The System alert echoed in Calder's mind, a stark contrast to the grimy reality of his surroundings. He blinked, and the quest interface materialized before his eyes, floating in the air like a holographic tattoo.
> [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."
Calder read the objective, a sense of determination washing over him. He knew this was his chance to prove himself, to show the world that he was more than just a glitch in the system.
> 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)
A chill ran down his spine, but it wasn't fear—it was anticipation. Something inside him hungered, something ancient and powerful. He could feel it stirring, awakening with each beat of his heart.
"I guess this is how it starts," he murmured, zipping up his weathered jacket. The fabric was worn, the seams peeling, and a jagged slash marred one sleeve, but it was his. His combat boots were scuffed but heavy, a reminder of the battles he had yet to fight. Whatever else the world tried to strip from him, Calder Draco would keep walking.
---
The city's edge, known as the Outer Boroughs, was a lawless wasteland of half-abandoned tenements, gutted train yards, and low-security Rift Zones. The government had long since abandoned this place, leaving it to the mercy of gangs and the monstrosities that crawled out of the rifts. The weak either adapted or disappeared, and Calder intended to do neither.
Tonight, the air was thick with the acrid smell of trash fires and the sharp tang of ozone. Riftstorms had blown in from the Pacific, leaving raw magic to leak into the streets like a cancerous tide. Calder's breath fogged despite the summer heat, and Veil-light shimmered faintly in the gutter, casting an eerie glow on the decaying surroundings. A warped dog, its form twisted and translucent, skittered past him, a stark reminder of the horrors that lurked in the shadows.
He stepped deeper into the dark, his senses heightened, every nerve ending alive and buzzing with energy. The System pulsed within him, a constant reminder of the power he now wielded.
> [Quest Zone Detected – Veil Fracture Radius: 63 Meters]
[Riftspawn Signature: CLASS D – Feral Thrall]
He heard it before he saw it—a wet slithering sound, the rasp of cracked bone, and a growl that sent shivers down his spine. It was a sound like a man choking on nails, raw and primal, a testament to the horrors that now inhabited his world.
Then it lunged.
The creature was a twisted parody of a human, its body emaciated and limbs contorted at unnatural angles. Its skin was stretched taut like wax paper, veins pulsing with an otherworldly glow. The jaw hung open too wide, revealing spiraled fangs that dripped with green saliva.
> [ENEMY TYPE: FERAL THRALL – UNSANCTIONED RIFTPAWN]
[WEAKNESSES: Piercing trauma | Hemorrhage]
Calder's heart pounded in his chest, but he stood his ground. He wasn't trained, didn't have a weapon, but his body had changed. He was no longer the scrawny outcast; he was a Sovereign, and he would not back down.
> [SYSTEM UNLOCK – BLOOD SIGIL: ACTIVE USE ENABLED]
Time seemed to slow as Calder's instincts took over. He ducked the first swipe of the creature's claws, the metal fence behind him screaming as the sharp tips tore through it. The second blow came faster, but Calder was ready. He slid low, his hand closing around a broken pipe lying on the ground. With a primal roar, he struck.
The jagged pipe punched into the creature's side, drawing thick, dark blood. It hissed in pain, its eyes flashing with a mix of anger and surprise. Calder could feel the power coursing through his veins, the adrenaline surging, making him stronger, faster.
> [BLOOD SIGIL IMPRINTED]
A red glyph bloomed in the air, spinning like a top before embedding itself in the Riftspawn's chest like a brand. The creature staggered, its movements growing sluggish as the sigil took effect.
> [MARKED: TARGET WILL YIELD ESSENCE ON DEATH]
Adrenaline surged through Calder's veins, making him feel invincible. His arms burned with power, his vision sharpened, and every sense was heightened to an almost painful degree. He ducked again, countering with a swift uppercut that sent the pipe crashing into the creature's throat.
The Feral Thrall staggered, its eyes rolling back in its head. Calder saw his opening and took it, ramming the creature back against the wall with a force that shook the very foundations of the building. He screamed, a primal roar of rage and triumph, as he drove the pipe deeper into the creature's flesh.
Black-green blood spurted, coating Calder's hands and arms, the coppery scent filling his nostrils. The creature twitched once, twice, and then stilled, its lifeless eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.
> [KILL CONFIRMED]
[SIP GAINED: +200]
[Trait Boost Unlocked – BLOOD SIGIL (Lv. 1 → Lv. 2)]
[Resonance Alignment at 6.4%]
The glyph dissolved, and a faint orb of pulsing light rose from the Riftspawn's chest, hovering in the air like a ghostly remnant of its existence.
> [OPTIONAL OBJECT DETECTED – RAW MONSTER CORE]
[Activate: CONSUMPTION MATRIX?]
Calder hesitated, his heart pounding in his chest. He knew what he had to do, but the thought of consuming the core sent a shiver down his spine. With a deep breath, he nodded, activating the Consumption Matrix.
> [CONSUMING...]
The light passed into him like molten ice, pain flaring as the essence of the Riftspawn coursed through his veins. His eyes rolled back, and for a moment, he was lost in a vortex of darkness and light, of power and primal energy. Then, the feeling faded, replaced by something deeper, more permanent.
> [Random Trait Fragment Acquired – VAMPIRIC: Bloodflow Acceleration (Locked)]
[Stored in Sovereign Archive. Requires 2 Additional Fragments to Form Skill Node.]
Calder gasped, his body trembling with the aftermath of the consumption. He could feel the blood in his veins moving faster, warmer, like liquid fire coursing through his body. His senses were heightened, the shadows less dark, the wind on his skin tasting like old metal and burnt sugar. He staggered against the alley wall, the blood on his hands cooling in the breeze, a stark contrast to the inferno raging within him.
> [Sovereign Trait Progress: 9.4%]
[Next Sovereign Tier Trial in 95 Days]
He looked up, his eyes meeting the cold, indifferent gaze of the city looming above him. Giant screens projected fake smiles and elite tournament ads, a cruel reminder of the world he had been cast aside from. Glimmering towers of Veil-rich corporations scraped the sky, a testament to the power and wealth that he had once been denied.
No more.
He had power now, and he would use it to tear down the walls that had kept him captive for so long. The System had awakened him, not the other way around, and he would not let this opportunity slip through his fingers.
He wiped the blood from his cheek, a grim smile playing on his lips as he read the next quest prompt.
> [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
Calder smirked, a predatory glint in his eyes as he stepped out of the alley, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.
"Time to cause a little chaos," he murmured, his voice a low growl that resonated with the power coursing through his veins.