The fight had begun, but Raen wasn't rushing in. He stood frozen, his body trembling, his eyes wide with fear. To anyone watching, he looked like a cornered animal—scared, weak, and utterly out of his depth.
Korin Velst, his opponent, circled him like a predator sizing up its prey. The older man's movements were calm and deliberate, his eyes sharp and calculating. He didn't see Raen as a threat. He saw a kid who didn't belong here, a kid who was about to get hurt.
Raen's breathing was ragged, his hands shaking as he raised them in a feeble attempt to defend himself. He stumbled backward, his feet dragging across the smooth stone floor of the arena. His movements were clumsy, uncoordinated, like someone who had never been in a fight before.
To the untrained eye, Raen was a mess.
But inside, his mind was racing.
As Korin closed in, Raen's eyes flicked to the system menu that hovered in the corner of his vision. The text was faint, almost invisible unless he focused on it. He didn't want Korin—or anyone watching—to notice what he was doing.
[MAIN SYSTEM MENU: Veyra – The Wagering System]
Contender Name: [Raen Solmere]
Current Betters: [God of Ruin | God of Silence]
Divine Wager Link: [Stable – Dual Influence]
Active Wagers: [1 Active]
Sol Crystal Reserves: [4 Unspent]
Combat Standing: [Pending | Region: Vault Gaol]
Last Wager Outcome: [Error]
Pathway Trajectory: [None]
Pillar Status: [None]
Select an Action:
[Open Challenger Details]
[View Divine Wagers]
[Convert or Imprint Sol Crystals]
▸ [Imprint New Ability]
▸ [Reroll Combat Clause – High Risk | High Cost]
▸ [Enact Environmental Control – Alter Battlefield Terrain or Conditions]
▸ [Stabilize or Corrupt Local Reality – Affects Pillar or Wager Dynamics]
▸ [Forge Temporary Pact – Gain One-Time Boon or Ally]
▸ [Summon Echo of Past Self – Replay or Rewrite Previous Wager Turn]
[Modify Battle Stakes or Clause Terms]
[Inspect Wager Conditions – Current Hosts: House of Retribution | Pactguard Overwatch]
[Access The House Network – Restricted Portals: Broken Die | Logs | Bestiary | Trait Fragment | Detectives]
[Stabilize Pillar Pathway – Overdrive]
[View Territorial Map – Sol Domain: Sector 9, Luminara Tide #2]
[Check Pact Integrity – Divine Clauses Enforcement Status]
Raen's eyes scanned the options quickly, his mind working to make sense of them. He didn't have time to waste. Korin was getting closer, and Raen needed to act fast.
Raen's hands twitched slightly, as if he were fumbling in fear. But in reality, he was navigating the system menu, his fingers moving subtly to select options.
He opened the "Imprint New Abilities" menu, only to find it locked.
[Imprint New Abilities: Locked]
Only available to Contenders with 10+ victories.
Raen's heart sank, but he didn't let it show. Instead, he let out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping as if he were giving up.
Korin smirked, seeing the defeat in Raen's posture. "Kid, you don't belong here," he said, his voice low and steady. "Just surrender. It'll be easier for both of us."
Raen didn't respond. His eyes flicked to the next option: "Environmental Control."
[Environmental Control: Limited Adjustments Allowed]
Spend Sol Crystals to make minor changes to the battlefield.
Raen's mind raced. He didn't have many Sol Crystals—only four—and he didn't know how to use them effectively. But he had to try something.
He selected the option, his fingers trembling as if he were too scared to think straight.
[Spend 1 Sol Crystal to Adjust Terrain?]
Y/N
Raen hesitated, his eyes darting to Korin, who was now only a few feet away. The older man's fists were clenched, his body coiled like a spring ready to snap.
Raen's hand shook as he selected "Y."
[1 Sol Crystal Spent.]
[Terrain Adjusted: Slight Tilt Applied to Northwest Quadrant.]
Raen didn't know if it would work, but he didn't have time to second-guess himself.
He closed the menu, his body slumping further as if he were too exhausted to keep fighting.
To anyone watching, Raen looked like he was on the verge of collapse.
Korin stepped closer, his movements slow and deliberate. He wasn't in a hurry. He didn't need to be. Raen was clearly outmatched, and Korin knew it.
"Last chance, kid," Korin said, his voice calm but firm. "Surrender now, and I'll make it quick."
