Nexus born

Chapter Seven: The Call of the Wild Path

The days and nights following the system's awakening were a blur of intense, secret learning for Kael. Every quiet moment, every stolen minute after chores or during seemingly endless lessons, was dedicated to exploring the intricate interface that now resided within his mind. He delved into the functions of Enhanced Focus and Emotional Resonance, testing their limits, finding new applications beyond mere observation. He saw the world in newfound detail, perceiving the subtle weave of magic in the air that the instructors only spoke of abstractly, and reading the true feelings behind the children's sneers and the caretakers' weary indifference.

His "universal spark" remained a puzzle to the instructors, but to Kael, it was now a unique advantage. He learned that the energy that fueled his Crimson Sight was not the ambient mana of the world, but something distinct, something the system labeled Nexus Energy. While others struggled to draw specific elemental mana, Kael used his internal Nexus Energy to subtly influence the mana around him, coaxing forth that formless shimmer with effortless grace. The "Mana Locked" status on his system now made perfect sense: he wasn't meant to store mana like a battery; he was meant to wield it from the outside, using his own unique power as a conduit.

One quiet evening, as Kael lay on his cot, experimenting with a deeper level of Enhanced Focus on the patterns of dust motes in the dim light, the system's internal display shimmered, not with a passive status update, but with an active command.

[INITIATING PATH PROTOCOL: THE FORSAKEN'S ASCENSION]

[Objective: Enter the Whispering Woods, east of Stonehaven.]

[Purpose: Confront Initial Threats. Acquire Essential Experience.]

[Warning: Contains Tier 1 & Tier 2 Monstrous Fauna. Proceed with Caution.]

[REWARD ACQUIRED: NEW PATH ESSENTIALS]

[Soul-Bound Katana: 'Shadow's Edge' - Evolvable, Adaptive (Binds to User's Nexus Energy)]

[Onyx Armor (2-Piece Set): 'Voidweave' - Evolvable, Adaptive (Grows with User's Nexus Energy, enhances defense & stealth)]

A faint, cool sensation spread through Kael's hand, then his chest. He looked down. There, lying silently on the straw beside him, was a sleek, jet-black katana. Its blade seemed to drink the meager light, and its hilt, wrapped in dark, smooth leather, felt perfectly weighted for his small hand. Beside it lay two pieces of armor – a fitted breastplate and armguards, crafted from what appeared to be polished, obsidian-like stone that shimmered with an inner darkness. They were impossibly light, yet solid, and even though they were sized for a grown individual, they seemed to shift, molding imperceptibly to his childish form when he touched them. They pulsed with a faint, resonant hum that mirrored the Nexus Energy within him.

Kael's heart thrummed with a mixture of awe and fierce determination. This was it. This was the true beginning. The system wasn't just a guide; it was an enabler. It was pushing him out of this stagnant, insulting cage and onto a path of direct action, a path to power. But a five-year-old couldn't just walk into a monster-filled forest. He needed to leave the orphanage.

The next morning, Kael found Elder Maeve in her small, cluttered office, meticulously patching a worn blanket. He stood before her, his small frame unusually still, his dark eyes meeting her tired gaze with an intensity that surprised her.

"Elder Maeve," Kael began, his voice still that of a child, but his words slow, deliberate, each syllable carefully chosen. "I... I wish to leave the orphanage."

Elder Maeve paused, her needle suspended mid-air. She lowered the blanket, her brow furrowing. "Leave? Kael, you're barely five years old. Where would you go? You have no family, no kin." Her voice was a mixture of concern and irritation. "The world outside these walls is not a game, child. It is harsh, especially for a foundling with no… common affinity."

"I wish to forge my own path," Kael stated, his voice unwavering. He couldn't speak of the system, or the forest, or the sword and armor now hidden in a spatial pocket only he could access. He had to appeal to what she understood. "I… I feel a call to learn magic in the wilds. To understand my spark, which is not like others. I cannot grow here, Elder. Not truly." He tapped into Emotional Resonance, sensing her underlying weariness, her desire for fewer burdens, yet also her ingrained sense of duty.

Elder Maeve studied him, a flicker of something she couldn't quite decipher in his dark eyes. It wasn't childish impudence; it was a strange, unsettling resolve. She had seen countless children pass through her doors, but none like Kael. His quiet intelligence, his unusual origin, his effortless but undefined magic—it all set him apart. And truth be told, the constant whispers and subtle fear he stirred in the other children were a subtle strain on the orphanage's meager peace.

She sighed, a long, drawn-out breath. "To leave at such an age… it is unheard of without kin. And the wilds are dangerous, Kael. More dangerous than you can possibly imagine." She paused, considering. "However… you are not like the others. And perhaps… perhaps a path of solitude is indeed yours. I cannot force you to stay. But if you go, it is on your own head. The orphanage will not send a search party." Her voice carried a finality, a weary absolution. "If you're found for committing crimes . No return. Are you certain, child?"

"Yes, Elder," Kael replied, the word a firm vow. "I am certain."

Elder Maeve simply nodded, turning back to her blanket. "Then gather what little you have. You may leave by sunrise."

Kael turned, a silent, almost imperceptible surge of triumph coursing through him. He had done it. He was free. The cold, indifferent walls of the orphanage were behind him. Ahead lay the Whispering Woods, a place of monsters and dangers, but also of true growth, guided by the silent, powerful system now awakening within him. His true journey had begun.