Day Eight.
I woke to darkness that felt heavier than it should. Not the natural darkness of pre-dawn, but something else—a weight in the air, a pressure that seemed to emanate from Blackheart where it rested on my bedside table.
The Malevolent Aura. Even sheathed, even inactive, the cursed blade marked the space around it as wrong.
I sat up, running through my mental checklist. Body felt good—completely healed from the goblin spear wound thanks to Rita's potions and my Advanced Mana Circulation working through the night. No pain, no stiffness, full range of motion.
Status check.
[STATUS DISPLAY]
NAME: Leon De Stellis
AGE: 17
RANK: Mortal (Low, 18%)
AFFINITY: [??????]
ATTRIBUTES:
- Strength: 12 (27 with Blackheart)
- Agility: 17
- Endurance: 13
- Mana Pool: 10
- Mana Control: 9
- Intelligence: 18
- Wisdom: 16
- Charisma: 14
TALENTS:
- Sword Affinity - Level 2
- Mana Circulation (Advanced)
- Combat Instinct
- Dark Affinity - Level 1
CORRUPTION LEVEL: 1.5%
ACTIVE QUESTS:
- Survive the Astral Academy Entrance Exam (8 days remaining)
- Foundations of Power: Reach 25% Mortal Rank (2 days remaining, 7% progress needed)
- Master the Darkness (A-Rank, complete before 50% corruption)
Seven percent. If I pushed hard today, I could finish Foundations of Power in one intense session. That would leave me six full days to refine my skills, level up my abilities, and reach the true middle of Mortal rank—fifty-seven percent.
Time to work.
I dressed quickly, strapped Blackheart to my hip, and headed down to breakfast.
---
The dining hall was mostly empty. Father was already gone—some business with merchants, according to a passing servant. Frey sat at the table, but the moment I entered, his body tensed.
He tried to hide it. Forced a smile, kept eating. But I could see the way his hand trembled slightly, the way he leaned away from me without consciously meaning to.
The Malevolent Aura. He couldn't help his reaction any more than he could help breathing.
"Morning, brother," he said, his voice only slightly strained.
"Morning." I took my seat, reaching for bread and cheese.
Silence stretched between us, uncomfortable and thick. Frey wanted to say something—I could see it in the way he kept glancing at me, opening his mouth, then closing it.
Finally: "Leon, are you... are you alright?"
I paused mid-bite. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You're just..." He struggled for words. "Different. Since you came back with that sword. There's something about you that feels—" He cut himself off, probably realizing how it sounded.
"Wrong?" I supplied.
Frey flinched. "I didn't mean—"
"It's fine." I set down my food. "The sword is cursed. It carries a presence. You're reacting to that, not to me."
"But you chose to take it."
"I chose to survive." I met his eyes. "The entrance exam is in eight days. I need every advantage I can get."
"Even if it costs you..." He gestured vaguely. "This?"
I thought about that. About isolation, about the fear in my siblings' eyes, about becoming something people instinctively avoided.
"Yes," I said simply. "Even if it costs me this."
Frey looked like he wanted to argue, but something in my expression stopped him. He nodded slowly, finished his meal in silence, and left without another word.
I ate alone, which was becoming routine.
Rita appeared as I was finishing. "Young master, I've prepared supplies for today's training. Water, basic provisions, and several healing potions in case of emergency."
"Thank you, Rita."
She hesitated, then spoke carefully. "The staff is... uneasy. About the sword. About what it represents."
"Let them be uneasy."
"Will you tell me what you found in those ruins? What that blade truly is?"
I considered her question. Rita was loyal, skilled, and one of the few people who hadn't completely pulled away from me. But some knowledge was dangerous.
"It's a legendary weapon," I said finally. "Cursed, powerful, and necessary for what's coming. That's all you need to know."
Rita studied me for a long moment, then inclined her head. "As you say, young master. Be careful today."
