The stench of rot was unbearable.

It seeped into the lungs, a mixture of mold, sour liquor, and the lingering staleness of decay. The narrow alleys of Duskrow, the city of gutters, were places where light itself came to die.

And in that alley, under the crooked shadows of broken roofs, a boy crouched low against the damp wall.

Kael Ardyn was only eight years old, yet his eyes lacked the fire of childhood. They were not lively, nor bright. They were calm, stagnant, and cold, like a muddy swamp in the dead of night.

His body was fragile—bones poking through skin, ribs sharp against his torn shirt. The shard of broken glass in his hands trembled, but not from fear. His hands were simply too weak to hold it steady.

The sack beside him was small, barely stuffed with half a loaf of bread. To most, worthless. To him, priceless.

“Hand it over, brat.”

Three figures blocked the exit of the alley. Older boys, their skin toughened by years of filth, their stomachs slightly fuller than his own. The leader had a jagged scar running down his cheek, marking him as a predator among scavengers.

Kael’s lips were dry, but his voice was flat. “Try and take it.”

The scarred boy grinned, revealing yellow teeth. “Bold for a rat.” He snapped his fingers. “Break him.”

The first boy lunged. Kael did not move. At the last instant, his glass shard slashed upward. Flesh parted. Blood sprayed. The attacker screamed, clutching his arm.

The second came next, fists swinging. Kael ducked low, rolling across the damp stones, his frail body fueled only by desperation. He thrust the shard deep into the boy’s thigh. A howl echoed.

Finally, the leader charged, fury in his scarred face. He was bigger, stronger, more dangerous. His fist cracked against Kael’s cheek, snapping his head to the side. Pain burst through Kael’s skull, but his grip never loosened. The glass bit into the leader’s throat.

The alley fell silent.

The rain continued to fall, washing the blood into crimson puddles. Three bodies twitched weakly, collapsing into the filth.

Kael’s chest heaved. His cheek throbbed. His small hands dripped scarlet. Yet his expression did not change. His dull eyes stared at the sack of bread, safe beside him.

Life was cruel. And he had learned its lesson. Those who hesitated died. Those who pitied starved.

It was then that the light appeared.

A faint glow flickered before him, strange and unreal.

\[System Initiated.]

Welcome, Kael Ardyn.

Condition Met: Survive against overwhelming odds.

Quest Unlocked: Rise Above the Filth.

Reward: +5 Strength, +5 Intelligence.

A translucent panel hovered in the rain, glowing faintly blue.

Kael blinked. His breathing steadied. There was no shock, no scream. For someone who had spent his life drowning in misery, the appearance of a miracle did not shatter his mind. It only sharpened his suspicion.

Power.

That was what this was. A path carved by unseen hands. A path the world itself was offering him.

Kael picked up the bread, ignoring the corpses. The blood on his hands no longer bothered him.

“I see,” he murmured. His voice was quiet, but it carried weight in the stillness of the alley. “Even the heavens acknowledge me.”

For the first time, a spark flickered in his stagnant eyes.

Not joy.

Not hope.

Ambition.

The Academy of Dominion loomed high above the city, its black spires cutting into the stormy sky. For centuries, it had stood as a monument to power, training the children of nobles, generals, and merchants into weapons sharper than steel. For most, it was an untouchable dream. For Kael Ardyn, it was a stepping stone.

He stood at the gates, blending into the crowd of youths gathering for the entrance trials. Their robes were new, their faces clean, their eyes full of excitement and arrogance. Kael wore a plain black coat, patched and worn at the sleeves. His hair was cut unevenly, his frame lean but steady.

To them, he looked like a beggar who had stumbled into the wrong place. None of them knew the dagger hidden beneath his coat. None of them knew the System window flickering faintly before his eyes.

\[Quest: Infiltrate the Academy of Dominion]

Condition: Enter the Academy by any means necessary.

Reward: System Advancement.

Kael’s expression was calm as ever. He glanced at the guards in silver armor, at the glowing runestones carved into the gates, and at the anxious crowd pressing forward.

A noble boy scoffed beside him. “Look at this trash. They’re letting rats dream of entering the Academy now?”

Laughter followed. The others around Kael sneered, whispering among themselves. He did not respond. Words were wind. Power was stone.

The gates groaned as they opened. A voice, amplified by magic, echoed across the courtyard.

“All applicants, enter. Trials begin immediately.”

