Sarah Elfin pulled out a short dagger from behind her long maid gown, the dagger's sheath was pure white and decorated with flowers and butterflies.
Elijah took the dagger in his hands but didn't unsheath it, his gaze lingering on its pristine craftsmanship. The blade, untouched, exuded an aura of refinement. The hilt was a work of art, shaped like a rose in bloom, its delicate silvery curves catching the dim light.
"Is this for me?".
"Hmm yeah, It's called rose in case you haven't figured that part out, from… you know".
Sarah replied, gesturing with a playful wave of her palm toward the obvious rose design.
Elijah smiled with a soft and dismayed expression, no one had ever given him anything before, and clearly the dagger is something precious.
"Thank you, It's beautiful". Elijah said sincerely.
Suddenly, a familiar mechanical tone intruded into Elijah's thoughts.
[NOTICE] Innate skill acquired.
"Okay, that sounds like free money, tell me, what's an innate skill".
[NOTICE] Innate Skill: An ability bestowed as a bonus reward upon the activation of the Demon Lord Revival System. This skill typically manifests following a sequence of emotionally charged events that trigger the host's latent psychological trauma.
"Well, that's oddly specific. So, I only get rewarded after my past traumatic experiences are dragged back into the spotlight?"
[NOTICE] A reward can also be granted following significant psychological distress or deeply impactful trauma experienced in your current life.
"Well that's concerning, what's the usual condition for gaining skills?".
[NOTICE] Rewards in the form of skills are granted after the end of every mission.
"When does my first mission starts?".
[NOTICE] The first mission will begin after a revive point have been set.
"There it is again, you keep talking like I'm gonna.
..".
"Hey Elijah, you alright".
Sarah interrupted Elijah's conversation with the Demon lord revival system.
"Yeah, I'm fine Sarah, I was just spacing out a bit… Is there something you want my assistance with?".
Sarah raised a brow in intrigue, that was the first time someone had spaced out while speaking to her, and she didn't really know what to feel about that.
"No, not really… I should probably go meet up with the Lieutenant, you just follow the crowd and you'll find yourself in the training camp, that's where the new recruits will receive basic military training routines.
Elijah nodded as Sarah turned and exited the tent. The muffled sounds of the bustling camp returned, a mix of manly voices, clinking metal, and heavy boots trampling over damp earth. He glanced down at the items left in his care, his rifle, the dagger, and the neatly folded military uniform.
Taking a moment to himself, Elijah slipped behind the tent. The noise dimmed slightly, replaced by the softer rustling of nearby trees and the distant chatter of recruits. His eyes darted from side to side, ensuring he wasn't being watched.
"Demon Lord Revival System, Show me my stats window".
[NOTICE: PRESENT STATS]
[NAME] [Elijah]
[AGE ] [Seventeen]
[SKILLS] [INNATE; Skill Name: Equip]
Skill Description: Born of Valvatron, the First Vampire Lord, whose coffers brimmed with wealth and his name with glory, yet whose hands held nothing but blood and ash.
Skill Effect: Equip channels the essence of his paradox, a power to summon the unseen, wield the intangible, and arm oneself with the spoils of war. Through this skill, what is desired is conjured, and what is conjured becomes unbound from the limits of mortal possession.
[TITLES] [???]
[RACE] [Demon]
[TRUE NAME; He who has been forsaken]
[MISSION] [???]
Elijah stared blankly at the miniature green screen floating infront of him.
"All that for an inventory skill, you really do love flair, don't you".
Elijah raised the dagger Sarah Elfin gave him and said in he's mind.
"Equip".
In less than a heartbeat, the dagger vanished, as if consumed by the air itself. Intrigued, he repeated the process, and the weapon reappeared in his palm, as tangible as before.
"Neat".
"What's neat?".
Elijah's hand jerked, and the dagger clattered to the ground as Taelia appeared, a brow raised with curiosity.
"Oh, nothing, oh good… you've got your stuff, let's go to the recruit training ground".
Elijah grabbed the dagger and pulled Taelia without giving her an opportunity to question why he was talking to himself behind a tent while staring blankly at the palm of his hand.
