“I mean, it’s hardly unprecedented,” Overseer Kagra murmured as she leaned back against a chair within the overseer’s lounge. “We had cases of full batches of Aspirants surviving before.”
“Those cases almost exclusively happen because of interference beforehand,” Overseer Hardin argued. “A batch of Church trainees trained since childhood, or organised parties of rich noble scions who had prior combat experience. Full survival rates do not happen to ragtag groups of peasants and neglected second sons. Most of such batches would be considered lucky if even a third makes it out alive.”
Kagra gave a noncommittal 'hm', her eyes still fixed on the memory recording magical display in their room, pulled from one of the aspirants’ minds.
The scene on display was nothing short of nightmarish — a Silver-ranked Demon standing before a group of fledgling Chosens. Under most circumstances, it was a prelude to hopeless slaughter.
“They are a little better coordinated than the teams before,” Matron Elen offered. “That noble from House Dervaine, Joarris, shows potential. As does the peasant, Julie. They didn’t freeze.”
“Good mana control on her [Power Shot] Arte, that farm girl. Lots of power for a newly minted Copper Core. Could become an Artillery Archer one day, if she survives long enough,” Kagra noted.
“That noble performed admirably as well,” Hardin added with a sigh. “Quick to lose the arrogant attitude, kept his cool, and displayed remarkable willpower for enduring the pain to his face throughout the whole Trial. His leadership was a notch above the rest, even among his blue-blooded peers.”
“... But at least their skills are all still within the realm of reasonable expectations, of course,” Kagra said with a wry grin. “Unlike this bullshit.”
On the memory screen, the three overseers watched as a Coreless nine-year-old boy went toe-to-toe with a Silver-Core Demon.
This was their second time watching it. The first time, Hardin and Kagra had been too stunned to say anything.
Matron Elen did not contribute a word, despite their obvious questions.
The three watched as the boy moved and fought with a precision seen only in the most battle-worn Chosen veterans. Every dodge, feint, and attack was perfectly executed and chained together.
An unseasoned Chosen might assume from the footage that the boy was surviving by the skin of his teeth, but the three could tell every move was deliberate; dodges made a hairbreadth from death to conserve energy and avoid wasted mobility against a superior opponent.
The footage ended when the Aspirant whose eyes they were watching from was pulled into the portal. Any additional memory footage could only be extracted from Julie, Joarris, or Eri himself. However, the three were still unconscious, and the Matron had been adamant about leaving the boy’s memories untouched.
“So,” Kagra began. “Should we send him to the Aurelian Academy to be mentored by a Saint, or should we just kill him now? I mean, he’s obviously a Demon infiltrator, right?”
“I had him for three years, Kagra,” Elen countered neutrally. “I would know by now if he were a spy.”
“Speaking about that, where did you find this boy?” Hardin asked incredulously. “Even three years of training from you cannot turn an innocent child into this… this abomination. What the hell is he?”
“An orphan from the North,” Elen shrugged. “One with more talent than most.”
“That is the most lame-dick answer I've ever heard in my entire life, and I had the misfortune of knowing a lot of lame dicks,” Kagra clicked her teeth. “Even talent has limits, Elen. Your boy here just fought and killed a Silver Demon before he even became a Chosen. People are going to start asking questions.”
“Technically, it was a wounded Silver Demon,” Hardin coughed. “You heard from the priests’ autopsy; the beast was practically dying already by the time the aspirant group encountered it.”
“Did they find out how it got into the training grounds?” Elen asked curiously.
“No, but we will investigate it. Right now, however, I’m more concerned about that mutant you sponsored,” Hardin bluntly said, derailing the Matron’s attempt to change the topic.
Elen sighed. “He came to my orphanage three years ago — one of the refugee children from the borderland. You know how these things go; war-torn demonic fronts are known for churning out prodigies. It’s practically a regional export.”
“That’s not going to fly in the face of the Church, Elen,” Hardin seriously stressed.
“The other boy, Joarris. A nobleman from House Dervaine, right? Give him the credit,” Elen shrugged. “House Dervaine won’t turn away from a free boost to their failing reputation, especially now with their first son dead from the last Crusade. As for everyone else here, well… Whose going to believe a nine-year-old killed a Silver Demon when the three local Overseers say otherwise?”