After she left, I gathered my supplies and headed to the stables.
Shadow shied away when I approached, ears flat, eyes rolling white. The horse could feel the Malevolent Aura more strongly than humans, his animal instincts screaming danger.
I spent ten minutes calming him, speaking softly, keeping Blackheart's presence as muted as possible. Eventually, Shadow allowed me to mount, though he remained tense throughout.
The ride to the ruins was quiet. Animals fled before me. Birds went silent. Even the wind seemed to avoid the space I occupied.
This was my life now. Isolated, feared, marked as something dark.
But I'd accepted that cost when I gripped Blackheart's hilt.
Forward was the only direction.
---
I reached the ruins mid-morning and dismounted in my usual spot. Shadow seemed relieved to have distance between us.
Today's goal was clear: seven percent rank progress. That meant approximately thirty-five monster kills, assuming the same experience rate as before.
But I also needed to be strategic about using Blackheart. Every time I drew the blade and channeled its corrupted power, my corruption percentage would increase.
I needed to find the balance between efficiency and preservation.
I drew my normal sword first—the standard military blade I'd been using all week. Reliable, familiar, and importantly, not cursed.
"System," I said quietly. "Track all progress today. Kills, experience, corruption, skill advancement."
[ACKNOWLEDGED]
[COMBAT TRACKING ACTIVE]
I moved into the ruins, Combat Instinct guiding me toward prey.
---
The first wolf pack found me within the hour.
Six wolves, standard tactics, spreading to flank. But with Combat Instinct, I read their movements before they completed them. Saw the pack leader signal with a flick of its ear, predicted which wolves would attack first.
I controlled the engagement from the start.
First wolf charged. I sidestepped—minimal movement—and my blade took it across the throat. Clean kill.
[WOLF DEFEATED]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 0.3%]
Second and third wolves attacked together. I used terrain, positioned myself so they had to come at me single-file through a gap in the rubble. Killed them one at a time, efficient strikes to vital points.
[WOLF DEFEATED]
[WOLF DEFEATED]
The remaining three hesitated, reassessing. I didn't give them time. Pressed the attack, used my agility to stay mobile, picked them off with precise strikes.
[WOLF DEFEATED]
[WOLF DEFEATED]
[WOLF DEFEATED]
Six wolves, maybe two minutes total. My normal sword was sufficient, and Combat Instinct made the fights almost trivial against standard enemies.
[RANK PROGRESS: 18.9%]
I continued hunting systematically. Found slime clusters and spent tedious minutes cutting them apart. Encountered goblin patrols and used superior positioning to overcome their intelligence advantage.
By early afternoon, I'd killed twenty-eight monsters and reached 23.5% rank progress.
[ SWORD AFFINITY: 87% toward Level 2]
My sword work was improving with every fight. The movements becoming more instinctive, the techniques more refined. Another few hours and I'd level up the skill.
Then I found something new.
A section of the ruins I hadn't explored before—deeper into the old fortress, past collapsed towers and through a courtyard overgrown with twisted vegetation.
And there, in what had once been a great hall, I encountered my first real challenge of the day.
An Alpha Wolf.
It was massive—easily twice the size of normal wolves, with fur so dark it was nearly black and eyes that glowed with concentrated mana. This wasn't just a mana beast. This was something that had been feeding on magical energy for years, growing stronger, more dangerous.
[ALPHA WOLF DETECTED]
[ESTIMATED RANK: Mortal (Mid, ~40%)]
[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH]
The Alpha saw me and didn't hesitate. No pack tactics, no circling. Just pure predatory aggression.
It charged, faster than any wolf I'd fought before.
I brought my sword up to defend, and the impact when we collided nearly knocked me off my feet. The Alpha's jaws clamped down on my blade, and I felt the strength behind it—far more than a normal wolf should possess.
I pushed mana through my circulation, enhancing my muscles, and managed to throw the Alpha back. It landed gracefully, already preparing for another attack.
