Chapter 5 – System
[Principle: Die to become stronger.]
Kaden stared at the system's notification, brows knitting together.
'Die... to become stronger?'
'What kind of twisted logic is that?'
'System—'
Before he could process it further, a loud, boisterous voice shattered his thoughts.
"Little brother! I knew you wouldn't disappoint me! Hahahaha! You're a Warborn—you can't be weak!"
Dain stormed toward him like a hurricane of muscle and noise, wrapping him in a suffocating hug.
"Argh..." Kaden winced, voice muffled by Dain's chest.
"Oh—oops!" Dain finally let go, laughing.
Kaden exhaled, straightening his back. "Please, Brother Dain... never do that again."
His tone remained calm despite the pain.
"Tch. Don't blame me—blame your flimsy little body."
Kaden didn't respond. He simply turned toward his family.
His father stood tall with arms crossed. His mother smiled warmly beside him. Only Daela's face remained unreadable.
But inside, her thoughts swirled.
'He awakened a high-ranked Origin. Good... Now he can defend himself.'
She said nothing. But her relief was real.
But she would still keep her eyes on him. After all, he was her little brother.
And she wasn't about to let him break because of the world.
Sarena stepped forward and pulled Kaden into a soft embrace.
"Congratulations, my son."
Kaden sank into her warmth.
Of all the things that helped him escape the trauma of his previous life, it was this—his family. Especially her.
Even Daela and Dain, in their own strange ways, had helped him heal.
Thanks to them, he'd found something precious:
Hope.
Hope strong enough to make him want to live again.
Hope fierce enough to push him to grow stronger.
Because he would never allow what happened on Earth to repeat—not here. Not to him. Not to anyone he loved.
Seeing them smile at him now, happy for him...
He couldn't help it.
He smiled back.
Something rare.
Something beautiful.
"Thank you... all of you."
They froze.
Staring.
Like they had just witnessed a miracle.
Did he just... smile? Daela blinked, stunned.
Sarena gasped. "My son is too handsome! You must smile more, Kaden!"
"Damn, little brother. Didn't know your face could even do that," Dain added, beaming.
Garros threw his head back and laughed. "HAHAHAHA! That's it! Smile with your teeth out and loud as hell! That's the Warborn way, right Dain?!"
"Damn right, Father!" Dain grinned. "But let's ease him into it. He's still new to all this joy and glory."
Even Daela's lips curled into a faint smile.
The room pulsed with warmth.
But then—
"Now," Garros said, pulling out a new crystal—this one glowing white. "We still need to know your Origin's type and grade."
"This is an Identification Orb. Just touch it. It'll show us all we need to know."
Kaden nodded.
He already knew the name of his Origin... but not the full picture.
He pressed his hand against the orb.
Instantly, a screen materialized before them:
⸻
{Origin: Bloodsoaked Sword King}
{Type: Weapon – Sword}
{Grade: Legendary}
{Description: Born of blood and war, you are forged for battle. You grow stronger by feeding on the blood of the fallen. Fight. Kill. Devour. This is your nature, Child of Blood.}
⸻
A long silence.
"...Damn," Dain muttered under his breath.
"This is cheating," Daela added flatly.
Sarena and Garros looked at each other—and burst out laughing in perfect unison.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
CLAP!
They slapped their hands together, howling like maniacs.
Dain and Daela turned their heads away in embarrassment.
Kaden sighed.
He still couldn't get used to this feral side of his parents. Especially his mother. When it came to battle and power... she was no different from Garros.
"I told you," Garros said, wiping tears of joy. "A child born in blood will never be ordinary!"
"You were worried for nothing, Sarena!"
"Hmm. Indeed," she chuckled. "But I'm glad we were right."
"I'm exhausted," Kaden interrupted. "I'll be in my room."
Garros nodded. "You've earned it. But—did you feel a pull? A connection when you awakened your Origin?"
Kaden paused, then nodded.
"I did."
"That's Fokay," Garros said. "A different world from ours. Filled with different races and beasts. It's the only place where your Origin can evolve."
He met Kaden's gaze, voice grave.
"Prepare yourself before you enter there. You won't return to Darklore until you complete your first evolution quest."
"Understood," Kaden said, voice serious.
"Then go."
Kaden turned and walked away.
His mind burned with questions about his System and Fokay.
"I'm heading out too, to Fokay." Dain stretched. "I have my origin core to saturate. I wanted to clean up beasts around the stronghold to help, but they're too weak. And I can't waste time anymore."
"So bye." He grinned.
WHOOSH—
He vanished in a burst of flame.
Daela followed silently. "I'm going to train."
Only Sarena and Garros remained.
Their smiles faded.
Their expressions turned sharp.
"...Do we have to accept that deal now?" Sarena asked.
"We've got no choice," Garros said grimly. "Now that Kaden's awakened a powerful Origin, we can't refuse anymore."
"This is all your father's fault. That damn old man. Now he's vanished."
Garros said nothing. He just smiled awkwardly.
Only Sarena ever dared talk about his father like that.
It was one of the reasons he loved her.
...
In Kaden's room—
He sat at the edge of his bed, hands folded beneath his chin.
"System," he said calmly. "Show me what you do."
[Welcome, Host, to the Cycle of Rebirth System.]
[The principle is simple: Die to become stronger.]
[You will receive quests. Completing quests rewards you with Death Coins and stats points.]
[If you're killed—by anyone, anything—you can use Death Coins to rewind time and return.]
[But with a twist—each death lets you absorb a fragment of your killer's Origin.]
[So Host, don't be shy...]
[Court death.]
...I beg your fucking pardon?
—End of Chapter 5—