Chapter 1: Child
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[Ding! Host identified.]
[Binding SYSTEM to host's soul...]
[Error! SYSTEM binding unsuccessful.]
[Re-attempting...]
[Error! Error! Error!]
[Ding! SYSTEM binding failed due to an anomaly in Host's soul.]
An ethereal voice invisible to common eyes echoed in the void. It seemed as if the long wait of the right person had finally come to an end.
[Analyzing...]
[Ding! Anomaly detected. Host's soul is incompatible for binding.]
For a moment, the voice paused as if considering its next move.
[Attempting alternate binding methods...]
[Ding! ORIGIN blood detected.]
[Initiating binding sequence... successful.]
[Binding progress: 0.001%... 0.002%... 0.003%]
[Ding! ORIGIN blood contains immense energy. Currently, host's body is weak to assimilate all energy, the binding process will be significantly slowed. Estimated completion: 5 years.]
[SYSTEM is entering conservation mode. Binding will proceed passively.]
[Initiating hibernation in... Three... Two... One.]
The mechanical hum gradually softened, fading into the background as the SYSTEM entered a long, dormant state.
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.
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[SYSTEM binding progress: 0.100%... 0.101%... 0.102%]
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[SYSTEM binding progress: 1.007%... 1.008%... 1.009%]
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"RUMBLE" "RUMBLE" "RUMBLE"
In the far distance, the clear blue sky suddenly turned black and split open with a crack, causing loud cracks of thunder.
The sudden change in the atmosphere scared away the beast down in the forest, causing them to hide.
Just a moment later, a shadow fell from the rift, plummeting towards the forest below.
"THUD" "COUGH" "COUGH"
The figure hit the ground hard, coughing up blood as he struggled to catch his breath.
As the dust settled, his figure revealed—it was that of a man. From the looks he didn't seem older but wasn't that young either, and was wearing white robe, which had a few wrinkles probably due to the crash.
"Curse those bastards," he spat, wiping blood from the corner of his lips.
"I hope my sister and brother-in-law are safe."
Suddenly, the man's heart pounded as he recalled something.
Not worrying about his own injury at first, he quickly checked the baby in his arms, and felt relief only after seeing that the child was unharmed.
"Don't worry, nephew, I will take care of you in absence of your parents," he whispered.
"Your uncle won't let anything happen to you."
Now, relieved, he took out a few colorful pills out of nowhere, and swallowed it without any hesitation.
"Phew..."
Within seconds, he felt a wave of energy flowing through his body, stabilizing the rampant internal energy and repairing some minor injuries he received from before.
"That attack was dangerous, luckily it didn't hit my vitals, otherwise my condition would have been much worse. Let's not think about that, now, I have to find a safe place to rest and completely recover from my remaining injuries."
Feeling a bit better, he thought, deciding the next course of action.
"I also need to find what sort of place this is, the Spiritual Energy here is—"
"RUMBLE" "RUMBLE" "RUMBLE"
Suddenly, he paused at sudden thunder, a sense of unease enveloped his heart.
With a frown, he looked up.
The rift from earlier hadn't closed completely and now it had expanded again, causing another wave of thunder. Within seconds three figures descended from it.
His expression turned grave.
From his looks, it was clear that he knew these new figures.
As the three men appeared, the air filled with a dangerous, oppressive energy.
"He must be injured by the earlier attack, quickly attack him and capture that child."
One of the men spoke, seemingly the leader among the three, as he noticed the man in white.
"You bastards! You dare to attack my sister and brother-in-law. And have guts to follow after me. I won't let you get away with this!"
The man in white holding the child shouted at the three men with extreme anger.
"Heh, do you think we're just any random chickens that are waiting to be slaughtered? So, what if we attacked them? So, what if we dare to come here?"
The man, leader of the group, snickered as he laughed, the other two accompanied him.
"Just die..."
Without a moment's hesitation, the man in white launched a powerful strike at them.
"Heh!"
The group leader snickered again and released his own aura to defend against the coming attack.
The other two stepped back, letting their leader handle the situation without any worry.
He defended successfully but the man in white didn't give up either and started to launch consecutive attacks.
"RUMBLE" "RUMBLE" "RUMBLE"
Soon, the fight escalated, and each clash sent ripples through the air. It was so intense that thunder appeared above the head.
As the other two watched the two fighters unleash their powers in the sky, one of them suddenly spoke up.
"It seems this place can't withstand our leader's full strength. And did you notice the spiritual energy here—"
"You mean the lack of it, right? I noticed that too. We'll discuss it later. Let's focus on this for now," the other man said.
"BAM"
With a loud sound their leader hit the ground. A pit was formed.
"Boss!"
The two shouted, shock evident on their faces.
"Ugh..."
The man struggled to stand on his feet, feeling pain. A thin line of blood flowed through the corner of his lips.
"Do you think thin—wait, where did he go?"
He spoke, acting tough, as if unaffected by the attack, but widened his eyes in surprise as he realized the man and the child were nowhere to be seen.
"Huh? He was just there!" the other two exclaimed, equally confused.
"That bastard! He tricked us. He was injured and knew his condition very well that he couldn't win against all of us if we attacked together, so he feigned desperate attacks and fled the moment he had the chance," the leader said as he realized.
"Hurry, find out where that bastard went! I won't let him off for making a fool out of me."
He shouted, and the three quickly left the area, searching for the man and the child.
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Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest.
"My injury is serious; I couldn't fight at even half my strength. I need to find a safe place to recover,"
the man in white muttered, clutching the child tightly in his arm while running.
His face was pale and blood trickled down through the corner of his lips.
Earlier, if it had just been a fight, he would have risked everything to kill those three and take revenge, but he had something far more important to do and that was to protect the child in his hands, and so he chose to escape.
