Aldoria Castle
The morning sun slipped lazily over Wethervore, warming the castle towers and filtering through the forest canopy where the small town came to life.
Inside the royal palace, Princess Leena was already awake — well, half-awake.
Her maid, Seraphine, had been fussing over her hair for the last ten minutes.
"Milady, please hold still," Seraphine said, trying to pin a golden clasp in place.
"I am holding still!" Leena pouted, though her eyes darted toward the window where the forest stretched in the distance.
Seraphine sighed softly. "You've been staring out there every morning since Class Day. Might I ask if something… happened?"
Leena straightened, face instantly red. "N-nothing! Just appreciating the, uh, strategic vantage points. For royal defense."
The maid arched an eyebrow but wisely said nothing.
The princess puffed her cheeks. Strategic vantage points? Really, Leena?
She shook her head and forced herself to focus. "Alright. Let's just get this over with."
When the last ribbon was tied, she slipped into her seat at breakfast beside her parents, the King and Queen of Aldoria, trying to act every bit the composed princess she was supposed to be.
But when her father mentioned future diplomatic visits and potential marriage alliances, her fork nearly slipped.
Marriage? she thought, barely keeping her smile polite.
As soon as she could, she excused herself, darting back to her room with a grin. "If I time it right," she whispered, glancing out the window toward the woods, "he'll be there today."
Meanwhile: The Treehouse
A few miles away, three children sat cross-legged in their creaky wooden hideout among the branches of an old oak.
Sunlight spilled through the gaps, catching dust motes as Mira swung her legs and hummed.
Luke, as always, had a stick in hand, pretending it was a sword.
And Grim — still half sleepy from his late-night stat session — leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
"Alright, listen!" Mira declared, slamming a wooden cup onto the floor dramatically. "I've come up with a new name for our team: The Fort Knights, Order of the Sandwich!"
Luke groaned. "Why a sandwich?"
"Because it's strong in the middle!" Mira said proudly.
Grim snorted. "That's… the dumbest logic I've ever heard."
She threw a twig at him. "You're just jealous because you didn't think of it first!"
Luke raised a hand, grinning. "I vote we keep it. It's ridiculous, but it sounds like us."
Grim sighed, pretending to be annoyed but failing to hide a small smile.
"Fine. Order of the Sandwich it is."
Mira clapped. "Yay! As Grand Healer Mira, I shall make sure no warrior ever fights on an empty stomach!"
Luke puffed out his chest. "And as Legendary Knight Luke, I will—"
"—trip on your own sword?" Grim interrupted.
"Hey!" Luke tossed the stick at him, but Grim caught it effortlessly. The speed of the move made Luke blink. "Woah. When did you get so fast?"
Grim froze for a split second. "Uh— training. You know. Chopping wood. Carrying buckets. Totally normal stuff."
Mira squinted suspiciously. "You're hiding something, Grim. Spill it."
"I'm not hiding anything," Grim said, looking away. "I just… figured out a new workout routine."
Luke leaned in. "What's it called?"
Grim thought for a moment, deadpan serious.
"…The Secret of the Sandwich."
Mira gasped dramatically. "He does like the name!"
The three burst into laughter that shook the old treehouse, echoing through the woods.
For a moment, Grim forgot all about his locked skills, unknown class, and the strange card Lord Varen had given him. He was just a kid again — laughing with the people who made the world feel a little less heavy.
Just then, the treehouse swayed under a rough gust — only it wasn't the wind.
A low rumble vibrated through the trunk.
Luke frowned, glancing through the gaps. "...That's not normal."
Grim felt it before he saw it. That pressure again… dark, thick mana.
His vision tingled faintly — a soft flicker in the corner of his eye:
[Warning: Negative mana detected nearby.]
He shut his eyes. "Stay calm," he muttered under his breath.
Mira peered down. "Is that— wait— there's something moving!"
The tree gave a harsh crack!
