Chapter 2 – The Price of Power

Klaeton crouched above a fallen deer, wiping blood off his blade as moonlight trickled through the canopy. The Southern Desolation never slept. Not the beasts. Not the gates. Not the shadows that whispered at night.

And certainly not Klaeton.

As he sat against a tree, chewing dried meat and scanning for movement, a familiar memory crept into his mind—unwanted, but unstoppable.

Why did I go in alone?

Why didn't I wait?

Four Years Ago

Klaeton had just turned fourteen.

Training with his family that morning had ended early. As usual, he slipped away from the compound and made his way to the base of the southern mountains. Hidden behind vines and moss was a narrow cave—a place no one else knew about.

His hideout.

There, he meditated. Practiced his forms. Sharpened his focus. He'd been coming here ever since the rankings had been announced two years ago. Being number one meant something to him.

That day, however, something was different.

A faint hum echoed through the cave's mouth. Klaeton stepped outside to see a gate—small, faintly glowing, almost weak in appearance. To anyone else, it might've looked harmless.

And Klaeton, confident in his ability, made a decision.

It's probably just low-rank monsters… I can clear it fast. No one has to know.

He stepped in alone—breaking the island's one unbreakable rule:

Never enter a gate without at least two allies.

Inside, the air was thick and musty. The halls twisted like tunnels, littered with goblins—dozens of them. Klaeton cut through them effortlessly, daggers dancing with light. Each step deeper into the gate fed his confidence.

Then came the Goblin King.

The massive, snarling brute lunged at him—but Klaeton barely blinked. He flipped over the creature, slashing his daggers through its back and neck, light magic carving cleanly through flesh and bone.

Too easy.

The king collapsed in a heap.

Klaeton waited for the gate to close.

An hour passed.

Nothing.

What the hell…?

Frowning, Klaeton re-entered the dungeon, determined to figure out what was wrong. At the back of the king's chamber, he found it: a dark hallway, long and silent, stretching deep underground.

And at the end, a door.

Maybe there's a hidden boss.

Still confident, he opened it.

Inside stood three giants.

Two knelt in reverence before a third, who sat on a crumbling stone throne, twice as large as the others. As the door creaked open, the two kneeling giants vanished in a blink.

They reappeared beside Klaeton.

He barely had time to react before a punch crushed his ribs and a kick slammed him into a wall. He hit stone hard, coughing blood as he collapsed to his knees.

What the—

Pain surged through him. Light magic flared to life as he staggered up and sprinted toward the exit—but the door slammed shut with a heavy thud.

And that's when he felt it.

A pull.

Something invisible—tugging at the mana within his core.

What's happening...?

He turned.

The third giant remained seated, arm outstretched. It was stealing his mana, slowly, methodically.

Panic set in.

His breathing grew ragged. He clenched his daggers and rushed forward, hoping to kill the giant before his strength drained.

But the other two weren't done.

They attacked again. He parried and dodged, slashing back with all his speed, but their blows were crushing. And all the while, the seated giant continued draining him dry.

Half my mana... now a quarter...

He faltered. Blood streaked down his face. His vision blurred. He staggered toward a broken statue in the corner of the chamber—its worn surface depicting an ancient god with shadowed wings.

Klaeton slumped behind it, chest heaving.

I can't win.

The ground trembled. The giants were closing in.

Then—

Splatter.

He looked down. A warm wetness was spreading across his leg.

A spear had pierced clean through his shoulder. His arm dropped, limp and useless.

And then—

CRACK.

A sword impaled him through the chest.

His vision dimmed.

Blood pooled around him.

Am I... going to die here?

I was supposed to be the strongest.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

"Do you desire even greater power?"

"Yes / No"

"If no, you will die in 10 seconds."

Klaeton blinked.

The message hovered in front of him, glowing crimson. His heartbeat slowed. He could feel the end creeping in.

Is this real?

Does it even matter anymore?

His hand twitched.

His mouth barely moved.

"Yes..." he gasped.

"I want more power... if it means I'll live..."