The sun climbed above the Azure Dragon lands, spilling soft gold across the Vance family grounds. High up in old oaks, birds called out while breezes carried jasmine from hidden corners of the garden. Peace hung thick in the air that day.
A quiet moment broke - suddenly, a shout rang out.
"AAAAHHH!"
A girl servant let go of her clothes bin, fingers darting to her lips while gazing at the central yard.
Most times, folks trained here at dawn or met up with kin. Right now, though, the place smelled like raw meat and blood.
In the middle of the yard, just before the stairs to the old hall, lay a disturbing heap. A stack of four lifeless figures - bodies without heads - piled up tight, one over another, almost orderly. Shredded black armor clung to their frames, torn and ragged. On top sat their snake-like masks, carefully arranged, empty eye sockets gazing ahead.
Murder! Someone killed a man at the big house!" she yelled, stumbling back fast.
In moments, the yard filled up fast. Soldiers came running with weapons while half-awake trainees trailed behind. Frightened workers showed up soon after.
"Make way! The Patriarch is coming!"
The crowd split right away. As Lord Magnus Vance stepped into the yard, his expression stayed cold. His morning robes were proper enough, yet fingers curled around his sword's grip. Following close behind came the Clan Elders - Boran among them, leading their line.
Boran seemed awful - skin like paper, gaze jumping everywhere. With his right hand tucked in his sleeve, he masked a small shake. Hours before, just after midnight, some limping killer pounded on his windowpane, bringing news that left him staring at the ceiling till sunrise.
Lord Magnus paused by the heap of bodies. His brow dipped as he looked at the dark leather.
"Black Viper Assassins," Magnus muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "Who dares to hire the Black Viper to attack the Vance Estate? And who killed them?"
"Perhaps... perhaps it was an enemy of the clan?" Elder Boran suggested quickly, sweat beading on his forehead. "We should burn the bodies immediately and investigate later. It is bad luck to keep them here."
"Burn them?" a calm voice cut through the morning air. "But I went to so much trouble to deliver them."
The crowd turned.
Kaelen Vance perched atop the Ancestral Hall, eyes fixed below. Clad in new black training robes, he gripped a red apple tightly. A sharp crunch echoed as his teeth sank into it.
Crunch.
You..." Boran's eyes shot open.
Kaelen dropped off the rooftop. Not bothering with Qi, he hit the ground hard - knees dipping a bit to handle the drop. Getting back up, he strolled over to the Patriarch and the older folks, munching on an apple like it was nothing.
"Good morning, Father. Good morning, Elders," Kaelen said with a bright, fake smile. "I hope you like my gift."
"Kaelen!" Lord Magnus barked. "Explain this madness. Did you kill these men?"
"I didn't have much of a choice," Kaelen shrugged. "They broke into my room last night while I was sleeping. They had poisoned daggers and very bad manners."
He gave the heap of dead a kick. When one body turned, it showed the mark of the Black Vipers.
"Whatever happened to estate security?" Kaelen asked, looking directly at Elder Boran. "I thought the First Elder was in charge of the clan's defenses. How did five assassins get past the outer walls, the patrol guards, and the sensory arrays?"
Boran jerked back - like a spark had hit. That claim? It cut deep.
"Security is not perfect!" Boran snapped defensively. "Assassins are skilled at stealth. How was I to know they would target a... a specific disciple?"
"Specific disciple?" Kaelen stepped closer. The smile dropped from his face, replaced by a cold, predatory stare. "I haven't told anyone who they were targeting yet, Elder Boran. How did you know they were coming for me?"
The quiet in the yard felt loud. Not even the workers dared to breathe.
Boran realized his mistake. "I... I assumed! Since you just won the duel yesterday and made enemies, it was a logical guess!"
"Is that so?" Kaelen tossed the apple core onto the pile of bodies. "Well, you missed one detail. There were five assassins. Only four are here."
Boran's heart pounded inside his chest.
"The leader," Kaelen continued, his voice dropping to a whisper that only the Elders could hear. "He was very talkative after I cut his hand off. He told me a very interesting story about who hired him. He said the employer paid ten thousand gold coins and promised a position in the city guard."
Kaelen stopped, leaving the warning just there.
"Father," Kaelen turned to Magnus. "These men were sent to kill the Clan Heir. That is treason. Punishment for treason is death, is it not?"
Magnus glanced at Kaelen, then over to Elder Boran - dripping sweat. He wasn't dumb. The truth hit him fast. Someone wanted Darius paid back for something. Still, Boran had reached level nine - key to the clan's strength. Killing him? That'd hurt their power base.
Magnus ran the numbers.
"This is indeed a grave failure of security," Magnus said loudly, addressing the crowd. "Elder Boran, as the Head of Defense, you will be fined one year's salary for this oversight."
"Fined?" Kaelen laughed. "My life is worth one year of his salary?"
"Enough, Kaelen," Magnus warned, his eyes flashing. "We have no proof of who hired them. The survivor is gone. These dead men tell no tales. We cannot throw accusations without evidence."
Kaelen grinned - his dad would downplay it, no doubt. Family pride always took priority.
"Fine," Kaelen said. "No proof. But the fact remains: my quarters are unsafe. The 'shack' you have me living in has a broken door and holes in the roof. If I am to represent the Vance Clan at the Seven Sects Tournament next month, I need resources. I need protection."
"What're you after?" Magnus said, catching a bargain in the air.
"I want access to the Clan Treasury," Kaelen demanded. "Tier 2 access."
The Elders gasped. "Tier 2? That is reserved for Elders only!" "He will bankrupt us!"
