On the top of the ranking, a portrait of a young pale skined and black eyed boy could be clearly seen.
To the right of it, two simple lines of text were displayed:
"Name: Konrad"
"True Name: Night Haunter"
Soon, the entire cafeteria had gone silent. Every eye was on Konrad. Some held fear, others curiosity, and a few gleamed with the fire of competition. The weight of his ranking bore down on the room like an unspoken challenge. But Konrad? He hardly cared.
Instead, he shifted his gaze to the other top rankers.
Quinn of Aegis Rose sat in second place, his name highlighted alongside an Ascendant Aspect. A strong candidate. Ada of Night followed in third, also marked as Ascendant. The rest of the top ten held Awakened Aspects, impressive in their own right, but none had yet reached the level of a True Name.
Konrad exhaled through his nose and returned to his meal. Ranking systems and prideful gazes meant nothing to him. Strength wasn't about a number on a screen; it was something proven through blood, battle, and survival.
But he barely had time to finish his breakfast before the inevitable happened.
Quinn of Aegis Rose strode over, his posture rigid with determination. The murmurs around them intensified. Konrad already knew what was coming.
"I challenge you to a duel," Quinn declared, his voice sharp and clear.
Ada bristled immediately, placing her tray down with a thud. "This is ridiculous. The rankings were determined through an evaluation, not combat. You don't need to prove anything."
Jacob, however, smirked and casually leaned against the table, shaking his head. "Let them handle it. This is a matter of honor between men."
Konrad slowly turned his head toward Jacob, staring at him with a flat, expressionless gaze. What the hell is this bastard talking about?
He sighed and turned back to Quinn. "Fine. Tomorrow."
Quinn's eyes flashed with satisfaction as he nodded. "We'll let the instructors know. Formal combat, no restrictions."
Konrad didn't respond. He simply stood up, his face devoid of emotion, and left the cafeteria. Inside, however, he was mildly annoyed. What a pointless waste of time.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully. He attended several classes, though only out of mild curiosity. Most of the material was redundant—things he had already learned through his clan's rigorous training. Occasionally, an instructor would glance his way, perhaps measuring his potential. But Konrad kept to himself, observing in silence.
When night fell, he returned to his room. The duel was scheduled for the next day, but he gave it little thought. He had more pressing matters to attend to.
He started thinking about his powers and his future.
"My innate ability [Paradox] allows me to make some changes and add some variables to this world. Yet! My flaw [Mandate] will counter it. It will make I don't mess up the destined future.
Sigh! When my these two quality clash, it will make some small changes and add some insignificant variables to this great design. But anything more like killing Sunless, inheriting Weaver's lineage, taking [Mantle of the Underworld] shall/will not be allowed by neither my flaw nor fate."
Sitting cross-legged on his bed, he retrieved the soul shards he had inherited from his parents and elder Olaf and examined them. Each one held a fragment of power, waiting to be absorbed. Most were dormant soul shards, a large amount was also Awakened and a single Ascendant soul shard.
Closing his eyes, he focused his will. The first shard dissolved into his body, sending a sharp, tingling sensation through his veins. His soul cores stirred, growing stronger by a bit with each shard absorbed.
[Your soul grows stronger.]
[Your soul grows stronger.]
[Your soul grows stronger.]
[Your soul grows stronger.]
[Your soul grows stronger.]
....
After absorbing all of his soul shards, he decided to look at his status runes on the nightmare spell.
***
Name: Konrad.
True Name: Night Haunter.
Rank: Dreamer.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Soul Fragments: [512/1000].
Memories: [Red Mane], [Bleakmail], [Blue Mercury], [Grinning Trophy], [Hellpicker], [Marble Chalice], [Black Box], [Burning Amber].
Echoes: ---
Attributes: [Nightwalker], [Outerspawn], [Flame of Divinity], [Clairguard], [Thunderheart], [Stygian Talons].
Aspect: [Night Haunter].
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Aspect Abilities: [Clairvoyance].
