River's End had changed since Kael's arrival. Though just a few days had passed, whispers of the outsider who single-handedly defeated a bandit group traveled faster than rumor itself. Children mimicked his moves with wooden swords, merchants offered him free fruit, and even the guards saluted when he passed.
But fame came with shadows.
That morning, Kael awoke to a message slipped under his door. It was written in delicate, calligraphic script:
"If you wish to understand your place in this world, seek the mirror beneath the willow."
He traced the ink with a frown. There was no name. No signature. But something about it stirred the System.
System Alert: Unknown Source Detected. Spiritual Trace Active. Accept Task?[Yes] [No]
He accepted.
The willow in question stood behind the old shrine near the southern ridge. Its silver leaves whispered in the breeze, and beneath its drooping canopy, Kael found a flat, moss-covered stone basin filled with still water.
He knelt and gazed into it. At first, nothing. Then a ripple, not of water, but of space.
A face appeared—not his own, but a reflection of something older, cloaked in darkness. Its eyes glowed like twin stars.
"You are not yet ready. But the gate stirs. Find the three fragments—Fang, Flame, and Feather. Only then shall your destiny unfold."
The vision vanished, leaving the water still. Kael clenched his fists. "Three fragments. Fine."
System Quest Accepted: Path of the Hidden Gate.Objective: Locate and retrieve the Fang of the Mountain. Reward: Ability Upgrade.
He rose, cloak brushing the ground, and turned back toward town. It was time to seek answers.
He first visited the town's old historian, a hunched man named Balen who smelled of ink and old wood.
"Fang of the Mountain?" Balen wheezed. "That's no trinket, boy. That's legend. Says it was buried in the heart of the stone god's corpse up in Mount Hollow. Dangerous path. Worse if the Night Cults are sniffing around again."
"Where is Mount Hollow?"
"Northwest. Three days on foot. Forest's cursed, though. Creatures move like mist. You'll need a guide."
Kael nodded. "I'll leave tomorrow."
Balen squinted. "Don't die. You're too interesting for that."
That night, a stranger arrived in River's End.
She was tall, her hair streaked with silver and tied in warrior braids. Her robes bore the sigil of a distant sect—an open eye within a crescent flame. Her sword was sheathed in gold-trimmed lacquer, and her gaze was cold.
She called herself Velin. And she was looking for Kael.
They met behind the Hollow Lantern. Her tone was clipped. "You have something I need."
Kael's hand hovered near Mira's blade. "Do I?"
"The system. I've been tracking anomalies. You radiate power, but not from cultivation. It's artificial. Ancient."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"
"A duel. If I win, you answer my questions. If you win... I'll guide you to Mount Hollow."
He considered. The forest was treacherous. And the system pulsed as if anticipating the challenge.
"Agreed."
They faced each other in the courtyard, Luan and a few curious guards watching from the windows.
System Notice: Friendly Duel Initiated. Limiter Active. No Fatal Blows Allowed.
Velin struck first, fast as lightning. Kael dodged, sliding under her blade and countering with a rising strike. She parried with ease.
They danced through the courtyard, sparks flying, their blades clashing like thunder. Kael activated Echo Step, appearing behind her—only to find she'd predicted it. Her elbow met his ribs.
He staggered back. Smiled. "You're good."
She smirked. "You're better than I expected."
He feinted left, drew on his latent strength, and disarmed her in one fluid motion. Her sword clattered against stone.
Silence.
System Alert: Victory Achieved. Reward Unlocked: Energy Amplification (Lv. 1).
Velin breathed heavily. "Fine. A deal's a deal. I'll take you to Mount Hollow."
They departed the next morning.
The road to Mount Hollow was rugged and overgrown. Velin kept a brisk pace, her silence sharp. Occasionally, she glanced at Kael with curiosity.
"You're different," she said one night by the fire. "Not just powerful. Like the world bends around you."
He nodded. "It's the system."
"It's more than that."
On the second day, they encountered a merchant caravan under attack by wolfbeasts. Kael leapt into action.
Task Alert: Optional Rescue – Protect the Caravan.Reward: Technique Scroll (Iron Vein Art).
Kael fought like a storm. Velin joined him, her blade slicing with graceful fury.
When the last beast fell, the merchant leader bowed deeply. "Thank you. Please, take this."
The scroll pulsed with power. Kael tucked it into his satchel, heart thudding.
Iron Vein Art Acquired. Technique can harden skin during battle for limited durations.
On the third night, as they approached the edge of Mount Hollow's domain, Velin halted.
"The mountain's cursed. Many have gone in. Few return."
Kael drew a slow breath. "Then let's be among the few."
As they crossed into the valley, the forest darkened unnaturally. Trees twisted as if in agony. The air grew cold.
System Alert: Cursed Zone Entered. Host Presence Detected: Entity – Fang Guardian.
From the shadows emerged a creature made of stone and spectral fire. Its eyes burned red. On its chest, embedded like a jewel, was a jagged, black fang.
Velin whispered, "That's no beast. That's a relic warden."
Kael stepped forward. His system flared.
Final Objective: Defeat the Fang Guardian.
He turned to Velin. "Stay back. This is my trial."
She nodded.
The battle began.
Stone fists slammed down like hammers. Kael dodged, striking at joints, weaving between crushing blows. He used Iron Vein Art, his skin shimmering like metal. A glancing blow still threw him across the clearing.
System Boost Activated: Energy Amplification Engaged.
His strikes grew sharper, faster. He found a weak point at the creature's knee and shattered it, forcing the beast to stumble.
As it knelt, roaring, Kael drove Mira's blade into the fang, channeling system energy through the metal.
The beast exploded into shards of light.
Kael fell to one knee, breathing hard.
Quest Complete: Fang of the Mountain Retrieved.Reward: Fang Core (Artifact), Stat Boost: Strength +3, New Skill Unlocked – Pulse Strike.
Velin approached, eyes wide. "You actually did it."
Kael picked up the black fang, now glowing in his hand. "One down. Two to go."
She smiled faintly. "I think I'm starting to believe in your destiny."
He stared into the night sky.
There was still Flame.
There was still Feather.
But now, the path was clear. And Kael's legend was only beginning.