“Oh dear, oh dear,” Kagra chuckled darkly. “Is the holier-than-thou, goddess-loving Shield Maiden telling us to lie?”
“The Empire is dying,” Elen flatly stated. “Chosens are being killed faster than the Church can raise them. We can’t just wait for Saint Ariane to resurrect herself and pick up the Holy Sword again. The world calls for Heroes, and it needs them now.”
“Is he a Hero, though?” Hardin accused with no small amount of worry. “This… mutant devil?”
“He can be,” Elen assured. “If you give him a chance.”
“You realise this is sketchy as shit, right?” Kagra pointed out. “There’s something you aren’t telling us. Makes it hard to trust him.”
“But you can trust me,” Elen quietly said. “If the worst comes to pass… I’ll take responsibility.”
Eventually, Hardin sighed in defeat, giving his silent agreement. Kagra likewise nodded, though the smile on her face was decisively wicked.
“I can’t wait for him to grow up,” she cooed. “He’s going to be an absolute monster.”
~~~
A few days later…
[You have unspent Attribute Stat Points! Would you like to—]
“Put everything into Dex.”
[Updating… Dex increased to 42!]
“Hm? Did you say something?” Matron Elen asked, her hands still on the reins of the wagon horse as she turned around.
Eri shook his head, leaning back against his spot within the carriage amidst the crates of supplies. “Just talking to the System.”
Matron Elen smiled fondly before turning her gaze back to the road. “Did you enjoy yourself?”
The two of them were on the road back to the town of Footfall. It had been a few days since the Trial, and the two were eager to return home.
For Eri, it was because he still had several unfinished side quests from Footfall that he wanted to complete before they expired.
For Elen, it was mostly because she wanted to avoid the flood of questions that would accompany the Church Inquisitors, who would soon arrive at the testing grounds.
Hardin could handle them, though Elen doubted the hassle of dealing with it all alone would be fun. The woman made a mental note to send him an apology gift when she could.
“The Main Quest was fun. It was more challenging than the usual Side Quests,” Eri answered. His monotone voice carried a lighter edge than usual. “I have also received my magical Core at last. I can use regular Heroic Artes now, so I don’t have to rely on my… other powers as much.”
Elen glanced around. The roads were void of company save their own.
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“I told you not to use it, if you can,” Elen murmured. “But I suppose I can’t really blame you this time. No one saw?”
“The two aspirants with me were unconscious when I used it,” Eri confirmed. “Did the priests ever find out how the Silver-Core Demon ended up in the Trial?”
“A special investigation unit is due to arrive from the capital soon to find out. I figured it's more convenient for us to leave first before their appearance,” Elen huffed. “If you are so curious, I can have Hardin send a letter after they conclude their search.”
“That would be appreciated,” the boy nodded, before turning his attention back to his Interface.
/-/
Eri White
Lvl 21/40 Rookie Rogue
Str: 21
Dex: 42
End: 19
Wis: 18
Cha: 7
~~~
[System Tutorial: Attribute Description]
Strength – Reflects raw physical power. Increases physical damage, lifting capacity, and the ability to break or carry heavy objects.
Dexterity – Reflects agility, reflexes, and precision. Enhances ranged accuracy, critical damage, speed, sneaking, and finesse with weapons or tools.
Endurance – Reflects stamina and toughness. Boosts health, resistance to fatigue, and resilience against wounds, ailments, or harsh environments.
Wisdom – Reflects perception, judgment, and attunement to mana. Improves magical potency, area-of-attack damage, Skill Proficiency growth, and resistance to illusions or mental effects.
Charisma – Reflects presence and influence. Enhances speech, leadership, buff durations, buff potency, and the ability to inspire or sway others.
/-/
His Stats had come a long way. He still remembered when he saw the Character Interface for the first time, and how every attribute had a paltry score of 3. It was only through all those Side Quests and Level-Ups that he was able to raise his stats to such heights.
His Level was likewise improved. Before the Trial, he had been stuck at Lvl20 — the maximum level for any creature without a Core, including himself.
