Arrival part 2- First Steps
The First Encounter
Arieus walked deeper into the forest, leaving the gentle twilight of the meadow behind as the trees closed around him. The farther he went, the more the atmosphere changed. Ardelune Edge had once been described as a quiet stretch of wilderness bordering the nearby settlements, a place where travelers could rest beneath glowing branches and hear the mana-crickets begin their nightly chorus. Now, beneath the thickening canopy, it felt as though the forest had drawn a curtain between itself and the rest of the world.
The light dimmed first. Then the wind stopped.
Leaves hung motionless overhead, their silver-green surfaces frozen beneath the twin moons. Even the mana-crickets had fallen silent. Arieus slowed, his vivid purple eyes moving from trunk to trunk as he searched for the source of the unease crawling across his skin.
“Something’s wrong,” he murmured. “I don’t know what it is yet, but this place feels like it’s waiting for something.”
The answer came before he could investigate further.
A sound like the world itself being torn open ripped through the forest.
—KRRRRRSHHHHHHH—
The cry clawed through bark, soil, and bone. Arieus’s shoulders tightened, and his feet shifted automatically into a more balanced stance. A metallic clash rang out somewhere ahead.
CLANG!
A burst of explosive force followed, rippling through the ground beneath his boots. Leaves trembled. A cold pulse of Chirikal Energy swept through the trees and brushed against his skin like the breath of something enormous.
Arieus’s eyes widened.
“That wasn’t a normal animal.”
The silence that followed was worse than the noise. It settled over the forest with the weight of a held breath, the kind of silence that existed only in the moment before disaster revealed itself.
Then another explosion shook the night.
BOOOOM!
This one was closer.
Much closer.
“Someone’s fighting,” Arieus said, his voice tightening. “And if that sound is anything to go by, they’re losing.”
He did not wait for a second invitation.
Arieus sprinted.
Grass whipped against his legs as he accelerated through the forest, his boots striking the earth in a rapid rhythm. Moonlight fractured across the ground through gaps in the canopy, flashing over roots and stones as he moved. His new body responded with startling precision. His legs carried him farther than expected, his balance corrected itself before he consciously noticed the danger, and his breathing remained steady even as his speed increased.
So this is what Silus meant when he said this body would feel natural.
Another explosion sounded ahead.
Arieus leaned forward and pushed harder.
Someone’s in trouble. I have to get there before—
A branch snapped beneath his foot. He twisted around a tree, ducked beneath a low limb, and continued without losing momentum. The forest blurred around him. Roots rose from the soil, but his body adjusted around them as if it had been running through this terrain for years.
Then the sounds became clearer.
Metal striking metal.
The roar of unstable Chirikal Energy.
The frantic, uneven breathing of someone fighting for their life.
Arieus broke through the final wall of trees and stopped at the edge of a clearing.
The sight before him made his expression sharpen.
A young woman stood alone in the center of the clearing, surrounded by a swirling storm of corrupted Wind Moths. Their bodies were twisted by black veins of corruption, and their wings scattered dark particles through the air with every violent beat. Their glowing eyes remained fixed upon the woman, not with the mindless hunger of ordinary monsters, but with something far more deliberate.
They were waiting for her to break.
The girl looked as though she had already reached that point.
Her armor was cracked across the chest and shoulder. Her sky-blue hair had come loose from whatever tie had once held it in place, and sweat glistened along her face. Yet her emerald eyes still burned with stubborn determination.
She thrust one hand forward.
“《Activate》—『Flame Shot』!”
A sphere of fire erupted from her palm and streaked across the clearing. It detonated among the moths in a brilliant bloom of red and gold.
WHOOM!
Several creatures were caught directly within the explosion. Their bodies convulsed before dissolving into corrupted particles, but the spell took its price from the caster. The young woman staggered, one hand clutching her chest as her knees nearly gave out beneath her.
“Darn it,” she gasped. “That was the last of my Chirikal Energy.”
She forced herself upright and looked around the clearing.
The remaining moths still numbered in the hundreds.
Her expression changed as the truth settled over her. The determination in her eyes did not vanish, but it became buried beneath exhaustion, fear, and the quiet understanding that she had reached the end of what her body could give.
“So this is where it ends,” she whispered.
Her eyes closed.
A tear slipped down her cheek, followed by another.
The corrupted Wind Moths began to close in. Their wings beat in slow, deliberate rhythms, creating a dreadful chorus that sounded like dry leaves being stirred by an approaching storm. Their bodies twitched with anticipation, and their glowing eyes never left their prey.
The young woman waited for death.
Then someone cleared his throat.
“Ahem.”
The sound was so casual that it seemed almost insulting in the middle of the killing field.
The girl’s eyes snapped open.
A young man stood between her and the swarm.
He had dark-brown skin, brilliant blue segmented hair, and vivid purple eyes that reflected the moonlight with an almost unnatural intensity. His body was slim but athletic, and the dark-gray tunic covering him shifted gently in the night breeze. Around his feet, a faint shadowy aura curled like smoke drawn toward a flame.
His back was turned toward her.
“Hey,” he said. His voice was calm, almost gentle. “Are you still conscious?”
The girl stared at him as though he had stepped out of a dream.
Arieus glanced over his shoulder.
“You can stop holding your breath now..”
She slowly exhaled, though her eyes remained fixed on him.
Arieus turned his attention back toward the swarm.
“Would you mind if I handled these insects?”
“There are hundreds of them!” she shouted. “You just walked into the middle of a monster swarm without a weapon! How exactly do you plan to overcome that many enemies? Are you insane?”
“One question at a time,” Arieus replied.
His gaze settled on the nearest moth.
The creature flared its wings. Its head snapped toward him, and its body lowered as it prepared to strike.
Arieus’s expression changed.
