The damp, suffocating air of the dungeon clung to Kelvin's skin like a second layer of filth. Chains rattled as he shifted his weight, leaning against the rough, cold wall of his cell. His fingers trembled, not from the chill, but from the fury coursing through his veins. His once-loyal companions, the people he trusted, had betrayed him. A prince reduced to a prisoner, a pawn discarded when no longer useful.
Kelvin's gray eyes glimmered in the faint torchlight, their usual sharpness dulled by exhaustion. But within, the embers of his resolve refused to die. His thoughts raced—
what had I missed? What move had I failed to anticipate?
Then, it hit him. A wave of pressure, like an iron vise tightening around his skull. He clutched his head as agony erupted, his vision swimming with shadows. Whispers clawed at his mind, incoherent at first, but growing louder, more insistent.
"You… who crave power yet wallow in despair. Ardent blood, your time has come."
Kelvin gasped, his hands digging into the stone floor as the voice reverberated through his skull.
"The curse laid upon your lineage awakens. Rise, or be consumed by your ambition."
Suddenly, the pain receded, replaced by a strange clarity. A faint, translucent interface blinked into existence before him, its edges shimmering like ghostly light.
---
[ System Notification
Mind Dominion System Activated
Host: Kelvin Ardent
Objective: Rise from betrayal and claim dominion over all.
Initial Skill: Mind Reading (Basic)
Mental Points: 0 ]
Kelvin blinked, disbelief battling with a growing sense of dread. The interface remained, its cold presence unyielding.
"What… is this?"
His voice cracked, barely above a whisper.
"A gift… or a curse," the voice replied, now sharper, colder. "Magnus Tenebris, the last true master of minds, left this legacy for those of your blood. Use it wisely, or it will consume you."
Before Kelvin could respond, another notification appeared.
[Mission Unlocked
Mission: Escape from the Dungeon
Objective: Overcome your captors and flee the imperial dungeons.
Reward: Enhanced Mind Reading (Intermediate)
Penalty: Permanent Mind Degradation]
The words glowed ominously, each pulse sinking into Kelvin's consciousness. His breath quickened, the weight of the system's promise and threat pressing down on him.
"Escape… How?" he muttered.
"Think, Kelvin. This is your trial. Prove your worth, or perish as your ancestors did."
I don't exactly know what's happening. But from the information I got now, I think this is an opportunity. Rather than staying at the dungeon and waiting for death, I might as well grasp this newfound power and try to survive. Kelvin thought to himself.
The sound of approaching footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. Two guards stopped outside his cell, their muffled conversation barely audible through the iron bars. Kelvin's eyes narrowed as he concentrated, and then, without warning, a new sensation washed over him.
Their thoughts—fragmented and raw—poured into his mind.
"That bastard prince... What a waste of time guarding him."
"Yeah, but we can't screw this up. The captain said no mistakes."
Kelvin smirked, the system's potential becoming clear. His mind-reading ability wasn't just passive—it was a weapon.
It seems this ability will help me get revenge on those bastards who betrayed me.
He shifted in his chains, feigning weakness. "Please... water," he croaked, his voice pitiful.
One of the guards hesitated. "Should we? He looks half-dead."
[System Insight: Exploit the guard's hesitation. Manipulate him into entering the cell.]
Kelvin's smirk deepened. "I won't last much longer," he whispered.
"What harm could he do?"
The younger guard glanced at his companion, then shrugged. "Fine, but keep your hands where I can see them."
As the cell door creaked open, Kelvin's pulse quickened. The system's interface glowed faintly, a silent accomplice in his desperate gamble.
[ Mission Progress: 10% ]
Kelvin smirked inwardly.
This is the beginning of my revenge!