Splinters flew, and from below came guttural screeches — short, raspy growls and sharp chattering laughter.
"Goblins," Luke said grimly, peeking through a gap. "About twenty of them… and they've got blades."
Crude, jagged metal glinted in the filtered sunlight. The goblins' yellow eyes glowed with hunger. One gnawed at the bark, another started hacking at the base with a chipped axe.
Luke stood, aura igniting in a faint orange glow. "Stay here. I'll handle it."
Grim caught his wrist. "You don't have to start playing hero yet."
Luke looked back. "You can't fight, Grim. You'll just get in the way."
Grim smirked weakly. "Well, I've been training. Forgot? I can handle myself now."
Mira jumped in. "You're right! We'll do this together—"
"Oh nooo," both boys said at once.
Mira's jaw dropped. "But you just said teamwork!"
"Yeah," Grim replied dryly, "that was for me, not for us."
"Besides," Luke added, "you're our healer. Who's gonna patch us up if you're hurt?"
Mira puffed her cheeks. "So you're saying I'm the most important?"
Grim sighed. "That's not what I meant—oh great, she's already proud of it."
Luke rolled his shoulders, smirking. "Alright, let's do this, hero."
The boys slid down the rope ladder into the clearing below. The forest floor was thick with mist, and the goblins were waiting — hunched, snarling, moving with jerky speed.
One leapt first, knife raised. Luke ducked, driving his elbow into its gut, then followed with a glowing uppercut. The impact cracked the creature's jaw and sent it flying into a tree.
Another slashed at him from behind. He spun and blocked, but the crude blade sliced his forearm — shallow, but bleeding.
"Tch—damn it, they're faster than I thought!"
Three more surged from the side, and Luke's aura brightened — Body Enhancement: Stage One.
He dashed forward, landing a punch that shattered a goblin's chest plate. But more were coming.
Grim clenched his fists. Think. Move. Breathe.
He ducked as one swung at him, grabbed a fallen branch, and jabbed it into the goblin's throat. The creature shrieked, black blood spurting.
[Goblin defeated.]
[Mana +10.]
His heart skipped. My mana is increasing,I'm absorbing their mana.
Another came screeching toward him. He kicked its knee out, slammed a rock into its skull. Another notification blinked —
[Mana +10.]
The system flickered, faint static in his vision.
But there was no time to think — a taller goblin, nearly his size, lunged and tackled him to the ground.
Its breath was hot, foul; its dagger inches from his chest.
Grim gritted his teeth, arms shaking as he held the blade back. Not like this.
The creature's strength was insane for its size. Its saliva dripped onto his cheek, burning slightly.
Then, something inside him snapped — not rage, not fear. Just resolve.
He twisted his body, drove his knee into the goblin's ribs, grabbed the dagger, and jammed it upward into its neck. Warm blood splattered across his face.
[Goblin defeated.]
[Mana +10.]
He gasped for breath, trembling. They're… strong. If Luke hadn't—
"Grim!" Luke shouted, cutting down another with a glowing kick that split the earth beneath him. "You alright?!"
"Yeah!" Grim called back, panting. "You?"
Luke grinned, though blood dripped from his shoulder. "Never better!"
They fought back-to-back, the air filled with snarls and the clash of crude steel. Grim's strikes grew faster — not elegant, not trained, but desperate and precise. His body moved on instinct, as if remembering something ancient.
When the final goblin fell, the clearing was littered with twisted green corpses.
Luke dropped to one knee, panting heavily. "Twenty of them… we actually—"
"—won." Grim finished, voice quiet, eyes wide with disbelief.
He looked at his trembling hands, faint blue mana swirling faintly around his fingers.
Luke laughed between gasps. "Man, you're not the same crybaby from last month."
Grim forced a small smile. "Beginner's luck."
"Sure," Luke said, rolling his eyes. "Remind me never to get on your bad side."