"Tier 2 allows me to take any weapon, pill, or material up to the Earth Rank," Kaelen stated firmly. "Give me the access token, and I will forget about this... 'security failure'. I will forget that someone in this family wants me dead."
He looked at Boran. "And I won't go hunting for the man with the missing hand."
Boran gulped. In case Kaelen tracked down the head killer and dragged him to the City Governor, Boran'd be put to death under empire rules.
"Give it to him," Boran croaked hoarsely.
"Huh?" a different Elder shouted.
"I said give it to him!" Boran yelled, his voice cracking. "He is the Heir! He needs to prepare for the tournament! It is... reasonable."
Lord Magnus glanced at his kid. In Kaelen's gaze, he spotted hunger - cold, sharp, unblinking. That kind of edge could cut deep. Right now, though, that risk? It wasn't a flaw - it was fuel.
Magnus dug inside his robe, yanking free a thick jade piece - etched with a dragon in silver.
"Tier 2 Access," Magnus said, tossing it to Kaelen. "You have one hour inside. Whatever you can carry, you keep. But do not push your luck, Kaelen."
Kaelen grabbed the token - cold weight sat in his palm.
"One hour is all I need," Kaelen said.
He walked away from them, heading to the thick-walled stone tower where the family kept their money.
"Hey, Boran?" Kaelen said, glancing sideways but not turning around.
"Y-yes?"
Clean this up, Kaelen said, pointing at the bodies without heads - ain't right leaving them like that
The Vance family vault sat like a stronghold inside another stronghold. Behind it, an iron gate blocked the way, watched by two rock giants - hulking figures brought to life through enchanted gems - frozen in place day after day.
Kaelen raised the Jade Token. When the golems saw it, their eyes lit up green - then they moved away. With a loud creak, the huge iron door began to swing open.
[System Detects High-Energy Area.] [Scanning for Valuable Resources...]
Kaelen walked in. Inside, the scent was a mix of aged pages with a hint of rust. While one whiff brought dry leaves, another carried iron shavings - faint but sharp.
Racks made of wood lined up ahead. To the left, weapons sat - swords, spears, alongside axes. Over on the right, pill bottles rested - healing ones, qi boosters, plus antidotes. At the rear, raw stuff piled up - beast hearts, odd metals, old written sheets.
"Tier 2 Access allows me to take Earth Rank items," Kaelen muttered. "Most of this stuff is trash Mortal Rank gear."
He moved along the lines of metal blades. Not that he required any tool - Bloodshade was his edge.
He moved on from the healing pills. Since he'd got the System, it handled his recovery.
"System, highlight the most valuable items compatible with the Dragon Body."
[Checking...] Found something on shelf four, row three - called Star-Iron Ore. Spot another one - shelf six, first row - named Crimson Fire Lotus. Wait, there's more - look under floor seven, tucked away in a secret slot
"Secret space?" Kaelen lifted one brow.
He moved toward the rear of the space, close to a grimy shelf stacked with worn history texts. While checking each plank underfoot, he landed on number seven. Seemed ordinary at first glance - yet tapping it gave off an empty echo.
He pried it open with his dagger - the one made from a boar's tusk - using quick leverage.
Beneath it, tucked inside fabric that muffled power traces, sat a tiny wooden case.
Kaelen opened it.
Inside sat a ring. Not shiny like gold or silver. Dull, grey bone formed it instead.
[Found: Broken Space Ring] | [Level: Top-Tier Earth Grade] | [Holds up to 10m³ inside] | [Condition: Seal's cracked - needs intense mental power to unlock]
A spatial ring!" Kaelen's gaze sparked with surprise.
In this world, storage rings were super rare - just the Patriarch and top elders owned any. This one was probably lost ages ago… nobody strong enough came by to repair it.
"System, can I fix it?"
Power level's at SSS - top tier. Force can take control if needed
Kaelen grinned. "Mine."
He slid the bone ring on his hand. Then he shut his eyes, sending focus straight into it. A resistance showed up - like wild force forming a shield in front.
"Stop!" Kaelen shouted inside his head.
Crack.
The wall broke apart. Yet right away, Kaelen felt his thoughts drift into a shadowy void - about as big as a tiny chamber.
"Perfect. Now I don't have to carry things in my hands."
He looked again toward the shelves.
"One hour to loot the place? Challenge accepted."
Kaelen darted around fast. Then he snatched up the Star-Iron Ore - fuel for his blade down the line. Next came the Crimson Fire Lotus, good for leveling quicker. After that, he cleared a full row of Spirit Stones, stuffing them into his fresh ring.
[Inventory Filling...]
Right when he started heading out, a glimpse stopped him - there, in the edge of the room, sat an old dented shield nailed up. Seemed more like junk than gear.
Yet the Bloodshade blade in his pack started to shake.
"Hey sis..." the blade murmured.
Kaelen froze. "Brother?"
He moved toward the shield. Though it was rusty, under the dirt there were rough marks - just like those on his blade.
[Item Identified: Aegis of the Damned (Fragment)] [Type: Cursed Armor Set (1/5)] [Effect: Absorbs kinetic energy and converts it into physical strength.]
"A set," Kaelen realized. "The sword is part of a set."
He took the thick shield, then jammed it into his belt.
"Time's up."
Kaelen stepped away from the treasury, the thick iron door clanging closed at his back. Though he'd taken only top-tier loot from the family stash, there was also a space-holding ring tucked in his palm - on top of that, one artifact whispered legends under its breath.
He stepped outside into the bright light, reaching both arms up high.
"Next stop: The Imperial Capital."