The crowd surged forward. Kael moved with them, silent as a shadow.

Inside, the Academy’s outer grounds stretched wide—training fields, dueling rings, libraries, and dormitories. Yet what drew every eye was the massive crystal pillar at the center. It pulsed with light, ancient and alive, measuring the talent of each who touched it.

One by one, the youths placed their hands upon the crystal. Colors flared within—red for average, blue for gifted, purple for genius. The higher the grade, the louder the cheers.

Kael watched. A noble girl placed her hand upon the crystal. Purple light blazed forth. The crowd erupted in awe. She smiled, basking in their praise.

When Kael’s turn came, whispers spread. “Is that beggar allowed here?” “He’ll shatter the crystal with filth.” “Trash.”

Kael ignored them. His palm rested on the cold surface. For a moment, nothing happened. Then a faint flicker of blue light appeared. Weak, unsteady, almost fading.

Laughter exploded. “Blue? Barely above trash.” “Send him back to the gutter.”

The examiner, robed in black, gave Kael a long, cold look. “Average. You may enter, though your future here is uncertain.”

Kael lowered his hand, his face unreadable. Inside, the System stirred.

\[Hidden Quest Complete: Conceal True Potential]

Reward: System Advancement.

Unlocked: Shadow Talent Evaluation – Your abilities are hidden from external appraisal.

A new panel appeared.

\[Status Panel]

Name: Kael Ardyn

Strength: 21

Agility: 24

Intelligence: 26

Skills: Dagger Mastery (Lv. 2), Stealth (Lv. 3)

Traits: Shadow Talent (Hidden)

Kael’s lips curved slightly. The crystal had seen what he allowed it to see. Nothing more.

The nobles laughed, the crowd mocked, the examiner dismissed him. All according to plan.

As Kael walked away from the crystal, he glanced at the towering spires of the Academy. His voice was low, carried only by the rain.

“You can laugh now. But soon, you’ll kneel.”

The storm overhead rumbled as if in answer.

Kael Ardyn had entered the Academy. The predator had walked into the cage. And soon, he would own it.

The Academy’s gates closed with a thunderous boom, sealing off the world of nobility and power from the slums Kael had left behind. For most, stepping inside was a dream fulfilled. For Kael, it was simply the beginning of a hunt.

The courtyard emptied slowly as groups of youths followed their assigned guides to the dormitories. Some walked with pride, heads high and robes fluttering in the evening wind. Others kept their eyes down, weighed by nervousness.

Kael walked in silence, his expression unreadable, his coat heavy with rain. Around him, laughter echoed.

“Did you see him? Barely lit the crystal.”

“Blue light. Pathetic. He won’t last a month here.”

“Trash like him should be cleaning our boots, not sharing our halls.”

The words brushed against Kael like rain against stone. He neither quickened his step nor turned his head. But inside, he marked their faces, their tones, their arrogance. The System rewarded more than kills. It rewarded victories, secrets, and schemes.

\[Quest Unlocked: Establish Dominance]

Condition: Humiliate a rival within seven days.

Reward: +2 Strength, +2 Agility, +2 Reputation.

Kael’s lips twitched faintly. The System was not a guide—it was a reflection of his ambition. It whispered only what he already intended to do.

The dormitories loomed ahead, twin towers of black stone rising against the storm. Boys to the east, girls to the west. Carved into the stone were old runes of protection, faintly glowing, keeping beasts and thieves at bay.

Inside, the corridors smelled of wax and stone dust. Nobles took rooms in the upper floors, spacious and well-lit. Common-born students were driven to the lower floors, where the air was damp and the windows narrow.

Kael was given the lowest chamber of all, a room with one small bed, one desk, and a single candle stub. The floor was uneven stone, the walls bare.

He sat on the bed, the silence pressing against him. For the first time since entering the Academy, he let his eyes close.

Memories stirred.

The alleys of Duskrow. The corpses of boys who once mocked him. The faces of starving children, robbed and broken at his hands. The System windows glowing after each act.

Compassion had never saved him. Pity had never filled his stomach. Only strength, only cunning, only ruthlessness.

\[Status Panel]

Strength: 21

Agility: 24

Intelligence: 26

Reputation: 1 (Unknown)

Skills: Dagger Mastery (Lv. 2), Stealth (Lv. 3)

Traits: Shadow Talent (Hidden)

His fingers tapped against the desk. Numbers on a panel were nothing but tools. They meant little without intent. What mattered was the will to use them.