“… Do me a favor… Don’t die too quickly.” He excitedly uttered as pure darkness began to permeate throughout his body
《Forced activation》〔『Shadow Aura』〕
* Increases the users stats by +0.45%
* 2nd stage: locked due to low affinity
* 3rd stage: locked due to low affinity
This was the moment he had imagined for years.
Back on Earth, when he had still been Rufus, he had watched countless Isekai anime and played every kind of MMORPG he could find. He had studied heroes summoning weapons from empty air, shaping magic through imagination, assigning points to attributes, unlocking hidden skills, and facing impossible odds with abilities that grew alongside them.
Those stories had filled his mind with vivid images of how power might feel, how it might move, and how it might respond to intent.
Now that imagination was no longer limited to a screen.
The moth before him was dangerous. The swarm behind it was overwhelming. His body, however, felt completely natural, as though it had always belonged to him. The energy moving beneath his skin was unfamiliar in origin, but not in concept.
Arieus felt alive as a slow grin spread across his face.
“Relax,” he said. “I’ll handle this.”
The moth launched itself forward.
FWIP!
A barbed tongue shot toward his head with lethal precision. Arieus twisted aside, and the projectile grazed his cheek before burying itself deep into a nearby tree.
THOOM!
The trunk shuddered. A heartbeat later, the bark split apart, scattering splinters across the clearing.
Arieus stared at the impact point, then touched the thin cut on his cheek.
“That would have taken my head off.”
His grin widened instead of fading.
The moth recoiled, preparing to strike again. But Arieus clinched his fists as he bounced side to side with great vigor and a slight sinister joy from the battle
The moth screeched.
Arieus looked back at it.
“I guess it’s time I saw with this skill Silus gave me can do.”
He raised one hand. And shouted—
“《Shadow God》”!!
A faint ripple of darkness flickered around his fingers. It was thin, weak, and unstable, more like smoke than a weapon. The moth dove before he could shape it.
Arieus leapt backward as its claws swept past his tunic.
“Magic responds to imagination,” he said to himself. “Then I only need to give it a clear image.”
The moth fired another barbed tongue. Arieus twisted sideways, and the projectile carved a deep trench through the soil behind him.
He exhaled sharply.
“Silus said this body would feel natural. He was right. The energy is the only part I need to understand.”
The moth shrieked and dove again.
Arieus jumped.
His body moved almost before he consciously commanded it. He twisted through the air, dropped beneath the creature, and landed in a low slide. His boots scraped across the ground as he passed beneath its attack.
His eyes sharpened.
Think about the movement. Think about what it should feel like to cut through the air.
He focused on the sensation and the motion of a blade extending from his hand.
A spark of Chirikal Energy surged through his arm.
The shadows gathered again.
This time, they did not scatter.
They condensed around his hand, compressed into a narrow edge, and hardened into a black blade that seemed to drink the moonlight around it.
Arieus’s eyes widened.
“Got you.”
He swung.
SHRAAAK!
The blade met the moth’s wing and cleaved clean through it. The creature spiraled into the dirt, black ichor splattering across the ground.
Arieus landed several feet away and stared at the weapon in his hand.
The shadow blade remained intact.
“I did it,” he whispered.
His breathing grew heavier, but the exhaustion was drowned out by a rush of genuine excitement. He had not activated a command through a controller. He had not pressed a key, selected an option, or watched an avatar perform the action for him.
He had imagined a weapon, reached for power, and created it.
He had used magic.
And he wanted more.
Then the forest answered.
One flutter came from the canopy.
Then another.
Then hundreds.
Arieus’s smile slowly disappeared.
The branches overhead began to move. The sound grew louder until it became a tide of wings, a storm of chitin and corrupted Chirikal Energy. Hundreds of Wind Moths poured from between the trees and descended upon the clearing.
Arieus stared upward.
“…That’s more than I expected.”
The young woman behind him gave a strained laugh that sounded dangerously close to hysteria.
“You think?”
Arieus tightened his grip around the shadow blade.
His pulse hammered against his ribs, but not from panic.
The swarm was enormous.
The odds were absurd.
The danger was real.
And for the first time in his life, he was standing inside the kind of battle he had always imagined.
His grin returned.
“Right now, I have a fight to enjoy.”
The swarm attacked.
Arieus moved.
He spun beneath one moth, ducked beneath another, and cut through a third as it passed over his shoulder.
SHRAK!
A wing fell.
He pivoted as a second moth lunged from the side. Its claws struck his shadow blade with enough force to drive him backward.
CLANG!
“Gah!”
The impact rattled his arm.
Arieus laughed.
“Good!”
Before he could recover, another moth attacked from his blind spot. Arieus twisted at the last possible moment, and its barbed tongue shot past his ear close enough for him to feel the wind of it.
The swarm pressed closer.
Their wings beat with hurricane force, scattering leaves and dust across the clearing. Their screeches tore through the night like jagged metal.
Arieus ducked, rolled, and sprang back to his feet. He slashed through one moth, dodged another, and blocked a third. Every movement demanded more concentration than the last. His shadow blade was fast, but the creatures were faster than they looked, and there were simply too many of them.
Yet every exchange sent another surge of exhilaration through him.
He had spent years imagining battles like this.
The rush of an attack passing within inches of his body.
The impact of weapons colliding.
The split-second decisions between striking, dodging, and countering.
The knowledge that one mistake could end everything.
This was not a game.
That was precisely what made it incredible.
One moth broke away from the swarm and lunged toward the exhausted girl.
Arieus saw her try to move.
Her legs failed.
The creature opened its jaws.
Something tightened inside his chest.
I can’t let her die.
He turned toward the attack, but another moth struck at him from the side. He barely avoided its claws, stumbling as the shadow blade flickered in his hand.
I won’t let her die.