…
The path to the training ground was a lively, chaotic stretch of Umbral kins. Recruits shuffled in clusters, their mismatched uniforms barely disguising the nervous energy crackling in the air.
The dirt path, trampled by countless boots, had become a muddy trail from the recent rain, and the damp earth clung to Elijah's shoes with every step.
Elijah followed Taelia through the crowd, his grip tightening on the rifle slung over his shoulder. The atmosphere shifted as they approached a clearing ahead, an expansive field surrounded by towering wooden walls. The scent of wet foliage mixed with the metallic tang of weapons being cleaned and loaded.
Rows of recruits stood in uneven lines, their voices melding into a cacophony of chatter and occasional barked orders from stern-faced officers.
The training ground itself was a stark contrast to the rest of the camp, with patches of grass beaten into submission by relentless drills. A few wooden targets, splintered and riddled with holes, lined one side of the field, while a simple obstacle course stretched out on the other.
"That's Sergeant Vren. He's in charge of the new recruits," Taelia said, her tone light but heavy with apprehension.
Elijah gave a slow nod, taking in the scene. The recruits were being led through rudimentary exercises, marching in step, performing push-ups in unison, and practicing how to handle their rifles. Despite the simplicity of the tasks, it was clear some struggled to keep pace, their movements clumsy and amateurish.
"Come on, let's go change before signing our names in and officially becoming recruits".
Taelia said as she began to walk in the direction of changing room, it took her several dozen steps before she realised Elijah was walking behind her.
She turned her head inquisitively.
"Why are you following me Elijah?, I'm going to go and change into my military gear".
Elijah was momentarily confused, so he reflexively said to her.
"Yeah, same".
Taelia smiled awkwardly.
"Elijah, In case you haven't noticed, I'm a girl, and I'm going to change with other people like me, and I don't think I will have to remind you that you are definitely not like me".
Elijah finally got the gist of what she was trying to imply, he smiled wearily and took an awkward step backwards.
"Ofcouse, sorry about that… I will go find the men's changing room".
Elijah and Taelia went their separate ways for the time being.
Elijah eventually found the changing area for men, and while no one was looking, he once again equipped the dagger Sarah Elfin gave him.
After changing, Elijah walked out of the training area looking neat and tidy, the military uniform surprisingly suited him even more than he thought it would.
He once again met up with Taelia, and for a moment he was dazed, not by how authoritive she looked in the uniform, but by the fact that it essentuated her overly large breasts.
But he found the fact that she wore a scarf to cover up her neck a little bit perplexing, Taelia also did the same with her nurse uniform.
As they approached the group, Sergeant Vren's voice cut through the noise like a whip.
"Fall in line, recruit! I don't care where you've been or what you've done before this moment. Out here, you're nothing but fresh meat until I say otherwise!"
Elijah and Taelia signed in, they both stepped into the nearest gap in the formation, Elijah's gaze meeting the sergeant's for a fleeting moment. Vren's piercing stare lingered before moving on, the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.
"So that's the one Verayth wants me to break".
Vren, an umbral kin with deer legs and ears stepped forward just to make sure all the new recruits he was assigned to could here him.
"Good. You're all finally in line. Now, let's see if you're worth as much as the dirt you're standing on."
Vren barked, pacing back and forth like a predator sizing up its prey.
The drills began in earnest. For the next five hours of the early morning, Elijah and the rest of the recruits were put through a grueling routine, jogging laps around the field, climbing over wooden barriers, and practicing target shooting at the battered dummies.
Elijah's body protested every movement, muscles screaming from the unfamiliar strain. Yet, he pushed on, his mind locked on the goal, Elijah's previous life was everything but easy, this was still within what he could bare.
As he adjusted the strap of his rifle after another grueling lap, the system's voice echoed in his head, cold and indifferent as ever.
[NOTICE] Physical strength has increased by 0.12%
[NOTICE] Vitality has increased by 0.08%
[NOTICE] weapon mastery has increased by 0.04%
"Well that's new".