Days turned into a week.
Then one morning—
“Up. Now.”
Lokey’s boot tapped against the frame of Artemis’s bed. His voice was flat, steady. “Get your gear. Time to work.”
Artemis groaned and rolled over. “What the hell, man? I was having the best dream. That woman from the other day—the hot one—she was just about to—”
“Gods above.” Hela’s voice cut sharp from across the room. “Is that all you ever think about? Disgusting. And this early.”
Artemis smirked at her, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Hey, no shame in my dreams. Honesty is important.”
“Finish that thought and you’ll regret it,” she snapped.
Lokey gave a rare laugh before turning for the door. “Get dressed. Breakfast. Don’t be late.”
When he left, Artemis stretched, letting the smile slip from his face.
At least this world hasn’t changed us completely.
But there was one thing his siblings didn’t know.
The Woods — Night
While they slept, Artemis had been slipping out into the forest alone.
He hadn’t told them—because Lokey would have insisted on coming, and Hela would have forbidden it outright. They’d call it reckless. Dangerous.
Maybe it was.
But Artemis couldn’t stand waiting around while they carried everything. When the guards had surged in the hall, Lokey had become a storm. Hela had become death itself.
And Artemis?
He had stood there.
Sword raised. Heart pounding. Barely keeping up.
Never again.
The forest at night was a different world. Moonlight barely pierced the canopy, shadows stretching long and twisted across the ground. The air buzzed faintly—alive with something unseen.
That was when the System first spoke to him.
SYSTEM INITIALIZATION — HOST DETECTED
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Class: Arcane Blade
Status: Untrained
Condition: Alive
Artemis froze.
“What the hell…?” he whispered.
The text faded, replaced by another sensation—pressure behind his eyes, warmth in his chest.
Then the wolves came.
Two of them burst from the brush, ribs showing beneath mangy fur, eyes glowing faintly red. Artemis barely had time to react.
Steel met fang.
Pain lanced up his arm as one wolf clipped him, claws tearing cloth and skin. Artemis hissed, staggered—and then instinct took over. His sword flared, heat racing down the blade.
Fire.
Not summoned. Answered.
The wolf screamed as the blade bit deep, flames searing through flesh. The second lunged—
Artemis ducked, rolled, and came up slashing.
Silence followed. His chest heaved. Blood dripped from his sleeve.
ENEMY DEFEATED
Species: Forest Wolf
Experience Gained
A sharp pulse rippled through him.
Not strength—clarity.
LEVEL UP
Level: 1 → 2
Attribute Points Available: 3
Artemis stared at his hands, flexing his fingers. His muscles felt tighter. More responsive.
“…Holy shit.”
Night after night, he returned.
Wolves gave way to twisted boars, shadow-things with too many limbs, creatures that should not have existed outside nightmares. He learned quickly—or died.
Each fight carved something into him.
SKILL ACQUIRED — Basic Sword Mastery (Rank I)
SKILL ACQUIRED — Flame Infusion (Rank I)
ATTRIBUTE INCREASE — Agility +1
His steps grew lighter. His strikes cleaner.
Then came the whispers.
Not voices—patterns. Spells he had never studied unfurled in his mind like memories from another life.
And then, one night, as he knelt gasping beside a fallen beast, the world changed.
The air sang.
Lines of invisible current flowed through the forest, pooling in stones, drifting through trees, coiling around living things.
Mana.
SKILL UNLOCKED — Mana Sense (Passive)
Warning: Excessive Absorption May Result in Mana Sickness
He reached out without thinking.
The energy rushed into him—sweet, intoxicating—
Pain slammed into his skull. His vision blurred. He vomited into the dirt, shaking.
WARNING — MANA SATURATION EXCEEDED
Status Effect: Early Mana Poisoning
Recommendation: Immediate Rest
Artemis lay there for a long time afterward, staring up at the stars through the branches.
So that’s the price.
He learned restraint after that. Learned to sip, not drink. To let mana refill him slowly, safely.
By morning, his body felt different.
Sharper.
Alive.
Back to the Present
Artemis sat on the edge of his bed, feeling the mana in the air even now, thrumming quietly around him.
He could pull it in.
He didn’t.
Not yet.
I’ll use it when it matters.
He dressed quickly and went downstairs, where the smell of eggs and bread filled the air. Lokey sat at the head of the table, posture rigid with determination. Hela sat opposite, quiet but cold, her presence heavy as a storm cloud.
Artemis slid into his chair, forcing a grin.
They don’t need to know what I’ve done. Not yet.
Lokey cleared his throat. “We need strength. Real strength. And money, if we’re going to survive here without bowing to nobles or priests. There’s only one place to get both.”
Artemis leaned forward, though he already knew. “The dungeon.”
Lokey nodded. “The Guildmaster will put us in eventually. Better we’re ready now—on our terms.”
Artemis’ grin softened. He felt it deep in his chest—the same fire that drove Lokey.
We’ll be ready.
Whatever waited inside, he would protect them.
Even if they never knew how much blood and fear it had already cost him.
His eyes flicked toward Hela, who pushed her bread aside in quiet irritation. She looked so rigid, so uptight—disapproval written all over her face.
A mischievous thought crept in.
Maybe I should say something. Loosen her up. At least give us one laugh before we step into the dark.
