How I write ("): dialogue, ('): Someone's thoughts, (()): recallments of the past dialogues, and ([]): How I transitioned the time, place, and povs. Used also for naming something as an emphasis e.g: Skills, abilities, and many more.
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Magic...
Since time immemorial, mysterious powers have stirred within our world—forces without origin, their source unknown and their presence undeniable.
These magical abilities chose their wielders at random. Some inherited them through ancient bloodlines, while others stumbled upon shrines veiled in myth, where nearly any being—man or beast—might awaken to power.
At the heart of this mystery lay a strange force known only as the System. No one knew where it came from, or why it selected certain individuals. The Systems granted access to arcane abilities, enhancing physically prowess, intellect, and even all sorts of unique abilities yet to discover. Yet not all who wielded magic required one—those born of old magical lineages often bypassed the System altogether, their power passed down like a cursed blessing.
Magic itself became a force of judgment, shaping fates and shifting the balance between good and evil. Yet, one question still lingered across ages and empires:
"Why?"
Why did the world grant such power?
Why did the Systems exist?
And what lay at the root of it all?
No answer had ever come.
Only more power.
And more questions.
The story began in a humble village, home to peasants and quiet lives.
Within a modest wooden cabin nestled among the hills, the cries of a woman in labor tore through the still morning air. Pain echoed in every scream as a man gripped his wife's hand, his knuckles white with tension, his heart pounding louder than the wind outside.
The couple, both with raven-black hair, stood side by side in the throes of fate. The husband's thick beard was soaked with sweat, not from toil in the fields, but from fear—for her, and for the child about to enter the world.
Beside them, a lone village nurse did all she could, hands trembling as she struggled through the delivery. The room was thick with tension, with prayers whispered beneath gasping breaths.
And then, at last—
A cry, not from the mother, but from the newborn.
A boy was born.
"My baby…" the mother whispered, her voice quivering, arms outstretched with trembling anticipation.
The nurse gently handed the child over. The woman gathered him into her embrace, joy breaking through the exhaustion etched on her face. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she held the boy close, heart brimming with love.
The father—silent until now—lowered his head, overcome with emotion. Tears welled in his eyes, sliding down his cheeks like rain after drought.
They named him Akira Keita.
Twelve years had passed...
Now, that same boy—no longer a newborn, but not yet a man—spent his days beneath the sun, harvesting crops like any other village peasant. His hands were calloused, his skin sun-kissed from labor, yet his spirit remained unbroken.
Akira was a cheerful soul, quick to smile and even quicker to shout—whether from excitement or frustration. His voice often echoed across the fields, drawing chuckles or groans from those nearby. He meant well, though his loud nature sometimes tested the patience of quieter hearts.
From a young age, Akira had dreamed of becoming the strongest—of wielding a System that would unlock his hidden potential. Like many, he waited with eager hope. But now, at twelve, the glow of that dream had dimmed. Two years had passed since he should have awakened his System… yet nothing had come.
Still, he held onto that hope.
His black hair was wild and unkempt, left to dance however the wind pleased. His faintly red irises hinted at something different within him, even if his life was as ordinary as any villager's.
One topic often stirred his imagination: Celesta, the great capital of the nation. Tales of its gleaming towers, bustling streets, and powerful warriors filled the whispers of traveling merchants and wandering storytellers. His father warned him to stay away—that city folk were corrupt, selfish, and dangerous.
But Akira didn't care.
Curiosity burned hotter than caution.
One day, he promised himself, he would set foot in Celesta and discover the truth with his own eyes—System or not.
Never once trusted his story, only he thought that perhaps his father wanted him to stay with him. Akira's immense adventurous habit would leave him curious with wanting to visit the city badly while his father always told him the word "no". But even given with countless of rejections, Akira couldn't care less.
"Phew, I'm done!" Akira finished his work and wiped the sweat from his brow. He sat down, drinking a bottle of water.
To help his parents, Akira never refused the chances. With the unbearable heat, through his father's and mother's words to not be burdened by their responsibility, Akira knew the state they were in.
While Akira was resting, a girl of similar age appeared near his workplace, and she was Akira's friend.
"Keita!" A blonde-haired girl, sweating as she panted. Her hands were on her knees as she called out his name.
"Julia?" Akira noticed her soon after she drew his attention.
"You idiot! Today's the day, remember? Quickly! To the shrine! The ceremony is about to start!" She panted while talking, the exhaustion was from all the running after she had searched everywhere for him.
