⊙---Drop Rewards
Kael lay sprawled on the ground, bloodied and drenched in sweat, his body weighed down by exhaustion.
His limbs ached, his breaths came in ragged gasps, and for a moment, he simply let himself exist in the aftermath of battle.
But the moment he leveled up, a surge of newfound energy flooded through him, washing away his fatigue in an instant.
Strength coursed through his limbs, his senses sharpening. He clenched his fists, reveling in the feeling.
Level 8.
Still a long way to go.
The sun had risen, casting its golden glow over the cliff. He had spent the night until dawn hunting rogue monsters and had just survived a brutal fight against an Elite Darkspawn—Void Reaver, a foe several levels above him.
The fact that he had managed to not only stand his ground but kill it was almost unbelievable.
The Rebirth Core. It had saved his life.
Slowly, Kael pushed himself to his feet, his muscles no longer screaming in protest.
He turned his gaze to the side and called for Limo. The furry system guide popped into existence beside him, bouncing in place, his stubby paws twitching with excitement.
"Great battle, Kael! That was awesome!" Limo chirped, his fluffy tail wagging.
Kael barely acknowledged the praise. His mind was elsewhere. "Limo, what do you know about the Rebirth Core?" he asked, his voice edged with curiosity.
Limo blinked, his usual enthusiasm faltering for a brief second. "Rebirth Core?" he repeated, tilting his head. "It's a special class granted only to the Reborns."
Kael frowned. Reborns? Is that what I am?
That wasn't something he had heard before.
"I don't know how, but I activated it back there. The power it unleashed…"
He trailed off, his thoughts replaying the battle—the way Void Rend, Void Spiral, and Void Breaker had flowed through him like instinct.
Limo rubbed his tiny paws together, glancing away nervously. "Yeah… I don't know much about it. The Rebirth Core isn't part of the Ascension System. It's way beyond my domain."
He hesitated before adding, "You might need to ask the other guy."
Kael's eyes narrowed. The entity.
The voice he had heard back there… it wasn't the same one from before. Could there be more to the Rebirth Core than he realized?
The entity had once said his level was too low to comprehend its true nature.
That meant only one thing—
He needed to level up.
His pulse quickened with anticipation. He had barely scratched the surface of what the Rebirth Core could do, and after experiencing that raw power firsthand, he was hungry for more.
A system notification chimed, alerting him of unopened drop rewards from the Void Reaver. Kael instinctively opened the menu, curiosity flaring.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:]
Drop Reward: Stealth Cloak (Level 10)
Obtained from defeating the Void Reaver.
A dark, lightweight cloak that enhances stealth and reduces enemy detection. It provides minor resistance to shadow-based attacks and increases the duration of stealth effects.
Effects:
- Grants enhanced concealment in low-light environments.
- Reduces enemy detection range by 30%.
- Duration of stealth effects increases with the user's agility.
Drop Reward: Shadow Earrings (Level 10)
Obtained from defeating the Void Reaver.
A pair of dark, gleaming earrings infused with Void energy. Enhances the wearer's agility and perception in darkness, reducing the chance of being detected.
Effects:
- Increases agility by 10%.
- Enhances night vision and awareness in low-light environments.
- Reduces enemy detection range by 20%.
- Grants minor resistance to shadow-based attacks
Drop Reward: Void Boots (Level 10)
Obtained from defeating the Void Reaver.
Sleek, weightless boots infused with Void energy, allowing the wearer to move with near-silent footsteps. Shadows seem to gather around them, distorting movement and reducing visibility. The Void's essence within the boots dampens impact, making landings from great heights more forgiving.
Effects:
- Increases movement speed by 10%.
- Reduces noise while moving.
- Lowers fall damage by 30%.
Void Reaver Shadow Set pieces : 3/4
Collect all four pieces to unlock the full set bonus.
Kael's lips curled into a satisfied grin.
Oh, there's a set bonus if all four pieces are collected?
These items would be game-changers. If he wanted to get stronger, he would need every advantage he could get.
Kael squinted against the brightening horizon as the sun rose once more.
Morning already.
He exhaled, his breath steady despite the long night of battle. It was time to head back to the inn and freshen up.
Later, he would ask Mylar for help in exchanging his loot.
Without guild membership, he couldn't access the Awakeners' Ward, meaning he had no direct way to trade his spoils for coin or resources. It was an inconvenience—but one he would deal with soon enough.
For now, rest. Then, he would figure out his next move.
********
As Kael approached the inn, an unsettling sensation crept over him—like someone's gaze was boring into his back. He turned, and there, in the dim light of the corner, he saw her.
It's her!
Seated across from Mylar, the young woman's presence struck him like a spark to tinder.
Her dark hair was the same shade as his, and those eyes—bright, vivid red like two rubies—stood out like nothing he had ever seen before.
The intensity of her gaze was enough to send a jolt through him.
Kael realized, with sudden clarity, that those eyes were a rare and unusual trait in Erendath—something almost unheard of in this remote part of the realm.
It wasn't just uncommon; it was unique. A hereditary mark that set them apart from everyone else, binding them in a way deeper than memory, deeper than blood.
Before he could process the moment further, she sprang to her feet and rushed toward him. Her arms enveloped him in a tight embrace, her sobs muffled against his shoulder.
Her words came in broken gasps, something about him being alive—but the sound was drowned by her tears.
Kael stood frozen, unsure how to respond, but before he could say a word, she pulled away just enough to inspect him, her hands gently cupping his face as her eyes swept over him in search of any signs of injury.
He saw the worry etched into her features, but beneath it was something else—relief, the kind that softened her expression like a heavy weight lifting.
Her teary eyes caught his and tugged at his heart, a wave of familiarity washing over him.
"Are you alright?" she asked, her voice soft but urgent. "You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"
Kael paused.
He wasn't sure what to say, how to explain everything that was racing through him. His mouth was dry, his mind scrambling to find the right words.
After a moment's hesitation, he nodded slowly and, almost instinctively, whispered, "No. I'm fine… sis."
The word hung in the air between them, tentative and uncertain, but to his surprise, she looked as if she had heard the sweetest melody in the world.
Her face crumpled with emotion, her eyes welling up again, and she nodded, a soft, broken smile playing on her lips.
It was the kind of smile that spoke of hope and long-held longing—a simple word that seemed to heal a wound Kael hadn't even realized was there.
"That's good. As long as you're okay." She smiled softly, the expression fragile yet filled with something Kael couldn't quite place—relief, maybe.