The alert from the system reverberated within Calder's mind, starkly contrasting with the dirty and grim reality that surrounded him. As he blinked away the haze, the quest interface suddenly appeared right before his eyes, hovering in the air like a dazzling holographic tattoo, a digital presence amidst the chaos.
> [SYSTEM ALERT – QUEST INTERFACE INITIALIZING…]
[TUTORIAL QUEST: SOVEREIGN'S FIRST BLOOD]
> "A true ruler does not wait for the world to bend; he seizes it with bloodstained hands."
As Calder scanned the objective laid out before him, a wave of determination washed over him. This was it, he thought, his moment to step up and show everyone that he was far more than just a glitch in a broken system—he was ready to claim his place in this unforgiving world.
> Objective: Eliminate a Class-D Riftspawn in the Outer Boroughs.
Reward: +200 SIP | Unlock: Blood Sigil (Active Use) | Trait Resonance Boost | Minor Physical Advancement
Penalty: None.
> Optional Objective: Devour the Riftspawn's core using [Consumption Matrix].
Optional Reward: Random Trait Fragment (Tier 1)
Although a chill coursed through him, it wasn't exactly fear that gripped him; it was anticipation—an almost primal urge that beckoned from deep within. Something within him was awakening, a dormant power that stirred at the rhythmic beat of his heart, eager to be unleashed.
"I guess this is how it begins," he said softly to himself, pulling the zipper of his weathered jacket all the way up. The fabric was far from pristine, marked by years of wear, the seams unraveling in places, and a jagged tear ran along one of the sleeves—a testament to the struggles he had endured and the battles still ahead of him. His combat boots were scuffed, heavy, and grounded, each scrape a reminder of the challenges etched into his journey. No matter how much the world may try to take from him, Calder Draco was determined to keep moving forward.
---
As he made his way to the city's edge, known darkly as the Outer Boroughs, he braced himself for the lawless wasteland that awaited him. This area, a dismal expanse of half-derelict tenements and abandoned train yards, had long been forsaken by the government. Here, the remnants of society surrendered themselves to the whims of ruthless gangs and the abominations that spilled forth from the rifts. In this ruthless environment, the weak either learned to adapt or vanished without a trace, and Calder had made a silent vow to neither back down nor disappear.
The night was thick with the acrid scent of trash fires, mingling with the sharpness of ozone lingering in the air. Riftstorms had swept in from the Pacific, leaving behind a raw, chaotic magic that oozed into the streets like a relentless disease. Even in the sweltering summer air, Calder's breath hung in clouds of fog, while the faint Veil-light shimmered in the gutters, casting an eerie glow over the dilapidated landscape. A warped dog, its form grotesquely twisted and translucent, scurried past him, serving as a grotesque reminder of the terrors lurking within the shadows.
With every step deeper into the darkness, his senses heightened; he felt every nerve ending buzzing with the electric energy of the moment. The System might have been a mere tool, but it pulsed within him like a heartbeat, a constant reminder of the immense power at his fingertips.
> [Quest Zone Detected – Veil Fracture Radius: 63 Meters]
[Riftspawn Signature: CLASS D – Feral Thrall]]
Calder's senses were on high alert as he caught the sound before it even came into view. It was a wet, slithering noise that made his skin crawl, a disconcerting rasp reminiscent of cracked bones creaking under pressure. Along with this unsettling symphony came a growl that slithered down his spine like ice water, piercing through any remaining sense of calm. It was a horrific sound, akin to a man desperately choking on jagged nails—grating, raw, and utterly primal—a harrowing reminder of the dark and twisted horrors that had invaded his once-normal world.
Then, as if conjured by his fear, it lunged into sight.
The creature stood there, a grotesque mockery of humanity itself, its gaunt body resembling nothing more than a marionette with its strings pulled too tightly. Each limb was distorted, bent at unnatural angles, and its skin was stretched taut, shimmery like wax paper under dim light, veins pulsating with a disturbingly vibrant glow that spoke of something otherworldly. The creature's jaw hung open at an unnatural width, revealing a mouthful of spiraled fangs that dripped with a viscous, greenish saliva, adding to its already unsettling presence.
> **[ENEMY TYPE: FERAL THRALL – UNSANCTIONED RIFTPAWN]**
**[WEAKNESSES: Piercing trauma | Hemorrhage]**
Calder could feel his heart thundering in his chest, each pulse echoing in his ears, but he stood resolute, unwilling to flee. He knew that he had not been trained for encounters like this; he lacked any weaponry at his disposal. Yet something within him had shifted. No longer was he the skinny outcast standing on the sidelines; he had transformed into a Sovereign, a name that commanded respect and heralded strength. He would not retreat.
> **[SYSTEM UNLOCK – BLOOD SIGIL: ACTIVE USE ENABLED]**
Time momentarily seemed to elongate as Calder's instincts kicked in. The first swipe from the creature's razor-sharp claws came at him with terrifying speed, but he managed to duck just in time, hearing the metal fence behind him screeching in agony as the claws tore into it like butter. The second strike arrived even faster, but Calder was prepared. He quickly slid down low, his hand instinctively grasping a jagged, broken pipe that lay abandoned on the ground. Channeling an animalistic fury, he swung upward with primal force.
