Lumiel, already growing used to the strange rhythm of his life—waking with unfamiliar memories, voices, and powers—bolted toward the mirror the moment he awoke. His reflection shifted. It wasn't just him in the glass anymore.
Standing behind his own image was a man with cold, weary eyes.
"Hello, Lumiel," the man said. "I am Kurt—a fragment of a soul that clings to you, filled with vengeance."
His voice echoed with a hollow strength, heavy and restrained. He wasn't angry… but he carried pain.
"I was a well-known adventurer in a city once filled with happiness and joy. Everyone greeted me with smiles, as though I were some kind of god. But more than that, I had my party—my comrades—who I thought of as family. We laughed, we fought, we drank, we survived… for years."
Kurt's eyes narrowed, voice tightening.
"But what you saw in that dream… that was my core memory. My final moment. I was betrayed. Controlled. Used."
Lumiel's heart sank.
"They were my party members, Lumiel. The ones I trusted most. The ones who killed me."
The room seemed to darken with his words. Kurt continued, gaze unflinching.
"I was born with a power—a system that let me grow stronger by defeating monsters. I could level up, increase my stats, store items endlessly, analyze my health and abilities, and gain boundless knowledge. I chose to use this gift not for glory, but to protect the people dearest to me."
He paused, voice dipping to a bitter murmur.
"But people treat you differently when you're powerful. Some looked to me for hope. Others… feared what I might become. And some—like the man you saw on that throne—were simply jealous. He knew he couldn't steal my gift. So he chose to erase me."
Lumiel stared at his own trembling hands, Kurt's voice burning in his ears.
"…Will people betray me too?" he whispered. "Will Lady Nishia… fear me? Just because of my power…?"
His chest felt tight. That same cold feeling—the one he knew all too well—crept back in. The fear of being abandoned. The fear of being left behind… again.
Then, like a quiet breeze chasing away a storm, he remembered the words of the woman who had once taken care of him. Her voice echoed in his head, steadying his breath. His hands stopped shaking.
Kurt watched silently. Then, finally, he spoke—not as a warrior, but as a man trying to stop someone from making the same mistake.
"Lumiel… I won't ask anything of you to let me rest. I have no final request, no lingering dream. All I want is to make sure you never suffer the same fate I did."
He stepped forward, and the mirror began to shimmer.
"I will remain by your side… not as a burden, but as a guide. I'll grant you my strength by merging with your soul. I'll speak to you through the System. And the System will help you understand everything you need to know."
Lumiel looked into Kurt's eyes—there was no malice there. Only sorrow. And the smallest flicker of hope.
He nodded slowly.
And the mirror faded.
---
A moment later…
A sudden translucent screen appeared in the air—exactly like the one from the dream.
> [System: New unauthorized user. Please complete the authorization to be accepted as the new user of the system.]
[Place your hand toward the box to begin authorization.]
"This is so weird… do I just… place it here?" Lumiel mumbled, hesitantly raising his hand.
His hand phased through the screen. On the other side… nothing. Just an eerie silence.
Then—
> [System: Please don't move your hand in the middle of scanning…]
[Scanning complete. New user: Mr. Lumiel]
The screen blinked. Lumiel pulled his hand back slowly.
"…That actually worked?"
The box vanished without another word.
And then, like a curtain being drawn back, a detailed screen unfurled before his eyes.
---
SYSTEM INTERFACE — USER: LUMIEL
Status: Active | Authorization: COMPLETE
Soul Merge Detected: Kurt [Lv. 98 Adventurer | System Class: ???]
Synchronization Rate: 4% (Progressing)
---
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name: Lumiel
Age: 14
Origin: Civilian-Class (Former)
Race: Human (Soul-Bound Hybrid)
System Class: "Undefined"
Affiliation: Independent
Status Effects: Stable
---
ATTRIBUTES
Strength: D+
Agility: C
Endurance: C+
Intelligence: B
Mana: A
Luck: E
Charisma: C-
Note: Stat ranks are currently scaled to Civilian-Class standards. Recalibration pending.
---
ABILITIES
Soul Resonance (Fragmented)
→ Currently bonded with one soul: Kurt. Grants access to Kurt's system interface and combat knowledge.
System Synchronization [Kurt: 4%]
→ Partial access to stored skills, memory logs, inventory, and combat experience. Increases with time and actions.
Memory Inheritance (Locked)
→ Core memories surface through dreams. Access may trigger emotional instability.
Unstable System Interface
→ System not originally meant for Lumiel. Glitches, anomalies, and unexpected unlocks may occur.
Earth Manipulation (Full Control)
→ Gifted by a nameless soul whose family Lumiel saved. Grants absolute control over earth-based structures, formations, and terrain. Can be used defensively or offensively. Compatible with Sage Form when unlocked.
---
SYSTEM FUNCTIONS — CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
Status Screen
Inventory (Empty)
Combat Log (Restricted)
Skill Menu (Initializing)
Locked Features:
Quests
Map
Party / Allies
Title System
Skill Evolution
---
CURRENT OBJECTIVE
System Calibration in progress...
Wait until Soul Synchronization reaches 10% to unlock base Combat Skills and Skill Menu access.
---
As the glowing panel faded from view, Lumiel stood alone in his room. Not truly alone, though. Somewhere inside him… Kurt was watching.
Waiting.
And for the first time, Lumiel wasn't just surviving in this world anymore.
He was about to start living in it—with power.