The Viermont Family—one of the most powerful noble families in the Kingdom of 'Valtherion', known for their influence and countless achievements.
At its head stood Karlos Viermont.
A man feared and respected across the kingdom.
He was known as one of the strongest warriors of his generation, a figure who had crushed countless enemies on the battlefield and carved his name into history through sheer power.
Because of that…
The name Viermont carried weight.
And expectations.
Karlos had four children.
Three daughters…
And one son.
The eldest were twins—
Kael Viermont…
And his sister, Kira Viermont.
A girl known for her sharp, cat-like eyes and cold personality.
The middle child was Laura Viermont, calm and composed, often acting as the balance between her siblings.
And lastly—
Lara Viermont.
The youngest.
Kind-hearted… yet not weak.
Together, they were known as the next generation of the Viermont family.
But among them—
There was one name that stood out for a different reason.
Kael Viermont.
The only son.
And…
The disgrace of the family.
—
At the training grounds—
Kael tightened his grip on the sword.
"…Let's begin."
The training grounds fell silent.
A faint breeze passed through, carrying the tension in the air.
Kira stood a few steps away from Kael, her sword resting lightly in her hand.
Her posture was relaxed.
Too relaxed.
Like she didn't even see him as a threat.
"…Don't regret this," she said coldly.
Kael tightened his grip on the sword.
'Yeah… I already do,' he cried inwardly.
'What the hell was I thinking accepting this?'
His palms felt slightly sweaty.
Standing in front of her like this…
He could feel it.
The difference between them.
It wasn't small.
It was overwhelming.
"Begin."
The moment the word fell—
Kira moved.
Fast.
Kael's eyes widened as her figure blurred for a second.
'W-what?!'
Clang—!
Their swords collided, the force sending a shock through his arms.
"Too slow," she muttered.
Kael gritted his teeth, barely holding his stance.
'She's way too fast…!'
He tried to counter, swinging his sword forward—
But Kira stepped aside effortlessly.
His attack cut through nothing but air.
"Is this it?" she said, almost bored.
Kael felt his chest tighten.
Frustration.
Panic.
Embarrassment.
He forced himself forward again, attacking clumsily, trying to keep up—
Clang! Clang!
Each strike was blocked.
Each movement read.
Like she already knew everything he was going to do.
'Damn it…!'
His breathing became uneven.
His arms started to feel heavy.
Then—
A sharp movement.
Kira's blade slipped past his guard.
Thud—!
Kael's body hit the ground.
His sword flew out of his hand, landing a few feet away.
Silence.
"…Pathetic," Kira said coldly, lowering her blade.
Kael lay there, staring up at the sky.
His chest rising and falling heavily.
'…Yeah,' he thought bitterly.
'That went exactly how I expected.'
He clenched his fist slightly.
'What was I even trying to prove…?'
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then—
Kira frowned slightly.
"…Wait."
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him more carefully.
Something felt… off.
During that brief exchange—
There was a moment.
Just a single moment—
Where Kael actually reacted.
Not well.
Not perfectly.
But…
Not like before.
"…You," she said slowly.
Kael didn't respond, still lying on the ground.
"…What was that just now?"
Lara blinked in confusion.
"Huh…?"
Kira didn't take her eyes off him.
"…You're still weak," she said.
"But…"
A pause.
"…You moved differently."
Kael's eyes shifted slightly.
'…Did I?'
He let out a quiet breath.
"…Guess I just got lucky," he muttered.
But Kira didn't look convinced.
Not at all.
After lying on the ground for a few moments, Kael finally stood, patting his clothes to straighten the little mess he'd made.
"Guess I have a lot more to learn before I can defeat you," he muttered, voice low, almost to himself.
Slowly, he turned away and started walking out of the training grounds, each step heavy but steady.
Kira remained where she stood, watching him leave. Her sharp eyes narrowed, watching carefully every movement.
'Something's off about him,' she thought, frowning. 'He never gives up until he manages to even scratch me… but today… he felt calm.'
She paused for a moment, then shook her head and returned her gaze to Laura, forcing herself to focus.
A few hours later, after exploring the vast Viermont residence, Kael finally returned to his room.
He collapsed onto the bed, muscles aching, mind spinning.
Exhaustion washed over him like a heavy tide.
For the first time in a long while… he let himself just lie there, catching his breath and trying to process everything that had happened.
He sighed, letting his body sink deeper into the bed.
"Man… I'm tired," he muttered, voice heavy with exhaustion.
"So much for the first day of my new life," he added, staring blankly at the ceiling.
For a moment, silence filled the room as he processed everything that had happened today.
'After spending the whole day in this residence… I've realized a few things about this Kael dude,' he thought.
He paused, recalling each moment carefully.
'Kael is a loser. He's looked down on by his family… but not everyone. Lara seems cool, and that other sister with the silver hair—she seems alright too.'
He stayed silent for a moment, pondering further.
'Next… I realized I'm still weak. Even with the stats increase and the level up… I'm nowhere near strong enough.'
He pushed himself up on the bed, sitting cross-legged and rubbing his face.
'I can't just die repeatedly to get stronger… it'll affect my sanity… maybe worse.'
He frowned.
'So… what should I do?'
Suddenly, a red interface appeared before his eyes.
[ Initiating Crimson Rebirth System: Privilege Mode]
Kael's eyes widened.
"…Privilege Mode?" he whispered, unsure if he'd heard correctly.
The interface blinked, and information began appearing one after another.
[ Crimson Rebirth System ]
[ A unique, rare system that guides its host to become more powerful being]
[ This system has three unique ways to strengthen its host ]
[ Through the unique skill 'Reaper's Bloom' – activates when the host dies, boosting stats and level ×2.]
[ Daily Training – performing the following tasks will gradually increase stats (+50 per day):]
*100 push-ups
*100 sit-ups
*100 squats
*10 km run
[Killing Soul Beasts – defeating soul beasts earns Soul Points. The stronger the beast, the more points gained. Filling the Soul Points bar allows the host to level up.]
[ Reaching certain levels unlocks unique abilities, skills, and techniques ]
Kael stared at the floating red interface, blinking rapidly.
'…So this is how I get stronger,' he muttered, a small spark of determination flickering in his tired eyes.
'No dying recklessly, no shortcuts… just training, hunting, and grinding my way up.'
'This Kael… he's going to have to fight his way out of being a loser.'
He pondered for a moment, mumbling under his breath,
"Although I hate exercising… I don't really have a choice. Daily training is the only option I've got right now."
He tapped his chin, thinking further.
"Hunting soul beasts… I'll start that after I go to the academy. There's that dungeon at the academy with countless floors filled with soul beasts—plenty of opportunities to grind."
Kael finally stood up, stretching his arms and legs with a slow yawn.
"Well… starting tomorrow, I'll begin my training. Time to get stronger."
A small spark of determination flickered in his eyes as he looked around his room, imagining the long road ahead.