Morning came to Brumvale without warmth.
The fog that rolled down from the nearby hills clung to the village like a second skin, damp and suffocating. Aureliux Drafent stood near the edge of the river, barefoot, trousers rolled to his knees, staring at the slow current as if it were an enemy that needed to be understood before defeated.
His body was still small.
Too small.
Yet his eyes—calm, sharp, calculating—did not belong to a child.
Seven years old.
That number echoed in his mind like an insult.
In his previous life, Agus Suhardi had been forty when he died—old enough to understand how the world truly worked, yet too weak to change anything. Now, trapped in a child's body once again, Aureliux refused to repeat that mistake.
Strength would not come from wishing.
It would come from discipline.
He bent down, scooping cold water with his hands and splashing it onto his face.
The shock helped steady his breathing.
"Body first," he muttered softly.
"Then power."
Since the confrontation with Roland, Aureliux had confirmed something crucial: the system did not reward blind violence.
It responded to decisions, risk, and intent.
That meant one thing.
If he wanted to grow stronger faster, he needed real trials.
Not accidents.
Not scraps.
But danger.
Behind him, Brumvale slowly came to life.
Smoke rose from chimneys.
Voices murmured. Somewhere, a rooster crowed.
Aureliux turned away from the village.
Beyond the river lay the outer woods—a stretch of land most villagers avoided.
Not because monsters lived there, but because it was unpredictable. Wild animals.
Hidden pits. Old ruins from forgotten times.
For an adult hunter, it was manageable.
For a seven-year-old orphan?
Suicidal.
Aureliux smiled faintly.
"Perfect."
The Woods of Risk
The forest greeted him with silence.
Tall trees blocked most of the light, their branches interlocking like ribs around a massive corpse.
The air smelled of moss, wet bark, and old earth. Aureliux moved carefully, memorizing every sound.
Crunch.
Wind.
Drip.
Each step was deliberate.
He had fashioned a crude wooden dagger the night before using a broken plank and Eldric's discarded carving knife.
It wouldn't kill anything large—but it could bleed something small.
His goal was not victory.
It was survival under pressure.
Minutes passed. Then an hour.
Nothing.
Then—A rustle.
Aureliux froze.
To his left, something moved through the bushes.
Low.
Fast.
Too light to be a boar.
Too heavy to be a rabbit.
A wolf cub.
No—two.
Young.
Hungry.
Desperate.
Just like him.
The cubs hadn't noticed him yet.
Aureliux's mind raced.
Strength difference: unknown.
Speed advantage: wolves.
Weapon quality: low.
Running was an option.
But running meant no growth.
A faint shimmer flickered at the edge of his vision.
Hidden Condition Triggered: Voluntary High-Risk Engagement
Reward Scaling Increased
Aureliux's heartbeat slowed.
So this was how it worked.
He stepped on a dry branch.
Crack.
The cubs snapped their heads toward him, yellow eyes locking on. One growled.
The other circled.
Aureliux lowered his stance.
"Come," he whispered.
The first cub lunged.
Aureliux dodged sideways—not fast enough to avoid contact.
Teeth grazed his calf, tearing skin. Pain flared hot and sharp.
He did not scream.
Pain was information.
He countered immediately, stabbing downward with the wooden dagger.
The blade cracked—but still pierced.
The cub yelped and fell back.
The second attacked from behind.
Too fast.
Aureliux felt weight slam into his back, knocking him to the ground.
Claws raked his shoulder.
Vision blurred.
Then—clarity.
The world slowed.
Combat Focus Activated (Temporary)
Agility +2
Pain Suppression: Minor
Aureliux twisted, rolling with the momentum, trapping the cub's leg under his weight.
He slammed his elbow down. Once.
Twice.
Crack.
The cub howled and fled.
The wounded one limped away shortly after.
Silence returned.
Aureliux lay on the forest floor, chest heaving, blood soaking into the soil.
Alive.
Barely.
A translucent window appeared.
Quest Completed: First Survival Trial
Rewards:
– Vitality +1
– Skill Unlocked: Basic Combat Sense (Passive)
– Title Gained: One Who Does Not Flee
Aureliux laughed quietly.
A dry, breathless sound.
"So this is it," he murmured.
"This is how I climb."
Aftermath
By the time Aureliux returned to Brumvale, the sun was already leaning westward.
His wounds burned. His body screamed for rest.
But inside, something had changed.
He could feel it.
Not power—not yet.
But foundation.
Villagers noticed the blood. The limp. The empty eyes.
No one asked questions.
Children whispered.
Roland avoided him.
That night, alone beneath his broken roof, Aureliux stared at the status window again.
Not with hope.
But with calculation.
This world would not save him.
So he would build himself—layer by layer,boneby bone,system by system.
And one day—The castle would no longer be out of reach.