Kain sat on the cold stone steps outside the grand hall, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the dirt beneath him. His mind was elsewhere.
That strange text—it had appeared the moment he was declared Cipherless. No one else saw it. No one else knew.
"—━━━[Cipher Detected]━━━—"
Even now, he could see faint golden lines hovering over the people around him. His mind focused on a passing guard, and more text unfolded before his eyes:
> Law of Vigilance: Strengthens eyesight and reflexes, but lowers resistance to mental attacks.
Kain's heart pounded. This was real.
He didn't have a Cipher, yet somehow, he could see the inner workings of all Ciphers.
"No one must know about this."
If this ability truly let him analyze the rules behind powers, then it was more dangerous than any Cipher in existence. Those with strong Ciphers ruled over the weak—but Kain?
He could see the flaws in their very foundations.
A shadow loomed over him.
"You should have never been born."
Kain looked up to see a boy his age—Reynard Alden, heir to one of the great noble houses. His golden eyes burned with disdain. He had awakened a powerful Cipher called Bloodbound Pact, granting him enhanced strength as long as he took damage first.
A cruel smirk formed on Reynard's lips. "You're a disgrace to your bloodline. A defect. Did you really think you'd awaken anything?"
Kain said nothing. He had learned early on that words meant little when people had already decided who you were.
Reynard's eyes narrowed. "You should just disappear."
Kain barely had time to react before a fist struck his face. Pain exploded across his cheek, and he staggered back. Laughter erupted from the other noble heirs nearby, enjoying the humiliation.
He steadied himself, wiping blood from his lip. And that's when he saw it—
A flicker of golden text above Reynard's head.
> Law of Bloodbound Pact: Gains immense strength after taking damage. However, the second hit must always be stronger than the first to keep the boost active.
Kain's breath hitched.
"The second hit must be stronger than the first… otherwise, the boost cancels out?"
A strategy formed instantly in his mind. He looked up at Reynard, feigning defiance. "Go ahead. Hit me again."
Reynard scoffed. "Pathetic." He drew back his fist.
Kain didn't move.
A second punch slammed into his ribs—harder than the first. More laughter erupted from the crowd.
But Kain wasn't paying attention to the pain.
The golden text above Reynard shifted.
> Law Disrupted. Bloodbound Pact strength boost… nullified.
Kain's lips curled into a smile.
Reynard stepped back, confusion flashing across his face. "What the hell?" He clenched his fist, expecting another surge of power—but nothing happened.
Kain straightened himself. "What's wrong?" His voice was steady now. "Feeling weaker?"
Reynard's expression darkened. He swung again.
This time, Kain moved. He dodged—not because he was stronger or faster, but because Reynard's Cipher had stopped working.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Kain could feel it now—his advantage wasn't in brute strength. It was in understanding the very mechanics of power.
And knowledge was deadlier than any Cipher.
Reynard took another swing, but Kain sidestepped effortlessly. The noble heir stumbled, completely thrown off by the sudden shift.
The crowd wasn't laughing anymore.
Kain turned, his voice calm but edged with something dangerous. "You should learn the rules of your own power before trying to crush someone weaker."
And for the first time in his life, he saw fear in Reynard's eyes.
—━━━[Cipher Analysis: Success]━━━—
Override Potential: 2% → 3%
Kain's smile deepened.
This was only the beginning.