Mira's voice rang from above. "Hey! Are you guys okay down there?!"
Luke cupped his hands and shouted back. "All good! Goblins are gone!"
Grim turned away, staring at the carnage, a flicker of guilt darkening his expression.
His system buzzed quietly.
[Mana increased: 3 → 72]
[Unlock condition: Pending…]
The forest had gone eerily quiet.
The wind carried only the faint hum of mana and the ragged breathing of three exhausted kids.
Mira rushed down the ladder the moment the boys called for her. She skidded across the grass, hands glowing with faint white light.
"Oh no, you're bleeding!" she cried, darting to Luke first.
"It's just a scratch," he muttered, though the cut on his arm was deep.
"Not anymore," Mira said proudly, pressing her glowing palms against the wound. The light pulsed, and within seconds, the skin began knitting together. Luke blinked, impressed.
"Whoa… didn't know you could actually do that."
Mira crossed her arms smugly. "I told you my magic is special!"
Grim chuckled faintly from the side, sitting against the tree stump. His shirt was torn, and dirt streaked his face, but his eyes stayed sharp — focused, analytical.
When Mira moved to him, he shook his head. "I'm fine. Save your mana. You'll need it if more come."
Mira frowned. "More? You think there'll be more?"
Grim didn't answer right away. He looked around — the ground still stained where the goblins had fallen, yet the bodies themselves were… gone. Slowly fading wisps of black smoke drifted upward.
Luke noticed too. "Wait… where are the bodies? Did they… just vanish?"
"They're gone," Grim said quietly. "Vaporized."
Luke scratched the back of his head. "Okay, that's… creepy."
Mira's voice wavered. "Grim… what do we do?"
He stared into the mist where the goblins had stood moments ago. This isn't normal. Not for Druis Woods, not for kids like us… and definitely not for monsters like them.
He exhaled softly, then turned back to his friends. "We don't tell anyone about this."
"Huh?" Luke blinked. "What do you mean? We just saved ourselves from twenty goblins! People are gonna flip when they hear—"
"That's exactly why," Grim cut in, voice steady but low. "If we tell anyone, we'll get attention we don't want."
"Attention? Dude, we deserve a little praise after—"
Grim stood, his tone firm now. "Listen to me, Luke. Those weren't ordinary goblins. C–rank adventurers would've had trouble with them. You think anyone's going to believe three kids killed twenty of them?"
Luke paused, mouth half-open. "…Okay, yeah, when you put it that way—"
"Second," Grim continued, "the bodies are gone. There's nothing left to prove what happened. People will say we imagined it."
Mira tilted her head. "And third?"
Grim sighed, glancing toward the trees. "Third… once our parents find out the forest isn't safe, they'll never let us come here again."
There was a moment of silence. Even Luke, always ready with a joke, stayed quiet.
Finally, Mira said softly, "So… we just pretend nothing happened?"
"Exactly," Grim replied. "We walk out of here, like today was just another boring day in Druis."
Luke groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Man, you're really no fun sometimes."
Grim smirked faintly. "You'll thank me later."
Mira folded her arms. "You're lucky I trust you, Grim. I wanted to brag a lot."
As the two bickered, Grim looked back one last time — at the empty clearing, the faint shimmer of mana still lingering. They weren't supposed to be here. Something's wrong.
The system blinked faintly in his vision:
[System anomaly detected.]
[Source: Unknown fluctuation.]
He frowned. Could they have spawned because of me?
The thought made his stomach twist. He forced a smile for his friends' sake, dusted himself off, and started walking.
"C'mon," he said. "Let's get home before Mom decides to 'discipline' us again."
Luke laughed nervously. "Yeah, good idea."
Mira brightened, skipping between them. "Still, we did amazing! We're like, heroes now!"
Grim gave a tired chuckle. "Heroes, huh? Let's try not to die before earning that title."
But deep down, his thoughts stayed cold.
