As Azriel and Nova wandered across the vast green plain, the soft rustling of the grass beneath their feet was the only sound to break the silence. Azriel's gaze drifted across the horizon, uncertainty clouding his thoughts. Where do I go from here? he wondered.
Nova, small and playful, was curled up on his head now, her soft fur tickling his scalp as she rested. It wasn't long before her curious nature kicked in again. Azriel, with a concentrated thought, gently probed the bond he had begun to form with her. Over time, he had managed to transmit his thoughts to Nova, learning more about her.
The answers were simple, but they gave him a strange sense of companionship.
'Are you okay, Nova?'
Nova stirred slightly on his head, her tail flicking lazily as she relayed her response, not in words, but through emotions and fragmented memories. Through their growing connection, Azriel learned something surprising.
She was a female fox, a detail that hadn't occurred to him before. It seemed small, but it meant something—something that made their bond feel more real.
Curious, Azriel asked, 'Do you remember anything?'
Nova's reply was brief, but it resonated with him in an odd way. She shook her head gently, even as her eyes blinked lazily. 'I woke up in an egg. It cracked, and then I jumped out.'
The simplicity of her answer almost made Azriel smile. She had no past to remember, no burden of history or loss. But in a strange way, that made her the perfect companion for him. They were both, in some ways, starting over.
Azriel looked up at the blue sky above and let out a slow breath. His mind had calmed, if only for a moment, and the thought of his parents, the promise he had broken, was distant now.
'I'll take care of you, Nova' he thought firmly, his heart aching but steady.
The young fox purred softly, her voice echoing gently in his mind, 'And I will take care of you, papa.'
A bond. Unspoken, but stronger than words.
-----
Half an hour had passed since the peaceful stillness settled over them, but suddenly, Azriel's eyes erupted with a searing, unbearable pain. The intense heat burned through his skull, and blood began to trickle down his face, staining his clothes. The once serene moment shattered into chaos.
The disturbance jolted Nova from her slumber, her wide violet eyes filled with alarm as she scrambled to her feet. 'Papa, what happened?' she asked, her voice trembling with concern as she gazed down at him.
Azriel could not form words. The agony coursing through his body left him disoriented, unable to focus. His hands trembled, unable to stem the flow of blood that dripped from his eyes. The world around him spun as the pain intensified, and in a final, desperate moment, he collapsed, unconscious, to the ground.
Nova, frantic with worry, rushed to his side. She licked his face, desperately trying to clean the blood that smeared across his skin, her small body trembling with fear. 'Papa, please, wake up…' she thought, her heart aching at the sight of him so vulnerable and still. But there was no response, only the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest.
In her helplessness, Nova stayed by his side, her tiny paws pressing gently against him, unwilling to leave him in his time of need.
When Azriel began to regain consciousness, the world around him rushed in, overwhelming his senses. His eyes snapped open, and immediately he was inundated with a cascade of information. Every detail, every movement, was clearer than he had ever known. The tiniest plants swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves trembling like whispers in the wind. The faintest rustle of grass underfoot, the subtle shimmer of the air itself—everything was laid bare before him. Even Nova's breathing, quick and anxious despite her slumber, echoed in his mind as if he could feel the very rhythm of her heart.
His vision stretched beyond the mundane, pierced through the veil of the ordinary as if the world itself had unfolded before his gaze. It wasn't just the physical world he saw; he felt it—every living creature's essence, the flow of life, and the invisible threads binding them all. His eyes were no longer mere tools of perception; they were a gateway to the hidden layers of existence.
The information flooded in, each fleeting moment stretched and magnified. Time itself seemed to bend to his will, elongating to allow him to grasp even the most fleeting nuances of life. He could see the tiniest shifts in the air, feel the pulse of energy around him, and understand the essence of everything in his line of sight. His gaze pierced through the layers of reality, capturing what was invisible to others.
And then, he saw her—Nova, her tiny form bathed in an ethereal glow. Her breathing was frantic, a rhythm of worry and concern that even in her dreams, she couldn't escape. He saw not only the way her chest rose and fell but the very force of her worry, the silent dread that filled her. His eyes flickered over her, a deep sense of understanding settling within him. It was more than just sight—it was a connection.