The moths surrounded him.
His breathing became ragged. His arms felt heavier. The shadow blade trembled as his control began to slip.
But the excitement remained.
Even now, with death closing around him, Arieus felt the battle calling for more.
I refuse to stand here and watch someone die just because I arrived too late.
Something inside him ignited.
His heartbeat roared in his ears. His soul surged through his body, and the shadows beneath his feet expanded across the ground like spilled ink.
Arieus’s eyes widened.
“《Force Activate》…”
The darkness erupted.
“『Shadow God: Shadow Predator』!”
BOOOOOOM!
Black tendrils burst from the earth beneath him and spread outward like an ocean of living darkness. The corrupted Wind Moths shrieked and beat their wings desperately, but the shadows caught them before they could escape.
One by one, the tendrils wrapped around their bodies and dragged them downward.
The clearing vanished beneath a sea of black.
The moths struggled. Their wings tore against the darkness, their screeches echoing through the trees, but the shadows continued to consume them. Their bodies dissolved into black particles, then disappeared entirely.
The forest fell silent.
Slowly, the shadows receded.
Arieus stumbled backward, his breathing ragged and his arms hanging heavily at his sides. The ground where the swarm had been was scorched black, marked by the lingering impressions of countless tendrils.
The young woman stared at him.
Her emerald eyes were wide with disbelief.
“What kind of power was that?” she asked. Her voice was quiet, but the question carried more than surprise. There was fear in it now, and caution. “That wasn’t ordinary Shadow magic. It didn’t just strike them. It swallowed them.”
Arieus looked down at his hands.
The darkness had already vanished, but he could still feel the afterimage of it beneath his skin.
“If I’m being honest,” he said, rubbing the back of his head, “I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I wanted to help you. Then I got angry. Then the shadows moved.” He glanced toward the scorched clearing. “That’s the complete explanation.”
The girl studied him as though trying to decide whether he was lying or simply an idiot.
Arieus gave her an awkward smile.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you, miss—”
“I didn’t ask for your help.”
The words were sharp, but her voice lacked the strength to make them convincing.
Arieus blinked.
The girl folded her arms and looked away, trying to recover some of the dignity she had lost while crying in front of a stranger.
“But…” She hesitated, then sighed. “My name is Myri. If you’re going to keep talking to me, stop calling me ‘miss.’”
Arieus smiled.
“Of course, Miss Myri.”
Her cheeks puffed up immediately.
“Just Myri.”
“Right. Myri.”
“I’m nineteen years old. You don’t need to speak to me as though I’m some ancient noblewoman.”
Arieus froze.
“Nineteen?”
The number struck him harder than it should have.
I may look nineteen in this world, but I’m still twenty-seven in the real one. That makes this conversation more complicated than it needs to be.
He looked away before his expression could betray the thought.
If I were actually younger, I’d probably be all over her.
He immediately shoved the idea aside.
“So, Myri,” he said, clearing his throat, “what were you doing out here alone?”
She sighed and glanced toward the remains of the moth swarm.
“I was investigating the corruption. The Wind Moths in this region were never aggressive enough to form a swarm like that, and they certainly weren’t supposed to be carrying corrupted Chirikal Energy.”
She looked down at her damaged armor.
“I thought I could handle them. I was wrong.”
There was no self-pity in her voice now, only frustration.
“I was—”
Voices tore through the clearing.
“EMPRESS!”
“EMPRESSSSSS!”
Myri’s face went rigid.
Heavy footsteps thundered through the forest as a squad of armored guards burst into the clearing.
“Are you injured?”
“We’ve been searching for hours!”
“Your Highness, please tell us you’re unharmed!”
The word struck Arieus like a stone thrown into still water.
Empress?
He slowly turned toward Myri.
The young woman who had fought until she could no longer stand. The girl who had scolded him for helping her. The same person whose cheeks had turned pink whenever embarrassment overcame her pride.
Arieus stared.
“…Empress?”
Myri’s cheeks turned crimson.
“I didn’t mention it because I don’t want people treating me differently,” she muttered. “And you never asked.”
She straightened her posture. The exhaustion remained in her eyes, but the way she held herself changed. Her shoulders drew back, her chin lifted, and the frightened girl in the clearing was replaced by someone accustomed to being watched.
“My name is Myri Beua,” she said. “I am the Empress of this empire.”
She paused, then added more quietly, “My father, the Emperor, sent me to investigate the disturbance in this region. I was supposed to have an escort.”
One of the guards bowed deeply.
“Your Majesty, Lady Elizabeth has been searching for you since sunset. We must return immediately.”
Myri’s expression tightened.
“I know.”
The guard glanced toward Arieus, then toward the blackened clearing.
“Was this man responsible for the destruction?”
Myri looked at Arieus.
Arieus could not help himself. A soft laugh escaped him.
“So that’s who you are.”
Myri turned on him at once.
“Don’t say it like that!”
She stamped one royal boot against the ground, though the gesture lacked some of its force because she was still visibly exhausted.
“It’s not as if I wanted you to find out this way. And if you tell anyone that I was crying in the middle of a monster swarm, I will personally banish you to the furthest corner of the empire.”
Arieus raised both hands.
“I won’t tell anyone.”
“You’d better not.”
“I mean it. You helped me understand something important.”
Myri’s expression shifted despite herself.
“What?”
Arieus glanced toward the scorched clearing.
“You were scared, but you kept fighting. That matters more than whether you won.”
For a moment, Myri said nothing.
The guards waited nearby, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation but unwilling to interrupt.
Finally, Myri looked away.
“You’re strange.”
“I’ve been told that before.”
“And reckless.”
“That too.”
“And you still haven’t told me your name.”
Arieus smiled.
“That’s because you never asked.”
Myri blinked.