If the goblins really came because of me… this world's already starting to change.
Grim sat cross-legged on his bed, the blue light of the System screen washing over his face.
His eyes narrowed as he hovered over a new tab pulsing faintly at the bottom:
[Heavenly Store — Level 1]
"Let's see what you're hiding," he murmured and tapped.
The screen shimmered, unfolding into a wide panel filled with strange, glowing images — dozens of ethereal figures, half-light and half-machine. They were humanoid, yet not human — each radiating an aura that felt both divine and cold.
Their metal wings gleamed like forged silver, their armor traced with runes he couldn't read. They looked more like living weapons than angels.
His breath caught. "These… these are celestial beings?"
Each figure had a title beneath it:
Foot Soldier – 20 Mana Points
Angelic Knight – 200 Mana Points
Archangel – 1,200 Mana Points
Dragon of Judgment – 8,000 Mana Points
Executioner – 20,000 Mana Points
He scrolled slowly, eyes wide. "Okay… note to self: save up for Executioner. That thing looks terrifying."
Then he saw his current mana total.
[Mana: 72]
"Well… I can afford one of you." He hovered over the first image — a glowing silhouette labeled Foot Soldier — and tapped Purchase.
The screen flashed.
[Foot Soldier purchased.]
[Celestial Domain value increased to 1.]
"Celestial domain… so that's where they go when I buy them?"
A new message appeared immediately.
[Would you like to summon Foot Soldier?]
Grim hesitated. His heart thumped in his chest. "Summon? Like… right here?"
He grinned nervously. "Well, I kinda want to see what you can do."
[Summoning Foot Soldier.]
The air thickened instantly. A white light cracked through the room — silent but blinding — and a figure materialized from thin air.
It was tall, about the height of a grown man.
Its entire body shimmered like polished steel, shaped with perfect symmetry. Runes pulsed faintly along its arms, and its eyes glowed dimly beneath a featureless helmet.
It stood utterly still.
Grim gawked. "You're… incredible."
He reached out and waved. "Umm… hello? Can you see me?"
No response.
The thing didn't even blink.
Grim frowned. "Wait, does this thing do anything? It's as useless as a table—"
A sudden mechanical voice cut him off.
[Processing command: Attack table.]
Grim's eyes widened. "Wait, no, NO—!"
The soldier spun with shocking speed and slammed its fist through the wooden table.
CRAAACK!
The entire thing shattered, splinters flying across the room.
Grim froze, mouth open. "You… you actually did it."
The crash echoed down the hallway.
"Oh no…" Grim's face paled. "Mira's gonna—"
Footsteps. Two sets. Approaching fast.
"Vanish! Disappear! Dismiss!" Grim hissed, waving frantically.
The soldier just turned its head, silent.
Grim panicked. "Uhhh—return to Celestial Domain!"
Instantly, the soldier disintegrated into shimmering light, vanishing completely just as the door burst open.
"Grim!" his mother's voice was sharp, her hair messy from sleep. Mira stood beside her, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "What was that noise?!"
Grim sat stiffly in front of the obliterated remains of his table.
"Uh…" He forced a weak laugh. "Bad… dream? I, uh… fell out of bed… onto the table?"
Mira blinked. "You punched the table in your sleep?"
"Yeah! Sleep… fighting. Totally a thing!"
His mother gave him a long, suspicious stare. Then she sighed. "You've been staying up too late again, haven't you?"
"...Maybe."
"Go to sleep, Grim. We'll talk in the morning."
As the two left, Mira whispered groggily, "If you see monsters in your dreams, tell me. I'll heal them."
"Thanks," he muttered, watching the door close.
The moment they were gone, Grim slumped back into bed, whispering to himself, "Okay… note to self: don't insult your summons."
Then, with a small smirk, he added quietly, "But that was awesome."
The faint glow of the Heavenly Store still flickered in the dark, the silhouettes of angelic warriors beyond his reach.