ARCANE DRIFTERS – Volume 1
Chapter 4: The Cursed Weapon
Eight days had passed since the Awakening Test.
Eight days since Shen learned that he possessed no magical power.
Most people would have given up.
Most people would have accepted reality.
Shen was not most people.
"Hah..."
"Hah..."
His breathing sounded like a broken engine.
Sweat poured from every part of his body.
His legs felt heavier than mountains.
Yet he continued running.
One lap.
Ten laps.
One thousand laps.
Ten thousand laps.
One hundred thousand laps.
And then more.
The training field had become his world.
Every morning.
Every afternoon.
Every night.
Running.
Training.
Improving.
That was all Shen did.
Finally—
THUD!
He collapsed onto the ground.
His entire body trembled.
His vision blurred.
A weak smile appeared on his face.
"Yes..."
"Finally..."
"I finished one million laps..."
His voice sounded lifeless.
Eight days.
Eight days of pure suffering.
A shadow appeared above him.
Kenya stood there holding a water canteen.
A smirk covered her face.
"Good morning, sunshine."
"Still alive?"
Shen weakly raised a thumb.
"I think so..."
Kenya tossed him the canteen.
The moment Shen caught it—
His arm gave up.
THUD!
His face crashed directly into the dirt.
Kenya immediately burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
"You looked cool for two seconds!"
Shen groaned.
"This world is unfair..."
A few moments later Eliz hurried over.
Her expression was filled with concern.
"Shen!"
"Your face is red."
She touched his forehead.
Immediately her eyes widened.
"You're burning up!"
Shen slowly looked up.
"Am I dying?"
Eliz sighed.
"No."
"But you're definitely sick."
"Good."
"For a second I thought I had to run another million laps in heaven."
Kenya nearly fell over laughing.
Even Eliz struggled not to smile.
Suddenly the atmosphere changed.
The Commander had arrived.
His arms were crossed.
His expression remained serious as always.
"Training starts at dawn."
"Latecomers run one million laps."
Shen immediately stood up.
Though he almost fell again.
"Y-Yes sir!"
The Commander nodded.
Then Shen hesitated.
For several seconds he remained silent.
Finally he spoke.
"Commander..."
The older man looked at him.
"Yes?"
Shen clenched his fists.
"How can I fight Arcanes if I have no power?"
Silence.
The laughter vanished.
Even Kenya became serious.
The question hung in the air.
Then the Commander answered.
"I don't have any power either."
Everyone froze.
"What?"
Kenya blinked.
Eliz looked confused.
Ruke nearly dropped his weapon.
Shen stared.
"Wait."
"You don't?"
The Commander shook his head.
"No."
"I never awakened magic."
The group looked shocked.
"But then how are you so strong?" Shen asked.
The Commander tapped his temple.
"I created my own power."
"What power?"
The Commander smiled.
"Code-Breaking."
The group became confused.
"Code-Breaking?" Ruke repeated.
The Commander nodded.
"While others depended on magic..."
"I studied it."
"I learned its weaknesses."
"I learned its patterns."
"And eventually..."
"I learned how to break it."
Shen's eyes widened.
For the first time since his Awakening Test—
Hope appeared.
"If you can do it..."
"Then maybe I can too."
The Commander looked directly at him.
"Maybe."
Shen immediately pointed at himself.
"I want it."
The Commander raised an eyebrow.
"You want what?"
"The Code-Breaking Power."
Kenya facepalmed.
Ruke laughed.
Eliz sighed.
The Commander shook his head.
"Not so fast."
"First..."
"You must choose a weapon."
A few minutes later everyone entered the armory.
Rows of weapons filled the massive room.
Swords.
Daggers.
Axes.
Spears.
Bows.
Shields.
Thousands of weapons rested on the walls.
The Commander spoke.
"Choose carefully."
"Don't choose based on appearance."
"Choose the weapon that feels right."
The students nodded.
Kenya immediately walked toward a blazing sword.
The moment she touched it—
WHOOSH!
Flames erupted.
The sword seemed alive.
Kenya grinned.
"This one."
The Commander nodded.
"A good choice."
Next came Eliz.
She selected a beautiful dagger made of silver-black metal.
Dark and light energy danced around it.
"It feels comfortable."
"Then it's yours."
Finally Ruke stepped forward.
A massive scythe covered in lightning attracted his attention.
The moment he grabbed it—
CRACKLE!
Golden electricity exploded around him.
Ruke smiled.
"Perfect."
The Commander nodded.
Then he looked around.
"Where's Shen?"
Everyone turned.
Shen was standing alone.
Looking confused.
The weapon racks around him remained untouched.
After several minutes—
He sighed.
"Commander..."
The Commander walked over.
"What?"
Shen scratched his head.
"I don't think any weapon likes me."
The Commander blinked.
"What do you mean?"
"I touched hundreds."
"Nothing happened."
Silence.
Even the Commander looked surprised.
That had never happened before.
Eventually the Commander sighed.
"New weapons arrive tomorrow."
"We'll try again."
Shen nodded.
"Okay."
The Commander then looked toward the others.
"Training begins now."
Immediately Kenya, Eliz and Ruke rushed toward the training grounds.
Leaving Shen behind.
An hour passed.
Then two.
Then three.
Shen sat alone.
Watching.
Bored.
Very bored.
Kenya practiced powerful sword attacks.
Eliz disappeared through shadows.
Ruke blasted lightning everywhere.
Meanwhile...
Shen sat on a box.
Doing absolutely nothing.
"This is torture."
A sigh escaped him.
He kicked a small pebble.
Then another.
Then another.
Suddenly—
A voice whispered.
"Shen..."
Shen froze.
His eyes widened.
"What?"
Silence.
He looked around.
Nobody was there.
Maybe he imagined it.
Then—
"Shen..."
The voice returned.
This time clearer.
Colder.
Hungrier.
Shen immediately stood up.
"Who said that?"
No answer.
The whisper echoed again.
"Come..."
"Come closer..."
A chill ran through his body.
The voice was coming from the storage room.
Slowly Shen walked toward it.
The room was dark.
Dust covered everything.
Broken weapons filled the shelves.
The deeper he walked...
The stronger the voice became.
"Take me..."
"Take me..."
"Take me..."
His heartbeat accelerated.
Finally—
He reached the darkest corner.
And froze.
Two crimson blades rested there.
Jagged.
Broken.
Monstrous.
The hilts were wrapped with old bloodstained cloth.
Dark red energy pulsed from them.
Like a beating heart.
The weapons looked alive.
"Take me..."
The whisper sounded desperate now.
Shen swallowed.
"What are you?"
No answer.
Only the voice.
"Take me..."
Shen slowly extended his hand.
His fingers touched one of the blades.
Instantly—
BOOOOOOM!!
A crimson explosion erupted.
The room disappeared.
The world disappeared.
Everything turned red.
And a terrifying voice echoed inside his mind.
"At last..."
"Someone worthy has found us."
Shen's eyes widened.
"What?!"
The crimson darkness swallowed him whole.
To Be Continued...