Kael stood in front of a mirror in the Ember Guild's resting chamber. He looked different now—bruises fading, skin tougher, eyes sharper. His pipe, still bent from the last fight, rested beside him on the bed.
He was no longer just a slum rat.
He was a beginner member of the Ember Guild.
He touched the badge Ren gave him—a black metal token with a burning flame engraved on it.
"I made it," he whispered.
But he also knew this was only the start.
That morning, Kael was led to the main training hall by a woman named Elira. She had short red hair, a scar across her cheek, and muscles like stone. She looked strong, calm, and dangerous.
"New blood?" she asked without looking at him.
Kael nodded.
"I'm Elira. I train rookies. You listen to me, you live. You ignore me, you end up in a ditch."
Kael didn't speak. He just gave a small nod again.
Elira smirked. "Good. Let's see what you've got."
The training hall was wide and made of stone. Inside, other rookies were training in groups—some were practicing sword forms, others were punching sandbags, dodging traps, or casting spells.
Elira handed Kael a wooden stick. "No system skills. No weapons. Just raw moves. Show me how you fight."
Kael gripped the stick and faced a dummy made of straw and cloth. He took a stance and swung, just like he'd done hundreds of times in the alleys.
Strike. Step. Swing again.
Elira watched closely.
"You've fought before. On the street, I'd guess. You're fast but wild. No balance, no form."
Kael frowned. "I won my fights."
"Sure," she said. "But out there, winning means surviving. In here, winning means killing monsters ten times your size without breaking a sweat."
Kael stayed quiet, but inside he promised himself: I'll be better. I have to.
For the next hour, Elira drilled him hard. She showed him how to stand, how to move, how to strike without wasting energy.
"Use your whole body," she said. "Not just your arms. Let your hips turn when you swing. Breathe. Feel the hit, don't just swing blindly."
Kael listened. He repeated every motion again and again, even when his arms shook and his legs ached.
At the end of the session, sweat poured down his face. His shirt was soaked, and his fingers were sore.
But Elira gave a nod. "Not bad. You're stubborn. I like that."
After training, Ren met Kael in the mess hall. The food was simple—rice, stew, and dry bread—but better than anything in the slums.
"You survived Elira's lesson," Ren said, sitting across from him.
Kael smirked. "Barely."
Ren passed him a glass of water. "Good. She breaks down the weak ones fast. The fact you're still standing means you've got potential."
Kael took a long sip, then asked, "What's next?"
Ren leaned forward. "Now you learn about the world outside your little corner. Monsters. Dungeons. Guild wars. System secrets. The kind of stuff people don't talk about in the open."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
Ren lowered his voice. "Like the fact that systems are alive. They change. They grow. And if you're not careful, they can take more than they give."
That night, Kael opened his system panel again.
Kael – Level 7
Strength: 12
Agility: 12
Vitality: 10
Intelligence: 6
Willpower: 8
Soul: ?
[Skill Points: 1]
He placed his last point into Vitality. He needed to last longer in fights.
He looked at his current skills:
Street Fighter Lv.2
Shadow Step Lv.1
Endure Pain Lv.1
Passive: Survivor's Grit (Reduces damage taken when HP is below 30%)
He also saw a new tab:
> [Skill Fragments: 1 (Common)]
Kael tapped it.
>Use 3 Common Fragments to unlock a new random skill.
"Not enough yet," he muttered. "But soon."
The next day, Elira took Kael and three other rookies to the guild's practice dungeon.
It was a controlled space underground, filled with summoned monsters meant for training. Not deadly—but still dangerous.
"This is your first real dungeon trial," Elira said. "Don't get cocky."
Kael teamed up with two others: Mira, a quiet girl who used wind magic, and Doro, a large boy with a metal club.
Their job: survive and clear the dungeon.
As they entered the stone hallway, Kael's system flashed.
[TRAINING DUNGEON ENTERED]
[MONSTER TYPE: Goblin – Weak]
Goblins attacked from the shadows, small but fast, holding jagged blades. Kael rushed forward, pipe in hand.
His movements were sharper now.
He used Shadow Step to dodge, then struck a goblin's arm, making it drop its weapon.
Doro finished it with a loud smash.
Mira kept the group covered, blowing enemies back with short bursts of wind.
The group moved fast. Five goblins. Then ten. Then a stronger one with a shield.
Kael jumped high, using a crate to launch himself, and slammed the pipe down on the goblin's head.
[Goblin Captain Defeated – XP +60]
They made it through in fifteen minutes.
Elira stood at the exit, arms crossed. "Not bad. Still sloppy. But not bad."
Kael grinned through heavy breaths.
This was training?
He loved it.
That night, Kael sat outside the Ember base on the rooftop, looking at the stars.
He didn't remember his parents. He didn't know why he had a system, or why now. But for once, he felt like he had a place. A goal. A path.
Mira sat down next to him quietly. "You fight well."
"Thanks," he said.
They didn't speak much after that. But it was a comfortable silence.
Kael looked at the stars again.
"I'm going to get stronger," he whispered.
"Stronger than anyone."
And this time, he meant it.
End of Chapter 6!