The rusty pipe connected with the creature's side, puncturing through flesh and eliciting a hiss of pain that echoed in the eerie silence. For a fleeting moment, its eyes glinted with a mix of rage and shock, and Calder could feel an intoxicating surge of power surging through his veins, an adrenaline rush that elevated his strength and speed far beyond his previous limits.
> **[BLOOD SIGIL IMPRINTED]**
In an astonishing flash, a vibrant red glyph materialized in front of him, spinning rapidly like a whirlwind before embedding itself like a fiery brand into the chest of the defeated Riftspawn. The creature swayed precariously, its movements becoming sluggish as the sigil took hold, weakening it with each passing moment.
> **[MARKED: TARGET WILL YIELD ESSENCE ON DEATH]**
What once felt like a gnawing fear morphed into an overwhelming sense of invincibility for Calder. His muscles burned with newfound strength, the world around him sharpened into high definition, and every sound was accentuated to a near-painful clarity. He ducked below another swipe, retaliating swiftly with a powerful uppercut that drove the pipe hard into the creature's throat.
The Feral Thrall stumbled back, disoriented, its eyes rolling upward as if trying to escape the nightmarish reality. Recognizing the moment as his only chance, Calder launched forward, slamming the beast hard against the wall, an impact that reverberated through the very bones of the building itself. With a guttural scream that encapsulated both rage and triumph, he drove the pipe deeper into the creature's flesh, an act of sheer desperation and survival.
Dark, viscous blood—black-green and tar-like—spurted out, saturating Calder's hands and forearms as the iron tang filled his nostrils. The creature twitched once, twice, and then, finally, lay still, its lifeless eyes reflecting nothing but the empty ceiling above.
> **[KILL CONFIRMED]**
**[SIP GAINED: +200]**
**[Trait Boost Unlocked – BLOOD SIGIL (Lv. 1 → Lv. 2)]**
**[Resonance Alignment at 6.4%]**
The glyph began to fade away, almost as if it were a phantom slipping into the ether, and from the chest of the Riftspawn, a delicate orb of pulsating light emerged. It hovered there in the air, ethereal and fragile, like a ghostly remnant of the creature's very essence.
> [OPTIONAL OBJECT DETECTED – RAW MONSTER CORE]
[Activate: CONSUMPTION MATRIX?]
Calder found himself caught in a moment of indecision, his heart racing in his chest as if it were trying to escape. He understood the gravity of the decision laid before him, yet the prospect of consuming the core sent an icy shiver down his spine. Gathering his courage, he took a deep breath, and with a resolute nod, he initiated the Consumption Matrix.
> [CONSUMING...]
As the light from the core flowed into him, it felt like molten ice, and he winced at the sharp sting that flared through his body. The very essence of the Riftspawn surged through his veins like a wild, untamed river, and his eyes fluttered shut, drawing him into a chaotic whirlwind of darkness and illumination, power and pure energy. In that brief lapse of time, he found himself completely lost—a mere mortal swept away by forces beyond comprehension. But just as quickly, that overwhelming sensation subsided, replaced by something much more profound and lasting.
> [Random Trait Fragment Acquired – VAMPIRIC: Bloodflow Acceleration (Locked)]
[Stored in Sovereign Archive. Requires 2 Additional Fragments to Form Skill Node.]
Calder gasped loudly, his body trembling as the aftereffects of the consumption coursed through him. He could feel every heartbeat, every pulse of blood in his veins, surging faster and warmer, reminiscent of liquid fire rushing through his very being. His senses sharpened dramatically; the world around him seemed more vivid, the shadows less intimidating, and the wind on his skin felt like an intriguing blend of old metal and burnt sugar. With a stagger, he leaned against the alley wall for support. The blood that stained his hands was now cooling, a chilling contrast to the fiery inferno igniting within him.
> [Sovereign Trait Progress: 9.4%]
[Next Sovereign Tier Trial in 95 Days]
As he raised his gaze, he met the cold, unfeeling eyes of the sprawling city above him. Enormous screens flickered with artificial smiles and promotional advertisements for elite tournaments, serving as a cruel reminder of the world that had cast him aside in the first place. Towering structures gleaming with the emblem of Veil-rich corporations clawed at the heavens, representing a wealth and power that had always seemed just out of his grasp.
But that was no longer the case.
Now imbued with newfound strength, Calder was determined to dismantle the barriers that had kept him shackled for far too long. The System had ignited something within him; he had not merely awakened—it was the world around him that had come to life. There was no way he would allow this once-in-a-lifetime chance to slip away.
He brushed a smear of blood from his cheek, a dark smirk spreading across his face as he read the next prompt that appeared before him.
> [TUTORIAL QUEST COMPLETE]
> Next Quest: RAISE INFLUENCE
> Track or Form 1 Sovereign Bond | Cause 1 Awakening in Another | Acquire Public Attention
> Reward: +800 SIP | Unlock: Bond Thread Interface | Nightborn Emblem Passive
A predatory gleam sparkled in Calder's eyes as he stepped out of the shadows of the alleyway, ready to embrace whatever challenges awaited him beyond.
"Time to stir up a little chaos," he muttered, his voice low and raspy, resonating with the raw power now surging through him like a tide ready to break free.