A knock came at the door. Sharp, impatient.

Kael opened it. Three boys stood outside, their robes marked with noble crests. The leader, tall with golden hair, smirked.

“So it’s true. They let a rat inside.” His eyes scanned Kael’s plain clothes, his thin frame. “You’re not fit to breathe the same air as us.”

The others laughed.

Kael’s gaze was calm. “What do you want?”

The golden-haired boy sneered. “Your bed. Sleep on the floor if you want to stay alive.”

The corridor echoed with laughter.

Kael studied them, his expression still as a pond. He could kill them here and now, but the Academy’s rules were strict. Murder within the dormitories meant expulsion and execution. No, this required patience. Calculation.

\[Quest Updated: Establish Dominance]

New Condition: Break the will of an arrogant noble without direct killing.

Kael’s lips curved slightly. The System always understood him.

He stepped aside. “Take it.”

The boys blinked, caught off guard. The leader laughed loudly, striding in and throwing himself on the bed. “Smart rat.”

They left after mocking him, their voices fading down the hall.

Kael sat on the cold floor, his back against the wall. His eyes glimmered faintly in the candlelight.

He had given them the bed, but not because he feared them. No, this was the first move of a game. Let them grow bold. Let them believe him weak. The deeper they sank into arrogance, the sweeter their humiliation would taste.

Outside, thunder rolled across the sky.

Kael’s thoughts were sharp, each one a blade. The Academy believed itself a place of rules and honor. But he knew the truth. Power was not measured by crystals or ranks. Power was the ability to bend others until they broke.

He closed his eyes. Tomorrow, the trials would begin—duels, spell tests, physical training. Tomorrow, reputations would be built or destroyed.

And tomorrow, Kael Ardyn would choose his prey.

---

Next morning, the bell of Dominion tolled across the Academy grounds, summoning all students to the training field. The air was crisp, the sky still heavy with clouds.

Hundreds of youths gathered, their robes marked with family crests, their voices rising in chatter and pride. Kael stood among them, his plain coat drawing sneers and whispers.

The instructors arrived—men and women in black robes, their eyes sharp, their presences heavy with mana. At their lead was a tall figure, his silver hair bound behind him, his gaze cutting across the crowd like a blade.

“I am Instructor Varin,” he said, voice like steel. “You stand here not as children, but as candidates. The Academy of Dominion does not coddle weakness. Here, you rise by strength or fall into obscurity.”

He raised a hand. Magic surged. The ground beneath the students rippled, and stone platforms rose from the earth, forming a circle.

“Today begins with combat trials. Step onto the platforms. Show your worth. Cowards may leave now.”

No one moved.

Varin’s lips curled. “Good. Then bleed.”

The duels began. Students were called in pairs, stepping onto the platforms as the crowd roared. Spells flared, swords clashed, bodies struck stone. Victories were cheered, defeats mocked.

Kael watched, his eyes calm, his mind dissecting every movement. He saw pride, fear, arrogance, hesitation. Weaknesses revealed themselves with every breath.

At last, his name was called.

“Kael Ardyn.”

He stepped onto the platform. His opponent was a noble boy clad in fine robes, sneering openly. “The gutter rat. This will be quick.”

The crowd laughed.

Kael drew no weapon. He stood with hands at his sides, eyes cold, waiting.

The noble charged, sword gleaming. He swung with practiced form, aiming to cut Kael down in one blow.

At the last instant, Kael moved. A step, a twist, a strike. His fist slammed into the boy’s wrist. The sword clattered to the ground. Kael’s foot swept his legs from under him. In three breaths, the noble lay pinned, Kael’s knee pressed against his chest, his dagger cold against his throat.

Silence fell.

Kael’s eyes were empty, his voice colder than the rain. “Pathetic.”

The noble trembled, face pale.

Kael stood, sheathing his dagger. He had not killed. He had not broken the rules. But he had broken something far more valuable—the boy’s pride.

\[Quest Complete: Establish Dominance]

Reward: +2 Strength, +2 Agility, +2 Reputation.

\[Reputation Increased: Students now whisper your name.]

The crowd erupted, not with cheers, but with murmurs. Some mocked, some doubted, but all remembered.

Kael stepped down from the platform, his gaze sweeping over the nobles who had laughed at him the night before. Their eyes no longer carried only contempt. Now, they carried unease.

The predator had bared his fangs.

And this was only the beginning.