He turned slightly toward her.
“I’m Arieus Minazuki.”
She repeated the name under her breath.
“Arieus…”
The way she said it made him feel as though she were committing it to memory.
“I’ll remember you,” she said.
Arieus nodded.
“Take care, Myri.”
The guards began escorting her away. After a few steps, she glanced back over her shoulder.
Arieus remained beneath the twin moons, his shadow stretching behind him across the scorched earth.
Their eyes met.
Neither spoke.
Then Myri disappeared between the trees.
Arieus watched until the last trace of her presence faded.
“Well,” he murmured, turning away. “That was a strange first meeting. I should probably get moving before—”
His sentence stopped.
A sudden weakness rushed through his body.
Arieus staggered and pressed one hand against his chest.
“…What?”
His breathing became harsh.
“Why do I suddenly feel so weak?”
His knees buckled. He caught himself against a nearby tree, but the effort left his arms trembling.
Then the system appeared.
Ping
〔Chirikal Energy: -500〕
Arieus stared at the notification.
“Eh… I must have used more than I thought.”
Another message appeared.
Ping
〔You have defeated 500 corrupted Wind Moths.〕
〔+2,500 EXP〕
His eyes widened.
“That’s a lot of—”
The notifications continued to appear one after another.
Ping
〔You have acquired the Skill: 《Demon Wind Scythe》〕
Ping
〔You have acquired Demon Essence.〕
Ping
〔Rare Silk Material acquired ×300〕
Ping
〔You have acquired the Sub-Skill: 《Wind Manipulation》〕
Ping
〔You have acquired the Passive Skill: 《Detection》〕
Ping
〔《Shadow God》 Affinity gained +1,200 EXP〕
Arieus barely had time to read the messages before another appeared.
Ping
〔You have acquired the Unique Skill: 《Cocoon》〕
His vision blurred.
The forest tilted.
“Not now,” he muttered. “I just got here.”
His body finally gave out.
Arieus collapsed, and darkness swallowed his vision.
⸻
Indistinct voices slowly penetrated the darkness.
“Hey. Can you hear me?”
A gentle shake followed.
“You finally coming to, buddy?”
Arieus’s eyelids opened. At first, everything was blurred, reduced to shifting shapes and muted colors. He could hear several voices around him, along with the crackle of a nearby fire.
“His breathing is steady,” someone said. “Looks like he overexerted himself through the use of Chirikal Energy.”
Another voice answered, “I wonder if he was the one who caused that crater in the forest. The damage was spread across half the clearing.”
A third voice interrupted.
“Give the kid some space. If he survived that much energy loss, he’ll talk when he’s ready.”
Arieus blinked several times until his vision cleared.
He was lying inside a small camp beneath a canvas shelter. A cool cloth rested against his forehead. He removed it and slowly sat up.
“Actually,” he said, “I’m feeling much better.”
Several people turned toward him.
Arieus looked around the camp, then frowned.
“Thank you for helping me, but I have to ask—how did I get here? The last thing I remember is collapsing in the forest.”
A young man stepped forward.
“Our Captain found you while hunting,” he explained. “You were unconscious, your energy reserves were nearly empty, and your body was showing signs of severe strain. He carried you back here before the corruption in the area could attract more monsters.”
He gave Arieus a measured nod.
“I’m Shoen Vice. My class is 〈Ice Assassin〉.”
A cheerful female voice immediately followed.
“And I’m Priscilla Starlight!”
A woman with distinctive features stepped forward with a bright smile. Her expression was open and energetic, but there was something unusual in the shape of her ears and the density of her presence.
“How do you do?” she asked. “I’m an Elf/Orc Hybrid, and I serve as the 〈Arch Mage〉 of this squad.”
She gave him a playful wave.
“Nice ta meetcha!”
Another man rubbed the back of his head.
“I suppose I’m next. The name’s Donevan Hiugawhi.”
He paused, then grinned.
“As for what I am, let’s leave that for another time. You look like the sort of fellow who appreciates a little mystery.”
Arieus smiled despite himself.
“Well, it’s a pleasure meeting all of you. My name is Arieus Minazuki, and I’m grateful you decided not to leave me in the forest.”
A strong yet subtle presence approached from behind him.
“So you’re finally awake.”
Arieus turned toward where he thought the voice was coming from, but could see no one.
A man stepped into the camp, masking his presence. He carried himself with the quiet confidence of someone who had survived enough battles to stop wasting movement. His gaze settled on Arieus, and his eyes narrowed.
“Let me examine you.”
He raised one hand.
“《Activate》—『Appraisal』.”
The man’s expression changed.
When I found him, this kid was close to death.
His gaze moved over Arieus’s body.
His Chirikal Energy was dangerously depleted, and his health was barely twenty-five percent. Yet his recovery has been far too rapid for ordinary healing.
The man’s eyes narrowed further. “But now it seems—.”
A bright voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Captain!”
Priscilla practically bounced toward him.
“Oh, Captain, you’ve retuuurned! I could recognize your presence anywhere.”
Shoen smiled.
“How was the hunt, Captain? Did you find anything worth bringing back?”
The man ignored the question for a moment.
Arieus looked between them.
“Wait a minute. When did—”
He stopped.
He had felt something.
A presence stood directly beside him.
He turned slowly.
The man was there.
Arieus laughed awkwardly.
“Ahaha. I was going to say that I hadn’t noticed you arrive.”
“How long would you have kept pretending that you didn’t sense my presence earlier?” the man asked.
Arieus scratched his cheek.
“It’s not like you were making a serious effort to hide from me.”
The man’s expression shifted into faint amusement.
How did I know he was there? Arieus wondered.
It had not been sight or sound. Something deeper had warned him, a quiet pressure at the edge of his awareness that had told him someone was nearby.
