The Weight of Memory

Chapter 3: The Weight of Memory

Kael was filled with rage. His hands trembled as he forced himself to finish reading the novel. But the moment he reached the happy ending—the protagonist surrounded by his harem, basking in glory—his mind went numb.

Soon after, he succumbed to a fever worsened by his mental state. That fever, aggravated by stress and madness, made him another victim of the novel Coronavirus that had haunted the entire world. Like many others, he died—leaving behind that dreamlike life.

Now, back in his current world, Kael's breathing grew erratic. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He forced himself to calm down, but the storm inside him refused to settle.

He knew what would happen tomorrow. He remembered it all vividly. But his heart couldn't accept it.

"Are those memories… really true?" he whispered to himself, a blend of disbelief and unwillingness gripping his soul.

{Host, you must pull yourself together. It is the truth. Everything is real—has always been, and always will be.}

Kael clenched his fists. "Hey, system... answer me. Why does it feel like I lived that life? Those moments—everything in that dream—it didn't feel like a dream!"

{Those memories in your mind may seem like a dream, but why does Host believe he has lived another life?}

Kael froze, stunned by the question. He fell silent, lost in contemplation.

After a moment, he murmured, "But I know what will happen tomorrow. I remember it so clearly..."

{Yes, Host knows what should happen tomorrow. But with the presence of the Fate Devouring System, your future has already started changing.}

The voice grew deeper, more mysterious.

{You were never meant to wake at 3:37 AM this morning.}

The truth clicked in Kael's mind.

Even though he remembered the future, even though he knew what was supposed to happen… his awareness, his presence, and the system itself had already started to change everything.

Taking a deep breath, Kael focused on the violet panel that hovered in his mind.

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[Fate Devouring System: Level 1]

System Experience: 0%

Note: The system upgrades as Kael progresses, unlocking new functions and increasing efficiency.

Host: Kael Theodore Nightshade

Age: 18

Status: Heir of the Nightshade Consortium; Young Master Nightshade

Cultivation Rank: Ordinary Mortal

Strength: 4 (10 is the limit for ordinary humans)

Speed & Reflexes: 7

Constitution: 5

Charm: 99 (Cannot rise; 100 is the universal limit)

Fate: 777 (No limit)

Note: Host can increase Fate by devouring it from Children of Destiny and other beings of exceptional luck.

Personal Net-Worth: 1.7 Billion Ł

Family Net-Worth: 66.4 Billion Ł

System Wallet: 0

Fate Energy: 0

Note: Primary resource for system functions. Absorbed from enemies, fate-altering events, and world anomalies. Can be converted into Fate.

Fate Value: 0

Note: Measures how much fate Kael has influenced or absorbed. Unlocks hidden abilities and contributes to the System Mall.

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Talent:

• Eidetic Memory

• Sixth Sense (Unlocked: 55%)

Skill-Set:

??? Sword Technique (King) – Locked

??? Footwork (King) – Locked

Chess (Advanced)

Driving (Master)

Close Combat (Master) – Locked

Swimming (Advanced)

Cooking (Intermediate)

Stock Trading (Intermediate)

Diplomacy (Advanced)

Business Art (Expert)

Painting (Intermediate)

Calligraphy (Intermediate)

Drawing (Advanced)

Piano (Advanced)

Violin (Advanced)

Singing (Intermediate)

Football (Intermediate)

Programming (Intermediate)

Equestrian (Intermediate)

Note: Only skills of Intermediate level or higher are listed.

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Kael read through everything with a calm he didn't expect to feel. The system hadn't just given him information—it had given him access to knowledge and skills from all his lives, including the nightmare-like memories that still haunted him. Even if that life had been nothing more than a dream, he had still brought back the skills he learned in it. And that was a blessing.

"How exactly does the system work?" he asked.

{The Fate Devouring System exists to serve and assist the Host in overcoming the Children of Destiny. Missions will be issued periodically, and successful completion will be rewarded.}

{As Host completes missions and gains experience, the system will upgrade, unlocking new features.}

{However, if a mission is failed, penalties may be imposed. The most common penalty is a loss of system experience.}

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To be continued...