Flaw: [Mandate].
***
Memory: [Red Mane].
Memory Rank: Dormant.
Memory Tier: II.
Memory Type: Garment.
Memory Description: [A nameless father's last gift to his son.]
Memory Enchantment: [Melancholy], [Velvet].
[Melancholy]
Enchantment Description: [Wearer occasionally become reminiscent.]
[Velvet]
Enchantment Description: [It made of solf red velvet.]
***
Not everyone could see the encouragements of a memory, but Konrad could, just like Sunless. Konrad summoned the memory. A long red cape enveloped his back.
"What irony! This is also the memory my father received in his first nightmare. He liked the memory and actually intended me to inherit it." Konrad chuckled.
"One orphan to another." Konrad saluted. He moved to the next memory.
***
Memory: [Bleakmail]
Memory Rank: Ascendant.
Memory Tier: I.
Memory Type: Armor.
Memory Description: [Under this twilight, everything will be forgotten. But this steel will remember.]
Memory Enchantment: [Bleak Steel].
[Bleak Steel]
Enchantment Description: [This steel is stronger than anything of it's rank.]
***
It is from Master Olaf.
***
Memory: [Blue Mercury].
Memory Rank: Ascendant.
Memory Type: II.
Memory Type: Weapon.
Memory Description: [Made of the bone marrow of a depth dwelling Leviathan, it will reap the souls of enemies on the battlefield.
Memory Enchantment: [Plutonian], [Blueprint], .
[Plutonian]
Enchantment Description: [It can flow and harden at will].
[Blueprint]
Enchantment Description: [Can remember several templates weapons and take it's from.] [7/7].
***
This one is from the clan.
***
Memory: [Grinning Trophy].
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Tier: IV.
Memory Type: Charm.
Memory Description: [Once there was a legendary sorcerer. He defeated a great knight and made a trophy out of his cranium. But he managed to make a copy of the knight's mind and placed it within his own skull.].
Memory Enchantment: [Converse], [Danger], [Respect], [Dread].
[Converse]
Enchantment Description: [It can converse with the knowledge of an ancient.]
[Danger]
Enchantment Description: [It intimidates enemies.].
[Respect]
Enchantment Description: [It commands respect from allies.].
[Dread]
Enchantment Description: [When supplied with essence it releases an aura of dread.].
***
"They probably dug out every bit of knowledge this thing had." Konrad thought.
By the way this one was a trophy of Master Olaf from his second nightmare.
***
Memory: [Hellpicker]
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Tier: II.
Memory Type: Weapon.
Memory Description: [When cold steel bolt hits neither flesh can't block it nor armor could.]
Memory Enchantment: [Ammo], [Recover].
[Ammo]
Enchantment Description: [Have hundred steel bolts.]
[Recover]
Enchantment Description: [The bolt recover on their own.]
***
This is from his parents.
***
Memory: [Marble Chalice].
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Tier: II.
Memory Type: Tool.
Memory Description: [Every lord needs their own chalice of wine, don't they?].
Memory Enchantment: [Miracle Fluid], [Miracle Spring].
[Miracle Fluid]
Enchantment Description: [Can create water, wine or blood.]
[Miracle Spring]
Enchantment Description: [Can replenish the liquid over time.]
Memory: [Black Box].
Memory Rank: Awakened.
Memory Tier: II.
Memory Type: Tool.
Memory Description: [Black Box is just a normal chest.]
Memory Enchantment: [Blank Space].
[Blank Space]
Enchantment Description: [This box has a blank space that can store inanimate objects.]
***
Both of them are from the clan.
***
Memory: [Burning Amber].
Memory Rank: Dormant.
Memory Tier: I.
Memory Type: Tool.
Memory Description: [A amber form a great tree that can burn for centuries and glows in the dark.]
***
This one is from his parents.
After checking his full soul armaments, he laid down in the bed as he was feeling very full after absorbing hundreds of soul shards at once. Konrad slept good that night.