The pickaxe struck granite with a dull *clang*. Leon wiped sweat from his brow, ignoring the system notification:
*"Ding! Day 3,650 Check-In at [Ashen Mine] Complete. Reward: [Bandage Roll]."*
"Still trash," he sighed. Ten years of "rewards" had taught him not to hope—until boots crunched behind him.
"Look at the cripple!" Overseer Jax's whip cracked near Leon's ear. "Lord Cedric wants that locket. Hand it over, or—"
A shadow loomed at the tunnel entrance. Cedric Thorn, Leon's cousin and the family's rising star, flicked a gold coin into the dirt. "Make this quick, Jax. I've got a date with the Frostblade envoy."
Leon's fingers tightened around his mother's locket. "This is all I have left of her."
Cedric smirked. "Sentimental fools die fast." He nodded to Jax. "Break his legs."
The whip lashed out—but Leon crushed the **[Cracked Bronze Key]** he'd gotten on Day 1.
*"Ding! 10-Year Loyalty Bonus Unlocked. Activating [Celestial Vault]..."*
The mine exploded with golden light. Jax's whip disintegrated as seven crystalline swords erupted from the ground, their edges humming with primordial power.
Cedric stumbled back. "What black magic is this?!"
A sword's voice echoed in Leon's mind: *"Master, your trial ends today. Shall we…play?"