Amidst Fire and Ice
The battle raged on, a maelstrom of chaos and elemental fury. Vyn watched, almost breathless, as the monstrous creature unleashed a torrent of fiery assaults, each breath a gout of flame, each claw strike a deadly dance of death. Opposite the beast, the girl danced through the storm of attacks—her movements graceful and precise, her counterattacks a series of intricate ice spells that crystallized the air with their chill.
From Vyn's vantage, the duel unfolded with dizzying speed, the clash of fire against ice a blur of motion that was hard to follow. Yet, despite the ferocity of their exchange, it was evident that the intensity of their confrontation was waning. The monster's fiery breaths came less frequently, heavy with the cost of energy spent, while the girl's magical reserves, her mana, visibly deplating as she parried and retaliated.
As their attacks slowed, each move became a calculated chess play, a strategic maneuver weighed with exhaustion and determination. It was amidst this tense recalibration of their battle tactics that Vyn's attention was abruptly seized by an unexpected intrusion in his mind—a calm, disconcerting voice that seemed to emerge from the depths of his consciousness.
[System has detected a new fragment, Host integration will commence]
Staggering back, Vyn's eyes widened in disbelief. The battlefield, the fiery monster, and the ice-wielding girl momentarily faded as he grappled with this new, mysterious voice. The day had already been laden with surprises: the formidable strength of this monstrous adversary, the sudden appearance of the girl who fought with the prowess of an A-ranker, and now, this bewildering transformation of the situation into something entirely unanticipated.
[System connection established, Host information is being calculated…]
"Ah... Am I losing my mind?"
Vyn murmured, his voice tinged with panic as a surreal, holographic-like screen materialized before his eyes. The screen flickered with data, echoing the voice's dictations, both lifelike and yet utterly fantastical.
"What the hell is this?" Vyn exclaimed, his confusion spilling into the open air.
[Host has failed to meet the requirement for Transcension, system will revert to basic setting]
"Wha..."
[Host is pathetic and is a huge disappointment to the system]
"..."
[Host does not have a single trace of world power]
"Are the gods mocking me?"
Vyn's frustration boiled over into a bitter realization. He felt like a mere puppet, a plaything in some cruel divine game. As he stood there, reeling from the implications of the system's harsh judgments, the absurdity of his situation became painfully clear. He had become a spectacle, a source of divine amusement—or so it seemed in the torment of his thoughts.
[System is actively seeking a resolution for the host.]
[System has initiated contact with the world's will regarding the host's predicament. The proposal for collaboration has been decisively rejected. All attempts at persuasion have proven futile.]
[System has reached out to the elemental forces of this world concerning the host's situation. Numerous elementals have declared the host unworthy of their power. All efforts at persuasion have ended in failure…]
[System has extended inquiries to the enigmatic watchers of this realm, often revered by its denizens as gods… The system's calls have gone unanswered.]
As these lines of information cascaded across the screen, Vyn's eyes widened with each message, the voice from the system narrating each development. Despite his efforts to grasp this bewildering onslaught of information, confusion overwhelmed him.
"System did what now? Contacted who? What is all this nonsense?"
Although Vyn could comprehend the words spoken by this enigmatic 'system,' the content was absurdly fantastical. His calm demeanor thus far wasn't due to disbelief in his sanity, but rather the notion that perhaps he had awakened a special ability. In his world, such awakenings were rare but celebrated, often leading individuals to remarkable destinies. Initially, the prospect of possessing such an ability had thrilled him—until now.
Determined to understand, he had resolved to pay close attention to the system's explanations, but what met his ears was nothing short of ridiculous.
Contact the world's will, the elementals, the gods…
"What the hell!" Vyn couldn't contain his exasperation. Was this some kind of twisted joke?
The idea of contacting the world's will seemed far-fetched. Known as a profound force that governed creation, life, and the laws of the universe, the world's will was not an entity one could simply 'call up.' Despite legends of individuals who had supposedly communed with elementals and gods, the casual manner in which the system reported such feats was laughable.
[All attempts to harness external powers have failed. System will now seek an internal solution…]
[System is evaluating the host as a last resort…]
[System has detected an anomaly…]
[A latent power lies dormant deep within the host. System will now attempt to awaken this power…]
[System awakening process successful…]
Vyn's mind spun. What was this system on about? A hidden power within him, yet he felt so utterly feeble?
'What a load of crap!'
If such a power truly resided within him, shouldn't he have been the first to know? And yet, this system that had burst onto the scene spouting endless nonsense claimed to have discovered it.
How did this system even come into existence? What triggered its activation? Was it merely a hallucination spawned from the day's traumatic events?
[The host has proven to be a profound disappointment to the system.]
'Again…'
What was wrong with this thing? Why did it persist in mocking him?
[The host is too weak to manage the awakened power. Despite the successful awakening, the host cannot harness this power fully.]
[System will now restrict a substantial portion of this power, releasing only what the host can manage.]
[The awakening process is complete. Host's statistics will now be displayed.]
The system window before Vyn expanded dramatically, filling his vision with his newly updated information.
Character Information
Name: Vyn Aethelred
- Level: 1
- Title: A Failure
- Class: Warrior
Attributes
- Health:37%
- Spiritual Energy: 10/10
- Mana: 0/0
- Stamina: 8
- Strength: 9
- Dexterity: 5
- Vitality: 1
- Intelligence: 12
- Senses: 2
Skills: None
Abilities: Boundless Light
---
'How…' Vyn's thoughts trailed into stunned silence.
Vyn stood still, the shock rippling through him like a cold wave. It was undeniable that ever since he had set foot on this desolate battlefield, he had carefully concealed his true identity. Yet, in his heart, he never considered himself remarkable. After all, he was the unwanted progeny of the prestigious Aethelred family—a lineage that not only held a vast reputation but also ruled over the mighty southern continent empire with an iron grip.
Born devoid of any magical ability, Vyn was the embodiment of disgrace in the eyes of his illustrious family. To them, he was nothing more than a blemish on their storied legacy. Thus, he was dispatched to this godforsaken battlefield, his only sanctuary and perhaps his final proving ground. It was his sole opportunity to reclaim some semblance of honor, to prove that he was indeed worthy of the Aethelred name. Yet, even after two grueling years amidst the chaos and carnage, hope seemed as distant as the horizon.
The revelation shook him to his core. How did this stupid system uncover his true identity, a secret that had eluded even the keenest eyes on the battlefield for years?
'A failure?'
The title echoed in his mind, each syllable a stinging slap. Was there truly no end to the ridicule he must endure from this strange system?