The rain continued to beat down on the cobblestones, but Ethan barely felt the cold. His attention was entirely captivated by the glowing golden box hovering in his field of vision.
"Aria," Ethan said, his voice steadying as the adrenaline of his near-death experience began to level out. "Open the Starter Pack."
"Right away, Master."
The golden box spun, bursting into a shower of digital light that materialized into three distinct items floating before him, accompanied by a cascade of System notifications.
[Starter Pack Opened!]
[Item Acquired: Ring of the Faceless (Rare)]
[Weapon Acquired: Phantom Blade (Uncommon)]
[Skill Acquired: Eye of the Beholder (Passive)]
[Currency Acquired: 50 Gold Coins]
Ethan reached out, his fingers brushing against the floating objects. As he touched them, they solidified into reality.
The first was a sleek, matte-black band. He slipped it onto his right index finger.
[Ring of the Faceless Equipped.]
Effect: Conceals the host's true stats, level, and magical aura from anyone below the 'King' rank. Allows the host to project a false aura of weakness.
"Perfect," Ethan muttered. "If the Shadow Guild or my lovely family sends someone else to check on my corpse, they won't realize I've suddenly gotten stronger."
Next, he grasped the hilt of the weapon. It was a beautifully crafted dagger, the blade made of a dark, translucent metal that seemed to absorb the ambient light.
[Phantom Blade Equipped.]
Effect: Soul-bound weapon. Can be summoned and dismissed from the host's spatial inventory at will. Ignores basic physical armor.
With a thought, the dagger dissolved into black mist, vanishing into his palm. Another thought, and it materialized back into his grip, solid and deadly. Ethan couldn't help but grin. Back on Earth, the coolest thing he owned was a mechanical keyboard. This was a massive upgrade.
Finally, a warm sensation washed over his eyes, making him blink rapidly.
"The 'Eye of the Beholder' is a crucial passive skill for your journey, Master," Aria explained, her voice echoing pleasantly in his mind. "It allows you to view the basic status of others, but more importantly, it highlights potential heroines and displays their current Bond Level and emotional state."
"Information is power," Ethan agreed, dismissing the interface. A heavy leather pouch dropped into his hand, clinking with the sound of fifty gold coins. According to the original Ethan's memories, fifty gold was enough to live comfortably in the slums for a year.
But Ethan had no intention of staying in the slums.
He pulled his torn, blood-stained coat tighter around himself and stepped out of the alley. The original Ethan Vale had been living in a rundown tavern called The Rusty Boar, about three blocks away. He needed to get back there, clean up, and plan his next move.
As he navigated the winding, muddy streets of the lower district, Ethan decided to test his new capabilities.
He spotted a wide gap between two rooftops above him. Focusing his mind, he activated his new skill. Shadow Step.
Instantly, the world blurred. He didn't jump; he simply ceased to be in the street and materialized ten feet away, perfectly balanced on the edge of a wooden balcony. There was no sound, no flash of light—just a seamless transition through the shadows.
"Okay, that is incredibly cool," Ethan whispered, feeling the five-minute cooldown timer tick down in his mind. His new Agility stat made his movements crisp and precise. He felt lighter, faster, and more alive than he ever had in his previous life.
Ten minutes later, Ethan arrived at The Rusty Boar. It was a miserable establishment, reeking of cheap ale and unwashed bodies. He slipped through the back entrance, avoiding the drunken patrons in the main hall, and crept up the creaking wooden stairs to his room.
He reached for the doorknob, but paused.
The door was already slightly ajar. The wood around the lock was splintered.
Ethan's eyes narrowed. He summoned the Phantom Blade into his right hand, the dark metal materializing silently. He pushed the door open with his foot.
His meager room had been completely trashed. The mattress was slashed, his few spare clothes were scattered across the floor, and the floorboards had been pried up.
Standing in the center of the wreckage was a massive, scarred brute of a man wearing the leather armor of a local slum enforcer. He was currently holding a small, wooden music box—the only memento the original Ethan had of his late mother.
