System? Surprise

"Maximus, I told you to…umm, what? This is…"

A pause.

Then"By the bleeding scrolls of Saint Panacea, what sorcery is this?!"

The door burst open.

His mother stood at the threshold, staring wide-eyed at the chaos inside the room. Her gaze followed the thin, perfectly straight slice that cut through the table, through the chairs, through the wall and continued straight outside.

Her jaw dropped as she spotted the two neat halves of an apple resting at Maximus's feet, a soft steam rising from where they'd been so cleanly separated.

She blinked once. Then turned to him.

Max stood frozen, his face pale. Eyes darting between the wreckage and her expression.

He took a step back, nearly stumbling.

"Wait, wait, Mother, this this isn't " He flailed his hands in front of him like some sort of makeshift shield.

"It wasn't me, I swear! It just"

Slice.

The tiny blade still pinched between his fingers brushed against the outstretched hand he was waving around.

There was no sound. Just a faint sensation, like a cold breeze kissing his skin.

Then

"Agh—ow, what the—!"

He yanked his hand back, clutching it.

A thin red line appeared across his index finger. Only half a cut. Just enough to sting like hell and prove a point.

"Damn it this thing's sharp!"

His heart pounding, Max fumbled with the blade.

Without wasting another second, he shoved the tiny sword back into its sheathe.

It clicked softly sliding perfectly into place.

Once more, just a pendant.

Harmless. Quiet. Innocent.

He stared at it.

Then let out a long, exhausted sigh.

"I'm never touching you again without gloves."

Maximus muttered to the pendant, holding it like it had personally ruined his weekend.

Before he could even take a full breath

"What in the underwears of Merlin just happened in here?!"

His mother stood frozen in the doorway, broom in hand, staring at the chaos like she'd walked into an alchemy explosion.

A perfect, clean slice ran from the table through the wall and out the house, and she just like him couldn't even begin to process it.

And then

tick

A single drop of blood fell from the shallow cut on Maximus's finger.

The tiniest wound.

The drop hit the wooden floor with a soft splatter.

ding!

A sharp chime exploded inside his skull.

Maximus jerked upright, eyes widening as a wave of static-like energy buzzed through his mind.

Suddenly

a translucent, light-purple screen appeared before his eyes, floating midair.

Letters etched themselves across the surface like a quill writing in the sky.

"Wha—what the actual sorcery of Merlin's beard is this?!" he gasped.

Ding!!

[Congratulations, Host.]

You have awakened the Emotional Treasure Chest System!

> [Fetching a starting reward as your system initiation gift…]

Max's jaw dropped.

Wait, what is this!!

[Congratulations, Host!]

You have received a Mythical Crystal Chest as your welcome bonus.

[Opening now for demonstration.]

Before he could blink, a glowing purple rainbow crystal colored chest materialized in front of the screen hovering like a godsent hallucination. It shimmered with radiant light, glowing like a sacred artifact.

Then

click.

The chest opened.

A blinding cascade of magical light burst forth, forcing Maximus to squint and throw his arm up.

Ding!!

[Congratulations! You have awakened an SSS-Tier Talent:]

[Talent Unlocked!]

First Unique Talent Acquired:

[Nonsensical Magician] (SSS-Tier Passive Talent)

• You cannot learn magic like normal people.

Reason rejects you. Logic fears you.

But somehow… you still cast it through chaos.

Maximus's mouth opened.

Closed.

Opened again.

"…I think I need to sit down."

Just as the thought passed his lips

STKKKKKKKKK!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!

The sky outside flashed an electric lance of lightning stabbed the earth beside the house, shaking the walls and lighting up the windows like a divine warning.

Then—another.

BOOM. BOOM. BOOM.

The earth groaned as shockwaves ripped through the village's edge.

The hut shook violently.

Diaries, books, apples, everything that wasn't nailed down flew into the air.

The right wall exploded inward as if struck by cannon fire.

Wood shattered.

Dust choked the room.

Splinters sprayed through the air like arrows.

Max didn't think.

Didn't hesitate.

"Mother!"

He lunged forward, grabbing the old woman and throwing his body over hers.

CRACK!

A splinter tore across his shoulder.

Another embedded in his back.

Blood burst from thin gashes as he grunted, the pain sharp and real.

The impact knocked them both to the ground, Max shielding her entirely with his body.

She gasped beneath him.

"What are you doing?! Maximus"

"Ughh…" A groan escaped his throat.

He clenched his jaw, holding back the scream.

Tiny shards of wood had sliced across his cheek.

One embedded near his collarbone.

The pain radiated in bursts.

His eyes were wide but he didn't move.

Not until everything stopped shaking.

They were on the floor now, dust swirling around them, the remains of the room half-collapsed.

The woman looked up, pale and trembling.

"W-What in the name of the gods of Eldarado"

She froze.

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

"...Did the wyverns come back?"

Her face had gone rigid with old horror. Memories too deep to forget.

Before Max could reply

A voice, booming with fury and authority, tore through the air outside:

"Do not hurt him!"

The tone wasn't a warning.

It was a command.

Suddenly, the last fragments of the wooden wall began to shimmer.

Then—melt.

Like snow beneath sunlight, the wood liquified and drained downward, folding into a circular ring of glowing gold before vanishing entirely.

From the mist of glowing particles, three figures emerged.

All were dressed in robes sleek, flowing, dark as night.

The first was short and broad, dwarfish in build, his beard braided tightly and half tucked into his belt. A wand rested in his hand thick and carved from obsidian bone. Its tip was glowing faintly… and growing sharper by the second.

Max's heart raced.

Still lying atop his mother, his hand instinctively went to the pendant at his chest.

The second and third men were taller, lean and hooded.

They exchanged a glance.

They didn't speak but something passed between them. A silent understanding.

They watched the dwarf carefully.

They didn't stop him.

Their gazes drifted to the boy on the floor.

To the woman beneath him.

To the blood staining Maximus's back where shards of wood still stuck out like thorns.

The dwarf raised his wand aimed straight at them.

The tip pulsed.

Max tensed.

Then

"I don't think that's a good idea, Murfy."

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