{New mission: Clear the Lower God Realm (C-Rank)}
{Mission progress: 0%}
{Earn points per kill}
{Time limit: 12:00:00}
Kieran's eyes locked onto the blue, blocky font hovering in front of him. His breath hitched slightly as the realization dawned on him.
'So I get missions from the system as well?'
It wasn't just a status panel or an information hub—it assigned him missions. Tasks. Objectives. This was more than he had expected.
He had heard rumors about the system before, of course.
The system was a privilege, something granted only to those who had sworn allegiance to one of the Three Great Families or pledged their life to a faction.
'But how do I have this?'
His first instinct was to turn to Alexa. She was knowledgeable, sharp—maybe she had an answer. But the thought of exposing his situation so openly made him hesitate. This was his secret for now. Until he understood it better, he couldn't risk revealing too much.
Still, the momentary flicker of doubt in his eyes didn't go unnoticed. Alexa, ever perceptive, caught the glance and immediately narrowed her eyes.
"What is it?" she asked, raising a delicate brow.
Kieran forced a nonchalant shrug. "Nothing. Just thinking."
Her gaze lingered for a second longer before she scoffed and looked away.
Before he could dwell on it further, another notification popped up in his vision.
{System Updated!}
{Host Information Updated}
{Name: Kieran Marcoth}
{Exp: 10/100}
{Level: 1}
{Strength: 25}
{Stamina: 20}
{Agility: 20}
{Constitution Control: 1%}
{Star Points: 5}
{Aetheris: 50}
'Aetheris?'
{Ding! Aetheris: The raw energy of existence. This energy is linked to divinity and allows the host to use their divine constitution. Depletion of Aetheris will result in the use of life energy to fuel abilities!}
A realization clicked into place.
'So that's why I felt weaker after using that attack with Alexa…'
Before he could explore it further, Alexa's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Are you planning to sit there all day? Or do you want to build a castle while you're at it?"
Kieran blinked, snapping out of his daze. There was an edge in her voice, a hint of irritation beneath the teasing. He noticed the slight stiffness in her posture, the way she avoided looking directly at him.
'Was she in the middle of something when I summoned her?'
The idea lingered in his mind for a moment before he shook it off. There were more pressing matters at hand.
"I'm not stalling," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Besides, why are you in such a rush? Got somewhere you need to be?"
Alexa stiffened, her face turning the faintest shade of pink.
"T-That's none of your business!" she huffed, turning on her heel and walking ahead.
Kieran suppressed a smirk. 'So I was right…'
Still, she had a point. He couldn't waste time here. He had unfinished business. Three faces burned into his memory, and a grudge that needed settling.
"You're right. Let's go."
He stood, dusting off his pants. The system offered experience points per kill. That meant every enemy he took down would make him stronger.
'I'll use this opportunity. I'll prove to them all that I'm not weak… and I'll make sure those three bastards regret ever crossing me.'
His hands clenched into fists.
Alexa, already a few steps ahead, barely spared him a glance. "I found their base. It's not far. We should head there directly before we waste any more time."
The forest around them was eerily silent as they walked. The occasional whisper of the wind rustled through the leaves, but beyond that, there was nothing. No chirping of birds, no scurrying of small creatures. It was unnatural.
The deeper they went, the thicker the stench of burnt wood became. Though the fires from his previous attack had died down, the scent of destruction lingered.
After several minutes of walking, they arrived at a large, tunnel-like opening in the side of a rocky cliff.
"This is where they are," Alexa announced, her voice carrying a note of finality.
Kieran eyed the entrance warily. Shadows stretched along the tunnel's walls, the faint glow of embedded gems providing the only source of light.
He turned to Alexa. "Wait… you're not going to help?"
She crossed her arms over her chest, her expression one of absolute indifference.
"Hmph. Not unless it's absolutely necessary."
Kieran sighed.
'Great. I just had to get a stubborn summon…'
He could force her to help, but doing so would drain more of his energy. Best to save that for emergencies.
"Fine. I'll handle it," he said confidently.
Alexa smirked, clearly pleased with herself. "Good."
Then, without warning, she dissolved into a small ember of flame.
The ember floated towards him and landed gently on the back of his hand. A warm sensation spread through his body—soothing, yet powerful.
'So I can store her like this…'
It was a relief. Having a strange, otherworldly woman following him everywhere would've raised too many questions.
Taking a deep breath, Kieran turned back toward the tunnel.
He stepped inside.
The air inside was thick, damp. The faint glow of the gems lining the walls did little to pierce the oppressive darkness. His footsteps echoed against the stone, the sound bouncing eerily.
A few minutes had passed, had barely walked a few meters, from the entrance of the tunnel a few trolls emerged.
The leader was massive, easily twice the height of a normal man. Thick, sinewy muscles rippled beneath its leathery skin. In its clawed hands, it clutched a massive spiked club.
Its beady, bloodshot eyes locked onto Kieran, and it let out a guttural snarl.
Behind it, several more trolls shuffled forward. Smaller than the leader, but still formidable, each one brandishing crude weapons—rusted blades, jagged spears, and splintered clubs.
Kieran walked deeper into the tunnel, and after another few minutes of walking... He paused.
'I haven't encountered any of the trolls since I entered... Aren't they meant to be here?'
{Time left: 11:28:00}
He was worried as he watched the timer on his system screen go down.
He didn't know why the mission had a timer, but he was more worried about the fact he had walked almost thirty minutes and had yet to encounter any troll.
While he still had the feeling of unease brewing, he heard a low growl behind him.