"Neverlink detected a threat to the host's physical well-being."
"Enhancement of the host's status is necessary."
"Restoring the host's condition appears to be a challenging task."
"Implementing upgrades to Neverlink."
"Executing the upgrade."
"Neverlink has been enhanced, now referred to as Neon Link."
"Establishing temporary access to the host's body."
"Constructing protocols."
"Activating protocols."
"Commencing Neon Link."
"Implementing control measures."
'What happened?'
'I am alive.'
'How?' Newt examined his body, free from scorch marks, yet his burnt clothes betrayed the evidence of the recent events.
Observing the engulfed mansion, memories of the tragedy flooded back.
'They all perished.'
'I couldn't save them.' Newt sensed a weight on his chest, an emotion he struggled to identify.
"Host exhibits emotional turmoil."
"Implementing countermeasures."
'What was that?' Newt scanned his surroundings but found no one.
"Activating countermeasures."
Suddenly, Newt felt a profound relaxation, and his emotions ceased their tumultuous fluctuations.
"Is this some kind of system?" Newt questioned the very nature of his existence.
"I am Neverlink, initially created by the host and now upgraded to Neon Link."
'What?' Newt felt a sense of incomprehension, yet he grasped the general process.
"I couldn't save them," Newt confessed.
Newt had kept the details of Neverlink a secret from everyone. Even the woman who had ended his previous life was deceived by a fabricated story he concocted on the spot. That she had taken his life without confirming the truth spoke volumes of her foolishness. Everything about Neverlink had been buried with him in his previous life, and now, in this life, it seemed he had indeed created something revolutionary — something worth a life.
Newt cautiously inspected the storage ring bestowed upon him by Benedict, delving into its concealed contents.
Within, he discovered new identities meticulously crafted for each family member, alongside a substantial amount of gold.
"Host exhibits emotional turmoil."
"It's fine. If my emotions lead to conflict, you can activate countermeasures," Newt calmly permitted the Neon Link.
"Do not activate countermeasures every time," he directed the Neon Link.
"Protocol Override Initiated."
"Protocol Override Complete."
Surveying the contents, Newt scrutinized his new identity, now known as Newt Lawson. A compelling offer letter from the Martial Arts Academy, a dream his parents harbored for him, also awaited his attention.
"You aided my growth. In return, I pledge to eradicate those responsible for this tragedy."
"I will seek justice," he declared, a renewed determination resonating in his words.
Newt sensed a significant depletion in the aura within his body, a result of Neon Link utilizing it for its upgrade from Neverlink.
Gratitude swelled within Newt as he felt the newfound power coursing through him.
Empowered by Neon Link, he could now emanate a strength he never could before, though he was acutely aware of the potential risks associated with unleashing such power.
A casual wave of his hand extinguished the raging flames that engulfed the mansion, replaced by a serene breeze.
'Proper burials are needed.'
'For all of you.'
Locating the charred remains, Newt gently lifted them with his hands and soared out of the crumbling mansion, reducing it to ruins.
Elevated high in the air, unsupported, he harnessed the capabilities granted by Neon Link.
With a mere glance, he effortlessly created three graves, burying the bodies of Benedict Salamander, Jake Salamander, and Sienna Salamander where the mansion once stood.
A fourth pit emerged, adorned with boards bearing the names Benedict Salamander, Jake Salamander, Sienna Salamander, and Newt Salamander.
Leaving the solemn gravesite, he murmured, "Just wait, you bastards. I am coming for you."
***
"What's going on?"
"Hurry, take a look over there." Five figures materialized in the spot Newt had vacated just moments ago.
"Is that a burial ground for the Salamander family?"
"Quick, alert the higher-ups. The Salamander Family has been wiped out overnight."
"One of the esteemed families in the Aura Ridge has been extinguished. This is going to create a storm," remarked a person in a blue shirt, pants, and blazer adorned with a star on his shoulder.
"First, the mansion was set ablaze, then the fire was mysteriously quenched, and now someone has taken out the charred bodies of the Salamander family and buried them."
"Extinguishing the fire and conducting the burials— all the work of a lone individual," chimed in another person, bearing three stars on his shoulder along with the blue uniform.
"It could involve magicians, cultivators, or, worse, monsters. This doesn't seem like the work of an ordinary martial artist," he continued.
"We just have to stick to our assigned duties," the person with three stars stated, revealing his face—a 6-foot-tall, slim figure with a handsome face and a sword at his side.
The first person, with only one star, inquired, "Captain, does this mean we're not investigating the case?"
The captain, with three silver stars, responded, "It's not that we don't want to investigate; we can't. We, as low-level martial artists, are powerless against magicians and cultivators, even if they are low-level themselves." He let out a heavy sigh.
The captain gazed at the sky and uttered, "Let's hope whatever transpired here won't bring too much trouble to the Aura Ridge. Otherwise, everyone will be implicated, endangering the Aura Ridge itself." With that, the captain departed to inform the higher-ups.
Aura Ridge, a serene haven, woke to the dawn of a new morning, only to discover the horrifying news of the Salamander family's abrupt demise overnight. Renowned for their skilled martial artists, both bodyguards and family members, ranging from rank 3 to rank 4, the annihilation of the Salamander family became the talk of Aura Ridge.
Days passed without any leads on the perpetrator, leaving the community in suspense. Autopsies on the victims revealed brutal murders, heightening the mystery. The absence of Newt Salamander's body only deepened the investigation's complexity. The mark placed by a cultivator on Newt Salamander's fate stirred speculation—was he truly dead, or did the cultivator wish to convey his demise to the world? The sudden downfall of a high-ranking martial artist's family was a burden Aura Ridge was reluctant to bear.
After a week of relentless investigation, the authorities pointed to Drivelle, a deranged Rank 1 martial artist practicing demonic arts, as the one responsible for the Salamander family's demise. Publicly hanged as a symbol of justice served, the higher-ups declared increased security measures in Aura Ridge to prevent a recurrence of such tragedy.
With the tumult surrounding the Salamander family dissipating, a sense of calm settled over Aura Ridge. However, far away from the Ridge, a new chapter unfolded as Newt embarked on his journey within the academy.