"Alright, on my way!" Akira run energetically and followed Julia to the shrine.
Moments after they ran in a hurry, they finally made it to the shrine at last.
"Ha... Ha... Ha... Man... I'm tired... The heck! Why the hell is this place so far away? They should've just placed it near my home." Akira's legs were numb and he was drenched in sweat, struggling to breathe.
"You're starting to get a sense of it, aren't you? Quit whining! While I'm the one searching the village for you, and you say you're tired?! You ungrateful jerk, I wasted my time looking for you all over the village! You dumbass! " Julia smacked Akira on the head, enraged by his words.
"Ouch! Hey, hey, hey, I'm sorry Julia. Have mercy!" With a bump on his head, he begged for mercy as if faced with a demon.
Not far from the village, a colossal statue had been unearthed—seventeen meters tall, carved from an ancient stone that shimmered faintly under sunlight. The statue depicted a towering figure clutching a radiant orb to its chest, its expression solemn yet serene. Despite claims that such monuments had existed for tens of thousands of years, this one was astonishingly well-preserved, as if time itself dared not erode it.
Mystics whispered of divine origins, of ancient gods and forgotten pacts. And now, the villagers gathered around the statue once more—for today marked the beginning of the Ceremony of Blessings.
High above, in a modest wooden building perched on a the walls of the cave, the village Grandmaster leaned forward toward the microphone embedded in his desk. With a firm press of the button, his aged voice echoed throughout the cavern.
"Greetings, young warriors!" he declared, his tone rich with pride and purpose. "Today, we begin the sacred ceremony—where gifts from the gods await the worthy! If you have not yet received the blessing of the divine… now is the time! Come, all of you—gather at the statue!"
Excitement buzzed in the air. Hope lit the eyes of children and tension gripped those still waiting—those like Akira, whose heart had been waiting for this moment for far too long.
The crowd divided into groups, forming neat lines as they made their way toward the towering statue. Excitement and nervous anticipation mingled in the air like morning mist.
As they approached the ancient monument, something changed.
The orb clutched in the statue's hands began to glow—faintly at first, then growing ever brighter, until it pulsed with a divine radiance that bathed the entire shrine in golden light.
Silence fell.
Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
Then, without warning, a voice drifted through the air—ethereal, melodic, and hauntingly beautiful. It wasn't speech, but a song… a soft, wordless melody that seemed to echo from the heavens themselves.
The crowds stilled, entranced.
"Who's singing?" someone whispered, their voice hushed in awe.
"Where is it coming from?" another asked, eyes scanning the skies and shadows.
No one answered.
Everyone simply listened.
The orb's radiance intensified, becoming almost blinding. Then—
A flash.
Light surged outward in a wave, sweeping over the gathered youths like a divine tide. One by one, their bodies shimmered with the same golden glow, each person enveloped in warmth and wonder.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as something stirred in their vision.
Translucent panels—like glass made of light—appeared before their eyes, suspended in midair. No one touched them, yet everyone could see them.
_____________________
[CONGRATULATIONS!]
You have obtained your main ability...
Main ability:
[IMMORTALITY]
-------------------------------------
Skills:
None.
Passive skills:
Infinite regeneration.
-------------------------------------
Stats:
Strength: 100. Mana: 1,000/1,000
Speed: 100. HP: ∞
Durability: 100.
Bonus stats:
None.
____________________
Just as the last embers of light faded and the ceremony seemed to be over, a sudden chime echoed softly in Akira's ears. A screen popped upon him. A smooth, artificial voice followed—feminine, calm, and mechanical.
Akira blinked, stunned. His mouth hung slightly open as he tried to process the words on the screen.
"Wait… What?!" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
His eyes widened. "Immortality?"
He staggered a step back, staring at the glowing text as if it were lying to him.
It wasn't fire.
It wasn't water, lightning, wind—or even anything remotely elemental.
It was… Immortality.
Of all the abilities he could have received, this was the one he'd never imagined. He had dreamed of hurling fireballs, wielding blades of wind, or commanding thunder like a hero from the tales.
But this?
How was he supposed to use this?
"What's going on here? I'm… immortal?!" Akira blurted out, his voice rising with disbelief.
His face twisted in a mix of shock and confusion. This wasn't the outcome he had envisioned—not even close. He had always dreamed of wielding fire, his favorite element, imagining himself cloaked in flames, hurling blazing infernos like the heroes in the tales he admired.
