The city of Ardentium slept beneath a veil of fog, its streets silent except for the occasional clatter of horse hooves or the distant bark of a guard. From the rooftops, Kael observed, muscles coiled and senses alert. The Forbidden Immortal System pulsed in his mind, clicking rhythmically, a mechanical heartbeat synced with his own.
[Host Status: Strength 62/100 | Bloodline Absorption: 6%]
[Potential: 15% | Curse Activity: Low]
[Nearby Targets: Empire Soldiers – Multiple Units Detected]
He had left the Valeris estate under the cover of night, moving unseen through alleyways and rooftops. The empire that had sanctioned his death, that had allowed his family to betray him, had grown careless. Carelessness was a weakness Kael could exploit.
[Target Locked: Captain Reynard – Strength 68/100 | Reward: Combat Essence +12%]
Kael leapt from the roof, landing silently behind a patrol unit. The soldiers were alert, but slow—too slow. His hands brushed the air, and energy threads from the system leapt toward the nearest man. A pulse of power drained muscle, reflexes, and stamina into Kael's body. The system clicked mechanically:
[Host Strength +18 | Combat Potential +2% | Warning: Curse Pulling Slightly]
One soldier dropped to his knees, bewildered, while Kael moved to the next with surgical precision. Each transfer was seamless, his body thrumming with strength he had never imagined.
[Target Neutralized: Soldier Unit 3 | Essence Acquired +6% | Host Status: Strength 80/100]
Kael's eyes flicked to the patrol leader, Captain Reynard. The man's armor gleamed in the moonlight, his stance disciplined and deadly. But Kael had learned to see not just strength—but weaknesses, the hidden threads that bound every human's power.
[Scan Complete: Reynard – Skill: Expert | Weak Point Detected: Right Knee Joint]
Kael moved like liquid shadow, faster than thought. He struck Reynard's knee with a flick of his wrist, energy coursing from the system into the strike. The man stumbled, the system pulsing in approval:
[Target Weakened | Combat Essence +8% | Host Strength 87/100]
Reynard swung blindly, but Kael's body anticipated every motion. Each strike was analyzed, adapted, and absorbed into his growing skill set.
[Combat Adaptation Complete | Reflexes +10% | Host Potential 20%]
By the time the last soldier fell unconscious, Kael stood alone, chest heaving, eyes glinting with triumph. The system pulsed insistently, reminding him of the cost of such power:
[Warning: Curse Activity Rising | Risk Level: Moderate]
Kael ignored it. The curse would wait. His enemies would not.
Through the streets, he moved like a ghost, leaving no trace except the tremor of fear in those who had brushed against his stolen strength. Each patrol, each soldier, was another source of power, another step toward dismantling the empire that had tried to erase him.
From a high balcony, Kael observed the Imperial Citadel, the heart of the empire's power. Guards patrolled gates in precise formations. Soldiers trained under torchlight, disciplined and deadly. Kael saw patterns, weaknesses, openings—the system highlighted them in glowing threads.
[Objective Update: Empire Infiltration – Recommended Entry: West Gate Sewers | Potential Reward: Ancient Bloodline Fragment +15%]
A flick of his hand and the system illuminated the hidden route. Clicking lines traced his path, showing exactly where patrols paused, where shadows offered cover. Kael's pulse quickened.
"It's not just revenge anymore," he whispered. "It's domination."
Descending into the darkness of the sewer entrance, a chill ran down his spine. The system pulsed violently:
[High-Level Threat Detected | Power Level: Unknown | Engagement Recommended with Extreme Caution]
Kael's grin widened. Unknown power? That was exactly what he craved. Every obstacle, every enemy, every hidden force was a chance to grow stronger.
[Host Status: Strength 92/100 | Potential: 25% | Bloodline Absorption: 8%]
Footsteps echoed ahead. Figures emerged, cloaked in shadow. Soldiers? Scouts? Perhaps. But Kael did not hesitate. Threads of energy shot from his hands, wrapping the first figure in a pulse of draining power.
The system clicked and beeped, robotic and precise:
[Target Detected: Elite Scout | Strength 58/100 | Essence Acquired +9% | Host Strength 100/100 | Curse Alert: Moderate]
Kael laughed softly, teeth glinting in the dim light. He had tasted battle, stolen strength, and survived. And the empire, proud and untouchable, had no idea that a storm moved through its veins.
A sudden metallic clatter echoed through the tunnel. The system pulsed violently:
[High-Level Threat Approaching | Unknown Entity Detected | Host Reaction Required]
Kael's grin widened. Energy thrummed through his body, senses heightened. The tunnel grew darker, the shadows deeper, and the air heavy with power he could feel but not yet understand.
"So they've finally come," he murmured. "Perfect."
He stepped forward into the blackness, threads of the system flickering and snapping in anticipation, ready to respond to whatever waited for him in the shadows.