This was beyond what my normal sword could handle efficiently. I could win, probably, but it would take time and risk serious injury.
Or I could use Blackheart and end this quickly.
Decision time.
I sheathed my normal sword and drew Blackheart.
The obsidian blade slid free with a sound like silk over stone, and immediately the world changed. The Malevolent Aura pulsed outward, full force, and the Alpha Wolf actually hesitated.
Good. Fear was a weapon too.
I channeled mana through my pathways, and Blackheart responded. My mana twisted, corrupted, becoming dark energy that burned cold. The three hundred percent amplification hit, and I felt power flood my system.
My attributes shifted. Strength jumped from twelve to twenty-seven. My movements felt faster, sharper, enhanced beyond what my actual agility score suggested.
The Alpha Wolf snarled and charged again, recognizing the threat.
I met it head-on.
My first strike was a horizontal slash—basic technique, nothing fancy. But with Blackheart, basic became devastating.
The blade cut through air and reality both, leaving a trail of crawling darkness. It caught the Alpha across its shoulder, and the effect was immediate and terrible.
The wound didn't just cut—it corrupted. Black veins spread from the injury, and the Alpha howled in pain that went beyond physical damage. Its flesh withered around the wound, decaying while the creature still lived.
The Alpha tried to retreat, but I pressed forward. Another slash, this one vertical, caught it across the chest. More corruption, more decay.
The creature collapsed, whimpering, as the dark energy ate away at it from the inside.
I ended it quickly with a thrust through the skull. Mercy, perhaps. Or just efficiency.
[ALPHA WOLF DEFEATED]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 1.2%]
[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 1.5% → 2.3%]
I stared at the corpse. The corruption from Blackheart's wounds continued even after death, the flesh turning black and brittle, crumbling to dust.
This was the price of the blade's power. Not clean death, but corruption. Suffering. Decay.
And I felt... satisfaction. Not guilt, not horror. Just cold satisfaction at an efficient kill.
Was that me? Or was that Blackheart's influence?
I couldn't tell anymore.
I kept the blade drawn. My corruption had increased, yes, but not dramatically. And the power difference was enormous. Against tougher opponents, Blackheart was necessary.
I moved deeper into the ruins, looking for more challenges.
---
I found the hobgoblin in the ruins' old armory—a large chamber filled with broken weapons and rusted armor.
Hobgoblins were bigger than regular goblins, stronger, and significantly smarter. This one stood about five and a half feet tall, heavily muscled, carrying a proper sword instead of a crude spear. Its eyes held intelligence and calculation.
It saw me and Blackheart, and it didn't run. It grinned, showing sharp teeth, and readied its blade.
A fight, then. A real one.
The hobgoblin attacked first, closing distance with surprising speed. Its sword work was crude but effective—powerful overhead chops designed to overwhelm through brute strength.
I parried the first strike, felt the impact rattle through my arms despite Blackheart's strength enhancement. This creature was strong.
We exchanged blows—it attacked, I defended and counter-attacked, neither gaining clear advantage. The hobgoblin was experienced, had fought before, knew how to read an opponent.
But I had Combat Instinct.
I started reading its patterns. The way it overextended slightly on horizontal slashes. The way it favored its right side. The micro-tells before it committed to an attack.
I waited for the opening.
It came when the hobgoblin tried a thrust—powerful but committed. I sidestepped, let the blade pass through empty air, and riposted.
Blackheart caught it across the ribs, corrupted energy flooding into the wound.
The hobgoblin screamed—not in pain, but in rage. It knew it was dying. The corruption was spreading too fast to stop.
It made one final desperate attack, trying to take me with it.
I stepped inside its guard, drove Blackheart through its heart, and twisted.
The hobgoblin collapsed, and the corruption consumed it rapidly, reducing the corpse to blackened remains.