But fate… had other plans.
Instead of fire, lightning, or wind—he received something no one had ever spoken of in the village. No tales, no records, not even the oldest books mentioned someone being blessed with Immortality.
It was unique. Strange. Unknown.
Then a darker thought crossed his mind—brief, instinctive, absurd...
...Of whether should he kill himself for a test...
Although, he probably wouldn't.
Akira stood quietly, staring at the screen in front of him, the word Immortality still glowing with unsettling permanence.
He knew what it meant. Not just living forever—but watching others fade. A life of endless time also meant a life of endless loss.
Training for centuries, mastering every art, pushing beyond human limits…
Yet doing it all while everyone he cared about eventually vanished.
A blessing…
and a curse.
A shout from a short distance, Julia inquired, "Hey! Keita!" He looked up to see Julia, waving at him with a grin stretched across her face. Her long blonde hair bounced as she jogged over, clearly bursting with excitement.
"You have to hear this! My main ability is Water Magic! Isn't that awesome? I can already make a tiny wave with my hands!" She laughed brightly, her eyes shining with pride.
"What did you get?"
"Uhh… it sounds weird but cool, I guess," he replied, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Mine says I got… Immortality."
Julia's eyes widened. "Immortality? Wait—really? That's… that's actually kinda insane!" Julia remained positive, even though her only knowledge that Akira wouldn't have to bear the fear of death.
"Yeah," Akira chuckled dryly. "Insane's one word for it." Akira hide his envy for such an amazing ability Julia possessed.
Believing combat was suitable for an immortality type to come of use, only his least concerns were death or fatal injuries. Though the idea of feeling the pain still, shivered him to the bone.
Amid the chorus of congratulations, complaints, and rejoicing, the earth suddenly quaked beneath their feet.
"What the—?!" The crowd gasped, jolted by the violent tremor that rippled through the shrine.
For ten agonizing seconds, the ground shuddered, then fell still.
But the silence didn't last.
From the shadows of the nearby cave, a massive serpent emerged—its scales glistening like oil, its eyes burning with ancient malice. Thick fangs dripped with a strange, corrosive fluid that hissed as it struck the ground, melting stone like acid.
Screams filled the shrine as the crowd scattered in panic, fleeing from the monstrous serpent.
One man bolted toward the exit—his footsteps frantic, desperate. But before he could reach the threshold, the serpent hissed and spat a stream of acid. The vile liquid struck him mid-run, and in an instant, his body sizzled and melted into the stone floor, leaving only smoke and silence.
The serpent flicked its tongue, tasting the air, then slithered forward with a slow, dreadful purpose.
"GAHHHH! SOMEONE, PLEASE!" a voice cried, shrill with terror. The beast lunged and swallowed the screaming man whole, his cries cut off in an instant.
From the chaos, one figure stood his ground.
"You monster! Take this!" he roared, thrusting his hands forward. Arcane energy crackled at his fingertips as he unleashed a volley of magic toward the serpent—desperate to bring it down before more lives were lost.
The serpent locked eyes on the mage and lunged with terrifying speed. Before he could utter a single word, its massive tail lashed out—striking him with a thunderous crack. His body was crushed instantly, blood spraying across the shrine floor in a grotesque arc.
Gasps and screams followed.
Terror seized the crowd. Eyes widened. Pupils shrank. Even the Grandmaster, a paragon of composure, shrank into the shadows, paralyzed by fear.
"NOOO!" a girl shrieked, but her scream was her last—cut short as the serpent's jaws closed around her, swallowing her whole.
Chaos erupted. Some stood their ground and fought with trembling hands, flinging spells and steel in desperation. Others broke and ran, scattering like ants before a storm.
They were still learning—still fumbling with their magic, barely able to aim. Most blasts missed entirely, crashing into stone walls or fizzling out mid-air. The serpent barely noticed their efforts.
It slithered through them like a living catastrophe, crushing bodies beneath its massive coils and devouring anyone too slow to escape.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
Julia's voice trembled as she raised her hand, her heart pounding in her ears. She stumbled backward, her feet slipping on blood-slick stone, as the serpent's eyes locked onto her.
[WATER MAGIC: WATER CANNON!]
A torrent of water surged from her palms, slamming into the serpent's side with a mighty roar—but it barely flinched. The blast splashed harmlessly off its thick, scale-armored hide.
Not even a scratch.
The serpent's pupils narrowed. It turned, visibly annoyed, and began advancing toward her—slow, deliberate, and inevitable.
