Night came like a curse.
Cold wind blew through the tunnels, and the blue glow from the crystals faded into dim shadows. Most slaves had fallen asleep, huddled together for warmth. But not Auron.
He stood alone, the dagger hidden in his sleeve. His heart beat calmly. He had spent a full week in the pit, surviving pain, hunger, and fear. And now, the Warden was ready to test him for real.
A tall guard approached him quietly.
"No words. Follow."
Auron nodded and stepped into the dark hallway without hesitation.
They walked in silence for several minutes, deeper into the mines. This part of the tunnels was unfamiliar—colder, quieter, almost too quiet. The walls were rougher here, and strange black roots curled along the ceiling like veins.
Finally, the tunnel opened into a wide chamber lit by a single torch. The Warden stood in the center, arms crossed, his giant shadow stretching behind him.
He tossed something to Auron's feet.
A sack.
Auron opened it.
Inside was a black cloth to cover his face, a small vial of poison, and a folded piece of paper.
Auron opened the paper and read one sentence:
**"Kill the slave marked in red."**
He looked up. "You want me to kill another slave?"
The Warden didn't blink. "This is your first step. If you can't kill a rat in the dark, you'll never survive on the surface."
"Why him?" Auron asked.
"He's a spy. Placed by the nobles to report on the pit. I want him gone. Quietly."
Auron stared at the dagger in his hand. It was heavier than before. Not in weight, but in meaning.
"Will you do it?" the Warden asked.
Auron looked him in the eye. "Yes."
---
The target was a thin man in his twenties, quiet, always sitting alone near the edge of the pit. His red mark glowed slightly under his collar. Most ignored him. Some feared him. Now, he was a dead man.
Auron waited until the pit lights went out.
The only sound was the breathing of the sleeping slaves.
He moved through the dark like a shadow, silent and patient. His heartbeat slowed. His hand gripped the dagger tightly.
He stood behind the target, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest.
This man didn't look like a spy. He looked tired. Broken. Just like everyone else.
Auron raised the dagger.
He hesitated.
Not because he was afraid.
Because for one second… he remembered being the one on the ground.
Chained.
Helpless.
But he let the feeling pass.
This wasn't about justice.
This was about survival.
Auron leaned forward, placed a hand over the man's mouth, and drove the dagger into his chest—deep and fast.
The man's body shook, once, then stopped.
No scream. No struggle.
Just death.
Auron held still, eyes cold.
> \[Target Eliminated]
> \[XP Gained: +40]
> \[Skill Unlocked: Silent Kill]
> \[Emotion Locked: Remorse - Disabled during missions]
> \[Title Progress: 1/3 Assassinations Complete]
He cleaned the blade with part of the man's shirt, then vanished back into the shadows.
---
The next morning, the pit was full of whispers.
"Someone's dead."
"They found him with his eyes open."
"No blood. Just… gone."
The guards didn't react. They already knew.
Auron said nothing. He sat beside Jace, eating slowly.
Jace looked at him strangely.
"You slept fine last night?"
"I slept," Auron replied.
The Warden appeared at the tunnel entrance.
He pointed at Auron.
"You. Come."
Auron stood and followed him back into the lower chambers.
This time, the Warden didn't say anything.
He simply handed Auron a small, black crystal.
Auron stared at it.
"What is this?"
"Proof," the Warden said. "That you've taken your first step toward becoming useful."
Auron held the crystal tightly. It was warm. It pulsed with energy. Not clean energy, like divine magic. But dark and old. The kind that whispered to the soul.
> \[Cursed Crystal Absorbed]
> \[Mana +1]
> \[New Path Unlocked: Shadowborne]
> \[Skill Branch Available: Dark Flow – Beginner Tier]
"You're no longer just a slave," the Warden said. "You're becoming a weapon."
"I'm becoming something more," Auron said. "Something they'll never see coming."
The Warden chuckled. "Good. Keep that fire."
"But know this—one mistake in this world, and you're gone. No second chances. No mercy."
Auron nodded. "I don't need mercy."
---
Later that night, Auron sat alone, staring at his dagger.
He could still feel the pulse of the man he killed. The fear in his last breath.
But he didn't regret it.
Not because he was heartless.
Because it was the path he chose.
> \[New Quest: Kill or Be Killed – 2/3 Targets Remaining]
> \[Reward: Shadowblade Skill Core]
The system was pushing him to grow.
To kill.
To evolve.
He didn't know where this path would lead, or how much of himself he would lose.
But he had no choice.
If he wanted to rise…
He had to drown his past in blood.