[HOBGOBLIN DEFEATED]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 1.5%]
[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 2.3% → 3.1%]
[ SWORD AFFINITY: LEVEL UP!]
[ SWORD AFFINITY (LEVEL 2)]
[ SWORD AFFINITY (LEVEL 2)]
Your understanding of sword combat has deepened. All sword techniques learned 25% faster. Sword strikes deal 15% additional damage. You can now perceive weaknesses in enemy sword work. Can learn Intermediate-tier techniques.
The upgrade washed over me—new understanding, deeper knowledge of blade work, edge alignment, momentum, all the subtle complexities that separated competent from skilled.
And my rank:
[RANK PROGRESS: 25.2%]
I'd crossed the threshold. Foundations of Power was complete.
[QUEST COMPLETE: FOUNDATIONS OF POWER]
[CALCULATING REWARDS...]
[REWARD OPTIONS AVAILABLE - CHOOSE ONE:]
[1. BASIC MAGIC AFFINITY]
Unlock ability to learn and cast basic magical techniques. Open access to spell system.
[2. ENHANCED PHYSICAL TRAINING]
+3 Strength, +3 Endurance. Immediate attribute boost.
[3. MANA CIRCULATION TECHNIQUE: MASTER]
Upgrade current Advanced circulation to Master-tier. Significantly enhanced regeneration and efficiency.
I considered carefully. Magic would give me versatility. Physical training would make me more durable. But Master-tier Mana Circulation...
That would enhance everything. My combat ability, my recovery, my resistance to Blackheart's corruption. It was the foundation that all other skills built upon.
"Option three," I said. "Master-tier Mana Circulation."
[REWARD SELECTED: MANA CIRCULATION (MASTER)]
[UPGRADING SKILL...]
[MANA CIRCULATION: MASTER]
Your mastery of mana manipulation approaches the level of true experts. Circulation requires only 10% conscious effort. Passive regeneration increased 100%. Can circulate during any activity including combat and sleep. Enhanced healing rate. Moderate corruption resistance. Mana efficiency increased 50%.
The knowledge integrated immediately. My mana pathways expanded, refined, became channels of pure efficiency. I could feel the energy flowing through me constantly now, not requiring active attention, just there like breathing.
And I felt something else—a slight pushback against the corruption. Not immunity, but resistance. The Master-tier circulation was actually fighting the curse, slowing its advance.
That was worth more than any stat increase.
I sheathed Blackheart and checked my status.
[STATUS DISPLAY]
NAME: Leon De Stellis
AGE: 17
RANK: Mortal (Mid, 25.2%)
AFFINITY: [??????]
ATTRIBUTES:
- Strength: 12 (27 with Blackheart)
- Agility: 17
- Endurance: 13
- Mana Pool: 10
- Mana Control: 9
- Intelligence: 18
- Wisdom: 16
- Charisma: 14
TALENTS:
- Sword Affinity - Level 2
- Mana Circulation (Master)
- Combat Instinct (Passive)
- Dark Affinity - Level 1
CORRUPTION LEVEL: 3.1% (Reduced growth rate due to Master Circulation)
ACTIVE QUESTS:
- Survive the Astral Academy Entrance Exam (8 days remaining)
- Master the Darkness (A-Rank, complete before 50% corruption)
I'd crossed into Mortal Mid rank. Upgraded two major skills. And still had eight days to prepare.
But I wasn't done. Not even close.
I needed to reach fifty-seven percent—the true middle of Mortal rank. And I needed to level up my Dark Affinity, learn to manipulate the darkness element practically, not just as a side effect of Blackheart's corruption.
The sun was setting, painting the ruins in blood-red light. I'd been fighting for hours, and my body was tired despite the Master-level regeneration.
But I wasn't going back. Not yet.
I had work to do.
---
I spent the evening practicing with Blackheart in a secluded part of the ruins.
Not fighting—practicing. There was a difference.
