Kael sat cross-legged on the cold floor of his apartment, the summoned dagger resting across his knees. The glow had faded, leaving it looking like an ordinary blade—jagged and unremarkable. The shopkeeper's "gift" lay beside it, just as plain.
"Not special," he muttered, running a finger along the summoned dagger's edge. A faint hum answered his touch, almost imperceptible.
He closed his eyes, focusing on the mechanical voice in his mind. "System. Show me your interface."
[Divine Weapon System]
[Host: Kael]
[Level: 1 | EXP: 0/100]
[Summoning Capacity: 1 Weapon]
[Current Weapon Rank: Common]
[Attributes] [CORE ATTRIBUTES]
Strength: 10 → 11 (Awakening Boost)
Agility: 12 → 13
Endurance: 10 → 11
Intelligence: 14 → 15
Wisdom: 10 → 11
Charisma: 8
[SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES]
Divine Power: 0 → 1
Backlash Resistance: 0 → 5
Energy Absorption: 10
Weapon Mastery: 1 → 2
System Affinity: 12
[Permanent Buffs]
-None-
[Current Buffs]
Attack Speed: +5%
Critical Hit Chance: +10%
[System Functions]
Summon/Recall Weapon
Weapon Analysis
Backlash Mitigation Protocol
Energy Absorption Rate: 10% Efficiency
Kael's eyes narrowed at the Charisma stat. "Why even track this?"
[Charisma governs social interactions, leadership, and intimidation. Low value: Host is perceived as cold/unapproachable.]
He dismissed the explanation and look at Weapon Analysis. "Explain Weapon Analysis."
[Weapon Analysis]
[Common-ranked weapons provide minor stat boosts and basic combat utility.]
[Higher-ranked weapons (Uncommon+) unlock passive abilities, elemental effects, and stronger buffs.]
[Current Weapon: "Shard of the Forsaken"]
[Durability: 100%]
[Attack Speed: +5%]
[Critical Hit Chance: +10%]
He picked up the shopkeeper's dagger. "Analyze this."
[Standard Iron Dagger]
[No special properties detected.]
[Recommendation: Discard or use as backup.]
Kael scoffed but slid it into his belt anyway.
---
The city's eastern slums were a graveyard of collapsed buildings and scavenger gangs. Kael moved through the rubble, his summoned dagger glowing faintly in his grip.
[System Alert: Minor threat detected.]
[Target: "Rustfang" Rat (Level 1)]
[Weakness: Head, Light-based attacks]
A dog-sized rodent lunged from a crevice, yellowed fangs bared. Kael sidestepped, slashing its flank. The blade cut deeper than expected, black blood spraying.
[Critical Hit!]
[Experience gained: 5/100]
The rat screeched, whipping its tail. Kael sidestepped, drove the dagger into its skull, and twisted. The creature crumpled.
[Target eliminated.]
[Monster core detected: Grade F]
A pea-sized red crystal materialized in the rat's chest.
A scavenger girl, 12-13 years old, emerged from rubble, clutching a rusted pipe. "S-sir! Can I have that core? My brother's sick—"
Kael crushed the rat's core without looking at her. Warmth flooded his veins.
[Energy Absorbed: +5 EXP]
[Bonus: +0.5 EXP (Energy Absorption 10%)]
[Level 1: 10.5/100]
The girl stumbled back, her rusted pipe clattering to the ground as Kael absorbed the core's energy. Her lips trembled. "Y-you didn't even—!"
A rock struck Kael's shoulder.
He spun, the summoned dagger humming faintly in his grip. Three figures emerged from the rubble—two men and a woman, their faces masked by scavenged armor. The leader, a gaunt man with a serrated cleaver, kicked the rat's carcass.
"First kill, eh?" The man's voice rasped like grinding stone. "Gutsy. Stupid, but gutsy."
Kael's dagger pulsed, its cracks glowing blue. "Back off."
The woman laughed, twirling a chain studded with broken cores. "Or what? You'll poke us like a sewer rat?" She nodded to the girl, now cowering behind a collapsed wall. "She's ours. Her brother's already coughing up blood in our pit."
The girl froze, eyes widening.
The third scavenger, a hulking figure with a welded metal mask, cracked his knuckles. "Hand over the cores, kid. Maybe we'll let you keep your tongue."
[System Alert: Hostile Intent Detected]
[Threat Level: Moderate]
[Recommended Action: Flee or Eliminate]
Kael adjusted his grip. The summoned dagger glowed before disappearing, then took out the shopkeepers dagger, preparing for combat.
The leader narrowed his eyes and sighed. "Wrong answer."
The woman lashed her chain. Kael ducked, but the weighted end grazed his temple. Blood trickled into his eye as the masked brute charged.
[Combat Initiated]
[Precision Strike Available: Agility Check Passed]
Kael sidestepped, driving the dagger into the brute's thigh. Though the dagger looks fragile, it can actually tore through their armor.
[Critical Hit!]
The brute roared, slamming a fist into Kael's ribs. Bone creaked.
The leader's cleaver came next. Kael parried, but the dagger's cracks spread. "You're just another corpse who doesn't know when to quit," the man spat, pressing closer.
Behind them, the girl snatched her pipe and swung at the woman's knees. The chain-wielder yelped, stumbling into the leader's path.
Kael lunged. His dagger sank into the leader's forearm.
[Weapon Durability: 15%]
The scavengers retreated, dragging their wounded. "This ain't over, freak," the leader snarled. "We know where you hunt now."
Kael's dagger shattered. He clutched his ribs, blood seeping between his fingers. The girl stared at him, pipe raised like a sword.
"Why?" she whispered.
He crushed another rat core from his pouch, its energy dulling his wounds. "Core's spent. Useless now." He tossed it to her. "Don't follow me."
As he walked away, the system's voice echoed:
[Charisma Check Failed]
[Outcome: Civilians perceive host as volatile. Increased hostility likely.]
---
By midnight, Kael had cleared seven rats and two mutated beetles. His dagger's glow was dimmer now, cracks spiderwebbing its surface.
[Warning: Weapon durability at 20%]
[Recommendation: Recall to prevent backlash.]
He ignored it.
The ninth rat lunged. Kael swung—and the dagger shattered.
[Weapon destroyed!]
White-hot pain seared his ribs. He staggered, coughing blood as the system's voice turned urgent:
[Backlash: -10% HP]
[Backlash Resistance: 5 → 6 (surviving damage)]
[Wisdom: 11 → 12 (learning from mistakes)]
[New Weapon Summoned: Common-ranked shortsword "Ember's Edge"]
[Passive Buff: +8% fire affinity]
Kael wiped his mouth, grinning. The shortsword's blade flickered with faint orange embers.
"Again."
---
At dawn, Kael returned to his apartment, his clothes torn, his new shortsword strapped to his back. The system's interface buzzed:
[Level 1: 50/100]
[Backlash Resistance: 6/100]
[Weapon Mastery: 2 → 3]
He was about to dismiss the screen when a new alert flashed:
[Emergency Broadcast]
[Dungeon Emergence Detected: F-Rank "Sewer's Maw"]
[Location: Eastern Slums]
[Reward: 200 Exp + Grade E Monster Core]
Kael's fingers curled around the shortsword's hilt. The dungeon was three blocks from where he'd just fought.
[System Affinity: 12 → 13 (interface responsiveness improved)]
[Analysis: Dungeon proximity suggests intentional targeting.]
"You're saying it's bait?" he asked.
The system paused.
[Probability: 67%.]