Kael walked across the room with the suitcase in his grasp, staring at it in awe before heading to the living room to sit down and examine it more closely.
Once settled, he took in the details of the suitcase. It felt light but was made of some sort of metal that was unidentifiable from a distance. At first glance, it could be mistaken for plastic, but touching it revealed otherwise.
After a thorough inspection, Kael decided to open it. However, he couldn't find a handle, which gave him a sudden chill.
'What is this? Why can't I find the handle of—'
He was on the verge of panicking when he noticed something: a small keypad with ten digits, requiring a password to unlock.
Now, the challenge was figuring out the password.
Kael began racking his brain for ideas, recalling his father's most treasured memories. He knew his father wasn't one to use random numbers. For him to set a password, it had to be something deeply significant.
After much internal debate, Kael decided to input his birthdate into the keypad, as it was a four-digit number.
"March should be 03, and my date of birth is 20," he muttered, freezing as the keypad buzzed, signaling an incorrect password.
This only deepened his frustration. He tried his birth year—nothing. His father's birthdate—still nothing. His mother's birthday, their anniversary, the year they got married—he tried every combination he could think of.
But still, nothing worked.
"Damn you, old man! How do you expect me to crack such a passcode?" Kael furrowed his brow, racking his brain harder.
At some point, he started questioning why he was even bothering. His father had done so much to hurt him and his mother. Yet, despite the resentment, Kael couldn't bring himself to quit. With nothing better to do, he resolved to keep trying.
After a long session of self-motivation, he reclined in his seat, exhausted. "What could be the code?"
{The code? You can use your inspection skill to study and find the code.}
'What is this?' Kael sat upright, re-reading the notification. It had said something about a skill, leaving him more bewildered than before.
{A skill is a minor ability given to you by the system.}
{Your inspection skill allows you to see limited information about an item or being through your eyes. The range of the skill depends on your strength.}
Kael was intrigued. He decided to test the skill on the suitcase. Focusing intently, he concentrated on activating it, and almost immediately, a notification popped up.
{Name: Suitcase of an unknown material}
{Keypad passcode: 1357 is the most successful pin for the case.}
Kael stared at the notification, stunned. He hesitated briefly before inputting the code.
It worked. The suitcase made a series of clicks, signaling it had unlocked.
Wasting no time, Kael opened it with anticipation. He didn't expect much, knowing his father wasn't the type to leave him something extraordinary.
As the lid lifted, Kael's eyes landed on a single book.
At first, he felt a wave of disappointment. But as he stared at the book, something about it caught his attention. The intricate design on the cover, the blood-red hues mixed with dark tones, and even the faint scent it emitted—it was almost captivating.
Gripping the book, Kael felt the texture of its embossed cover. There was something about it, a connection he couldn't explain.
{Inspect skill}
{Name: Beast Grimoire}
'Beast Grimoire? What the hell does that mean?'
Kael examined the book further, but his eyes were drawn to something else—a folded white sheet tucked behind it.
Setting the Beast Grimoire aside, he picked up the sheet and unfolded it. It was a letter from his father.
After unfolding it completely, Kael began to read:
"Hey Kael, it's Dad. I know you might not be happy with me because of the things I did to you and, especially, to your mother. I take full responsibility for it, but I'm asking for your forgiveness.
I know you're definitely opening this box because I chose to use our favorite numbers. It must have taken you some time. But now that you're reading this letter, I need to give you some advice.
Kael Auron, the world has been hit by what I can only describe as a dimensional impact. One dimension has collided with ours, and that's the reason for all the changes you've noticed around you. The world has mutated, and the traditional educational systems are no longer relevant.
I foresaw this situation and tried to warn everyone, but no one would listen. It has brought us to where we are now.
You may have activated an ability, Kael, but I'm not sure it will be enough for what's coming. Because by the time you're reading this, I will most likely be dead.
The system you inherited was originally mine, and its appearance with you is a sign that I'm gone. So don't bother looking for me. Your mother—she's not someone you can search for either. You're probably alone.
But don't fret. I didn't leave you without resources to survive.
The Beast Grimoire is an advanced book that will teach you about the system and everything you need to know before they come…"
Kael froze as he noticed the bottom part of the letter was torn.
He stared at the jagged edge, frustrated. It was just two lines missing, but even that small gap felt like an enormous void.
'But who are they?'