Eren sat motionless on his bed, his mind still reeling from what he had just experienced. His breath was uneven, and a faint layer of sweat clung to his skin. The remnants of that battlefield, the voices whispering about him, and those towering figures cloaked in mist—they were not illusions.
They were real.
And they had seen him.
His grip tightened around the pendant, its once-glowing carvings now dull and lifeless.
What the hell did I just witness?
His system had thrown out warnings he had never seen before, but what truly unsettled him was the last message he received:
[New Quest Unlocked: Secrets of the Veil]
[Objective: Discover the truth behind the Marked Ones.]
[Reward: ???]
The Marked Ones.
Eren had only heard that term once before—whispered in passing by an old scholar at the academy's library. It had been dismissed as nothing more than a forgotten legend, a tale used to scare young system holders into obedience.
But now, it was very real.
He needed to act.
Taking a deep breath, he straightened up. His system interface was stable again, but his body still felt drained, as if something had temporarily pulled his very essence away from reality. He had to be careful.
First, he needed answers.
And there was only one person who might have them.
---
The Hidden Library
The academy's grand library was silent at this hour. Most students had long retired to their dorms, leaving only the occasional candle flickering along the endless rows of ancient tomes.
Eren walked past the common sections, heading straight for the restricted archives. Normally, access was forbidden without an instructor's permission, but tonight, rules didn't concern him.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a small key—a token he had quietly swiped from a professor during one of his lessons. He slid it into the lock, and with a soft click, the heavy door creaked open.
The air inside smelled of dust and old parchment. Rows upon rows of books lined the walls, some bound in materials he couldn't even recognize.
If the truth about the Marked Ones existed anywhere, it would be here.
---
The Forbidden Records
Eren moved swiftly, scanning the titles along the shelves. His eyes flickered over volumes detailing ancient wars, lost civilizations, and mythical system users of the past.
Then, his gaze landed on a particularly aged tome.
The Veil and Its Secrets.
His fingers trembled as he pulled it out, the leather cover rough beneath his touch. The book looked untouched for centuries, its pages brittle. Carefully, he flipped it open, skimming through faded ink until he found what he was looking for.
"The Marked Ones are neither living nor dead. They are the remnants of a forgotten era, cursed to exist between the realms of mortals and the abyss. Once, they were warriors, scholars, kings—but now, they are hunted. Their power defies the natural order, and so the world seeks to erase them before they awaken."
Eren's breath hitched.
The description—it felt too familiar.
His heart pounded as he continued reading.
"Those who bear the mark are watched by the shadows. When the time comes, they will be given a choice—to embrace their fate or to be consumed by it."
Shadows.
The hooded figure.
The battlefield.
It all connected.
His hands tightened around the book. He had been marked since the day he reincarnated into this body. And now, something—or someone—was watching him.
---
A Presence Unseen
A sudden chill ran down his spine.
The candles around him flickered violently, their flames bending unnaturally. The air turned heavy, and an oppressive silence fell over the library.
Then, he heard it.
A whisper.
"You were not meant to see this."
Eren spun around, his system instantly flaring up in warning.
But there was no one there.
The shadows along the walls stretched and twisted, shifting unnaturally as if they were alive. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his feet felt frozen in place.
Then, the darkness moved.
A figure emerged, barely visible—a wraith-like presence, its form flickering like a dying ember.
Its voice was hollow, echoing in his mind rather than in the room.
"The veil has been lifted for you. But the price must be paid."
Eren clenched his fists. "Who are you?"
The figure did not answer. Instead, it raised a hand, and Eren felt a sudden, crushing force wrap around his body.
Pain lanced through him, his system throwing out emergency alerts.
[Warning: Soul suppression detected!]
He gritted his teeth. No. Not like this.
Summoning every ounce of strength, he forced his system into action.
[Emergency Countermeasures: Activated.]
A burst of energy erupted from his body, shattering the grip of the entity. The shadows recoiled, and for a brief moment, he saw its eyes—cold, hollow voids, staring into his very existence.
Then, it was gone.
The library fell silent once more, as if nothing had ever happened.
Eren staggered back, gasping for breath. His hands trembled, and his heart hammered against his ribs.
He had nearly died.
Not in a duel. Not in a battle.
But simply because he had seen too much.
A new message appeared in his system.
[Quest Updated: Secrets of the Veil]
[New Objective: Survive.]
Eren let out a shaky breath.
This wasn't just about knowledge anymore.
Something was coming for him.
And it would not stop until he was erased.