His unique ability, [All-seeing Eyes], activated fully for the first time. His mind, no longer burdened by the confusion of pain or unconsciousness, began to comprehend its true power. Status: Unlocked, the system whispered in his mind.
The ability unlocked layers of vision beyond the physical. In that instant, he could feel the very nature of everything around him. His eyes saw not only what was but what could be, unraveling the hidden intricacies of the world. The way the plants swayed wasn't random; there was a reason, a precise rhythm to the wind that he could now sense. Nova's breathing wasn't just frantic—it was a dance of anxiety, a direct result of the bond between them. He could see the ebb and flow of energy in her, how it moved through her body, how her emotions pulled at it.
But as the power surged through him, a sudden weight bore down on his mind. The sheer flood of information was more than his brain could handle. His thoughts, once sharp and precise, now felt tangled, overwhelmed by the influx of sensory overload.
Azriel's mind struggled to maintain any semblance of clarity as the flood of information continued to pour in, relentless and unforgiving. His eyes, glowing with otherworldly light, flickered as they scanned the endless sea of details before him. Each piece of knowledge was another layer of strain, pushing him closer to the brink.
Excessive Strain. The system warned in the back of his mind. You will need to train to harness this power… or risk frying your brain.
The warning was clear. Without discipline, the sheer weight of the knowledge he was absorbing could easily break him.
His vision blurred, and his body stiffened, the sensations becoming too overwhelming.
Azriel gritted his teeth, forcing himself to pull back from the overwhelming torrent of information. His head throbbed, a sharp ache that pulsed with every beat of his heart. Desperately, he reached up, tearing a strip from the fabric of his clothing. His hands trembled as he wrapped it around his eyes, blocking the overwhelming flood of details that had nearly shattered his concentration.
'I don't have my glasses...' Azriel thought bitterly, his mind still reeling from the power he had just unlocked. This will have to do for now.
The cloth was a poor substitute, but it was enough to shield his eyes, giving him a small reprieve. He couldn't afford to be consumed by the storm of visions—he had to regain control, before the next wave of knowledge could crash over him again.
Nova's breathing lightened, a soft rhythm that seemed to mirror Azriel's own calming pulse. It was as if she could sense his well-being returning. In an instant, she woke, her small body springing into action as she jumped onto his chest. Azriel, despite the cloth covering his eyes, could still perceive his surroundings. His enhanced vision, now fully awakened, allowed him to sense everything around him, even through the makeshift barrier.
He chuckled weakly, his voice still hoarse from the strain, as Nova settled herself firmly on his chest, her large purple eyes glaring at him with the intensity of a thousand storms.
'Papa, why do that?' she asked in a soft but reproachful voice, her tail flicking in irritation.
'Papa scared Nova,' she continued, her ears flattened slightly as she nuzzled into his chest, clearly still troubled by the scare he had given her.
Azriel smiled despite the ache in his head, his hand gently reaching up to scratch behind her ears. "I'm sorry, little one," he whispered, his voice soft and tender. "I didn't mean to scare you. I just... I didn't know what was happening."
Nova let out a soft, almost reluctant whine, but her anger quickly faded as she curled up into the warmth of his chest, content in his presence. Her trust in him, unwavering as always.
Azriel sat in the quiet, his legs crossed beneath him as he gazed out at the vast horizon. The makeshift cloth wrapped around his eyes didn't block the overwhelming sense of awareness that surged through him, but it helped dull the intensity. The world around him pulsed with life—the wind whispered, the grass swayed gently, and Nova's small heartbeat thudded against his chest as she lay there, her breathing light and steady.
Despite the cloth, he could still sense everything—feel it all. He let out a soft sigh and focused inwardly, pushing away the tidal wave of information bombarding his mind. The mental strain was overwhelming, but slowly, the chaos started to subside. It wasn't gone completely, but it was manageable. He focused on grounding himself, quieting his mind just enough to hear his thoughts clearly.
He spoke silently, his voice only in his head, not to Nova.
'Status.'
A moment passed, the world around him stilling as the familiar voice of the system resonated softly in his mind.