But now that he had the Copper Core, he could level himself to Lvl40. More importantly, he could now apply his efforts to upgrading his Core — from Copper, to Bronze, and even further beyond.
“Show me my Core,” he instructed.
/-/
Copper Core
Mana Capacity: 20/20
Heroism Points: 1078
Villainy Points: 1207809
Core Progression (Copper to Bronze): 0/5000 Points
Core Corruption: Stage 1 (0%)
/-/
Hm? That’s interesting… “How does my Core translate to power within the System’s framework?”
The System was quick to reply.
[Spend Heroism Points to upgrade your Core.]
[Upgrading your Core increases the Level/Skill Caps and gives you access to more powerful abilities]
[Each time you upgrade your Core, you gain increased Max Level, Key Skills, Perks, Attribute Points Gain, and Mana Capacity. The boons will differ between upgrades, but generally, obtaining better Cores affords better bonuses.]
That’s… different from how he expected it to work. He did not have a Core before the Trial, so he had only speculations on how it would interact with the System.
For Chosens, their Cores naturally increased in power as they killed demons. Given that the Goddess Tithe demanded payment in Damned corpses each year, Chosens had no choice but to grow in power and slowly advance their Cores as they slayed demons, whether they wished to or not.
But for Eri, it appeared to operate differently.
Instead of killing demons, I have to spend my hard-earned Heroism Points to upgrade my Core?
That was inconvenient, especially given the high point investment necessary and the usefulness of Heroism Points in other matters, such as making purchases in the System Shop.
He could spend his Villainy Points instead — that abundance of leftover currency he had accumulated from his previous life — but…
Something tells him that would be a mistake. He would have to do some careful experimentation to know for sure.
And another thing. “What happens if I upgrade my Core from Copper to Bronze now?”
[Doing such a thing would grant you the usual benefits afforded by a more powerful Core. In addition, your Level would instantly be increased to the new minimum level cap, regardless of your current Level.]
Eri tilted his head. “Would I still get the level-up Attribute Points if I jump from my current level to the new minimum cap?”
Each time Eri levelled up from gaining sufficient experience — XP for short, as the System was prone to calling it — he would receive Attribute Points with which to increase his stats: Strength, Dexterity, and so on.
From what Eri understood, if he gained a Bronze Core now, his Level would jump instantly from Lvl21 to Lvl41. The boy still remembered the Trial. Most of the Aspirants had been below Lvl10, but the moment they received their new Copper Cores, they had ascended to Lvl21.
[Any Levels skipped when upgrading a Core will only afford half of the missed Attribute Points. The Attribute Points would also be randomly distributed across your stats.]
Eri hummed. “So upgrading my Core before I hit max level would give me an instantaneous boost to power, but it would be harmful to my long-term growth.”
While Attribute Points could be gained from quests and other sources, most of his Stat Points earned thus far were from Level-Ups.
Looking at it in terms of maximising stat gains, it was far better for Eri to grind himself up to the max Level Cap before ascending his Core to the next stage.
However, looking at it pragmatically, it may not be feasible to do so, considering the massive time commitment involved.
It took him three full years of training every day under Matron Elen and doing Side Quests for him to reach his previous Level Cap of 20. The System had also once told him that levelling up would be more difficult once he reached the higher stages of Core development.
One problem at a time, the boy thought to himself. I still think min-maxing is the way to go, but I won’t be stubborn about it. There are advantages to accelerating one’s growth over fully optimising gains.
In any case, this Core mechanic was an overall boon. Like so many things, the System had afforded him greater flexibility in his growth.
He would still likely have to meet the Goddess’s yearly tithe, but at least he had the luxury of choosing when to ascend his magical Core, rather than be forced to do so like the other Chosens.
He liked the idea of hunting demons anyway. Not only do they provide a challenge, but the XP and loot gains were much more substantial than farming miscellaneous Side Quests.
And speaking of loot…
/-/
Caprahorn Daggers
Dagger Weapon (Silver Rarity)
A pair of curved daggers forged from the twisted horns of the dreaded Goat Demon, the Capragore. The blades retain the natural curve of the horn, though sharpened to a near-unbreakable edge that lingers with the beast’s original fury. Grants great, albeit fleeting, strength to its wielder.
