The rage that had filled Elias was a familiar, old friend. It was the same cold, calculated fury he felt when a mission went sideways, when an enemy got the jump on him. But this time, it was different. It wasn't about his life; it was about the torn, ragged fabric of his sister's dress and the tear-streaked face of Guin.
He looked at her, his mind running through a dozen scenarios. He couldn't kill them. The weak body of Orion wouldn't survive the attempt, and it would only bring more trouble to the house. No, he had to be smarter. He had to play the game he knew best: the long game.
He released Guin's hand and walked toward the door, his heart rate steady. He found the servants who had been gossiping, the ones who had been too afraid to stand up to the bullies. They were huddled in the kitchen, their whispers dying as he approached. Elias looked at them, not with the petulant anger of a child, but with the cold, assessing gaze of a predator.
"From now on," he said, his voice low and calm, "Guin is not to be left alone. If anyone touches her, you will answer to me."
A ripple of fear went through the group. The words were simple, but the tone was anything but. It was the voice of a man who made promises he kept, no matter the cost.
Bold action. 100 Points Gained.
He hadn't earned a single point for the threats. The system, it seemed, was more interested in the genuine intent behind the action. The cold, protective resolve in his heart was the currency.
Elias walked back to his room, his mind already on the next step. He had to be strong, and the system's shop was the only way to get there. He opened the menu in his mind, his eyes going directly to the Weapons category. His total points were 550.
Dagger of the Unseen. 300 Points. A weapon suited for shadows and quick kills.
He pressed the purchase button without hesitation. A jolt of energy shot through him, and the points count dropped to 250. His hand, which had been resting on a stack of dusty books, felt a strange weight. He looked down and saw a gleaming dagger lying on top of the pile. It was a simple steel blade, a single-edged, elegant thing with a sleek black handle. It looked and felt exactly like the one he had trained with in his old life.
He picked it up. The balance was perfect, the cold metal a familiar and comforting weight in his hand. He hadn't felt this complete since he woke up in this body. He spun it, his fingers moving with a practiced grace that the boy's body shouldn't have been capable of. This was his old self, finding its way to the surface.
He walked back to Guin's room. She was sitting on her bed, trying to mend the tear in her dress with clumsy stitches. Elias sat down beside her. He didn't speak. He simply placed the dagger on his lap and watched her work. She looked up at him, her eyes still red, and saw a change in him she couldn't explain. He wasn't the weak brother she knew. He was someone else.
Elias looked at the dagger, then at her. He made a silent promise, one that echoed the feeling of the points he had just gained. He would become a force of nature in this world. He would learn its rules, its magic, and its politics. He would use every point, every resource, every ruthless instinct he had. He would not allow anyone to hurt her again.
He was a ghost who had found a reason to stay. A hitman who had found a target worth protecting. He would keep Guin safe, no matter the cost.