The next morning, Kael woke up early. His body was still sore from the fight with Jarek, but he felt stronger. His hands were rough, his muscles tense, and his mind sharp.
He had survived another fight.
He had leveled up.
But more importantly, people had seen it.
And someone had sent him a message: "We are watching."
Kael sat on a broken crate in his small shack, holding the note. He looked at it again, trying to guess who sent it. He didn't know any powerful people. Most people in the slums just wanted to survive the day. Nobody cared about a boy like him—until now.
"Why me?" he muttered.
But deep down, he knew the answer.
He had a system.
He was growing fast.
And that was dangerous.
Around midday, Kael went to the edge of the market district. He didn't plan to stay long. He just wanted to trade some of the copper coins he earned from the daily quest. Maybe buy a better shirt or some food.
As he passed by a stall, a man selling soup called out, "Kael, right?"
Kael stopped.
The man looked around quickly, then whispered, "You're being followed."
Kael blinked. "What?"
The man didn't explain. He just nodded toward the alley behind his stall and said, "Go. Now."
Kael tensed. His hand gripped the pipe hidden under his old cloak.
But he didn't run.
He walked into the alley.
It was quiet in the alley. Trash was piled up on the sides, and the ground was wet. Kael stepped carefully, alert.
Then, a voice from the shadows.
"You've made quite the noise."
Kael turned fast, raising his pipe.
But it wasn't a thug.
A young man stepped out of the shadows. He wore a black cloak with a silver pin shaped like a flame. His eyes were sharp, and he moved like a trained fighter.
"I watched you fight Jarek," he said. "You were sloppy, but fast. And you're definitely not normal."
Kael lowered his pipe slightly. "Who are you?"
The man gave a small smile. "Name's Ren. I'm part of something… hidden. Something you might belong to."
Kael frowned. "What does that mean?"
Ren stepped closer.
"It means you're not the only one with a system."
Kael froze.
He had never told anyone about the system. No one had ever mentioned it before. But this man said it like it was normal.
"You… you have one too?" Kael asked slowly.
Ren nodded. "I've had mine since I was ten. Most people never awaken one. Some do by accident, some are chosen. You're one of the awakened."
Kael's heart beat faster. "Then what do you want from me?"
"We want to test you," Ren said. "See if you're ready to join us."
"Us?"
Ren looked around, then whispered, "The Ember Guild."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Never heard of it."
"You're not supposed to," Ren said. "That's the point. We work from the shadows. We train system users. We fight things normal people can't even imagine."
Kael didn't know what to say.
All his life, he'd been alone. Now someone was inviting him into a hidden world.
"Why me?" he asked again.
Ren smirked. "Because you're still standing. Most people in your place would be dead. You leveled up fast, and you've already started learning how to fight."
He reached into his cloak and tossed Kael a token. It was black, shaped like a flame, just like Ren's pin.
"Follow me," Ren said. "If you want to learn how to survive."
Kael followed him through the city.
They passed through the slums, then through the edge of the merchant district. Ren led him down narrow alleys and through hidden doors Kael never knew existed. Eventually, they reached an old building covered in vines and cracked stone.
It looked abandoned.
Ren knocked on a specific pattern—two short, two long.
A hidden door opened in the ground.
They went inside.
The tunnel was dark, but Ren carried a glowing stone that lit the way. After ten minutes of walking underground, they reached a wide chamber with torch-lit walls and iron doors.
Dozens of people were training inside. Some were sparring. Others were meditating or reading glowing system screens. They all looked focused, skilled—and powerful.
"This is Ember Guild's training base," Ren said. "Only entry-level members come here."
Kael looked around, eyes wide.
He had never seen anything like this.
"This… this is real," he whispered.
Ren nodded. "And if you want to stay, you'll need to pass your first test."
Kael turned to him. "What kind of test?"
Ren led him to a locked metal door.
Inside was a stone chamber with a glowing orb in the center.
"This is a trial room," Ren explained. "The system inside will create enemies based on your current level. Beat them, and you pass. Fail… and you get kicked out."
"Or die?"
Ren nodded once. "It happens. But you'll be healed afterward—if they get to you in time."
Kael stared at the door.
He felt nervous. But excited.
This was his chance.
"I'm ready," he said.
Ren smiled. "Good. Go show them what you've got."
Kael stepped into the room.
The door closed behind him.
The orb in the center glowed bright red.
[TRIAL ROOM – BEGINNING TEST FOR SYSTEM USER: KAEL]
[ENEMIES CREATED: 3x Shadow Wraiths – Level 7]
Three ghost-like figures rose from the ground, their bodies dark and shifting like smoke. They had no eyes, but Kael could feel their hunger.
He raised his pipe.
The first one lunged at him. Kael used Shadow Step, dodging to the side. He hit the wraith hard—but the blow passed partly through it.
"These things aren't normal…"
They moved fast and attacked together. Kael ducked and rolled, landing a hit on one's head. The pipe hummed with energy from Street Fighter, and this time the hit worked better.
[Shadow Wraith – HP 62/100]
Kael fought smart. He used the room's layout—pillars, stones, shadows—to stay on the move. His Endure Pain skill helped him push through a slash across his shoulder.
He kept going.
Step. Hit. Dodge. Repeat.
[Shadow Wraith Defeated]
One down.
The others came harder, but Kael wasn't the same weak boy from the slums anymore.
He was learning. Adapting. Fighting like someone who wanted to live.
After fifteen long minutes, all three wraiths vanished into smoke.
Kael dropped to one knee, panting.
[TRIAL COMPLETE – PASS]
[XP +150 | Skill Fragment (Common) +1 | Ember Guild Access: GRANTED]
The door opened.
Ren stood there, smiling.
"You passed," he said. "Welcome to the Ember Guild."
End of Chapter 5