The next morning, Kael left Elden.
The village gate stood behind him as the early sunlight spread across the valley.
A worn leather bag hung over his shoulder.
Inside were a few clothes, food, three healing potions from the system, and Garrick's old map.
At his waist rested the iron sword his adoptive father had given him.
The Starfall Pendant hung beneath his shirt.
Garrick stood at the gate.
Neither of them spoke for several seconds.
"You'll come back," Garrick finally said.
Kael smiled.
"Of course."
"Don't make promises you can't keep."
"I'll keep this one."
Garrick nodded.
"Then go."
Kael turned toward the eastern road.
He took several steps.
Then stopped.
He looked back.
Garrick was still standing there.
Kael raised his hand.
Garrick did the same.
Then Kael continued walking.
The road to Azure Wind City stretched through a vast forest.
According to Garrick's map, it would take three days on foot.
Kael wasn't worried.
The system had given him something far more valuable than strength.
Information.
As he walked, he opened the system.
**[Eternal Sovereign System]**
**Host:** Kael Ardyn
**Level:** 2
**Cultivation:** Mortal
**Strength:** 11
**Agility:** 10
**Vitality:** 11
**Spirit:** 8
**Skills:**
* Shadow Step
**Unallocated Points:** 5
**Voidheart:** Fragmentary
Kael looked at the five points.
"Let's see."
He considered increasing his strength.
Then agility.
Then spirit.
After a moment, he divided them.
**Strength +2**
**Agility +2**
**Spirit +1**
A strange warmth immediately spread through his body.
His muscles tightened.
His senses sharpened.
Even the sound of birds several dozen meters away became clearer.
**[Attributes updated.]**
**Strength:** 13
**Agility:** 12
**Spirit:** 9
Kael smiled.
"This system really is ridiculous."
A sudden rustling came from the bushes.
Kael stopped.
His hand moved toward his sword.
Three wild rabbits emerged.
Kael sighed.
"Seriously?"
The rabbits stared at him.
Then ran away.
Kael laughed.
"I need to stop being so paranoid."
He continued walking.
He didn't notice the figure watching him from a distant tree.
A young woman stood silently among the branches.
Long golden hair.
A silver sword at her waist.
Her blue eyes followed Kael.
She had been watching him for almost ten minutes.
"He's alone."
One of the men beside her whispered.
"Should we take him?"
The woman shook her head.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because he noticed us three minutes ago."
The man froze.
"What?"
The woman smiled faintly.
"He's pretending not to know."
Kael walked another kilometer before speaking.
"You can come out now."
Silence.
He continued walking.
"I know you're following me."
Still nothing.
Kael stopped.
He looked toward the forest.
"Whoever you are, I don't want trouble."
A voice answered.
"Then why are you walking toward Azure Wind?"
Kael turned.
A young woman stepped out from between the trees.
She wore a dark traveling cloak over light armor.
Her golden hair reached her waist.
A silver sword hung at her side.
She looked around nineteen.
Her expression was calm but guarded.
Kael studied her.
The system activated.
**[Target Analysis]**
**Name:** Lyra Valen
**Age:** 19
**Cultivation:** Body Tempering — 8th Stage
**Bloodline:** Dawnfire
**Weapon:** Dawnsteel Sword
**Threat Level:** High
**Analysis Completion:** 67%
**Warning:**
**Target possesses an unusually powerful bloodline.**
Kael's eyebrows rose.
Eight stages.
He was still at the first.
Lyra noticed his expression.
"You've heard of me?"
"No."
"Then why are you looking at me like that?"
"I'm calculating whether I can beat you."
Lyra blinked.
Then laughed.
"You?"
Kael shrugged.
"Eventually."
She studied him more carefully.
"You don't look like a cultivator."
"I'm not very good at appearances."
Lyra almost smiled.
"What's your name?"
"Kael."
"Family name?"
"Ardyn."
Her expression changed slightly.
"Ardyn?"
"You know it?"
"No."
She was lying.
Kael noticed.
But he didn't press her.
Instead, he asked:
"Why were you following me?"
"I wasn't."
"You were."
"I was watching the road."
"For ten minutes?"
"Perhaps."
Kael smiled.
"Right."
Lyra looked away.
"You should be careful."
"Why?"
"Black Ridge is ahead."
Kael glanced at the map.
"I know."
"Bandits live there."
"How many?"
"Approximately twenty."
Kael's expression remained calm.
"That's all?"
Lyra looked at him.
"You don't understand."
"They aren't ordinary bandits."
"Some are cultivators."
"What stage?"
"Between the third and sixth Body Tempering Stage."
Kael thought for a moment.
"So I might get stronger."
Lyra stared at him.
"You're strange."
"I've heard that today."
A rustling sound suddenly came from the trees.
Lyra's hand moved to her sword.
Kael drew his sword.
The system flashed.
> **[Hostile targets detected.]**
Then—
Twenty men emerged from the forest.
Their clothes were dark.
Several carried swords.