Raen didn't respond. His eyes were wide with fear, his body trembling as he backed away. But even as he played the part of the scared, helpless kid, he was watching Korin closely.
He noticed the way Korin favored his left leg, the slight hesitation in his step when he pivoted to the right.
He saw how Korin's grip tightened before he threw a punch, how his breathing was slightly labored—like he was hiding exhaustion.
Raen didn't know much about fighting, but he knew how to observe. And right now, he was seeing everything.
Korin lunged forward, his fist aimed at Raen's chest. Raen stumbled backward, his movements clumsy and uncoordinated.
He barely dodged the punch, the force of it grazing his shoulder and sending him spinning.
Raen hit the ground hard, his body crumpling in a heap. He groaned, his hands clutching his side as if he were in pain.
Korin stood over him, his expression unreadable. "You're not a fighter," he said, his voice low. "You don't belong here."
Raen didn't respond. He just lay there, his body trembling, his eyes wide with fear.
To anyone watching, Raen was done. He was weak, helpless, and utterly outmatched.
But inside, Raen was already planning his next move.
To the gods, Raen was nothing more than a pawn in their game—a weak, insignificant contender who would soon be crushed.
But Raen wasn't done yet.
As Korin stepped closer, ready to deliver the final blow, Raen's eyes flicked to the uneven terrain he had created. The slight tilt in the ground was almost imperceptible, but Raen knew it was there.
And he knew Korin didn't.
Raen's body trembled, his hands clutching the ground as if he were too weak to stand. But inside, his mind was calm, focused.
He was ready.
Raen's body trembled as he pushed himself up from the ground, his movements slow and unsteady.
His breathing was ragged, his face pale and slick with sweat. To anyone watching, he looked like he was on the verge of collapse—a scared, helpless kid who had no business being in the arena.
Korin Velst stood a few feet away, his arms crossed, his expression a mix of pity and impatience. He didn't see Raen as a threat. He saw a boy who was out of his depth, a boy who was about to lose.
"Kid," Korin said, his voice calm but firm. "You're not going to win this. Just give up. It'll be easier for both of us."
Raen didn't respond. He just stared at Korin, his eyes wide with fear, his body trembling as if he were too weak to even stand.
He stumbled forward, his steps clumsy and uncoordinated. He swung a punch at Korin, but it was slow and telegraphed, easy to dodge. Korin sidestepped the punch with ease, his movements smooth and practiced.
Raen stumbled past him, his body off-balance. He fell to one knee, his chest heaving as if he were too exhausted to continue.
Korin sighed, shaking his head. "You're not a fighter," he said, his voice low. "You don't belong here."
Raen didn't respond. He just knelt there, his head bowed, his body trembling.
But Raen wasn't done yet.
As Raen knelt on the ground, his mind raced.
Raen's eyes flicked to the spot, just a few feet to his left. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
Raen took a deep breath, his body trembling as if he were too weak to stand. But inside, he was calm, focused.
With a shaky breath, Raen pushed himself to his feet, his movements slow and unsteady. He took a step forward, his legs wobbling as if he were about to collapse.
Korin watched him, his expression unreadable. "You're stubborn," he said, his voice low. "I'll give you that."
Raen didn't respond. He just took another step forward, his body trembling.
Korin sighed, shaking his head. "Alright, kid. If that's how you want to play it."
He stepped forward, his movements calm and deliberate. He didn't see Raen as a threat. He didn't see the trap that was being set.
Now.
As Korin stepped into the uneven terrain, his weight shifted unexpectedly. His foot slipped slightly, his balance wavering for just a moment.
But a moment was all Raen needed.
Raen lunged forward, his movements suddenly sharp and precise. He wasn't trembling anymore. He wasn't weak.
This is it. This is my chance.
He locked Korin's arm mid-swing, using his momentum against him. Korin's eyes widened in surprise, but it was too late.
Raen twisted Korin's arm, forcing him off-balance. Korin stumbled, his body tilting too far forward.
With a sudden shift, Raen guided Korin's already-unstable footing into a full stumble. Korin hit the ground hard, his body slamming into the stone floor.
Raen was on him in an instant, his knee pressing into Korin's back, his hand gripping Korin's arm in a lock.
Korin struggled, but Raen's grip was firm.
"It's over," Raen said, his voice calm but firm.
Korin gritted his teeth, his body tense. But he knew he was caught. Any resistance could snap his arm.
