber, two people met.
On the right, a pirate lounged in a chair, his boots propped on a table. His coat, woven from nano-fibers, shimmered with shifting colors like spilled oil. One sleeve was rolled up to reveal a cybernetic arm. Scars marred his face, yet he looked content as he puffed on a cigar.
Opposite him stood an agent in a slim, tailored black suit, white shirt, and polished shoes. A holster was concealed beneath his jacket. Minimal accessories. His presence was sharp, efficient.
"I heard the boss of Red Lizard Tail is looking for a breakthrough to A-rank (the Sixth realm Elemental Heart). He'll need a lot of resources," the agent said smoothly.
The pirate took a long drag from his cigar and exhaled smoke toward the agent's face. Noticing the man's faintly shifting features, he snorted. "Veiltech, huh… not even showing your face. If your guild didn't have a reputation, I wouldn't be here."
"So, what do you say?" the agent asked, smiling.
"What are the conditions?" the pirate replied.
And thus, a long night of plotting began.