The man at the front had a scar across his cheek.
He smiled.
"Two travelers."
"One beautiful woman."
"And one foolish young man."
Kael looked at Lyra.
"Are these the bandits?"
"Yes."
The bandit leader raised his sword.
"Hand over your valuables."
Lyra sighed.
"I was hoping we could avoid this."
The leader laughed.
"You have two choices."
"Give us everything."
"Or die."
Kael looked at him.
Then at the other bandits.
The system analyzed them one after another.
**[Target Analysis Complete]**
**Black Ridge Bandit — Body Tempering Stage 3**
**Black Ridge Bandit — Body Tempering Stage 4**
**Black Ridge Bandit — Body Tempering Stage 5**
**Bandit Leader — Body Tempering Stage 6**
Kael smiled.
The leader noticed.
"What are you smiling about?"
"I was just thinking."
"Thinking about what?"
"Whether I should fight all of you."
The bandits laughed.
Lyra looked at Kael.
"You don't have to prove anything."
Kael glanced at her.
"I'm not trying to prove anything."
He tightened his grip around his sword.
"I just want to see what I can do."
The bandit leader raised his hand.
"Kill them."
The forest exploded into movement.
Five bandits rushed toward Kael.
Lyra drew her sword.
A golden flame erupted from the blade.
**WHOOSH!**
The temperature around them instantly rose.
Kael stared.
The system activated.
**[Technique detected.]**
**Dawnfire Sword Art**
**Analysis Progress: 4%**
Lyra disappeared.
One slash.
**BOOM!**
Three bandits were thrown backward.
Another attack.
Two more fell.
Kael whistled.
"Not bad."
Lyra glanced at him.
"Focus."
A bandit swung a sword toward Kael's head.
Kael ducked.
The blade passed above him.
He stepped forward.
**Thunder Fist.**
His fist struck the man's stomach.
**BOOM!**
The bandit flew backward.
Kael stared at his hand.
The system appeared.
**[Rare Skill activated.]**
**Thunder Fist**
**Current mastery: 1%**
**Effect: Converts spiritual energy into explosive physical force.**
Kael smiled.
"So this is my new skill."
Another bandit attacked.
Kael used Shadow Step.
His body vanished.
He appeared behind the man.
One strike.
The bandit collapsed.
Then another.
And another.
Kael moved through the battlefield faster than the bandits could react.
His cultivation began to rise.
**[Experience gained.]**
**[Experience gained.]**
**[Experience gained.]**
**[Level increased.]**
A surge of energy erupted from Kael's body.
He felt his cultivation barrier shake.
Then—
**CRACK!**
**[Cultivation breakthrough.]**
**Mortal → Body Tempering Stage 2**
Kael smiled.
"Again."
The bandit leader's face changed.
"You..."
Kael looked at him.
"Your turn."
The leader roared and charged.
His sword carried enough force to split a tree.
Kael raised his own sword.
**CLANG!**
The impact sent sparks flying.
Kael's feet slid backward.
The leader grinned.
"You're only Stage 2."
Kael looked at him calmly.
"Yes."
The leader attacked again.
Kael blocked.
Then again.
And again.
Each strike forced him backward.
But Kael was learning.
The system was analyzing every movement.
**[Combat analysis active.]**
**[Opponent's sword technique analyzed.]**
**[Weakness identified.]**
Kael suddenly stepped forward.
The leader's eyes widened.
Kael's sword slipped past his guard.
The blade stopped against his throat.
Silence.
The leader froze.
Kael looked into his eyes.
"Leave."
The bandit swallowed.
"You'll let me go?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Kael lowered his sword.
"Because I don't need to kill everyone I defeat."
The leader stared at him.
Then dropped his weapon.
"Retreat!"
The remaining bandits fled into the forest.
Kael watched them disappear.
Lyra approached.
"You could have killed him."
"I know."
"Why didn't you?"
Kael looked at his sword.
"Because strength isn't the same thing as cruelty."
Lyra stared at him for several seconds.
Then smiled.
"Perhaps you're not as foolish as you look."
Kael laughed.
"That's the nicest thing anyone has said to me today."
A system notification appeared.
**[Hidden Requirement fulfilled.]**
**Host demonstrated control over overwhelming advantage.**
**Reward unlocked.**
**Passive Skill acquired: Sove
reign Will**
**Effect:** Resistance to fear, intimidation, and mental suppression increased.
Kael's expression changed.
"Sovereign Will?"
Lyra noticed.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Kael looked toward the eastern horizon.
For the first time, he could see the faint silhouette of enormous stone walls.
Azure Wind City.
His journey was only beginning.
But neither Kael nor Lyra noticed the black-robed figure standing high above the forest.
The figure watched them silently.
Then whispered:
"Confirmed."
"The Starborn has awakened."
A black flame appeared in his palm.
"The Heavenly Court must be informed."
He disappeared.
And beneath Kael's shirt, the Starfall Pendant began to glow.
**To be continued...**