Lucien left the palace before sunrise, slipping past the gates with his cloak wrapped tightly around him and the Blood Sword sheathed at his side. His steps were steady, but his heart pounded like a war drum.
Servants and knights passed by on their early duties, pausing to glance at the prince. Whispers followed him.
"Where's the prince going so early?"
"He looks serious..."
"Is that a sword on his back?"
No one dared to stop him.
______________
Back at the royal dining hall, the Graycliff family gathered for breakfast.
"Where's Lucien?"
King Otto asked, placing down his silverware.
A servant bowed.
"Your Majesty, the young prince left early this morning. He did not inform anyone."
Queen Elizabeth's fork dropped.
"What? Why didn't anyone stop him? Dispatch the knights! Find him!"
But the king raised a hand.
"No. Let him go."
Elizabeth turned to her husband, incredulous.
"He's still a child! What if something happens?"
"He's not a child anymore. He chose to walk a path. Let him walk it."
Ran, the eldest, spoke with a calm voice.
"This is his test. Let him handle it however he deems right. If he fails, he was never meant for more."
Anri, the younger sister, glanced around confused.
"What test?"
Aldric shrugged and stabbed his meat with a fork.
"Don't care."
Meanwhile, Lucien walked through the worn forest path. Trees rustled gently in the breeze as birds chirped overhead.
He glanced at the blue screen floating beside him.
Quest: Trial by Hunt
Objective: Hunt and defeat a D-Rank beast
Time Left: 284 hours
Reward:
Level Up (Direct to Level 4)
Significant boost to Mana and Stamina
Newbie Scroll: Blood Sword Technique – Second Form
Lucien sighed.
"System, do I get any potions? Antidotes? Anything?"
Ding!
None available. The host must face danger to grow. No shortcuts.
"Figures."
Still, he wasn't in a rush. The beast wouldn't vanish, and rushing without preparation would just get him killed.
He began swinging his sword again.
1... 2... 3...
Each swing was fluid, heavy, precise. He was getting used to the sword's weight, the way his muscles moved, the way air pushed back.
After 600 swings, he collapsed on a patch of grass, gasping.
His stamina had hit rock bottom.
He called up his status window.
Name: Lucien Graycliff
Age: 17
Race: Human
Title: [Useless Prince]
Class: Swordsman
Level: 2
Skills: Blood Vein Slash (Affinity – 72%)
Trait: Phantom Edge
Mana: 6/18
Stamina: 8/19
Status: Alive (Exhausted)
"Still low, System, is 72% good enough?"
Ding!
Progressing steadily. Affinity improves through repetition and battle.
"So... more swinging. Got it."
And so he swung. For three straight days, he traveled and trained. At every rest stop, under trees, near creeks, even beside roads, he kept swinging.
Then, on the third evening, it happened.
BOOM!
His latest swing let out a sudden pulse, shaking leaves from trees nearby.
Lucien froze. That felt different.
"System, what was that?"
Ding!
Blood Vein Slash affinity now at 91%.
Lucien grinned.
"Damn! I'm getting close to mastering it!"
But he was already at the edge of the jungle now. Trees were denser, sounds more wild. He slowed his steps, letting instinct guide him.
Suddenly, a sharp hiss.
Then—
SCREEEEE!
A massive shape burst from the underbrush.
It was a Giant Scorpion. Its armored body shimmered in the sunlight, covered in black and brown carapace. The stinger on its tail was thick and dripping venom.
Lucien staggered back.
Ding!
Warning: E-Rank Beast detected. Poisonous.
Lucien gripped his sword, heart pounding.
"Not the target... but a good test."
The beast lunged.
Lucien rolled to the side, narrowly dodging the stinger. He slashed—his blade skidded off the beast's tough armor.
"Tch. Too hard!"
The scorpion spun and attacked again.
Lucien kept moving, dodging the stinger, trying to find an opening.
Then, it paused—its legs tensed.
"Now!"
Lucien activated his skill.
"Blood Vein Slash!"
His sword glowed faintly red as he slashed directly under the beast's belly—the only unarmored part.
SLASH!
A spray of dark blood.
The scorpion screeched and staggered, tail flailing wildly.
Lucien ducked and rolled back.
He was panting. One hit wasn't enough. He had to be smart.
The scorpion turned, slower now, bleeding.
Lucien rushed in again, slashing in an X-shaped pattern.
"Blood Vein Slash!"
SLASH! SLASH!
This time, the creature toppled, shivering—then fell, motionless.
Lucien stood over it, panting, blood-splattered.
"That... that was an E-Rank..."
He sheathed his sword, collapsing back against a tree.
"Damn... I really did grow stronger."
He glanced at the jungle ahead.
"Next stop... the D-Rank boar."
As Lucien stood over the dissolving corpse of the scorpion a sudden ding! rang out in his head.
[DING!]
Hidden Quest Completed
Objective: Defeat an E-Rank Beast without help
Reward: Invisible Armor [Rank: E]
Effect: Reduces physical damage by 20% when equipped.
Durability: 100/100
Lucien blinked.
"Wait, I got a reward for that?"
Before he could even celebrate, the armor appeared as a flickering shimmer, then vanished entirely. He frowned.
"Where is it?"
System:Invisible Armor equipped.
You are now wearing it, Host. Its presence is subtle but its protection is real.
Lucien waved his hand in front of his chest, feeling... something. A light resistance, almost like air had thickened around his torso.
"Woah... this is kinda cool."
He smirked, standing up straighter.
"Magnificent."
Even without anyone else seeing it, he felt stronger. Safer. More like a warrior than a wannabe.
He tightened his grip on the blood-red sword, eyes gleaming with determination.
"One step closer to that damn boar."