The first days in the slums were a blur of hunger, exhaustion, and a gnawing sense of unreality. Kairen had died once. He had fallen from scaffolding, crushed by steel, drowned by despair. He should not be breathing, and yet, here he was—alive, trapped in the fragile body of a five-year-old orphan in a world so alien it hummed with danger.
The system's words echoed in his mind like a phantom heartbeat.
[ System Binding Complete. ][ Quest Initiated: Carve Your Place. Survive fourteen days in hostile conditions. Failure results in death. ]
The countdown ticked silently in his mind. Fourteen days. Fourteen chances to live or die.
The First Night
The slums of Blackthorn reeked of rotting waste, unwashed bodies, and hopelessness. Kairen pressed himself against a cracked wall, watching shadows move like predators through the alleys. The weak were prey here, and the smallest child was nothing more than meat for gangs and scavengers.
"Oi, brat!"
A rough voice made him flinch. Three older boys approached, their clothes torn but their eyes sharp with hunger.
"This is our spot. Get lost."
Kairen's fists clenched. His entire life on Earth had been spent being shoved aside—by debt collectors, by bosses, by life itself. But this time was different. This time, he had a system.
"No," he whispered.
The boys laughed. The leader shoved him hard. Kairen stumbled but didn't fall. His blood boiled with something unfamiliar.
The system flickered.
[ Micro-Quest Triggered: First Stand. Objective: Repel intruders. Reward: Skill – Counterattack. ]
The leader swung. Instinct guided Kairen's body. He ducked and lashed out with a fist. It connected with the boy's jaw. Shock rippled through both of them.
The other two hesitated. Kairen stood tall—or as tall as his small frame allowed. His heart thundered, but he did not back down.
Minutes later, bruised but unbroken, Kairen stood alone. The boys fled, nursing their wounds.
The system chimed.
[ Micro-Quest Complete. Skill Gained: Counterattack (Lv. 1). ]
Power. Real power, even if fragile. For the first time, Kairen felt something other than despair.
Days Two to Four – Hunger and Resolve
Hunger gnawed at him mercilessly. Each day was a battle for scraps scavenged from trash heaps or stolen from careless hands. But the system acknowledged his struggle.
[ Endurance +1. ][ New Passive Skill Gained: Pain Tolerance (Lv. 1). ]
At night, gangs prowled. The Black Fangs, the Rats, the Ash Hounds—each group claimed territory, extorting the weak. Each night, Kairen defended his corner. Sometimes he won by luck, sometimes by grit, but always he stood his ground.
The system whispered rewards for every drop of effort.
[ Counterattack (Lv. 2). ][ Endurance +1. Agility +1. ]
The bruises on his skin became badges of survival. The whispers of the slums began to change: A strange child lives in the alleys, too stubborn to die.
Day Five – The Bloodline Hint
The fifth day dawned with rain. Kairen crouched beneath a broken awning, shivering. His breath fogged in the air. He hadn't eaten in two days, and his body trembled with weakness.
The system pulsed.
[ Warning: Host Body Reaching Limits. Bloodline Resonance Detected. Latent potential sealed. ]
Kairen blinked. Bloodline?
But the message faded before he could ask.
That night, three Black Fangs cornered him with crude blades. Kairen's blood surged, fire burning in his veins. His Counterattack skill flared instinctively, each reversal sharper, more brutal. When the boys fled, bleeding and cursing, Kairen collapsed against the wall.
He didn't know what "bloodline resonance" meant, but he could feel it—something inside him was waiting, locked, clawing at its chains.
Days Six to Nine – Whispers of Fear
Word spread. The slum children began avoiding his alley. Some whispered that he was cursed. Others claimed he had demon blood.
Kairen didn't care. He trained when he could—push-ups, sprints, anything to strengthen his frail body. He meditated as best as his untrained mind allowed.
The system rewarded his persistence.
[ Strength +1. Agility +1. ][ Pain Tolerance (Lv. 2). ]
On the ninth night, a desperate boy tried to sneak into his alley. Kairen confronted him, and the boy spat, "Monster! You're not human!" before running.
Monster. The word stung. But deep down, Kairen wondered if it was true.
Day Ten – The Ambush
He awoke to footsteps. Five Black Fangs surrounded him, blades glinting.
"Well, well," their leader sneered. "The rat's still breathing. Let's fix that."
Kairen's heart pounded. Five against one. He wanted to run, but the system pulsed.
[ Quest Status: 10/14 Days. ]
If I run, I fail.
"No," he rasped. "This is my place."
The gang lunged. Kairen's Counterattack skill roared to life. He twisted past a blade, slammed his elbow into ribs, ducked a punch, and lashed out with desperate fury.
Every retaliatory strike hit harder, sharper. Pain seared his arms and legs, but his will blazed brighter.
By the end, three boys lay groaning, the rest dragging them away.
Kairen collapsed, bloodied but unbroken.
[ Sub-Condition Detected: Bloodline Resonance (Locked). ]
Again, that word. Again, the promise of something hidden.
Days Eleven to Thirteen – Steel in the Soul
The next days became a crucible. Kairen trained, fought, endured.
Every night brought challengers—children with stones, gang scouts with knives. Each time, Kairen stood tall.
The system marked his growth.
[ Agility +1. Endurance +1. ][ Pain Tolerance (Lv. 3). ]
By the thirteenth day, he was no longer a frail, trembling child. He was scarred, yes. Small, yes. But in his eyes burned a fire the slums could not smother.
Day Fourteen – The Final Test
The last night came with silence. Too much silence.
Then they arrived. Ten Black Fangs, led by the scarred boy who had first challenged him.
"This ends tonight," the leader growled.
Kairen rose, trembling but defiant.
The system chimed.
[ Quest: Carve Your Place – Final Trial. Objective: Repel overwhelming odds. Survive. ]
The battle was chaos. Fists, blades, blood. Kairen's Counterattack skill blazed, punishing every strike that came too close. His fists cracked bone, his knees struck with feral strength.
But the numbers wore him down. Cuts opened across his body. His blood soaked the dirt.
Voices whispered: Too weak. Too small.
But another voice roared louder: Not again. Never powerless. Never again.
With a snarl, he lunged at the leader, fist smashing into bone. The boy fell screaming.
The gang faltered. Fear flickered. Then, dragging their leader, they fled.
Kairen collapsed, gasping. The system's voice rang clear.
[ Quest Complete: Carve Your Place. ]
Reward: Skill – Intimidation (Lv. 1).
+5 Strength. +5 Endurance.
[ Updated Attributes: ]
Strength: 9
Agility: 6
Endurance: 9
Willpower: 5
[ Special Condition Met: Bloodline Awakening Approaches. ]
Warmth flooded him, numbing his pain. For the first time, Kairen had claimed something. His alley was his. His life was his.
But deep inside, he knew this was only the beginning.