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[ Status ]
Name: Azriel Voidus
Age: 8
Race: Human
Bloodline: Unholy One NEW
Affinity: Darkness NEW, Space, Lightning, Illusion NEW, Mirror NEW
Titles:
Rank: C-
Attributes:
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Strength: C-
Agility: C+
Endurance: C-
Vitality: C-
Intelligence: S+
Charm: S+
Abilities:
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Unique Skills:
[All-seeing Eyes] (Unique, Passive/Active)
Status: Unlocked NEW
Description:
Your gaze pierces the veil of the ordinary, unravelling details invisible to others. Time bends to your will, each moment stretching, allowing you to grasp the imperceptible. With an almost supernatural acuity, you discern the essence of people, creatures, and objects, unveiling their true worth and hidden flaws. Those who meet your eyes are seized by an overwhelming sense of inferiority, as though standing before a being of undeniable supremacy.
In the span of a single glance, you can appraise the deepest intricacies of a person's skill, capturing every nuance, every flicker of their movements. The essence of any technique, every mastery, every ability becomes an echo within you—ready to be called upon at will. To witness is to possess. No talent escapes your grasp.
Whether it is a warrior's technique, a mage's spellcraft, or a diplomat's manipulation, your eyes reveal all. You see through the surface and into the heart of the skill itself. Every subtlety, every hidden advantage, and every flaw becomes clear, allowing you to analyze and replicate the skill as though you had always known it
Effect:
Skill Appraisal (Active):
When you look at an individual, creature, or object, you instantly perceive the full extent of their abilities, powers, or qualities. This includes combat techniques, magical abilities, intelligence, special traits, and weaknesses. This works on both living beings and objects imbued with special properties or magic.
Instant Skill Understanding (Passive/Active):
Upon a brief visual examination, you can replicate any technique or mastery you witness, essentially "borrowing" their skills for a limited time. This includes combat abilities, spells, and tactical expertise. You can use the skill as though it was always part of your own arsenal, though the depth and efficiency of the skill may vary depending on your familiarity and understanding of the technique. The skill becomes available to you immediately upon appraising it, but mastery over it might take further practice or refinement.
Mental Strain (Passive):
While you can appraise and temporarily access the skills of others, constantly absorbing and utilizing new skills can strain your mental focus. You may find yourself becoming overwhelmed by the sheer volume of techniques you possess. Overuse may lead to temporary confusion, loss of concentration, or difficulty in executing certain abilities. Proper rest and focus are needed to reset and refine your grasp of each skill.
Aura of Supremacy (Passive/Active):
Those who lock eyes with you feel an overwhelming presence of superiority, as though they are mere pawns under the gaze of a being who has seen, understood, and mastered everything before them. This psychological pressure can induce fear, hesitation, and self-doubt, weakening opponents' resolve or altering their behavior in subtle ways.
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[ Mirrorwalk ] (Unique, Passive/Active):
Description
The user's profound connection to the Mirror World grants them the unparalleled ability to traverse between the physical world and this shadowed, reflective realm. Unlike most practitioners of the Shadow arts, who can only fleetingly glimpse the Mirror World, the user can enter and exit at will. This ability not only allows them to remain undetected but grants access to the eerie, parallel nature of the realm, where they can observe the world without being seen or heard. Their affinity for this space is so deep that while others may briefly use it, the user can bend its very laws to their will, shaping it as if it were their personal domain.
Effect:
Phase Between Worlds (Active):
The user can phase in and out of the Mirror World at will. In doing so, they become invisible and intangible in the physical world, able to move through people, objects, and even walls without detection. In the Mirror World, everything appears as a distorted reflection of reality—unchanged in essence, but subtly altered. The user becomes a ghost in the shadows, undetectable by any normal means. The world continues on, unaware of their presence.
"Shadow Step" (Active):
By tapping deeper into the Mirror World, the user can instantly step through the shadows, transporting themselves from one location to another in the physical realm. When they step into any shadow—regardless of whether they can see it or not—the user can emerge from any other shadow within their range. The shadows act as portals, letting them traverse the environment instantly, whether it be a dark corner of a room, a distant alley, or the shadow cast by a passing figure.
Effect:
The user can teleport between shadows within a range of up to 500m
The user does not need line of sight to teleport; any shadow, even those out of view, can serve as a destination.
The user can place a "shadow anchor" in any shadow, linking it to their presence.Once the anchor is established, the user can teleport to it from any distance, regardless of obstructions or need for line of sight.
The teleportation is instantaneous, allowing the user to traverse vast distances with minimal effort.
The anchor remains active until the shadow is disturbed, altered, or destroyed, at which point the tether is severed and a new anchor must be placed.