The man extended a hand.
“Be that as it may, you have talent.”
Arieus accepted it.
“The name’s Genryu Shioha.”
His grip was firm, but not aggressive.
“What were you doing in this region? You’re a long way from the nearest town.”
Arieus nodded.
“To be honest, I was heading toward that town when I encountered the corrupted Wind Moths. I didn’t exactly plan to fight five hundred of them.”
Donevan’s eyes widened.
“Five hundred?”
He leaned forward.
“You’re saying you defeated the entire swarm?”
“I’m saying I survived the encounter,” Arieus replied. “Tough as they were, it was a great workout.”
Donevan roared with laughter.
“A WORK OUT!? I’m not too sure anyone else would have viewed it that way. Much less survived.”
Genryu studied him.
“You must have gained a considerable amount of levels.”
“Hmm?”
Arieus blinked.
Then he looked down at his hands.
“Wait! That’s right. I do remember hearing something like a notification sound in my head just before I passed out.”
His attention snapped toward Genryu.
“How do I check my status?”
Genryu smiled faintly.
“That’s simple. To access your status, all you need to do is focus on yourself and say ‘Status Open,’ or just raise your right hand.”
Arieus stared for a moment, then took a deep breath as he lifted his right hand.
“Status Open.”
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then soft digital tones echoed from his hand.
A translucent interface unfolded from atop his hand, in midair.
Arieus’s eyes widened.
The HUD was not a single static window. It appeared as a series of layered panels, each one floating at a different depth around a miniature figure representing him. The displays could be opened, minimized, rearranged, or expanded with a simple gesture. They responded to his attention as much as his touch, as though the system had been designed to become an extension of his own thoughts.
Yet there was something Arieus immediately noticed that the others could not.
The entire interface existed only within his perception.
No one else in the camp reacted to the panels.
Priscilla did not look toward them.
Shoen did not glance at the floating numbers.
Genryu could not see a single attribute, skill, or equipment slot.
The HUD was his alone.
Unless Arieus deliberately granted another person permission to view it, the status screen was completely private.
At the center was his primary Status panel.
【STATUS】
Name: Arieus Minazuki
Race: Human
Level: 25
Health: 100%
Chirikal Energy: 880 / 880
【BASIC ATTRIBUTES】
〔STR〕 700 ↑
〔SPD〕 679 ↑
〔DEF〕 540 ↑
〔INT〕 1000 ↑
〔VIT〕 900 ↑
〔DEX〕 621 ↑
〔STA〕 1,500
Available Attribute Points: 980
Arieus stared at the display.
“…Whoa.”
He reached toward it. His finger passed through the holographic surface, but the panel responded anyway, expanding the selected attribute.
〔SPD〕 ↑
Current: 679
Available Points: 980
A small allocation bar appeared beneath it, with a white upward arrow beside the attribute.
Arieus’s eyes widened.
“So I can assign these manually?”
No one answered.
Arieus looked around the camp.
Genryu was still speaking with Shoen and Priscilla, completely unaware of the interface floating before Arieus’s eyes.
A realization slowly settled over him.
They can’t see this.
He looked back at the status panel.
So this really is mine.
The layered panels. The attribute values. The white arrows pointing upward beside each basic attribute. The available points waiting to be assigned wherever he wanted them.
I’ve seen systems like this in dozens of MMORPGs back on Earth.
His excitement grew as he studied the display.
The points are only available for the basic attributes, too. Strength, Speed, Defense, Intelligence, Vitality, and Dexterity. Just click the arrow, choose how many points to allocate, and confirm the distribution.
He glanced toward the skill panel.
The only exception is probably a skill that specifically requires attribute points to activate.
Arieus’s grin widened.
This is amazing. It really is just like the RPG games I used to play.
He selected the white arrow beside 〔SPD〕.
A numerical input appeared.
〔SPD〕 Allocate: 0
Arieus entered the amount.
〔SPD〕 +300
Ping
〔300 Attribute Points allocated to 《SPD》〕
〔SPD〕 979
He moved to Defense.
〔DEF〕 +200
Ping
〔200 Attribute Points allocated to 《DEF》〕
〔DEF〕 740
Then he distributed the remaining points between Strength and Dexterity.
〔STR〕 +250
Ping
〔250 Attribute Points allocated to 《STR》〕
〔STR〕 950
〔DEX〕 +230
Ping
〔230 Attribute Points allocated to 《DEX》〕
〔DEX〕 851
The available points reached zero.
Arieus leaned closer to the display.
“So the points aren’t automatically distributed. I decide where they go.”
He looked over the updated attributes with growing satisfaction.
That’s perfect. I know exactly how this works.
The HUD shifted as he opened another panel.
【POWER SYSTEM】
Genryu’s voice continued from nearby.
“Before you start relying on those numbers, understand what they mean. A status screen can make power look simple. It isn’t.”
Arieus listened while continuing to examine the private interface.
Genryu pointed toward the energy reading displayed only within Arieus’s own HUD.
“Chirikal Energy is the flow of mana through the body. It is the power that exists within the world, within living creatures, and within every spell that draws upon it. We call that power Chirikal Energy, but you may know it by another name: mana.”
Arieus studied the display.
“So Chirikal Energy and mana are the same thing?”
“Exactly,” Genryu said. “Chirikal Energy is simply what people in this world call mana. It flows through the air, the land, living creatures, and every spell that draws upon it. Mages shape it through formulas, elements, contracts, and techniques, while warriors circulate it through their bodies to reinforce themselves.”
Arieus glanced toward the shadow residue still clinging to his fingers.
“And my skills?”
“Your skills draw upon Chirikal Energy in different ways,” Genryu explained. “Some techniques gather it from the surrounding environment. Others use the energy already circulating through your body. The strongest abilities combine both forms of control, but the strain is greater.”
