[Dominion Codex]
[Comparability: 10% - 20% - 30% - 75% - Stable]
[Activating Base Interface]
Rael looked on with both anticipation and skepticism as the system screen shifted into a brighter theme.
[Host Interface]
—————————-
[Name: Rael Drakul]
[Age: 22]
[Gender: Male]
[Race: Human]
[Rank: Non-existent]
[Strength: 8]
[Agility: 6]
[Endurance: 10]
[Will: 14]
[Intelligence: 8]
[Aether manuscript: Non-existent]
[Aether Techniques: Non-existent]
[Aether Spells: Non-existent]
—————
Achievements: Survived a night outside any defined territory
Reward Allocated.
Would you like to receive the reward?
[Quest Log!]
——————————
Rael was surprised at how detailed the system was, analyzing all his physical attributes. He was also amazed by each of his stats, and he couldn't help but imagine how high those of Aether users would be. Yet, he also felt wary—wondering where the system came from and why it chose him.
"What are you?" he tried communicating with it, but there was no response of any kind except for the pop-up quest reward allocation. Nothing else.
"So it's lifeless, huh," he said to himself. "Well, better that way. Can't have a living being stuck up in my head."
Thinking about the reward and why there was one to begin with, the system actually answered him—to his surprise.
[For each achievement and quest conquered on the Dominion Path, there is its own reward.]
"It responded…" he muttered. Though the response was vague, it wasn't the kind of reply one would get from a sentient being. In fact, its words came to him like thoughts and images in his mind, which made it even more mysterious—and to Rael, more terrifying. He began to doubt whether he should accept whatever it offered, because he knew nothing ever came for free.
He closed the system interface as the smell of decaying corpses started assaulting his nose. He chose to be honorable and bury the dead. The campsite had digging tools, and he planned on staying here for a while regardless of what had killed the guild members.
———
A few hours passed. He had managed to bury all thirteen corpses while stripping anything useful from them. Of course, he left them with clothes and their dignity.
Looking at the burial mounds as sweat poured down his skin, he couldn't help but lament the feebleness and horrors of this world.
"I might become one of them sooner or later. No… I won't even have anyone to bury my corpse. I'm just a mere human—and in this cursed world, it's no different from being ants to be trampled upon. I really don't have a choice, do I? Hmm… Dominion Path."
Rael knew that without being an Aether user, one would eventually become prey—either for beasts,the withered or for the Aether users themselves. It was no different from his past life. The rich would forever hold the poor in their hands.
He closed his eyes and summoned the interface, focusing on the reward allocation panel.
[Would host like to receive the reward?]
[Yes] [No]
"Hehe… so I shake hands with the devil once more, huh," he gave himself a mocking laugh and replied in his mind, Yes.
[Initializing Protocol]
[Reward Processing]
[The host has been granted: The Warmaster Scripture I]
"Could it be?" Rael exclaimed, excitement overwhelming his weariness.
[Reward Injection]
"What—" Rael barely uttered before a wave of pain struck his head. He groaned in agony, falling to his knees while clutching his skull as countless words and symbols flashed across his eyes. His vision darkened from the throbbing pain and influx of information.
A few minutes passed as Rael remained clutching his head, cursing the system.
"A fu**ing warning would have helped, damn piece of sh…" he groaned. The pain had subsided, but his head still felt heavy as words and symbols assembled into a long warrior's manuscript within his mind.
He got to his feet, stumbling for a bit.After getting a hold of himself, he closed his eyes to view the assembled words.
[WarMaster Scripture I]
[Classification: Aether Meditative Combat Technique]
[Origin: Unknown (Traced to pre-godfall era)]
[Compatibility: 72%] (Phase I Available)
Phases Detected:
[Iron Path]
"It really is a warrior's manuscript, haha," Rael burst into laughter. To him, it was like a dream come true.
He quickly calmed himself down, carefully analyzing every detail as he focused on the iron path.
[Warmaster Scripture: Phase I — The Iron Path Initiated]
[Pain is your forge. Flesh is your metal. Will is your hammer.]
The Iron Path begins not with combat, but with endurance — for every blood spilled yours or not, is a lesson in agony. You will temper your body through unending strain until bone remembers resistance and muscle learns defiance.
"Ohh shit."
[Training Directive]:
Endure the pain of the Tempering Rites — meditative pain suppression and pain infliction.
No healing permitted. Each wound must close through will alone.
When your body no longer trembles under the strain, and your mind finds stillness in torment... the Iron Path shall yield its reward.
[Body Tempering Progress — 0%]
"What the hell is this "
"Why do I have the feeling this is some masochistic technique?" Rael wasn't really that worried if it was, as he did not have a choice. He'd have to get used to self-inflicting pain.
Looking at the percent bar that showed 0%, he could guess that if he could get it to 100%, he might eventually become a real Aether user, fully stepping into the Iron Fighter rank.
So if becoming a masochist was the price, oh he was willing to pay. But there was another detail Rael noticed — the scripture mentioned phases, which could only possibly mean that this wasn't some low-class warrior's manuscript that stopped at the peak of the Iron-fighter rank. If it had more phases, that definitely meant it corresponded with different ranks.
"I really hope that's the case. Well, even if it isn't, I finally have the key to being an Aether user, and that's what matters." He looked to the direction of Grandveil; though it was miles away now, to him it felt like he could see it, as determination flashed across his eyes.
But the system interface awoke him from his daydreaming with a Quest Log tag.
Though he'd seen it before, he hadn't really paid attention to it, but seeing as it was glowing red, he chose to focus on it.
[Quest Log]