"Looking for something?" Ethan asked, his voice cold.
The brute spun around, dropping the music box. It hit the floor with a sickening crack, splintering into pieces.
"Vale?" The brute grunted, his small eyes widening in shock. "You're supposed to be dead. The Guild said the job was done."
"The Guild needs better quality control," Ethan said, stepping into the room and kicking the door shut behind him.
He activated Eye of the Beholder. A small, translucent screen popped up next to the brute's head.
[Target: Kael]
[Rank: Initiate (Level 4)]
[Strength: 12]
[Agility: 6]
[Threat Level: Very Low]
Very low, Ethan thought. Good to know.
"If the poison didn't kill you, I'll just finish the job myself and collect the bounty twice," Kael snarled, drawing a heavy iron shortsword from his hip. He lunged forward, swinging the blade in a wide, clumsy arc aimed at Ethan's neck.
Before his rebirth, Ethan would have frozen. But with his Agility now at 15—more than double the brute's—Kael's movement looked almost comically slow.
Ethan ducked under the swing with effortless grace. He stepped into Kael's guard, driving the hilt of the Phantom Blade hard into the brute's solar plexus.
Kael gasped, all the air leaving his lungs. Before he could recover, Ethan swept his leg out, kicking Kael's knee. The brute crashed to the floor with a heavy thud, his sword clattering away.
Ethan stepped on Kael's wrist, pinning his arm to the floor, and pressed the edge of the Phantom Blade against the man's thick throat.
"Let's have a chat, Kael," Ethan said, his voice eerily calm. "Who paid the Shadow Guild to kill me? And who sent you to toss my room?"
"Screw you, Vale!" Kael spat, though his eyes betrayed his terror. "You're just a bastard! Your family—"
Ethan pressed the blade a millimeter deeper, drawing a bead of blood. The Phantom Blade's edge was unnaturally sharp. "My family what? Speak clearly. I'm losing my patience."
"Your half-brother!" Kael choked out, his bravado crumbling. "Lord Cedric Vale! He paid the Guild! He sent me to find the deed to your mother's estate! He wants to make sure you leave nothing behind!"
Ethan's mind raced, processing the memories of his predecessor. Cedric Vale. The legitimate heir. A cruel, arrogant noble who had tormented Ethan his entire life before finally having him exiled. Apparently, exile wasn't enough. Cedric wanted him erased.
"Where is Cedric now?" Ethan demanded.
"He... he left the capital! He's heading to the Royal Magic Academy in the Silver City to enroll for the new term!" Kael stammered.
Ethan slowly pulled the blade back. The Royal Magic Academy. It was the most prestigious institution in the Human Kingdoms, a place where nobles, prodigies, and royalty gathered to hone their power. It was also a place where a disgraced bastard could theoretically earn a new title, forge powerful alliances, and—most importantly for Ethan—meet some of the most extraordinary women in the realm.
"Aria," Ethan thought. "If I want to grow my power quickly, the Academy is the best place to find potential bonds, isn't it?"
"Affirmative, Master. The Royal Magic Academy boasts the highest concentration of high-potential heroines in the Human Kingdoms. It is the optimal environment for the Harem Ascension System."
Ethan looked down at the trembling brute. He dismissed the Phantom Blade, letting it vanish into mist.
"Get out," Ethan ordered.
Kael scrambled to his feet, clutching his throat, and bolted out the door without looking back.
Ethan sighed, looking at the wrecked room. He knelt down and picked up the broken pieces of the music box. He didn't have the original Ethan's emotional attachment to it, but he felt a pang of sympathy for the boy whose body he now inhabited.
"Don't worry, kid," Ethan whispered to the lingering ghost of his predecessor. "Cedric took everything from you. I'm going to take everything from him."
He stood up, tossing the broken wood aside. He had fifty gold coins, a System that defied the laws of reality, and a destination.
It was time to go to the Royal Magic Academy.