Genryu folded his arms.
“If you do not understand how a skill consumes Chirikal Energy, you can destroy yourself before your enemy ever touches you.”
A new panel appeared within Arieus’s private HUD.
【CHIRIKAL ENERGY】
Chirikal Energy
The flow of mana through the world and through living beings. It may be gathered from the environment, circulated through the body, shaped into spells, or converted into physical reinforcement and skills.
Environmental Chirikal Energy
Mana existing in the air, land, plants, monsters, and surrounding terrain.
Internal Chirikal Energy
Mana circulating through the body and soul. It reinforces the user directly and allows skills to manifest through them.
Combined Flow
A controlled state in which environmental and internal Chirikal Energy are used together for advanced techniques, force activation, domain effects, and abilities that alter the relationship between the user and the environment.
Overdraw Risk
If Chirikal Energy is exhausted, spells fail or weaken, physical reinforcement collapses, and the body and soul begin to suffer severe strain.
Arieus’s expression became more serious.
“So that’s why I collapsed.”
Genryu nodded.
“『Shadow Predator』 consumed your internal Chirikal Energy while you were fighting. Whatever technique you used, the amount of energy you expended was clearly far beyond what your body could safely sustain.”
Arieus nodded slowly.
That makes sense.
He remembered the clearing disappearing beneath black tendrils.
But he wasn’t about to explain everything he had felt.
Especially not the strange way the shadows had responded to him.
Genryu continued.
“Some skills manipulate elements or forces that already exist around them. Others generate a limited amount of their own power through established techniques. Regardless of the method, control determines whether the user can survive the process.”
Arieus glanced at the shadows beneath his feet.
Hm…
This sounds nothing like my skill.
His expression remained neutral.
I better keep this to myself so that he doesn’t become weary of me.
He returned his attention to the HUD.
Genryu continued explaining.
“So when it comes to measuring strength, reserves are only one part of it. Power is measured by output, control, recovery, efficiency, and compatibility. A person with a massive energy pool is not automatically stronger than someone with less. The difference lies in how much power they can release, how precisely they can control it, and how long they can sustain the result.”
A second panel appeared within Arieus’s private HUD.
【POWER RANKS】
Rank 0 — Unawakened
Minimal Chirikal Energy sensitivity and negligible control. Most ordinary civilians fall within this range.
Rank 1 — Initiate
Can sense Chirikal Energy or reinforce the body with a small amount. Basic techniques are possible.
Rank 2 — Adept
Can consistently use Chirikal Energy in combat. Capable of defeating ordinary monsters and trained soldiers.
Rank 3 — Expert
Can maintain multiple techniques, reinforce the body while attacking, and manipulate Chirikal Energy with reliable control.
Rank 4 — Elite
Can combine environmental and internal Chirikal Energy in combat. Capable of defeating powerful monsters and commanding battlefields.
Rank 5 — Master
Can sustain advanced techniques, suppress weaker opponents through energy pressure, and alter the surrounding environment.
Rank 6 — Grandmaster
Can perform large-scale techniques, establish temporary domains, and defeat entire groups of Elite-level opponents.
Rank 7 — Sovereign
Can impose personal laws upon an area, overwhelm weaker Chirikal Energy fields, and reshape the course of a battle through presence alone.
Rank 8 — Calamity
Can devastate cities, distort natural phenomena, and survive attacks that would annihilate lesser beings.
Rank 9 — Transcendent
Exists beyond ordinary energy limitations. Can manipulate the relationship between Chirikal Energy and reality itself.
Rank 10 — Divine
A theoretical classification reserved for beings whose power functions as a law rather than a technique.
Arieus studied the scale.
“So these are the ranks people use to measure strength?”
Genryu nodded.
“Among trained fighters and mages, yes. Though a person’s rank is not determined by a single number.”
Arieus glanced at his own private HUD.
The system displayed an estimated combat classification based upon his current physical ability and demonstrated control.
Rank 2.
So that’s where I stand right now.
He looked back toward Genryu.
“And where would someone like me fall?”
“Based on what I have seen?” Genryu answered. “Your practical combat ability appears to be around Rank 2.”
Arieus nodded.
Genryu continued.
“Your potential may be considerably higher, but potential and current ability are not the same thing. You may possess a deep reservoir, but if you cannot draw from it safely, most of that power is inaccessible. Think of it as having an ocean inside you and only a narrow channel through which to release it. The ocean may be vast, but the channel determines how much reaches the battlefield.”
Arieus nodded slowly.
“So my current rank measures what I can actually use, not everything I might become.”
“Exactly. Your potential is high. Your control is poor. Your efficiency is worse. Your body is not yet capable of surviving repeated high-level techniques.”
Arieus looked at the status panel again.
“Then I need to improve control and efficiency.”
“And learn to use Chirikal Energy properly.”
“How?”
Genryu smiled faintly.
“First, learn to feel its flow.”
Arieus closed his eyes.
At first, he sensed nothing.
Then the forest began to reveal itself.
Chirikal Energy drifted through the air like invisible mist. It gathered in the soil, flowed through the trees, and lingered in the remnants of the corrupted moths. The energy within his body felt different in movement, but not in nature—closer, warmer, like pressure beneath his skin and behind his heartbeat.
The energy around him and the energy within him touched at the edges of his awareness, flowing through the same invisible current.
When he tried to force the flow together, pain flashed through his chest.
Arieus opened his eyes immediately.
“It’s difficult to control the flow between my body and the environment.”
“Because you’re trying to force it,” Genryu corrected. “Environmental Chirikal Energy wants to flow freely. Internal Chirikal Energy follows the circulation of your body and soul. If you seize the flow without control, you disrupt both.”
Arieus looked at his hands.
“But they can work together.”
