Kael Drayven stood in the quiet chamber of his grandfather's home, his hands trembling slightly as he grasped the small ring in his palm.
A storage ring—a treasure that only the wealthy or powerful could possess. His grandfather, Alden Drayven, had given it to him moments ago, his expression unreadable.
"There is not much within," Alden had said. "Gold to sustain you and a few common seeds. But the true wealth lies in what you will grow. I will give you one free piece of advice, after this, you will need to learn everything the Orchard Keeper System has to offer. You can use this gold in the System Store once it unlocks. Rank up and become strong. I will leave you as you can learn more and visit your orchard."
Kael tightened his grip around the cool metal band, sliding it onto his finger. A brief pulse of energy ran through him as the Orchard Keeper System recognized the spatial artifact.
Ding!
[Storage Ring Bound – Contents: 500 Gold, Common Seeds (x5)]
A deep breath steadied him. He had spent the last day recovering, piecing together the truths of his family's past. The Golden Seed. The enemies are hunting them. The legacy he now bore.
But no amount of knowledge could replace action.
He needed power.
And for that, he had to see his orchard.
Under the light of the crescent moon, Kael stood outside the village, a faint pulse thrumming beneath his skin. The Orchard Keeper System had issued him a task—one he couldn't ignore.
[System Task: Enter the Orchard Dimension – Required to Advance.]
A deep breath. Then, with a thought, he called upon the system's power.
The world lurched.
A swirl of golden-green light enveloped him, and the ground beneath his feet vanished. For a moment, Kael felt as though he were being pulled through the very fabric of reality itself—then, suddenly, his boots met solid earth.
When he opened his eyes, his breath caught.
The orchard was… empty.
A vast stretch of land, a perfect 5 meters by 5 meters, lay before him. The soil was rich and dark, waiting—but no trees, plants, or life grew there yet. Above, the sky was endless, shimmering with a twilight glow, neither day nor night.
It was a world of potential.
Ding!
[Welcome to the Orchard Dimension.]
[This land is bound to you alone. Here, your seeds shall grow, and your strength shall rise. Expand. Cultivate. Ascend.]
Kael exhaled slowly. The system's words indicated that this was a place exclusively for him: a separate dimension, a sanctuary where his true power would take root.
But first, he had to plant the first seed.
Kael reached into his storage ring, feeling the small, smooth seeds nestled within. Five common seeds—nothing special, nothing legendary. But they were a start.
He knelt, pressing one into the soil.
Ding!
[First Seed Planted – Growth Cycle Initiated.]
A faint glow pulsed from the ground where the seed rested as if the very soil recognized its purpose. The sensation sent a shiver down Kael's spine.
This was real.
A slow, determined smile crept onto his lips. He would cultivate power. He would grow stronger. He would make sure that no one—Levi, Lyria, the cult, the Verdant Sovereign—could ever take anything from him again.
But then… something shifted.
A pulse ran through the ground, something ancient, something hidden. Kael frowned, rising to his feet as a strange sensation called to him. He turned—his eyes drawn to a spot near the farthest edge of his small orchard.
There, half-buried in the soil, something glowed.
Kael hesitated only a moment before moving toward it. He crouched, brushing the dirt aside, and his breath caught as his fingers closed around an old, twisted wooden key.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen—its surface dark and gnarled, yet streaked with veins of golden energy that pulsed faintly, as though alive. The moment he touched it, a jolt of power ran through him, and the system reacted.
Ding!
[Unknown Relic Acquired – Analysis Incomplete.]
[This artifact's purpose is hidden. Requirements must be met for further information.]
Kael's grip tightened around the key.
A relic. A mystery. A secret buried within the orchard itself.
His heart pounded with questions, but one thing was clear—this key was no ordinary object.
And whatever it unlocked… it was waiting for him to find out.