"In the Age of the Great Awakening," their grandfather began slowly, his voice calm and steady, "long before the power of Systems became something common in the world, their existence was little more than whispers and myths passed down through generations. During those ancient times, humankind lived in a fragile peace, unaware that the world itself was slowly changing."
The old man paused briefly, as if recalling a memory from a distant past.
"In those days," he continued, "there existed two brothers."
"Two brothers?!" Kai and Mai exclaimed at the same time, their curiosity instantly ignited. The twins leaned forward slightly, their eyes filled with excitement as they waited for their grandfather to continue the story.
Their grandfather chuckled softly at their reaction before nodding.
"Yes… two brothers," he repeated. "Both of them were born during a time when the power of Systems had only just begun to awaken within humanity, and their destinies would eventually shape the future of the entire world."
Their grandfather continued the story, his voice growing softer as the weight of the past seemed to settle over his words.
"As the years passed," he said slowly, "children across the land eventually reached the age when their Systems awakened. One by one, they discovered their abilities and began walking the path of Players."
He paused briefly before adding,
"But sadly… among those two brothers, only one of them awakened his System. The other… did not."
Kai and Mai exchanged confused glances.
"So that means…?" Kai asked hesitantly, unsure if he truly understood what their grandfather was implying.
The old man looked directly at him.
"Yes," he said gently. "He was just like you, Kai."
Kai's eyes widened slightly at those words. For a moment, he forgot the sadness he had been carrying all day, his attention completely focused on the story.
Their grandfather continued.
"As the days passed… and the years slowly turned into more years, the two brothers grew older. Life moved forward, and the world around them continued to change. However, what no one realized was that deep within the brother who had not awakened a System… something powerful was quietly lying dormant."
The old man's voice lowered, becoming more serious.
"Then one day… everything changed."
Kai and Mai leaned closer without even realizing it.
"The brother who had lived his life without a System suddenly awakened a power that had never been seen before. It was not like the other systems that people possessed."
Their grandfather fell silent for a moment, his gaze drifting toward the darkening sky above them as if he were remembering something from a distant past.
"When that brother finally awakened his power," he continued slowly, "people believed it was a miracle. After all, it was almost unheard of for someone to awaken a system so late."
Kai and Mai listened quietly, their attention completely fixed on him
"But the power he awakened… was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before."
The old man's expression gradually turned serious.
"It did not follow the path of ordinary systems that people used to grow stronger. Instead, it opened something far more dangerous… a path that many later described as one of chaos and destruction."
He paused briefly before finishing his sentence.
"That power was known as the Blood Devil System."
"Blood Devil System…?" Kai and Mai murmured almost at the same time, their expressions filled with confusion and amazement as they tried to imagine what kind of power their grandfather was describing. Despite the strange name, both of them leaned closer, their curiosity only growing stronger as they waited for the story to continue.
Their grandfather nodded slowly before speaking again.
"Once that power awakened," he said, his tone becoming more serious, "the brother was unable to control the overwhelming flood of energy that surged through him. The Blood Devil System was unlike any ordinary system. Its power was wild… violent… and far too great for its wielder to handle."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Driven by that uncontrollable force, he began rampaging across the land, leaving destruction wherever he went. Entire cities were reduced to ruins, and countless Players who tried to stop him fell one after another. With nothing but the terrifying power of his blood, he carved a path of devastation that spread across the world."
Kai and Mai listened silently, their eyes wide.
"For days, the world trembled before the uncontrollable power of the Blood Devil System," their grandfather continued. "Even the strongest Players of that era could not stand against him. One after another they challenged him… and one after another they fell."
The old man's voice lowered slightly.
"The world itself stood on the brink of annihilation."
Kai suddenly leaned forward, unable to contain his excitement any longer.
"Then what happened, Grandpa?" he asked quickly.
Mai also moved closer, her curiosity clearly piqued despite her usual calm demeanor.
