Chapter 1 – The Cursed Awakening
The Awakening Ceremony at Ravenwood Academy was the day every student waited for. The skies shimmered with runes, and the great Awakening Crystal pulsed like a living heart. Today, Trails—the mysterious powers of humanity—would choose their next hosts.
Whispers spread through the crowd of students as names were called one by one.
"Elena Frost."
A girl with silver hair and icy blue eyes stepped forward. She touched the crystal, and in an instant, frost spread across the training field. The very air turned cold enough to bite skin.
"Awakened Rank: S++! Trail: Ice Queen!"
The crowd erupted in cheers. Elena bowed politely, but her eyes searched for one person among them—her cousin, Kael Ardyn, standing quietly in the back.
"Show-off," Kael muttered, though a faint smile betrayed his pride. Elena caught his gaze and smirked.
Then came the name:
"Kael Ardyn."
He stepped forward calmly. The crystal flared under his touch. A screen appeared before only his eyes:
> Unique Trail Awakened: The Devourer
[Method 1: Permanent Theft (Kill)]
[Method 2: Voluntary Transfer]
[Method 3: Temporary Copy (3 uses)]
Kael's eyes narrowed. Then, quickly, he activated Method 3.
First, he copied his homeroom teacher Instructor Veylen's Arcane Warrior (S Rank).
Second, his eyes locked onto Lucian Pyre—the arrogant heir of one of the Five Great Families. Flames coiled around Lucian's hands as he awakened Fireheart (S+ Rank).
> Copied Trails: Arcane Warrior (S), Fireheart (S+).
The crystal announced aloud for all to hear:
"Awakened Rank: S! Trail: Arcane Warrior!"
The crowd muttered.
"An S-rank? Not bad."
"Still… nothing compared to Elena or Lucian."
"Arcane Warrior? Pretty average."
Kael stepped back, expression unreadable. Inside, his chest thundered. Good. They'll never know what I truly awakened.
---
Training Dungeon Trial
A week later, the first-year students entered the Training Dungeon for their ranking trial. Each went in alone, tasked with surviving and defeating monsters.
"Don't hold back too much, cousin," Elena teased as she passed. "I don't want you finishing last."
Kael smirked faintly. "Careful, Ice Queen. If I beat you, you'll owe me dinner."
Her laugh rang out as she entered her gate.
Kael descended into his own dungeon, dimly lit by glowing moss and echoing shrieks. Almost immediately, monsters lunged.
A goblin screeched, swinging a crude spear. Kael's blade cut it down.
> Trail Stolen: Savage Strike (E-rank attack).
A scaled beast pounced. Its claws tore his shoulder before he countered.
> Trail Stolen: Hardened Scales (E-rank defense).
From a slime, he absorbed Minor Restoration (D-rank healing).
From a troll, he seized Regeneration (D-rank).
When he reached the floor boss—a hulking armored boar wreathed in dark mist—he fought hard, fire and steel clashing in the confined space. When it fell, its core dissolved into him.
> Trail Stolen: Dark Charge (D-rank attack).
Kael crouched, panting, then flexed his hand. His cuts closed instantly. Muscles thrummed with unnatural strength. His blade sparked with fire, then hardened with scales.
So even weak Trails can be fused. The Devourer doesn't just steal—it evolves me.
---
The Bullies
Not long after, two voices echoed through the dungeon corridors.
"Well, well. If it isn't the fake S-rank."
Darin Voss and Rhett Calder stepped from the shadows—his old tormentors.
Sparks lit Darin's fists—Lightning Trail (S Rank).
Rhett's sword gleamed with precision—Swordmaster (S- Rank).
"Didn't think you'd last this long," Darin sneered.
"What do you think, Rhett? Should we clean up some trash?"
Kael tilted his head, calm. "If you're volunteering, don't complain when I recycle you."
They lunged. Lightning and steel flashed.
Kael's blade pierced Rhett's chest before the boy could finish his swing.
> Trail Stolen: Swordmaster (S- Rank).
Darin froze. "W-what did you—"
Kael moved like a phantom, flames and lightning surging across his weapon. His sword cut through Darin's shield and impaled him.
> Trail Stolen: Lightning (S Rank).
Both bullies collapsed, lifeless. The dungeon went quiet but for Kael's breathing. He looked down at his trembling hands—not from fear, but exhilaration.
"Rest well, you bastards. At least you were useful."
---
The Devourer's Fusion
Kael activated his ability.
> Fusion Complete:
Lightning (S) + Swordmaster (S-) + Ice Queen (Copy S++) + Fireheart (Copy S+) + Arcane Warrior (Copy S) + E–D minor Trails.
New Composite Trail: Frozen Flame Lightning Blade
Frost, fire, and lightning danced along his sword. His body pulsed with regeneration and resilience. His movements became impossibly sharp.
Kael stared at the weapon in his hand, a grin tugging at his lips.
This… this is true power.
---
Results
When rankings were posted days later:
1. Elena Frost (Ice Queen, S++ Rank) – unsurpassed battlefield control.
2. Kael Ardyn (Arcane Warrior, S Rank) – shocking monster kill count. Teachers whispered he might secretly be S+ potential.