Passive Observation (Passive):
While in the Mirror World, the user can observe the real world undisturbed. Their presence is entirely undetectable—impervious to magic, physical senses, or any ordinary means of perception. They can overhear conversations, watch movements, and witness events without ever being noticed. Their ability to phase through people and objects makes it nearly impossible for anyone to sense their presence, even those with the most acute of senses.
Mirror Realm Ejection (Dominion Effect) (Active):
The Mirror World, though a place of immense power, still follows certain laws. While most practitioners are merely visitors who briefly enter it to observe or travel, the user has forged an administrative connection to the realm, allowing them to exert a degree of dominion over it. This manifests in the ability to forcibly "eject" others who attempt to enter while the user is present. By focusing on an intruder's presence, the user can "shove" them from the realm, forcibly sending them back into the physical world. This act requires concentration and can only be done once per use. The exertion of power is draining, and overuse can leave the user physically or mentally fatigued.
Sword Arts:
[Shadow and Mirror Art]
Description
The Shadow and Mirror Art is a unique martial discipline crafted by the user after years of study, combining their father's teachings of Shadow Arts with personal insights gained from the Mirror World. This style focuses on bending perception and mastering dual-realm combat, blending the physical world with the mirrored realm to create illusions and disorient opponents. Through extensive training and experimentation, the practitioner developed a style that deceives the senses, manipulates the battlefield, and transcends traditional combat by fusing shadow, reflection, and combat into a cohesive art.
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Azriel's brows furrowed as he stared at the system's status, his mind racing with the weight of each new revelation. The word Bloodline lingered in his mind, the one thing he hadn't fully understood. It had only just unlocked, after his encounter with that mysterious entity, and now, it was staring him in the face—Unholy One. What did that even mean? The phrase felt both foreboding and powerful, but the significance of it eluded him.
His gaze dropped to his Affinities. Shadow had been replaced by Darkness, but the others—Illusion and Mirror—were new. He wasn't entirely surprised. After all, his power had always been tied to his mirror world, his ability to manipulate reality through reflections, but now, seeing it in writing, it felt… more concrete. It felt like it belonged to him, like it was a part of him, one that was growing more complex by the second.
"I guess they fit with my mirror world," Azriel thought to himself, as if the power that had always been latent within him was beginning to make more sense.
His gaze shifted, moving down the list to his Attributes. Nothing had changed. C- for Strength, Agility, Endurance, and Vitality. They were exactly as they had been before, still hovering in the lower ranks.
Azriel muttered under his breath, a quiet frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "I guess that's to be expected."
His power had always been more than physical, more than something measured by raw numbers. His strength didn't lie in the muscle of his body but in the sharpness of his mind, the abilities that transcended the physical realm. And yet, the lack of change in his stats felt almost... underwhelming.
Azriel's eyes lingered on [All-seeing Eyes], the skill that had changed everything. He had always known his vision was different, that his perception of the world went beyond ordinary human comprehension, but this… this explained it all. The sudden clarity, the overwhelming surge of information when he first unlocked his powers, and the instinctive understanding of people's deepest truths.
"It explains a lot of things," Azriel murmured softly, his mind returning to the memories of his training with his father.
He had always been able to dodge the blade, even without relying on his shadow arts. He'd thought it was instinct, maybe some innate reflex, but now he understood. It wasn't just luck. It wasn't just instinct. Time itself bent around him, just enough for him to plan, to calculate, to anticipate. It was like the world slowed down when he needed it to.
And his ability to discern people's true feelings? To see beneath their facades? That, too, made sense now. The flinch of a nervous glance, the subtle hesitation in a voice, the hidden intentions they tried to conceal. He'd always been able to pick up on those things, and now, he knew why. His eyes—his unique ability—gave him that power. He wasn't just seeing faces or body language. He was seeing them, in a way no one else could.
And the ability to replicate what he saw? That was just the beginning.
"Everything," Azriel whispered softly. Everything I've ever experienced, everything I've ever done—it was all leading to this.
The overwhelming realization hung in the air like a heavy storm cloud. His mind was beginning to process the vast expanse of what was now available to him. The depth of his powers, the scope of his abilities—it was like looking into the vast unknown, a well of infinite potential, and he could only begin to grasp the surface.