"Yeah! What happened next?" she added eagerly. "Tell us! Tell us!"
Their grandfather burst into laughter at their enthusiasm, clearly amused by how invested the twins had become in the story.
"Alright, alright," he said, raising his hands slightly as he chuckled. "No need to rush the story."
His eyes sparkled slightly as he looked at them both.
"I'll tell you what happened next."
"But hope was not completely lost," their grandfather continued after a brief moment of silence. "Because while the world was drowning in chaos, the other brother finally stepped forward."
Kai and Mai listened carefully as the old man's voice grew deeper with emotion.
"Fueled by nothing but sheer determination and an unrelenting will to stop the destruction, he chose to face the one person he never wished to fight… his own brother, the one who had awakened the Blood Devil System."
The twins held their breath as the story continued.
"What followed was a battle that people would remember for generations," their grandfather said slowly. "Using every skill he possessed, every ounce of strength within him, and even sacrificing parts of himself along the way, he fought against the overwhelming power of the Blood Devil System."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"And in the end… after a long and devastating battle, the moment of victory finally arrived."
The old man looked toward the sky as if picturing the scene in his mind.
"With one final strike, he defeated the vessel of the Blood Devil System and brought an end to the terrible rampage that had nearly destroyed the entire world."
For a moment, silence fell between them.
Then their grandfather spoke again.
"The name of that warrior soon spread across the land like wildfire. Those who had witnessed the battle swore that the man who stood victorious that day was no longer just an ordinary Player."
His voice carried a tone of admiration.
"They believed he had become something greater… something beyond the limits of ordinary strength."
The old man smiled faintly before finishing the story.
"And so, from that day forward, the world began calling him the first Ascendant Overlord of the World of Players.
He leaned back slightly and folded his arms.
"And that," he said calmly, "is the end of the story."
Kai remained quiet for a moment after the story ended, his mind still filled with the image of the legendary battle his grandfather had just described.
Their grandfather glanced at him before speaking again in a calm and thoughtful tone.
"You see that, Kai?" he said gently. "I hope that one day you will awaken your own System and achieve great things in this world."
He paused briefly before adding with a small sigh,
"Just… let us hope you never walk the same path as the brother who awakened the Blood Devil System."
Silence settled between them for a few moments as Kai stared at the ground, clearly deep in thought.
Then, after what felt like a long time, he slowly nodded to himself and stood up.
"Okay," he said quietly at first. "Even though I still haven't awakened my System yet… I've already made up my mind."
Both his grandfather and Mai looked at him with curiosity.
"I'll do whatever it takes," Kai continued, clenching his fists with determination. "No matter what happens, I'll keep moving forward… even if I have to risk everything."
His grandfather raised an eyebrow slightly.
"And what dream is that?" he asked with interest.
Kai lifted his head, a small but confident smile appearing on his face.
"I'm going to become the strongest," he declared proudly. "One day… I'll earn the title of the next Ascendant Overlord."
For a moment, the yard became quiet.
Then Mai suddenly let out a short laugh.
"Yeah… in your dreams," she said in a teasing tone.
Kai's expression immediately darkened as he turned toward her.
"What was that supposed to mean?!" he snapped.
Mai shrugged casually.
"I said in your dreams," she repeated with a smirk. "How exactly are you planning to defeat someone like me when you don't even have a System?"
Kai clenched his fists again.
"All you do is run around showing off that system of yours like an idiot," he shot back.
Mai's eyes narrowed slightly before she suddenly stood up. A faint burst of silver light flickered around her body as the power of her Lunar Sovereignty System activated.
"Oh? Is that so?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "You want to fight me, you unawakened jerk?"
Kai didn't hesitate.
"Bring it on," he replied stubbornly.
A few meters away, their grandfather simply watched the two of them argue, a gentle chuckle escaping his lips.
"Ah… children," he murmured to himself, shaking his head with a faint smile.
"They really do grow up so fast."