The moon was shining in the sky, moonlight falling on the Ravine family estate over the rooftop, garden and huge walls everywhere. The whole mansion was quiet and so peaceful that you could hear the sounds of insects.
Jackson comes out of his room for his night walk. The servants greet him. He smiles back and moves on. His mission today is to carefully monitor the path that leads directly to the garden. He notices that all the servants are resting in their rooms and the guards coming for their night shift they start are patrolling. He has taken note of all the soldiers' positions.
He reaches the garden then comes back to his room and sleeps.
The next day he also repeated the same thing and observed things are going the same as yesterday. The result was the same , everything was the same as he planned.
Jackson comes out of his room quietly and silently, the cool night breeze grazing his pale skin, walking slowly down the corridor, following the same path he had monitored. When the breathing of everyone slowed down and when the staff were sleeping.
He entered into the garden and standing at the centre of garden.
The air was filled with the scent of the flowers in the garden. There are plenty of trees and flowers which including blue roses, white lilies and star–shaped flowers each individual bloom shimmers softly in the moonlight. The garden was a little haven.
He was stand at the center of the garden with his weak body waving slightly as he inhaled the cold air.
Tonight… it's time to increase his life span.
Looking at the beautiful view of the garden before him that reminded him, his childhood when he and his sister used to play in this garden. But today he must destroy this garden and take all the life from the plants. His heart tells him to keep it and not do this, it is wrong, but his mind repeatedly reminds him of the time of his death.
He clenched his trembling hand and whispered softly in his heart, "System, begin Life Extraction."
The air moved. A faint rhythm filled the garden.
The flowers began to glow one after another, at first subtly, but then flooding with strange brilliant light. The garden glowed bright, as if an ocean of some kind of spirits.
Jackson's eyes widened. The energy poured towards him, flowing like fog and lines of light. The vital energy flowed into him–feeling warm, pure and strong life force.
He took a sharp breath as the feeling swept over him. He felt the baby pulse through his veins, his heart pounding, and a force in his chest that he would never have thought possible.
The glowing garden dimmed. Flowers withered into dust, leaves shriveled, petals fell like ash.
The once–lively garden was now dead silent, colorless and drained. But Jackson stood straight for the first time in years. His pale cheeks flushed faintly, his weak limbs steady and his yellow eyes gleamed with vitality.
Then—
[Ding!]
[You have gained +100 days of life.]
Jackson's breath caught. His lips opened in disbelief before curving into a trembling smile.
"One hundred… days?" He laughed softly. "I can live a hundred more days?"
His heart felt light. For the first time he feel like he can live together with Callista.
He looked down at his hands, flexing them.
This power… It's real. I can live.
But before he could enjoy the sensation for long, another notification appeared before his eyes"—
[New System Function Unlocked: Store.]
[Host can now buy any items, weapons, skills and special resources in exchange for life force.]
Jackson blinked. "Store?" he whispered. "Show me something. Like… sword skills."
At once, a bright list appeared, floating in front of him—rows upon rows of glowing script.
[Sword Skills]
[Blazing Edge – Cost: 5 years
Phantom Cut – Cost: 7 years
Moon Fang Strike – Cost: 12 years
Heaven Shattering Slash – Cost: 25 years]
His eyes got widened. "They all cost years!?"
He scrolled further down. Even the simplest one—F-rank Quick Slash—required 2 years of life.
His stomach twisted with frustration. "Two years for something so low-level? Are you kidding me?"
The system's cold voice replied, [Host's current total: 100 days. Insufficient.]
Jackson sighed and let the glowing screen fade away. "Fine, forget it. I'll just… save up."
If I keep extracting, maybe I can reach one year soon. Then… maybe I can buy something useful. Maybe I can protect myself.
He looked around at the dull garden. Guilt arose in his chest for a second and nothing more.
I know it's wrong path that I have chosen today and I have no right to take someone's life. But I want to live, I want to be with her.
From that night he repeated same process again and again to gain life span.
The garden would bloom, then fade. He began exploring other corners of the estate—taking life from wild vines, from tree roots, from small shrubs near the forest edge.
Each time, the system's cold tone rewarded him.
+10 days, +40 days...100 days.
His body grew a little stronger. His steps steadier. His eyes brighter.
Six days passed like that. Six nights of secret hunger.
Now, on the seventh night—Jackson sat at his dinner table and quietly finishing a bowl of soup. The servant bowed him respectfully then he get up from his place, start walking towards the his room for rest. He come inside the room, close the door and set on his bed.
He looked at his hands. They were no longer trembling.
I've changed.
After sometime, he stand up from his bed and walks to the closet then taking out his pajamas and change them. The moonlight comes in through the window and painted silver lines on the floor.
But Jackson lay awake, his mind racing in a whirlpool of insomnia as he tossed and turned in bed; because every time he closed his eyes he would start imagining the events of the night of the engagement ceremony when someone tried to kill him.
It's been six days since then… and no one's come back. Did they give up? Or are they waiting?
His yellow eyes glinted dully in the shadows as he turned onto his side and gazed up at the ceiling.
They thought I would die easily. That I would be weak forever. But now...
He smiled faintly.
Just then—
A flicker of movement. A faint whisper of air.
Jackson's body stiffened. Something cold sliced through the space he had been lying in just a second ago. The pillow tore apart, feathers scattering into the air.
His eyes flashed golden.
"System—Detection!"
[Skill Activated: Detection (Rank F-1)]
He emitted a silent wave of energy which spread outward from him like ripples on water. He became more aware than he has previously—breath could be heard and he could hear boots softly shuffling against the ground.
A dark shadow walked out from behind the curtain and with a dagger in his hands. The dagger was shining in the moonlight, he rushed toward him.
But this time, Jackson moved first.
He fell off the bed as the dagger cut through the air where his chest had been. He landed hard on the floor but stayed calm. His heart raced up not from fear but from excitement.
So, you finally came back.
The assassin straightened, mask gleaming, dagger raised again. The moonlight reflected off the dagger's curve.
Jackson slowly standup and wiping a bit of blood from his cheek where a strand of hair had been cut.
Then—he smiled.
That same weak, sickly boy who once cried alone now stared coldly at his attacker, eyes glowing faintly gold.
"I thought you wouldn't come because you don't come to kill me again after that night. But now that you've come let's settle old scores now."