It was the anger that made him lose his control and attack. But once he realized his mistake and the limitations of his current situation, he made a quick decision.
He summoned every ounce of strength he could muster for a powerful strike, and feigned one last desperate attack.
Then, as soon as he found an opening, he bolted away, and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.
Although he couldn't take the revenge as he couldn't risk the safety of the child, he did swear in his heart.
'I swear, I'll protect you and avenge your parents by killing those bastards with my own hands.'
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In the evening, around seven, as daylight waned and darkness crept over, the Star City came alive. Street lamps flickered on, followed by neon signs, building lights, and the glow of vehicle headlights illuminated the streets without disrupting the constant buzz of its bustling crowds.
Amid the bustling crowd along the roadside, a young lady moved with a quiet grace, humming softly as though lost in her own world.
Her raven-black hair, a glossy cascade of dark waves, illuminated by the warm glow of streetlights, was loosely tied back, with a few strands softly framing her face. Her mysterious red eyes, unreadable to others, glimmered with quiet intensity. Beneath her delicate nose, her thin yet alluring red lips curved into a gentle smile, while her smooth, rosy cheeks added an air of flawless charm to her face.
She wore a sleek, red top that fit snugly, hugging her figure just enough to accentuate her natural curves. Its long sleeves clung to her arms, extending to her wrists, while the soft fabric, with a subtle sheen, caught the dimming light.
The top flowed seamlessly into a high-waisted, ankle-length skirt in a deep charcoal gray, its pleats swaying gracefully with each step, adding a touch of elegance and fluidity to her stride.
A simple coat rested on her shoulders, its edges gently grazing her skirt with each step she took.
To complete her ensemble, she wore simple yet chic heels that perfectly complemented her attire.
She was in her twenties, possessing a beauty that was a blend of youthful grace and subtle allure. Despite her modest clothing, her natural charm and elegance radiated effortlessly.
Her steps were light and unhurried, yet she moved with quiet confidence. Her deep, enigmatic eyes took in the vibrant world around her.
As people passed by, they couldn't help but steal a glance, drawn to the aura and charm that seemed to emanate from her—captivating both men and women alike.
Then, something shifted. A faint cry pierced through the hum of the city, reaching her ears.
"Hm?"
Frowning, she paused, then glanced back and scanned the crowd for the source of the sound.
All she saw were indifferent faces, lost in their own world as they passed by.
Was she imagining things?
She blinked, thinking.
Everything seemed normal, nothing out of the ordinary.
After a moment, shaking her head, she dismissed the unnecessary thoughts.
"Just my imagination," she muttered, moving forward toward home.
A while later, she reached the community park, where the laughter of children had already faded with the evening. Only a few grownups remained, enjoying quiet walks with friends or family.
This park is familiar to her, once in a while, she came here to refresh her mind in the simplicity of the swings and slides.
Today, however, the park felt different.
It wasn't that the park had been renovated, or that there were fewer people. Everything looked just as it did every other day.
'It's just... how to put it... hmm... yes, it's the atmosphere. The air feels a bit different today,' she mused.
With no clear answer in sight, she shrugged and walked into the park.
Now that she was already here, it would be a waste not to enjoy her time.
After a while of gently swaying on the swing, a smile slowly bloomed on her face. Memories flooded back—carefree days and the thrill of childhood.
But soon, the swing came to a gentle stop.
She stood up, feeling a warm sense of nostalgia washing over her.
"Always so calming,"
she murmured, stretching, as she tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, her natural curves subtly accentuated against her fitted dress by the movements.
"A short walk won't hurt."
She wandered through the park, admiring the flowers and listening to the distant sound of people talking and laughing.
"Time to go..."
After some time, feeling content, she decided it was time to leave.
But as she turned to go, a faint cry reached her ears.
She frowned, confused, and glanced around.
What's going on?
Something was definitely off.
Earlier, she had brushed off a similar strange sensation as her imagination, but now she was certain she heard something.
"Is something wrong? Or is it just me?"
Her expression grew serious. She wasn't sure if it was a false alarm or if there was an actual problem.
She figured if nothing was wrong, she could relax. But if someone was playing a prank, they would regret it.
Deciding it was best to investigate, she scanned the area.
The park was eerily calm, except for the distant chatter. She didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.
Just as she began to let her guard down, once again, a faint cry echoed in the distance.
It was real.
She had definitely heard it.
'It wasn't my imagination after all,' her heart raced.
Looking around, she noticed that everyone else seemed completely unaffected. It was as if only she could hear the sound.
What was happening?
Determined to uncover the mystery, she focused on the faint cry, listening intently to pinpoint its source.
With each step deeper into the park, the sound grew clearer, but soon it began to distort, making it harder to locate.
Then, she briefly closed her eyes to heighten her senses.
As she concentrated, the distant voices and laughter faded, filtering out the noise around her.
The faint cry echoed again, and she moved ahead cautiously until it suddenly stopped.
When she finally opened them again, she found herself a few meters behind an empty bench.
A frown crossed her face.
The cry had stopped, and everything appeared normal, yet she felt something was definitely wrong. And more importantly why this bench?
A mix of curiosity and unease swirled in her chest as she approached.
As she drew closer, a strange sensation washed over her, and her instincts flared. Her eyes glowed faintly as she recognized it.
"A formation? A camouflaging one...?"
She guessed, noting the unusual energy around her, though she wasn't sure.
Suddenly, another cry reached her ear and this one was much more clear and recognizable.
She didn't rush to check, despite myriad thoughts racing through her mind.
Bracing herself, she moved forward and then her gaze fell on the bench again, this time from the front.
And—!!!
A chill ran down her spine, and her breath caught in her throat.