Effects (Passive): For the first 10 seconds of combat, increases the user’s strength by 20 points.
/-/
The weapon had just suddenly appeared in his System Inventory after he had defeated the Dungeon Boss: the Capragore. It was a powerful item, especially in the hands of a newly minted Copper Core Chosen like him.
But the fact that it had just magically manifested in his proverbial pockets was of some curiosity and concern.
Yet more quirks of the System, he thought. What a strange power… I wonder where it comes from? Surely not the Goddess. Otherwise, her Chosens would have won her the war against Hell by now…
“You done tinkering with your body? I want to talk to you about something,” the Matron called out.
Eri exited from his System Interface and moved up the wagon. “I am listening, Matron.”
“Goddess’s sake, just call me Elen. We are not at the orphanage,” the woman huffed. “Calling me Matron all the time makes me feel old.”
The Matron was rather young, considering her Level. She was a Gold Core Chosen, one of the few who resided in Footfall. The System did not provide Eri her age, but her facial features were neither withered nor soft, suggesting she was somewhere in her early thirties.
Most times, however, it was difficult to see the Matron as a normal young woman. Her gaze was often heavy, and the deep scars across her rough arms and neck made her look older than she was.
“I find it difficult to call you by name alone, Matron,” Eri mumbled. “I apologise if that upsets you.”
The woman sighed. “Never mind, then. Come here. I wanted to ask you… What are your plans now?”
Eri tilted his head. Seeing his confusion, Elen elaborated: “You have your magical Core now. There’s no need for you to stay with me in Footfall any longer. You can wander about the Northern frontier, or even explore other regions of the Empire, if you wish.”
“I’m nine years old,” he countered. “Children shouldn’t wander unsupervised.”
She snorted fondly.
“We both know that’s not true.” She paused. “The part about you being nine, I mean. Not the fact that children shouldn’t wander unsupervised. Goddess knows I spent too much time around reckless youths to think otherwise…”
Eri pondered carefully before he replied: “Even if my knowledge supersedes that of a normal child, there is still the issue of my appearance. No city or adult will deal with me fairly at this age, even if I am a Chosen. It will make travel difficult. There is still much I can learn from you as well. I do not wish to leave your side.”
Elen was silent. After a moment, the boy quietly asked: “Matron, do you tire of my presence? Is that why you are asking me to leave?”
“What?” Elen blinked. “No, no. Of course not. I simply thought… Footfall seems too small for you to keep staying in, especially after three full years. After all, you were the…”
The Matron didn’t finish. Eri understood her meaning regardless.
It was strange to think that a former Demon King would enjoy his stay at a tiny frontier town.
But…
“Those three years were very precious to me. The time spent with you was more fulfilling than the long march of isolation,” Eri replied. “I do not wish three years to be all the time I have with you, Matron.”
“... Very well,” Elen huffed, smiling in relief. “It would be cruel of me to deny such sincere words. Besides… I suppose I have come to enjoy your company as well, brat.”
“Don’t call me a brat,” he pouted.
“Then don’t call me Matron,” the woman chuckled.
The two continued their peaceful conversations all the way back to Footfall.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed the first arc of the story.
Eri will be going through a few timeskips over the course of the story, with another coming right up after this. I don’t intend to keep him as a child forever. The purpose of showing these earlier years is to highlight how his System works and how his power will progress over time.
Regarding the System, only Eri has access to it, but power scaling among ‘Chosens’ — this world’s version of Heroes — is determined by a Chosen’s Core. The Core is what gives them their power, and there are different stages to it.
Eri can see a numerical representation of it through the System, but all Chosens can roughly gauge another’s strength by sensing their Core’s material. It goes something like this:
~~~
Coreless
No Core: Lvl 1-20
Metal Tiers
Copper Core: Lvl 21-40
Bronze Core: Lvl 41-60
Silver Core: Lvl 61-80
Gold Core: Lvl 81-100
Jewelled Tiers
Ruby: Lvl 101-120
…
~~~
And so forth.
I got some feedback before that the power-scaling explanation might be a bit confusing, so the above is a quick explanation of it.
