[Prepare for Appraisal…]
Kurai stood suspended between dream and reality.
An endless void stretched in every direction—black, silent, and vast. Yet it was not empty. Countless stars shimmered in the darkness, their faint glow weaving together threads of silver light. Those threads intertwined into an intricate, unfathomable web—forming constellations, nexuses… something far beyond his understanding.
It was beautiful.
It was terrifying.
And it was like his.
Then, the Spell spoke.
---
[You have received a Memory: Ghostly Sword]
[You have received a Memory: Bloody Black Box]
[You have received a Memory: Ghostly Table]
[You have received a Memory: The Armor]
[You have received a Memory: Soul Ring]
[You have received a Memory: Soul Encrypt]
[You have received a Memory: Soul Water]
[You have received a Memory: Stone Shield]
[You have received a Memory: Ghostly Eyes]
[You have received an Echo: Soul Eater]
[You have received an Echo: Soul Eater]
[You have received an Echo: Soul Devourer]
[You have received an Echo: Soul Lord]
---
Kurai's breath hitched.
"That's… a lot."
A laugh almost escaped him, but he swallowed it, his chest tightening instead.
"Did I really earn all of this…?"
The Spell continued, cold and absolute.
---
[Aspirant. Your trial is over.]
[A knight ascended the castle. Many monsters were slain by his hand. Injured, he entered the castle of a fallen Sacred and spilled his blood upon its ruins. Though the Sacred was dead… it listened.]
---
Kurai frowned slightly.
"A knight…?"
Something about those words felt distant—like a story that wasn't entirely his.
But the Spell did not wait.
---
[You have defeated one hundred and seventy dormant beasts: Ice Monsters]
[You have defeated one hundred and twenty dormant beasts: Snow Monsters]
[You have defeated thirty-three awakened beasts: Ice Lords]
[You have defeated twenty-one awakened beasts: Snow Lords]
[You have defeated two hundred awakened monsters: Soul Eaters]
[You have defeated one hundred and forty awakened devils: Soul Hunters]
[You have defeated thirty fallen devils: Soul Devourers]
[You have defeated three corrupted monsters: Soul Eaters]
[You have defeated a fallen terror: Soul Lord]
---
Kurai's eyes widened with each line.
Then narrowed.
"Wait… no."
His lips curled slightly.
"I didn't kill most of those."
A quiet realization settled in.
"So that was… the Master of Darkness."
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Still… I'm not complaining."
---
[You have achieved the impossible.]
[Final appraisal: Glorious. Your treachery truly knows no bounds.]
---
Kurai blinked.
"Treachery…?"
Then he snorted.
"Hey, I survived. That's what matters."
---
[Dreamer Kurayami, receive your boon.]
[You have been bestowed a True Name: Brave Knight]
---
Silence.
For a moment, even the stars seemed to dim.
"…A True Name?"
His heart skipped.
"You've got to be kidding me."
He let out a breathless laugh.
"People spend their entire lives chasing this…"
"And I get it on my first Nightmare?"
His eyes gleamed.
"Yeah… I'm definitely built different."
---
[Your attributes are ready to evolve. Evolve attributes?]
Kurai didn't hesitate.
"Do it."
---
[Your aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve aspect?]
A flicker of anticipation ran through him.
"Yeah… evolve it."
---
[Dormant Aspect: Fire Knight is evolving…]
[New Aspect acquired.]
[Aspect Rank: Divine.]
[Aspect Name: Darkness Commander]
---
Everything stopped.
Kurai stared at the glowing words.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
"…Divine?"
His voice came out as a whisper.
"That's the highest rank…"
A shiver ran down his spine.
"No… this isn't luck."
His lips slowly curved upward.
"This is destiny."
---
He summoned the runes, his gaze sharp and focused.
---
Aspect Name: [Darkness Commander]
Aspect Rank: Divine
Aspect Description:
[You are a miraculous Commander left behind by the Master of Darkness. You possess many strange and wondrous powers.]
---
"Commander…"
The word felt heavy.
Fitting.
---
Innate Ability: [Dark Body]
Ability Description:[You become one with darkness.]
---
[The First Seal is broken.]
[Awakening dormant powers…]
---
Pain—
No.
Not pain.
Something deeper.
Stronger.
Pleasure surged through his body like fire and ice intertwined.
"What… is this…?"
His muscles tightened, his senses sharpened.
His very being felt as though it was being rewritten.
"It's like I'm… being reborn."
---
[Awakening Aspect Ability…]
[Aspect Ability acquired.]
[Aspect Ability Name: Dark Bound]
---
[All power has a price.]
[You have received a Flaw.]
---
Kurai's expression stiffened.
"Of course there's a catch."
---
[Flaw: Weak Body]
[Flaw Description: You have low resistance to light. Certain light can burn you.]
---
"…You're kidding."
He exhaled sharply.
"So I gain darkness… and light becomes my enemy."
A pause.
Then—
"Yeah… that sounds about right."
---
Kurai summoned the full rune interface, scanning it quickly.
---
Name: Kurayami (Kurai)
True Name: Brave Knight
Rank: Dreamer
Dark Core: Monster
Dark Fragment: [1870/2000]
Memories: [Night Fall] [Moon Blade] [Ghostly Sword] [Bloody Black Box] [Ghostly Table] [The Armor] [Soul Ring] [Soul Encrypt] [Soul Water] [Stone Shield] [Ghostly Eyes]
Echoes: [Soul Eater] [Soul Eater] [Soul Devourer] [Soul Lord]
Attributes:[Dark-Brave] [Master of the Sword] [Bloodlust] [Lord of Darkness] [True Darkness]
Aspect: [Darkness Commander]
Aspect Rank: Divine
Innate Ability: [Dark Body]
Aspect Ability: [Dark Bound]
Aspect Ability Description:[Your Darkness can Bound. It can become a helpful ability.]
Flaw: [Weak Body]
Flaw Description:[You have low resistance to light. Certain light can burn you.]
---
Kurai stared at it all.
Slowly… he smiled.
"Not bad."
Then, more confidently—
"No… this is insane."
---
[Wake up, Brave Knight.]
---
The void trembled.
The stars collapsed inward.
Darkness twisted and folded—
Kurai's eyes widened.
"Wait—!"
---
And everything disappeared.
---