After turning in the quest, they traveled back to the city. The other three party members gathered around to divide the items.
"See you at the next dungeon!" "Don't forget to upgrade your skills. If Zaria had been any slower with her heals, you'd have ended up in a loot box for sure!"
Kalis let out a dry chuckle before closing the game. He leaned back in his chair, put the monitor to sleep, and threw himself onto his bed. The chatter of the game's NPCs faded into background noise...
Just as he was about to hit 'Log Out,' an overwhelming wave of fatigue crashed over him, as if his body was demanding immediate rest. He collapsed onto his real-world bed, letting his heavy eyelids fall shut...
...and the dream came.
In the Dream
The sky was pitch black, devoid of even moonlight. The faint starlight seemed to be obscured by a thick, heavy fog. The soft chirping of night insects echoed in the silence.
A young boy in simple, light brown cotton clothes stepped cautiously. His breathing was ragged, but his eyes shone with determination.
He wasn't even ten years old yet...
While most children of the Xu Yan clan were just beginning their energy training at the end of their ninth year or the start of their tenth, he... had awakened nearly a year ahead of his peers.
And of course... it made him believe he was "more special than anyone else."
"I'll find something good... and bring it back to show Father."
His whisper was too faint to be heard in the night wind.
He had snuck past the gate guards, leaving the clan estate all alone, braving the cold night to enter the forbidden forest.
Zen: "Here we go again... what is it this time?" "Why is that kid walking into a dark forest all by himself?!"
He had run away from the clan without telling anyone. His goal was to "hunt a spirit beast," or at the very least... "find a precious herb" to prove himself.
He walked past glowing flowers, strange bushes, and the scattered bones of animals. But nothing could deter him.
And then... his eyes locked onto it.
A tuft of grayish-black grass with a dull red tip, glowing faintly under a rock formation. At its center, a round, reddish-orange bead hovered like a tiny ball of fire.
A wide grin spread across his face. He rushed forward to grab it, thrilled, without considering for a moment that...
...precious things are always guarded.
Zen: "Looks like he found something good..." "But... wait! To your right, the bush is moving! Hey, watch out!! Don't pick it yet!!"
He scrambled forward, intent on snatching the herb, oblivious to the fact that a black-furred fox beast had already stirred from a nearby thicket.
A low, sharp growl echoed.
The form of a black-furred fox beast leaped from the darkness. It was about the size of a hunting dog, but its gleaming silver eyes held a startling intelligence.
"A beast!?"
The boy had no time to think. The fox lunged, its sharp claws swiping accurately across his abdomen.
"Ughh!!"
Blood seeped from the wound. The boy collapsed but refused to let go of the herb in his hand. He quickly collected himself, drawing on the meager spiritual energy he had yet to fully cultivate, and threw a counter-punch straight at the fox.
A solid "thwack!" sound came from the impact, but the beast barely flinched. It only took a small step back before growling at him again.
Zen: "Yeah, that's it, punch the damn thing! But... your punch is so weak!" "Is that the 'Kindergarten-Level Dog-Punching Technique'?! It's about to bite your head off, kid!"
The beast's claws raked across his arm again. He fell, but still pushed himself up, gritting his teeth as he dragged his leg, running with all his might. He grabbed a rock, infused it with the last of his spiritual energy, and hurled it at the creature. It let out a yelp but continued its pursuit relentlessly.
Zen: "Damn, he's brave! Still won't let go of the grass...!!" "You're fighting a spirit beast with a rock!? Seriously?!"
Voices called out from the distance.
"I've found tracks over here! This way, quickly!!"
Zen: "There they are! People are coming! To the right!! Run, you idiot, run!!"
He saw the silhouettes of people, but before he could reach them... his body gave out. He collapsed into the cold mud, his eyes staring blankly.
Everything went dark.
Zen: "He survived by a miracle..." "Why can I only watch? Can't I help or do anything at all? Ugh..."
When consciousness slowly returned... the faint scent of medicinal herbs drifted to his nose, along with the warmth of candlelight filtering through a thin curtain. The boy slowly blinked his eyes open.
A light-colored wooden ceiling was the first thing he saw, followed by the bed curtains and the edge of a window letting in a gentle, cool breeze. A sharp pain shot through his stomach and arm; they were tightly wrapped in thick bandages. He tried to push himself up, but just a slight movement sent a jolt of pain through his brain, forcing him to clench his teeth.
In the dim firelight, his reflection in a mirror beside the bed revealed a boy with sharp features and amber-gold eyes that seemed to hold a hidden flame. His shoulder-length hair, a mix of black and deep blue, was carelessly tied up. Though still young, his gaze was as sharp as a battle-hardened warrior's. But now... it held only traces of pain and confusion.
"Oh! You're awake!"
The voice of a middle-aged royal physician called out. He set down a spoon and hurried out of the room.
"I will go inform your father and mother!"
A moment later, the door opened. The sound of several pairs of footsteps entered at once. A powerful, middle-aged man led the way, followed by a sweet-faced woman whose beauty could not be diminished even by tears.
"My son... you... you're awake..."
She collapsed beside the bed, tears streaming down her face. Her trembling hand covered her mouth before she threw her arms around her son, hugging him tightly.
"You foolish child... you... don't you ever scare your mother like this again..."
He remained still, silent, not daring to speak. He could only lower his gaze to the faint bloodstains still on his own arm.
The deep, low voice of his father spoke up.
"Do you have any idea what you've done?"
The boy pressed his lips together tightly.
"I... I'm sorry. I just wanted to prove that I was strong enough to help the clan..."
Xu Yanming—the clan leader—let out a heavy sigh.
"Hah... Do you know how badly you were injured? A little longer... and you would have come back as a corpse."
The boy looked down at his wounds, the candlelight reflecting off the bandages wrapped around his torso.
And then, suddenly...
"My... my spiritual cultivation... Where did it go!?" he shouted.
He tried to gather the qi in his body but felt only emptiness. The meridians that once flowed with energy... were now still and silent.
His face turned pale in an instant, his eyes wide with shock.
"It's... it's really gone..."
Zen: "...Huh, wait. Really gone? Like, completely?" "This kid... he's finished... In this world, having no power means you have no future."