— six years later —
The sun filtered through the white clouds above as Kaelen strolled through the bustling shopping district alongside his mother and maid. Lively voices filled the air—vendors calling out prices, children laughing, the clinking of coin, and the occasional flash of magic.
(It's been 6 years since I came to this world... and honestly, it still feels strange.)Kaelen glanced around at the exotic architecture, floating crystals, and arcane tools sold at stalls.
(This place is overflowing with magic and strange abilities. At first, I thought I ended up in Tensura... especially after seeing the word "Skill" in my status window. But...)He sighed inwardly.
(Everyone seems to have a "System Skill" of some sort. So maybe this world just works that way. Still, it's not like Earth. Not even close.)
His mother was busy bartering over silk fabric, while his maid scanned the crowd cautiously, her hands folded at her waist. As they walked further along the main road, Kaelen's ears perked up when a merchant excitedly shouted:"Have you heard?! A new demon lord named Milim Nava has been awakened! They say she destroyed the kingdom that killed her parents—in an instance!"(Milim...? That's straight out of Tensura...) Kaelen's heart skipped a beat. (Wait... if that's true, then which kingdom am I in right now?)
Just as he tried to process the news, his eyes caught a figure passing in the opposite direction.She moved like fire itself—graceful, untamed, and impossible to ignore.Her long sapphire-blue hair shimmered under the sunlight, tied into elegant twin buns with dark ribbons that trailed like comet tails. Her golden eyes glowed like embers, sharp and full of unspoken power. She wore a skin-tight qipao in obsidian black, adorned with golden dragon patterns that traced the curves of her body like flames licking across smooth porcelain. The cut of the dress exposed her long, powerful legs and accentuated every sultry movement of her hips.She wasn't just beautiful—she was arresting.
Velgrynd, the Scorch Dragon.
Her figure radiated heat, like her very presence distorted the air. She exuded the confidence of a queen, the deadliness of a predator, and the allure of a goddess. Men stopped mid-sentence. Women glanced and whispered. Even the magicules in the air around her seemed to yield in reverence.
Kaelen's breath caught in his throat. (That's... Velgrynd. The Flame Dragon. She looks nothing like how I imagined, but that aura... it's unmistakable.)
Then she stopped.As if sensing something—someone—her golden eyes sharply turned and locked onto him.A piercing gaze. Sharp. Analyzing. Burning.Kaelen froze. His body tensed, his instincts screamed.
And then—A voice echoed in his mind. Gentle. Ancient. Echoing like wind in an empty temple.???: "She sensed your power. conseal it, quickly."
Kaelen's eyes widened. A chill crept up his spine. (That voice... I've heard it before. Somewhere. )He didn't understand it. But something about that voice struck deep—like the echo of a dream long forgotten.
He gritted his teeth. Without thinking, he focused inward, calling upon that hidden part of him—the same unknown force that stirred when he first arrived.A soft shimmer surrounded his body. His presence—once vivid and strange—dulled and faded into mundane normalcy.
Unique Skill [Masked Existence] has been acquired.
In an instant, Velgrynd's eyes narrowed, then turned away, disinterested once more.Kaelen exhaled slowly. (What... the hell was that...?)
(That voice... and that feeling. As if something ancient just helped me...)He shook his head. (It's probably nothing... right?)
But in the depths of his being, something stirred. Watching. Waiting.Kaelen's footsteps slowed as the crowd swallowed up Velgrynd's fiery silhouette. The tension still clung to his spine like cold iron.
(That voice told me to mask my power... and she immediately looked away after I did. So she really did sense me?)The realization hit him like a crashing wave.
(If that was Velgrynd—one of the True Dragons—then this world isn't just any magic world. It's way too similar to that world. But I dismissed it too early...)
As he walked, he overheard more snippets of passing conversation—words that struck a little too close.
"Emperor Rudra is set to announce a new policy on summoned heroes."
"The Empire's elite knights just arrived."
"Long live Emperor Rudra!"