"JULIA, WATCH OUT!"
Akira made a quick rush to assist Julia by pushing her aside
And sacrificed himself by letting the serpent devour him.
Akira was silent the same as his thoughts in his final moments because he was terrified of learning he was going to die, but because he was immortal, he closed his eyes and prayed that it wouldn't hurt.
Akira was eaten...
Only the lower half of his body remained—twitching, drenched in blood, painting the ground in red.
He died.
Julia's eyes widened in disbelief as she watched Akira vanish into the serpent's maw. A sickening crunch echoed through the shrine. Her stomach twisted, bile surged up her throat, and she vomited onto the blood-slick floor.
She collapsed to her knees, paralyzed. Her limbs refused to move. Terror had taken root in her bones.
Then, something impossible happened.
Akira's mangled lower half twitched—and from the torn flesh, his upper body began to regenerate. Muscles reknit, bones cracked into place, skin stretched over raw sinew. He was whole again within moments.
But the pain was unbearable.
No scream escaped him. He had no breath to scream with.
Inside the serpent, it was pitch black.
"Ugh—where am I?!" Akira gagged. The stench was overwhelming—rot, bile, and acid mixed into something almost alive. Slimy, pulsing walls closed around him, squeezing rhythmically like a grotesque heartbeat.
"Ugh, the smell!" He pinched his nose, trying not to retch.
"Oh no, Julia!" Akira proceeded with his escape from the serpent's belly by crawling through its slippery insides.
Unfortunately, he had no time since the serpent moved incredibly fast, and need to come up with something.
"There's gotta be something I could do to help Julia out! Oh, wait! I brought a knife!" Akira took the knife out of his pocket chest after remembering that he had brought one. Small, but there was not much of a choice left.
Akira began stabbing the serpent's interior until it bled and began to screech loudly, expressing its pain.
He continued doing this until the serpent died. Julia noticed that something seemed strange because the serpent was moving erratically while screeching in pain.
After numerous unsuccessful attempts to kill the snake with his knife, he finally succeeded.
After the serpent collapsed to the ground, Akira was set free and emerged from it.
While Julia wailed and Akira was safe, he sniffed and squeezed his nose as he was covered in slimes.
"Keita!" Julia cried out, running to him. "I'm so relieved you survived—you had me terrified!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks, the weight of dread finally lifting as she clung to him. She knew he was immortal, but still—she had no idea what might've happened if he hadn't stopped the serpent.
Akira gave a weak laugh. "Heh… yeah. I'm immortal, remember?" He rubbed the back of his head, trying to wipe away the sticky, foul-smelling goo clinging to his hair. "Guess that means I can't die, huh?"
His body had regenerated—impressively so. Even his lower half was completely restored. But the pain still lingered. His legs were numb, aching like they'd been torn apart and stitched back together.
For the first time, he realized something chilling:
Immortality doesn't mean it doesn't hurt to die.
"I guess you needn't worry about death, and that's The Immortal Akira for you!" She praised Akira while also being clueless about his agony.
"Say that again?"
"?"
"Nevermind. And no, it's not! That was excruciating!" Akira groaned, nearly falling over. "Sure, I don't have to worry about dying—but my legs feel like they've been chewed, digested, and stitched back on. I can barely stand!"
Julia blinked, her relief replaced by concern. "Speaking of legs..."
Her voice trailed off.
Then her cheeks flushed red as she looked away, hands flying to her face. "Your… pants…"
Akira looked down.
"Agh—crap!"
His lower body had regenerated perfectly… except for his clothes. He hastily turned around, using both hands to cover himself, his face now matching Julia's in color.
"I regenerated everything—except my pants. Of course."
Just then, a surviving villager approached, holding a spare pair of trousers.
"Here!" the man said, averting his gaze. "Figured you could use these. And… thank you. If it weren't for you, who knows how many more we'd have lost. The serpent's fall probably saved the whole village."
Akira, still covering himself, accepted the pants with a grateful nod. "You're welcome, and thanks for the spare."
"Way to go, my boy!" The grandmaster emerged from concealment.
"Hmm... Such a predicament, I've checked all the place in order to avoid casualties from monsters. Have I missed something?" The grandmaster muttered, stroking his beard.
Akira raised an eyebrow at the grandmaster's cowardice and lack of assistance for the warriors, questioning why the grandmaster was given the title "Grandmaster" in the first place.