“They can. That is the foundation of every high-level technique.”
The HUD chimed softly within his perception.
Ping
〔Chirikal Energy flow recognized.〕
〔Internal circulation stabilized.〕
〔Environmental circulation recognized.〕
〔Combined Energy Function unlocked.〕
Arieus’s eyes widened.
“Combined Energy Function?”
A new entry appeared beneath his skills.
【COMBINED ENERGY FUNCTION】
〔Allows the user to combine internal and environmental Chirikal Energy within compatible skills.〕
〔Current compatibility: 1%〕
〔Warning: Low compatibility. Combined techniques may cause severe backlash.〕
Arieus stared at the number.
“One percent?”
Genryu’s mouth curved slightly.
“Then you have plenty of room to improve.”
Arieus grinned.
“That’s awesome.”
The Status HUD contained another tab.
【SKILLS】
A single gesture opened it.
Arieus’s eyes widened. There were far more entries than he expected.
NEW — 《Demon Wind Scythe》
NEW — 《Shadow God》
NEW — 《Cocoon》
NEW — 《Wind Manipulation》
NEW — 《Detection》
He noticed small indicators beside several skills.
“What’s this symbol?”
He tapped the icon.
The system expanded the selected skill.
《Unique Skill:》『Cocoon』 0/780 exp.
* |Once this skill receives enough exp. upon use, it will envelope the user in a hardened silky cocoon infused with immense Chirikal Energy for 1hr. While inside the user will undergo an Epic Evolution permanently giving them a new form and changing their Race, as well as 3 new skills. This change will give +30 to all stats and skills.
Arieus stared at the description.
Then his face slowly transformed into a grin.
“Now this is interesting.”
His eyes brightened.
“A transformation skill that changes my Race, grants three new Skills, and increases every attribute? That’s not a normal ability. That’s a complete evolution path.”
Another section of the HUD expanded.
【SKILL EXPERIENCE】
〔Cocoon〕 — 0 / 780 EXP
〔Demon Wind Scythe〕 — 0 / 780 EXP
〔Wind Manipulation〕 — 0 / 780 EXP
〔Detection〕 — 0 / 780 EXP
Arieus immediately understood.
“So I can distribute experience too?”
The system responded with another private information panel.
【SKILL POINTS】
Available Skill Points: 325
Arieus stared.
“So I have Skill Points as well.”
Unlike the Attribute Points, these points were not simply added to Strength, Speed, Defense, Intelligence, Vitality, or Dexterity. They were connected directly to his skills, allowing him to accelerate their development and raise their ranks.
Arieus grinned.
“This is exactly what I wanted.”
He selected 《Cocoon》.
〔Skill Points Allocate: 200〕
Then he selected 《Demon Wind Scythe》.
〔Skill Points Allocate: 50〕
Finally, he moved to 《Wind Manipulation》.
〔Skill Points Allocate: 75〕
The entire 325-point pool reached zero.
Ping
〔200 Skill Points allocated to 《Cocoon》〕
Ping
〔50 Skill Points allocated to 《Demon Wind Scythe》〕
Ping
〔75 Skill Points allocated to 《Wind Manipulation》〕
The skill reacted immediately.
Ping
〔Congratulations. 《Demon Wind Scythe》 has reached Rank B.〕
〔Rank B Effect: Upon activation, Speed may increase ×5 for up to 5 minutes.〕
Arieus’s mouth fell open.
“Five times?”
He stared at the description.
“For five minutes?”
Genryu’s expression remained neutral.
“Your expression suggests you discovered something interesting.”
Arieus quickly closed the expanded skill panel.
“Something like that.”
He smiled to himself.
He wasn’t going to explain the entire system.
Not yet.
The HUD shifted again.
Arieus swiped through the remaining panels.
Another tab caught his attention.
【EQUIPMENT】
The panel displayed multiple slots around a translucent representation of his body.
Head
Chest
Hands
Legs
Feet
Main Hand
Off Hand
Accessory I
Accessory II
Accessory III
Accessory IV
Arieus blinked.
“So equipment is managed through the same interface.”
He opened the accessory section.
Four empty slots appeared.
“And accessories have their own slots.”
The system allowed him to inspect every position independently, revealing that equipment and accessories could be managed through the same private interface.
Arieus continued exploring the HUD.
Then he noticed one final symbol pulsing beside his skills.
“What is that?”
He touched it.
【SPECIAL SKILL EVOLUTION】
《God Skill: Shadows》
Evolution available.
Arieus’s eyes widened.
“Evolution?”
He tapped the option.
Ping
〔Evolution of 《God Skill: Shadows》 initiated.〕
The shadows around his feet immediately began to move.
Arieus stared.
The darkness did not simply surround him.
It responded.
It shifted with his attention, gathering where he focused his thoughts before settling again.
Then another notification appeared.
Ping
〔Successfully acquired the Extra Skill: 《Shadow Movement》〕
Ping
〔Successfully achieved the Unique Skill: 《Shadow God》〕
Arieus stared at the display as the final description unfolded.
『Shadow God』:
* Recieved once user Succesfully evolves the skill 『God Skill: Shadows』. User now has the ability to manipulate shadows according to his/her level. User may also now communicate with other species once encountered.
Arieus’s eyes widened.
“Shadow God…”
He stared at the words.
There was something different about the skill.
Something he could not explain.
The description said he could manipulate shadows according to his level, but what he had already experienced felt stranger than ordinary manipulation.
He had not merely shaped existing darkness.
He had generated it.
He had forced it into existence.
He had made it tangible.
And he had no idea whether anyone in this world would understand what that meant.
Arieus quietly closed the description.
Hm…
This definitely isn’t normal.
His eyes briefly shifted toward Genryu.
He better not say anything.
