The sterile, artificial lights of Sub-City 4 flickered overhead as Elric walked through the crowded streets, the noise of the bustling city forming a cacophony around him. He kept his hood up, allowing the shadows to obscure his face, though his sharp green eye remained alert, taking in every detail of the world around him. The blind eye, a constant reminder of his past, stayed hidden beneath the fabric, a secret he shared only with himself.
The crowd of students that had gathered for the Awakening Ceremony was beginning to disperse, their numbers thinning as they either celebrated their newfound abilities or mourned their lack of talent. The reality of the world was now laid bare before them, and many would struggle to accept their fate. For most, the ceremony was the defining moment of their lives. For Elric, it was just the beginning of something far greater.
His mind churned with possibilities. The Creator System had given him a small taste of its power, but he knew it was only scratching the surface. It was clear now that his immediate future depended on two things: understanding the system and gathering enough soul points to unlock its true potential. But that wasn't going to be easy. Soul points were earned through combat, through the defeat of enemies. And Elric, with his F-rank Flame Spark and passive Healing Blood, was hardly in a position to take on any serious opponents.
But that didn't mean he wouldn't try.
The dingy streets of the sub-city passed in a blur as Elric's thoughts wandered. The steel-gray buildings loomed overhead, their surfaces worn from years of pollution and neglect. Neon signs buzzed faintly in the distance, their dull glow casting an eerie light over the alleyways and side streets. Surveillance drones hovered lazily overhead, scanning the population for any signs of unrest or deviance.
Despite the constant presence of technology, there was an underlying sense of decay, a feeling that the city was teetering on the edge of collapse. The sub-cities were always on the fringe, barely holding together while the elites in the capital thrived. Elric knew this reality all too well. His entire life had been shaped by it.
He turned a corner and entered one of the quieter districts, where the streets were narrower, and the buildings were closer together. The crowd had thinned considerably, leaving only a few stragglers making their way home from the ceremony. Elric kept his head low, blending into the shadows, avoiding attention.
He needed a plan.
The system... Elric's thoughts drifted back to the interface he had seen during the ceremony. The system had appraised him, identifying his talent and passive ability, but it had also hinted at something more. There was a deeper layer to the system, one that he had yet to uncover. He just needed the right opportunity.
Elric's footsteps echoed softly as he made his way toward the outskirts of the district. The noise of the city faded, replaced by the low hum of machinery and the distant sound of industrial work. This part of the sub-city was less populated, the buildings older, their walls covered in grime and rust. It was the perfect place to think, to plan.
He found a quiet spot behind one of the derelict factories and sat down, his back against the cold metal wall. The smell of oil and metal filled the air, mixing with the faint scent of the polluted sky. Elric closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, and called up the system.
[Creator System Menu]
Soul Points: 0
Talents:
Flame Spark (F-Rank)A basic flame talent that generates small, controllable sparks of fire. While weak and limited in power, it is useful for quick bursts or distractions but lacks significant offensive strength. Its utility lies in its ease of use, but it is far from a dominant ability at this rank.Healing Blood (F-Rank)A passive talent that accelerates the healing of minor injuries. While not incredibly fast, it provides a subtle edge in survival, allowing the user to recover from wounds that would otherwise incapacitate others.
Elric studied the screen carefully, his mind already racing with potential ideas. The Flame Spark was weak on its own, producing only small bursts of flame. It wasn't particularly powerful, but it had its uses. Quick distractions, small-scale attacks—if used creatively, it could still catch an opponent off guard. However, it lacked the raw intensity to be a reliable offensive weapon. He would need to find ways to compensate for its limitations, especially against stronger enemies.
Healing Blood offered some relief from that risk, but it wasn't nearly strong enough to make up for the damage he would inflict on himself. At least not yet. He needed to strengthen his talents, but that required soul points—something he didn't have.
For a brief moment, frustration welled up inside him. His entire life had been dictated by circumstances outside his control. Even now, with the Creator System at his fingertips, he was still bound by limitations. But then, as quickly as the frustration came, it dissipated, replaced by a cold, calculated resolve.
I'll make this work. I'll turn this weakness into a strength.
Elric's thoughts drifted to the students from the ceremony. Most of them had been stronger than him—C-ranks, D-ranks, even the occasional B-rank. But what they had in raw talent, they lacked in something far more important: intelligence. Elric knew how to plan, how to exploit weaknesses. He had spent his entire life observing, calculating, preparing. Now was the time to put those skills to use.
His mind raced through possible scenarios, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the talents he had witnessed. The C-rank Earthquake Punch from Kaden Frost was powerful, but it was slow and predictable. If Elric could outmaneuver him, get close enough to land a hit with his flames, he could turn the tide. The D-rank Shifting Illusions from Markus Valen would be trickier, but illusions only worked if the opponent was fooled. Elric's cold, calculating nature made him resistant to such tricks.
But all of this was theoretical. In the end, it would come down to practice—real combat.
Elric opened his eyes, the soft glow of the system fading from his vision. He rose to his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothes, and turned his gaze toward the industrial skyline of the sub-city. The academy was just a few days away, and the entrance exams would be brutal. He needed to be ready.
But before he could face the exams, he needed to gather soul points. And there was only one way to do that.
Elric's gaze drifted toward the outer districts, where the sub-city's protective barriers ended, and the wilderness began. Outside the walls, the world was a wasteland, filled with dangerous beasts and hostile creatures. The city's guards patrolled the perimeter, keeping the worst of the threats at bay, but it wasn't uncommon for lower-level beasts to slip through the cracks.
A grim smile tugged at the corner of Elric's lips. That was where he would start. If he couldn't challenge the students in the academy just yet, he would hunt the beasts outside the city walls. It was a risk, but risks were necessary for growth. And with his system, he could turn the hunt into his advantage.
I need to learn how to fight, and the best teacher is experience.
He turned on his heel, heading back toward the main streets. He would need supplies, basic weapons, and some form of protection before he ventured beyond the city's borders. The black market was the best place for that. The sub-city might have strict laws, but where there were laws, there were always ways around them. He had a few meager credits saved up from odd jobs, but they would have to do.
As he made his way through the maze of alleyways, Elric's mind continued to churn. The plan was simple, but simplicity was often the key to success. He would gather soul points by hunting beasts, strengthen his talents through the system, and then make his way into the academy. From there, he would climb the ranks, no matter how long it took.
The thought of the academy stirred something inside him. The other students would look down on him—an F-rank, barely worth noticing. But Elric didn't care about their opinions. He was playing a different game. While they fought for status and recognition, he would be working in the shadows, building his power, step by step.
The academy was just the beginning. His real goal was much higher. He would rise above them all, not through brute strength, but through cunning, strategy, and the mysterious power of the Creator System. He would find a way to gather more soul points, to unlock abilities and talents far beyond what the others could dream of.
And when the time came, they would realize what he truly was.
More than an orphan. More than a victim. More than a rank.
As the sun began to set behind the smog-covered horizon, Elric's figure disappeared into the shadows of Sub-City 4, his mind already planning the next steps in his journey. The weak would remain weak, but Elric had no intention of staying at the bottom. He would rise, no matter what it took.
End of Chapter 3