"Now, we need to escape immediately! Before there are more casualties and death. Everyone, move out!" Ordered the grandmaster, ordering all of them to leave the place as soon as possible.
They eventually left the area and returned to the village.
Meanwhile, Akira was in his room, he was the only one who returned home unscathed. His mother was concerned about him, but he surprisingly returned unharmed.
After the incident, they buried the 19 people who died and treated the 7 injured, but some of them were crushed and eaten entirely, so they couldn't make a proper burial.
___________________
You've slain a giant serpent.
Type: Poisonous Serpentem
Enemy's level: 6
Rank: D
[EXP: 6,100+]
- LEVEL UP!
- LEVEL UP!
- LEVEL UP!
- LEVEL UP!
- LEVEL UP!
[LEVEL: 7]
[EXP: 800/2,500]
You have obtained 7 skill points.
Stats:
Strength: 104(+4). Mana: 1,189/1,189(+189)
Speed: 103(+3). HP: ∞
Durability: 107(+7).
Bonus stats:
None.
___________________
A screen popped up in front of Akira's eyes.
"Woah, I leveled up so much that quick?" Akira's brow raised slightly, "That serpent must've been strong!" Akira muttered with the assumption, through this assumption he was proud to prevent such a strong creature to hurt anyone else.
"Hmm, so I have to choose what skills I want? Alright then show me all of it!"
___________________
7 skill points remaining...
- Weapon Summoning (Heavy) [Locked]
Requirements: Strength 1,000 and 12 skill points.
- Weapon Summoning (Medium) [Locked]
Requirements: Strength 500 and 7 Skill Points.
- Weapon Summoning (Light) [Locked]
Requirements: Strength 100 and 5 Skill points.
- Keen Instincts [Locked]
Requirements: 2 skill points.
- Blood (Healing) [Locked]
Requirements: 6 skill points.
- Blood Manipulation [Locked]
Requirements: 17 skill points.
- Necromancy [Locked]
Requirements: 309 Skill points
50 more...
__________________
"That's crazy! I had more skills than I imagined... Hmm, I should choose wisely whether I want to save my points or just use them now."
"Forget it, unlock: "Keen instincts" and "Weapon summoning (Light)!" Akira with no hesitation, wasted his points. He did realize that he would still be a regular human with no possibility of dying even if he had no skills instead of immortality.
______________________
Access granted.
Unlocking...Keen instincts and Weapon summoning (Light).
Are you sure you wish to choose these skills?
- Yes
- No
_____________________
"....Yes!" After the screen popped up, Akira responded with sparkly eyes.
_____________________
[CONGRATULATIONS!!!]
You have unlocked new skills.
Skills:
Keen Instincts Lvl: 1
Mana cost: 0
Weapon summoning (Light) Lvl: 1
Mana cost: 50
New skill unlocked!
Danger instincts: (Unavailable)
Requirements: (Lvl 7)
Light weapon slots (5)
(Lvl 10) (+10)
____________________
"Huh?! All of my senses are all sharpened up, awesome!" Akira's senses were all heightened and he could even hear someone talk from his neighborhood.
Through this Keen Instinct, he perceived the whole surrounding with great detail. Eyes sharp as a falcon, smell that gave him details, hearing of a bat, and all of other senses were enhanced.
"Hmm... Now I'm wondering... I wonder what I can summon with a light weapon summoning. Can't be just a knife," Akira's wondered what he could summon, but also missed the point of how light weapons may be stored without his intervention.
"Some kind of a bonus weapon?" That was what he wondered.
"Hmm, show me what I can summon. System!"
________________
Summoning Choice:
- Double Edge Dagger.
- Villagers Knife
- Mini Axe.
________________
"Just that?? Fine..." Akira sighed in disappointment.
[WEAPON SUMMONING: DOUBLE EDGE DAGGER]
A dagger appeared right into Akira's hands.
"Cool! Attributes!"
________________________
[Double-edged dagger]
Type: Dagger
Level: 1
Rank: E-
Strength: 15.
Durability: 8
_________________________
"That kinda sucks!" Akira was yet again disappointed as he sighed deeply.
"Fine then! I suppose I'll be training like hell for several years.I'm gonna become the strongest and will rise to the top of the world. I will train until heavens await for my arrival if that's the last thing I do!"
Akira, who apparently was talking to himself, was left with no other choice but to train, having an ability that uniquely allowing him to train with his newly gained eternal life.
And thus, Akira commenced his training for the next 5 years...