Kaelen's eyes widened.(Rudra. The name keeps coming up. Always followed by 'Emperor'... So that means...)He glanced around at the tall architecture, the armed knights in immaculate uniforms, the banners fluttering with imperial emblems.(I'm in the Empire. Rudra's Empire.)
Before he could reflect any deeper, a gentle but sharp voice called out behind him.Ellira (Mother) : "Kaelen! We're done here, dear. Let's go home."
He turned to see his mother waving, holding a small bag of herbs, her warm smile soothing his rising unease. Beside her, the maid silently bowed, eyes still alert as ever.Kaelen gave one last glance in the direction Velgrynd had disappeared. The people around had returned to their routines, none the wiser of the strange tension that had just passed.
He exhaled.(I need to be careful. Whatever this world truly is... I'm not just some ordinary bystander in it.)"Coming," he called back, his voice steady, masking the storm churning inside.
As they left the shopping district and headed back toward their lavish estate in the noble sector of the capital, Kaelen's gaze lingered upward, toward the distant sky.
(This world... it's hiding things. And so am I, now.)His fingers curled slightly as he walked.(Masked Existence... just what am I meant to become?)
Back at the estate, Kaelen stepped into the wide marble-floored entry hall, flanked by ornate pillars and enchanted chandeliers floating gently above. Servants bowed as the family entered, but he gave them only a nod, his thoughts still tangled in the encounter with Velgrynd and the quiet hum of the masked power now lying dormant within him.
After a brief meal, he excused himself and wandered toward the private family library.Rows of aged books,magic tomes and off all kind lined the towering shelves. The scent of old parchment and faint mana clung to the air. He sifted through countless books—histories, theories, noble bloodlines, and war chronicles—but nothing in them spoke of the TRUE DRAGONS or even anything beyond surface-level lore. Not even a whisper of the system or skill-based structure he had seen.
(All this knowledge... and yet, it's barely scratching the truth.)(None of this matches what I know is out there. Am I the only one with this kind of system?)He closed the last book with a soft thud, disappointment settling over him.Later that day, unable to hide his growing frustration, Kaelen found his mother resting in the manor garden under the shade of a glowing cherry tree, reading quietly.
Kaelen: "Mother... I want to learn magic. Combat. Something. I don't want to just read and stay useless in the house."
She looked up, surprised but not displeased.Ellira : "Oh? That's unlike you. What brought this on?"
Kaelen hesitated, eyes narrowing slightly.Kaelen: "...Father never looks at me the way he looks at the others. I'm adopted, I get it. But I'm not going to stay weak. I want to change that."
Her expression softened, and she rose to place a hand gently on his head.Ellira : "Kaelen... your father just doesn't know how to show it. But you don't need to force yourself to compare. Still, if you truly wish to learn, then go observe your sister. She trains with magic every evening in the courtyard."
Just then, his older brother passed by, smirking.Brother: "Tch, you? Learn magic? With your magicule so low you can barely light a candle? Maybe start with cleaning spells, 'mage'."
He walked off laughing before Kaelen could respond.(He always looks down on me. Just wait... I'll show him.)
Later, Kaelen followed the sound of chanting into the courtyard, where his sister, Lysia, stood beneath a mana-crystal-lit dome, arms extended as glowing glyphs floated around her.
Lysia: "Light Burst — Radiant Spiral!"
A ring of golden light exploded from her palm, scattering into cascading motes of magic. The precision and control she exhibited left Kaelen silently impressed.
(That's light magic... the chant, the rune formation, and the timing... it's a complete structure. Wait...)
As he focused on the floating remnants of the spell, something clicked in his mind.A thin glow traced over his eyes, and the world around him suddenly shifted—runes slowed down, light pulses fractured, and the structure of the magic unraveled before his vision like a blueprint.
[Unique skill ??????? reacts strongly]
[Unique Skill — Mystic Eye of Analysis Acquired ]
Kaelen stumbled slightly, eyes widening.(I saw... everything. How it was formed. The chant, the focus point, the mana stream. I could do it too. I just... know how it works.)
A grin began to tug at the corner of his lips as a flicker of ambition sparked in his gaze.