Kael floated in darkness, unsure if he was dreaming or dying. No pain. No breath. Just stillness — like time had stopped.
Then came the voice.
Not loud. Not even a whisper. More like… a presence, brushing against his thoughts."Do you wish to live?"
His heart didn't beat. His lungs didn't move.
But deep within, something answered.Yes.
A soft glow bloomed in the void — not light exactly, but symbols. Ancient ones. They circled around him like drifting sparks.[Searching for compatible System...]
[ERROR: No Veil Core detected.]
[ERROR: Host lacks basic Wielder access.]
[Standard System Rejected.]
Kael couldn't move. He didn't know if he was floating or falling.
But then a second message appeared — and this one didn't ask for permission.[Prototype Detected: HOLLOW SYSTEM]
[Unstable. Corruption Risk: HIGH.]
[Warning: Effects may be irreversible.]
Proceed?
➤ [YES] / [NO]
A choice.
And he made it without hesitation.YES.
Everything changed.
Warmth surged through him, not burning, but strange — unfamiliar. The darkness peeled away, like fabric being torn apart. He felt something open inside him.
Not a wound.
Something deeper.[Hollow System Activation Complete.]
[Welcome, Kael Veyne.]
Kael's eyes opened.
He was lying on the stone floor of the dungeon, gasping quietly.
He sat up slowly.
His chest didn't hurt. The cut was gone. No scar. Just a faint circular symbol glowing where the wound had been — a violet ring, pulsing like a heartbeat.
Around him, the corridor was quiet.
The Wielders… were gone. Their gear scattered. Their footsteps faded. It was as if they had never been there.
Had they run?
Or...
He didn't want to think about it.I should be dead.
But I'm not.
Something had brought him back.
And now, something was inside him.
A sound chimed softly in his mind. A new window appeared in his vision — translucent, shaped like a floating panel.[HOLLOW SYSTEM – V0.1 ACTIVE]
🩸 KAEL VEYNE — STATUS
Level: 1
Veil Core: None
System Rank: Undefined
Current State: Stable
Unique Trait: Endless Hunger (Dormant)
Skill Unlocked: Veil Perception (Passive)You do not gain power by fighting.
You grow by absorbing what others leave behind.
Kael's breath caught.
He had no idea what this meant — only that it was nothing like what normal Wielders used. He wasn't even supposed to have a System. Not without a Veil core.
And yet…
He was alive.
His fingers brushed the glowing mark on his chest."This isn't natural. It's not even supposed to exist."
Then, another message appeared.[Nearby Veil Residue Detected.]
[Consume?]
➤ [YES] / [NO]
He looked down. A faint shimmer hovered near the floor, like leftover mist.
Not a soul.
Not blood.
Just leftover energy.
He hesitated — then reached out.YES.
The light entered him like a breath of cold wind. A chill passed through his arms and settled deep in his chest. He gasped — not from pain, but from sudden clarity.
His vision sharpened. His heartbeat steadied.[Veil Residue Absorbed.]
➤ EXP +1
➤ Temporary Boost: +Agility
Kael blinked, then stood slowly.
He didn't feel stronger.
Not really.
But he felt… awake.
The System's last message echoed faintly in his mind.Feed. Grow. Survive.
The dungeon was still quiet. The exit gate wouldn't open for two hours.
Kael turned toward the shadows ahead.
If this strange system was his only chance…
He'd use it.
To Be Continued...
Support Me on Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/c/MaxSage