Pain throbbed behind Aiden's eyes as he staggered through the academy's training yard, the red Punishment Mark burning across his chest like a brand of failure.
Whispers followed him.
"Zero-star reject."
"He failed the Awakening Exam AND got punished?"
"Why is he still here?"
Aiden ignored them. He had bigger problems.
His first Mandatory Quest was still active…
…and the timer was draining like his life depended on it.
A cold ripple crept up his spine as the notification flashed again.
[MANDATORY QUEST: FIRST KILL]
Target: A live creature in the academy's Beast Trenches
Time Left: 01:21:39
Warning: Failure = STAT REDUCTION + SYSTEM PUNISHMENT.
Stat reduction. Perfect. As if he wasn't weak enough already.
Aiden reached the archway leading to the Beast Trenches, a deep canyon of cages holding creatures used for combat training.
Two second-year seniors stepped in his way.
One cracked his knuckles. "You're the kid who failed the Awakening Exam, right?"
Aiden didn't answer.
The taller one smirked. "We heard you awakened some… glitch. Why don't you quit? Trash dies early."
Aiden stepped forward.
"Move."
They didn't. Instead, the tall one shoved him.
"Make me."
Aiden's fists tightened. Fighting them would be stupid — he'd lose.
But wasting time here would kill him.
So he walked right past them.
They blinked in confusion.
"Hey! I said I'm talking to y—"
"I don't have time," Aiden said without turning.
Not confidence.
Just urgency.
He stepped into the beast trench tunnel. Roars, grunts, and metal clanging echoed through the stone corridor.
Cages lined both sides — each holding something with teeth.
The system circuit tattoo on Aiden's hand pulsed faintly.
He whispered, "System… can I kill any creature?"
[Yes. Blood must be spilled. Intent must be lethal.]
His stomach knotted.
He hated killing.
But the system didn't care.
A tiny horned rabbit-like creature skittered in a corner cage. Weak, small — an easy first kill.
He approached.
[Warning: Low-tier beast. XP minimal.]
[Proceed?]
"Yes."
He opened the cage—
A shadow slammed into him.
A figure landed beside him, dagger drawn.
"Move. That kill is mine."
Aiden froze.
Kael Ardent. The academy prodigy. Perfect grades. Perfect skills. Perfect everything.
"Why are you here?" Aiden asked.
"To complete my quest," Kael said coldly. "And because watching trash struggle is amusing."
He stabbed the creature instantly.
[Kael has killed the target.]
The corpse twitched.
Aiden's heart dropped as his system flashed:
[MANDATORY QUEST: INCOMPLETE]
[NO AVAILABLE TARGETS IN THIS SECTION]
Time Left: 00:57:02
He'd have to go deeper.
Into Section Two.
The lethal zone.
Kael smirked. "Going deeper? You'll die. If you crawl back alive, I'll kneel."
Aiden didn't respond. He walked.
At the Section Two gate, a guard stopped him. "First-year? Not allowed. Monsters here kill fast."
Aiden lifted his glowing tattoo. "If I don't go, I die anyway."
The guard hesitated… then opened the gate.
Heat and the stench of blood washed over him.
Inside, something massive breathed in the dark.
Then—
A hulking silhouette stepped out.
Red eyes. Foaming jaws. Muscles like steel cables.
[TARGET LOCKED]
[Enemy: Bloodclaw Hound — F-Rank Beast]
[Threat Level: Immediate Lethality]
It snarled.
The ground vibrated with every step.
Aiden felt his pulse crashing in his ears.
Then the system chimed—
[NEW CONDITION ACTIVATED]
[FAILURE AGAINST THIS TARGET DOUBLES THE PUNISHMENT]
Aiden's skin went cold.
[Punishment: STAT REDUCTION + PAIN INDUCTION]
The beast crouched. Ready to pounce.
Aiden couldn't run.
Couldn't hide.
He had to kill it.
The hound launched forward.
Aiden braced himself—
[WARNING: YOUR BODY IS TOO WEAK.]
[USING YOUR ABILITY NOW MAY DESTROY YOU.]
The monster flew at his throat.
Aiden whispered—
"…Do it."
His tattoo exploded with black light.
[ABILITY ACTIVATED — ?????????]
A blast of unstable energy tore from his palm—
—
—