To the gods, Raen was no longer just a weak, insignificant contender. He was something else.
Something unexpected.
"You win," Korin muttered, his voice low and resigned.
The system flickered, the screen updating.
Raen didn't know what he'd done to trigger it.
One moment he was catching his breath—knees half-bent, coat torn, heart still beating from the chaos in the prison halls—and the next, the air in front of him rippled like heat off metal. Light bent wrong. Then a sharp pulse ran through his skull, like a voice trying to speak without sound.
And then… it just appeared.
[REWARD SYSTEM INTERFACE: Post-Wager Unlock – Tier Advancement Detected]
He took a step back.
"What?"
The text wasn't written, not really. It pressed into his thoughts like it had always been there, tucked behind his awareness, waiting. A list unfurled in front of him—hovering, translucent, slightly flickering at the edges like bad projection magic.
His eyes traced it line by line, trying to make sense of the phrasing.
> [Pillar Awakening – Level 0 to Level 1]
Status: Eligible
Effect: Initiate First Pillar (Foundation). Unlock Dominion and Pillar Resonance.
> [System Sync - 5%]
He squinted. "Pillar? What Pillar?"
He hadn't activated anything. He hadn't agreed to—this. Whatever this was.
He swiped his hand through the air, expecting it to vanish like a bad illusion. It didn't. Instead, the lines shifted slightly, responding to his intent. One icon blinked.
> [System Upgrade: Wagering Interface v1.2 – 'Contender's Ascent']
Effect: Access deeper clause scripting. Memory-Trace Combat Playback. Void Signature Detection.
"Void what detection?" he muttered. "Is this some kind of divine joke?"
He looked around. The prison yard was still. The air carried the coppery tang of spilled blood and scorched stone. A corpse smoldered nearby, half-folded through a shattered wall. No gods, no enforcers, no audience. Just this floating mess of decisions no one had warned him about.
His eyes drifted down to the last reward.
> [Accept Access Key: Planetarian Wagers]
Effect: Clearance granted to participate in planetary-scale divine wagers.
First Challenge Available: The Dying Moon Gambit
A hollow chill ran down his spine. He didn't know what a Planetarian Wager was, but it sounded like something someone with answers should explain—not something handed to him in a glowing menu.
"This has to be a mistake," Raen muttered. "I'm not… whatever this is trying to make me."
But the menu didn't blink. Didn't correct him.
It waited.
And that made it worse.
He clenched his jaw, hesitating. Somewhere deep inside, something stirred—a quiet pressure, almost like a pulse beneath his ribs. Not painful. Not demanding. Just waiting, like a door slightly ajar behind his thoughts.
> [Confirm Selections]
Raen exhaled slowly, nerves coiled tight in his chest. He didn't understand any of it—Pillars, clauses, void signatures, moons dying in places he'd never seen. But something told him the moment he hit confirm, there was no going back.
So he didn't say a word.
He just reached out—and touched the light.
Raen exhaled, his body trembling with exhaustion. But he had done it. He had won.
Not by strength—but by outsmarting his opponent.
As Raen stood over Korin, his knee still pressing into the older man's back, he took a deep breath.
His voice, though soft, carried a weight that seemed to echo through the arena.
"You think strength is everything," Raen said, his tone steady but laced with quiet intensity. "But strength without thought is just chaos. And chaos… chaos can be controlled."
Korin's body stiffened beneath him, but he didn't respond.
Raen continued, his voice growing firmer. "You underestimated me because I didn't look like a fighter. But fighting isn't just about power. It's about seeing what others don't. It's about using every piece of the battlefield—even the ground beneath your feet."
He leaned in slightly, his grip tightening just enough to remind Korin of his position. "You thought I was weak. But weakness isn't in the body. It's in the mind. And you… you stopped thinking the moment you thought you'd already won."
Korin's breath hitched, his body going still. For a moment, there was silence.
Then, Raen's voice softened, but the resolve in it didn't waver. "I don't want to hurt you. But I won't lose. Not here. Not now. Not ever. Because I have people waiting for me. People I need to protect. And I'll do whatever it takes to get back to them."
As Raen stood over Korin, his body trembling with exhaustion, his mind was calm.
I did it. I survived.
But he knew this was just the beginning. The system, the gods, the wagers—they were all watching him now.
And he had no idea what would come next.
I have to survive. For Elia. For Mother. For Father. I have to survive.