If the people of this world understand skills according to their classes and established rules, then explaining that his Unique Skill can create shadows from nothing might raise questions he wasn’t ready to answer.
Especially if even Silus’s gift seemed to operate outside those rules.
Arieus kept his expression casual.
I better keep this to myself so that he doesn’t become weary of me.
Priscilla suddenly noticed Arieus staring into empty space.
“Are you all right?”
Arieus immediately looked toward her.
“Yeah.”
He gave her a casual smile.
“Just thinking.”
Priscilla tilted her head, but eventually shrugged.
“Okay!”
Arieus quietly dismissed the HUD.
The translucent panels dissolved from his perception.
No one around him had seen them.
That was important.
Whatever this system was, it belonged to him.
And whatever made him different from the people of this world was something he would have to understand carefully.
“Well,” he said, stretching his shoulders, “I think that’s enough for now.”
Genryu raised an eyebrow.
“You’ve been unconscious, nearly killed yourself with a skill you barely understand, awakened Mana sensitivity, and somehow managed to survive a battle against an entire swarm. Most people would need several days to process all of that.”
Arieus laughed.
“I have a lot to learn. If I stop now, I’ll only spend the rest of the night wondering what I missed.”
Before Genryu could respond, a voice echoed from the forest.
“CAPTAIN!”
Priscilla came running into the camp.
“We’ve found the dungeon!”
Everyone turned toward her.
Arieus’s eyes widened.
“The dungeon?”
“The one we’ve been searching for!” Priscilla replied. “The entrance is open, and the surrounding Chirikal Energy is behaving strangely. It’s not just a cave, either. The structure extends beneath the forest, and the energy coming from inside is strong enough to interfere with Detection.”
Arieus looked toward Genryu.
“What exactly are you talking about?”
Genryu crossed his arms.
“We were sent here by the Emperor to investigate a mysterious dungeon discovered several months ago. The entrance was found beneath the roots of an ancient tree, but every expedition sent inside either failed to return or came back with incomplete information.”
His expression became more serious.
“No one knows how deep it goes. No one knows what creatures live inside. We do not even know whether the dungeon was created naturally or built by someone.”
Arieus’s eyes lit up.
“So you’re telling me there’s an unexplored dungeon in the middle of a corrupted forest.”
“That is what I’m telling you.”
“And you’re going inside.”
“That is the mission.”
Arieus’s grin widened.
A translucent notification appeared before him.
Ping
〔Generating Resident Quest: 《Exploration of Dungeon》〕
〔Accept: YES / NO〕
Arieus stared at the prompt.
This really is like an MMORPG.
He studied the quest window.
Although there’s usually a reward listed beneath the objective.
He glanced at the empty space below the quest.
Nothing. That’s either a mistake or a warning.
He looked toward the dark forest.
His Chirikal Energy and HP had returned to a positive state since leveling up and the thought of entering an unexplored dungeon stirred something inside him all over again.
He turned toward Genryu.
“I accept.”
Genryu smiled.
“Excellent. We could use your strength and help, just stay close, follow orders, and do not activate another high-level skill without warning the rest of us first.”
Arieus nodded.
“Roger that.” Arieus replied modestly.
“Well then.”
Priscilla pointed toward the forest.
“Then let’s go before the entrance shifts again!”
The group immediately began moving.
Arieus followed behind them, occasionally glancing at the translucent system indicators hovering at the edge of his vision. The world continued to reveal new layers every few minutes, and each answer seemed to create three more questions.
He had arrived in Xasea expecting danger.
He had not expected the world to feel so alive.
The group raced through the wooded terrain. Branches whipped past them, and the wind rushed against their faces as Priscilla moved effortlessly between the trees. Genryu followed close behind, his pace steady and controlled, while Shoen and Donevan moved with the practiced rhythm of people accustomed to traveling together.
After several minutes, Genryu called toward Priscilla.
“Are the others waiting outside the dungeon?”
“Yes, Captain!” she answered without slowing. “They should be near the entrance where I left them.”
A playful smile appeared on her face.
“They’re both really strong, too. Not as strong as you, of course, Caaaptaaaain!”
She stretched the final word teasingly.
Genryu’s expression immediately became complicated.
Arieus noticed.
“What’s wrong?”
Genryu did not answer at once. His eyes remained fixed on the forest ahead.
“Something doesn’t feel right.”
Priscilla’s smile faded.
“You mean the dungeon?”
“No. The forest.”
Arieus looked between the trees.
The wind had changed.
The Chirikal Energy in the air had become denser, but not in the way it had near the corrupted moths. This pressure felt organized, as though something ahead was gathering power rather than merely leaking it.
Genryu’s voice became firm.
“Slow down.”
Priscilla obeyed, though her expression remained tense.
“What did you sense?”
“Movement,” Genryu replied. “Not from the dungeon. From the surrounding forest.”
Shoen’s hand moved toward his weapon.
“Monsters?”
“Possibly.”
Donevan’s grin vanished.
“Or people?”
Genryu’s gaze narrowed.
“That is what concerns me.”
Arieus felt the shadows beneath his feet stir.
He did not know whether the sensation came from his new skill or from instinct, but the message was clear enough.
Something was waiting ahead.
Genryu looked toward Priscilla.
“How close are we?”
Priscilla swallowed.
“Less than five minutes.”
“Then we move carefully.”
The group continued forward, faster than before but no longer careless. The trees blurred around them as they advanced through the wilderness, and the wind whispered through the branches with a sound almost like distant voices.
Somewhere beyond the trees, the dungeon waited.
It had remained hidden for months.
It had resisted every attempt to understand it.
And now, beneath the roots of the ancient forest, something inside had begun to wake.
Arieus tightened his hand into a fist.
The dungeon was close.
And he was about to take his first real step into the unknown.