3. Lucian Pyre (Fireheart, S+ Rank) – powerful, but seething with hatred as he glared at Kael.
As for Darin and Rhett?
> Declared deceased. Cause: Dungeon casualties.
Elena approached Kael. "Second place? Impressive… but something feels off." Her eyes narrowed. "You're hiding something."
Kael smirked faintly. "Maybe I just don't like showing all my cards."
Inside, the Devourer whispered, hungry for more. And Kael promised himself—
No one will ever know… until it's too late.
Second Round Announcement
Principal Aurelius's voice echoed through the academy's hall.
"Those who survived the first trial will now proceed to the Second Round: The Island Trial.
"You will be transported to Isle Draconis, a survival zone infested with monsters. Most are E to D rank… but there are three bosses of C rank.
"You may pass in two ways: survive for three days… or slay one of the bosses."
The students exchanged nervous glances. Elena Frost, calm and cold as ever, turned to Kael.
"Cousin," she said, her silver eyes piercing, "we're teaming up. No objections."
Kael smirked. "Wasn't planning to. You'll need me when things get ugly."
---
That Night: Secrets Revealed
When Kael returned home, Elena waited in the garden, frost swirling lightly around her fingertips.
"You're hiding something," she said quietly.
Kael tilted his head. "What makes you say that?"
"In the dungeon," Elena replied, "your aura shifted. You fought too cleanly. And Darin and Rhett—dead? You were with them, weren't you?"
Kael's jaw tightened. For a moment, silence lingered. Then he sighed.
"You're not wrong. My Trail… it's different. I can steal Trails—from monsters, from humans, even Hunters. If they die, their power becomes mine. If they agree, I can take it willingly. And I can copy Trails temporarily, three times."
Elena's breath misted in the night air. "That's… terrifying."
"And useful," Kael countered. "If we want to survive what's coming, I'll need every edge."
Her eyes narrowed, then softened. "…Then I'll keep your secret. But in the island trial, we move together."
Kael gave a faint smile. "Deal."
---
Second Round: Isle Draconis
The world spun, and students were transported in flashes of light to the trial island. The air smelled of salt and damp jungle earth.
Immediately, chaos broke out.
"Kill him!" a voice roared.
A group of desperate students lunged at Kael, hoping to eliminate the competition.
Kael's sword flashed. Lightning fused with frost, fire licking along the blade.
One boy screamed as his chest was pierced.
> Trail Stolen: Rockskin (E-rank defense).
Another fell to his knees, impaled by Kael's lightning strike.
> Trail Stolen: Venom Fang (D-rank attack).
Elena froze a pair of attackers solid, shattering them with a flick of her wrist.
Together, they cut down ambushers one after another, each kill feeding Kael's Devourer.
By mid-day, Kael had absorbed nearly a dozen minor Trails, fusing them seamlessly into his growing arsenal. Elena, meanwhile, carved a trail of frost through the jungle.
---
The Rival Appears
It was dusk when the flames came.
A wildfire ignited across the jungle canopy, and out of the inferno strode Lucian Pyre, heir of the Pyre family, flames coiling around him like a living crown.
"Ardyn," Lucian snarled, his voice dripping venom. "You dare to stand above me? Second place? You?!"
Kael's grip tightened on his blade. "I didn't ask for your ego problems, Lucian."
"You'll pay for humiliating me!" Lucian roared. His Fireheart Trail (S+ Rank) ignited, turning the clearing into an inferno.
Elena stepped forward, frost spreading from her feet. "Kael, stay back. He's dangerous—"
But Kael's eyes gleamed. "No. He's mine."
The two clashed. Fire roared, lightning crackled, frost hissed. Lucian's strikes were heavy, molten blades crashing down with relentless fury.
Kael, however, moved faster. The fusion of Swordmaster precision, Lightning speed, Fireheart's flame, and Ice Queen's frost turned him into something beyond human.
With one final thrust, Kael's blade pierced Lucian's chest. Flames sputtered and died.
Lucian's eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible…"
> Trail Stolen: Fireheart (S+ Rank, Permanent).
Kael's body burned with newfound power. His sword erupted with frozen lightning wrapped in flame, his aura vast and overwhelming.
Lucian Pyre—the pride of one of the Five Families—collapsed lifeless to the ground.
---
The Three Bosses
The jungle trembled as three titanic beasts emerged:
A C-Rank Basilisk, eyes glowing with petrifying light.
A C-Rank Chimera, breathing fire and venom.
A C-Rank Ogre Lord, carrying a massive stone club.
Elena stepped beside Kael, frost wreathing her hands. "Three bosses. Three days. Shall we end this now?"
Kael smirked, flames sparking across his blade. "Let's show them what second place and first place can really do."
The battle raged through the night. Elena froze the Basilisk's gaze before Kael shattered it with a lightning-charged strike. The Chimera's venom was burned away by Kael's stolen Fireheart flames. The Ogre Lord's blows shattered ice walls until Kael's sword pierced its heart.
When the dust settled, the island trial was over. The corpses of monsters—and students—lay behind them.
Kael and Elena stood side by side, their powers blazing.
No one would know the truth. No one but Elena.
And Kael whispered to himself, a promise that made the shadows stir.
This is only the beginning.
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⚡ End of Chapter 1 – The Cursed Awakening ⚡