I drew the blade and felt the Malevolent Aura pulse outward. Then I focused on the dark energy, trying to understand it, control it, shape it.
My Dark Affinity was Level 1—barely functional. I could feel the darkness, but manipulating it was like trying to grab smoke.
I channeled mana through Blackheart, watched as it corrupted into dark energy. Then I tried to hold that energy, contain it, shape it into something beyond just a side effect.
The first attempt failed. The dark energy dissipated immediately.
The second attempt lasted three seconds before collapsing.
The third attempt, I managed to create a small sphere of darkness in my palm—about the size of an apple, condensed shadow that absorbed light.
It lasted five seconds before exploding harmlessly.
[DARK AFFINITY PRACTICE: +1% progress toward Level 2]
Progress. Slow, but progress.
I practiced for hours, until the moon rose high and my mana reserves were depleted despite Master-tier regeneration. Creating shapes of darkness, trying to maintain them, learning to manipulate the element.
By the time I stopped, my hands were trembling and my head ached from concentration.
[DARK AFFINITY: 47% toward Level 2]
[CORRUPTION LEVEL: 3.1% → 3.8%]
Using Blackheart's power, even for practice, increased corruption. But slower than combat usage. The Master Circulation was definitely helping.
I sheathed the blade and checked the time. Past midnight. I'd been at the ruins for over fourteen hours.
But the work had been worth it.
I mounted Shadow—the horse had waited patiently, though he still kept his distance—and began the ride back to the estate.
The journey was peaceful in its own way. Dark, quiet, isolated. Just me and my thoughts and the cursed blade at my hip.
I thought about the next week. Eight days until the entrance exam. Eight days to reach fifty-seven percent rank, level up my abilities, and prepare to face Arielle De Luna.
The protagonist with Silverbright. The hero of this story.
While I was the villain with Blackheart. The antagonist scheduled to die in the first arc.
But I wouldn't die. I'd grown too strong, claimed too much power, paid too high a price to just roll over and accept that fate.
When we met at the entrance exam, it would be a real fight.
Light versus Dark.
Hero versus Villain.
Silverbright versus Blackheart.
And I intended to win.
---
I reached the estate well past midnight. The gates were closed, but the night guards opened them immediately when they recognized me—and immediately stepped back when they felt the Malevolent Aura.
The courtyard was empty, most of the estate asleep. I dismounted, handed Shadow to a nervous stable boy, and made my way to my chambers.
Rita was waiting outside my door.
"Young master," she said quietly. "You've been gone over fifteen hours."
"I had a lot to accomplish."
She studied me in the dim torchlight. "You've changed again. Grown stronger."
"That was the goal."
"At what cost?"
I met her eyes. "Whatever cost is necessary."
Rita was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Your father wishes to see you tomorrow morning. Before you leave for training."
"Tell him I'll be there."
She left without another word, and I entered my chambers.
The room felt smaller now, or maybe I felt larger. The power from reaching Mortal Mid rank, from upgrading my skills, made everything seem different.
I set Blackheart on the table, drew it one more time, and studied the blade in the candlelight.
The obsidian surface reflected nothing. Just darkness, pure and absolute.
I channeled a small amount of dark energy, shaped it into a sphere above my palm, and watched it hover for ten seconds before dissolving.
Control was coming. Slowly, but it was coming.
[DARK AFFINITY: 49% toward Level 2]
I sheathed the blade, lay down on my bed fully clothed, and let Master-tier Mana Circulation work its magic while I drifted toward sleep.
Tomorrow I'd meet with Father. Then continue training. Push toward fifty-seven percent. Level up Dark Affinity. Refine my technique.
Eight days until the entrance exam.
Eight days until I faced destiny and proved I was strong enough to defy it.
I closed my eyes, one hand resting on Blackheart's hilt, and surrendered to exhaustion.
The corruption pulsed in my veins, slow and steady as a second heartbeat.
But I was still me. Still in control.
For now.