As the woman hurried away, Eli turned back toward the men, his chest tight with resolve. The larger one stepped forward, cracking his knuckles with a cruel grin.
"You think you're tough, kid? Teaching us to back off?" he sneered.
Before Eli could react, a sharp jab caught his ribs. He stumbled but tried to hold his ground. The second man swung at his side, and pain exploded across his body.
Eli raised his arms to shield himself, but the blows kept coming fists pounding into his ribs and back. The forest edge seemed to close in, muffling the world around him as pain took over.
He gritted his teeth, refusing to fall, even as the attackers showed no mercy. Each strike was heavier than the last, and soon his legs began to wobble beneath him.
His breath came in shallow gasps and soon enough is will alone wasn't enough to keep him standing as he falls and lays sprawled on the muddy ground, his breath ragged and body broken. The brutal beating left him half-conscious, ribs cracked, vision blurred. His attackers had fled when the mysterious woman he had protected vanished without a trace, but he barely had the strength to move.
Pain radiated through his chest, but deeper than that, something inside him stirred. A sudden heat burned through his veins, spreading like wildfire. His vision sharpened, and a glowing interface materialized before his eyes, displaying cryptic symbols and stats.
System Activated: Ascension Code: Heir of Caelith Unlocked
A voice echoed in his mind, calm yet powerful "Ancient bloodline recognized. Unlocking latent enhancements. Survival protocols engaged."
Eli felt a surge of energy flood his broken body. Wounds began knitting, strength returning where there was none. The mysterious power of the Caelith lineage long dormant was awakening within him, granting him a second chance at life.
Struggling to his feet, pain still clinging but now tempered by newfound vigor, Eli understood this was no ordinary survival. This was the beginning of something greater his true journey had only just begun.
"Ascension Code detected."
"Tier: Zero."
"Override in progress..."
His heart slammed against his ribs.
"What... what is this?" he whispered, shaking.
A glowing screen blinked to life in front of him. Transparent. Gold. Impossible.
» Welcome, Heir of Caelith.
» Ascension Code unlocked.
» Initiating First Protocol: Survive.
Objective: Defeat a Tier-1 Wildfang Wolf before dawn.
Time remaining: 32 hours.
Failure = Termination of System.
Reward = Tier-1 Awakening
Eli's eyes drooped, and his body went limp, crashing to the ground with a thud. He lay there, motionless, as the world around him faded to black.
Eli finally wakes up and with a determined glace in his eyes, Eli brushed off the dirt and leaves from his tattered clothes, wiping the dried blood from his swollen lip. He took a deep breath, testing his bruised ribs, and winced in pain. The memory of the assault still seared in his mind, but he pushed it aside, refocusing on his mission.
With a newfound resolve, Eli limped forward, his battered body protesting every step. He navigated through the forest, his eyes scanning the terrain for any sign of the rare ore Master Rudd had tasked him to retrieve. The sun beat down on him relentless in its intensity but Eli persevered, driven by a burning determination.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spotted the glimmer of the ore in the distance. With a surge of triumph, he stumbled towards it, his hands trembling as he grasped the precious mineral.
The return journey was a blur of pain and exhaustion but Eli's resolve never wickered. He pushed through the forest his eyes fixed on the academy's gates until he finally emerged from the trees the imposing structure looming before him.
As he limped towards the gates, the midday sun casting long shadows across the cobbled paths, Eli felt a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over him. He had faced adversity and overcome it proving to himself that he was stronger than he thought.
With a weary smile, Eli presented the ore to Master Rudd, his eyes meeting the old man's in a silent understanding. He had done it. He had faced his fears and emerged victorious.
Every step was a reminder of the night before his ribs still ached, and dried blood clung to his shirt beneath the borrowed cloak.
The guards gave him puzzled glances, but said nothing. The academy was used to seeing students come back bruised from beast hunting exercises… though few looked half dead.
Clutched tightly in his hand was a sack of raw iron ore dark, heavy, and slightly warm. It hummed faintly, a resonance he couldn't explain.
The weapon smithy stood at the far edge of campus, near the training fields, and every step there was a small victory.
Master Rudd, the academy's blacksmith, looked up as Eli entered the forge. He was a thick armed man with soot stained skin and eyes that missed little.
"Took you long enough," Rudd grunted, snatching the sack and opening it. His thick fingers rummaged through the ore before nodding in approval. "Good quality. Where'd you find it?"
"Elric's Hollow," Eli said, his voice hoarse.
Rudd paused. "That's near the forest, I said Old Ore slum. Elric's Hollow is a dangerous place, boy. You went alone?"
Eli only nodded.
Rudd studied him for a long moment, then motioned toward a bench. "Sit down before you collapse."
Eli sat.
For a brief moment, silence stretched between them, filled only by the rhythmic hammering from deeper in the forge.
As Eli stood to leave, the blacksmith caught his arm. "It seems alot happened on the errand more than you should share. Keep your head down, lad. You have what it takes to climb higher."
Eli nodded, his chest tightening.
Outside, the campus was bustling with students. Robed figures carrying grimoires, swordsmen with practice blades slung across their backs, and nobles laughing in tight clusters. Eli walked through it like a ghost unseen, unwanted. No one noticed the dried blood beneath his cuffs, or the stiffness in his stride.
As he neared the dorms, a familiar voice called out.
"Eli!"
He turned to see Lysia one of the few commoners like him waving from across the path. Her smile faltered when she got closer and saw his bruises.
"What happened to you?" she whispered, stepping beside him.
"Nothing," he lied. "Beasts."
She didn't look convinced, but didn't push.
"Master Faelan said we have to submit our affinities tomorrow," she said after a pause. "They're doing evaluations again mana compatibility and all that. Think you'll be ready?"
Eli hesitated.
"I'll manage," he said softly.