The lair was silent.

  Only the faint dripping of venom and the slow fading pulse of demonic residue remained in the throne hall.

  Then—

  [Quest Complete]

  A translucent blue window opened before Daniel’s eyes.

  He inhaled slowly.

  Reward Acquired: Rapid Regeneration

  Another panel unfolded.

  [ Skill Window

  Soul Annihilation Art — Lv 1

  Yama – Asura Essence Sword Art — Lv 3

  Rapid Regeneration — Lv 1 ]

  Daniel’s gaze paused.

  A third window appeared as he selected the new skill.

  [ Skill: Rapid Regeneration

  Level: 1

  For 5 minutes of activation time, regeneration of any wound is possible.

  Usage: 1 time per day. ]

  Daniel’s lips curved faintly.

  Hmm… so I can heal any wound.

  A broken ability.

  Without hesitation, he activated it.

  A subtle warmth spread through his veins.

  He drew his blade and sliced across his palm.

  The cut was deep.

  Blood spilled—

  Then stopped.

  The flesh stitched together before his eyes, knitting as if time had reversed.

  In seconds, only smooth skin remained.

  No scar.

  No trace.

  The five Sword Unit members stared, stunned.

  “Captain…?”

  Daniel casually sheathed his sword.

  “Training exercise,” he replied calmly.

  Inside, however, his thoughts sharpened.

  Five minutes. Once per day.

  Strategic use only.

  He dismissed the window and examined the final reward from the dungeon — the item recovered from the skeletal corpse bound in the inner chamber.

  A faint metallic bracelet floated before him.

  Blackened silver.

  Ancient runes faintly etched along its inner rim.

  The System responded.

  [ System Notice:

  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Item Holder Bracelet.

  Item carried by the previous holder of the System. ]

  Daniel’s eyes narrowed.

  “Previous holder of the system?”

  A response window flickered.

  [Collect more items to know more.]

  “…Tsk.”

  He closed it.

  No use asking now.

  But something had shifted.

  The idea that someone else once carried this burden… someone who failed… lingered heavily in his mind.

  The Demon God Heart pulsed faintly.

  As if remembering.

  Departure

  News of the dungeon clear spread quickly through the Crimson House.

  By dawn, Daniel stood at the main courtyard.

  Eight Sword Unit members now formed behind him — once doubters, now loyal blades.

  Daniel Maxim — Captain.

  His sister — Vice Captain.

  An additional ten elite guards assigned personally by Isaac Maxim stood prepared for escort duty.

  Murmurs echoed among the estate’s warriors.

  “Eight members already…”

  “At his age?”

  “He’s building power.”

  Daniel ignored them.

  His focus was forward.

  The journey to the Silver Household would not just be diplomatic.

  It was political positioning.

  And possibly—

  A test.

  The Road to Silver

  The journey itself was… uneventful.

  Dusty roads stretched endlessly under a pale sky.

  Rolling plains broken by scattered villages.

  Merchants passed in caravans.

  Peasants bowed cautiously at the sight of Crimson insignia.

  The guards rotated shifts.

  The Sword Unit trained during rest stops.

  Freya sparred with two members at once.

  Daniel remained silent most of the time.

  Observing.

  Listening.

  Feeling.

  The Demon God Heart was quieter the further they traveled from the dungeon.

  But occasionally—

  A faint tremor.

  As if something distant was watching.

  The journey was not glamorous.

  It was long.

  Repetitive.

  Mundane.

  Meals by campfires.

  Night watches.

  Routine formation drills.

  Politics required patience.

  But boredom never meant safety.

  The Bandits

  They were a day away from Silver territory when chaos interrupted the monotony.

  Screams echoed from a small roadside clearing.

  Children.

  Daniel’s head snapped toward the sound.

  A group of crude bandits were attempting to drag three village children toward the forest line.

  The guards reacted instantly.

  “Formation!”

  The bandits panicked upon seeing Crimson banners.

  But desperation made fools bold.

  One raised a blade toward a child’s throat.

  Daniel disappeared.

  The bandit felt cold steel press against his neck before he even processed movement.

  “Drop it.”

  The man obeyed.

  Another attempted to flee with a child.

  Freya intercepted, striking him unconscious with the flat of her blade.

  Within seconds—

  All bandits were subdued.

  Daniel knelt before the trembling children.

  “You’re safe.”

  One boy stared up at him with wide eyes.

  “Are you… a noble knight?”

  Daniel paused.

  Then gave a small nod.

  The children were escorted back toward their village.

  The bandits were tied and handed to local militia authorities.

  The Sword Unit members exchanged looks.

  Their captain didn’t hesitate.

  He didn’t calculate benefit.

  He acted.

  Respect deepened quietly.

  Arrival at Silver

  The Silver Household territory was cleaner.

  Stronger walls.

  Disciplined guards.

  Their emblem — a crescent blade over a silver shield — fluttered proudly above the gates.

  Rika met Daniel at the castle entrance.

  She wore formal attire today.

  Composed.

  Graceful.

  But when their hands brushed briefly as she guided him inside—

  Both froze.

  A flicker.

  Warmth.

  Embarrassment.

  Rika’s cheeks tinted faint pink.

  Daniel looked away first.

  Why am I reacting like this…?

  His heart felt… unsettled.

  Is it because I’m young again?

  A memory surfaced without warning.

  A woman from his previous life.

  She had loved him quietly.

  Patiently.

  He had never understood.

  Until the sect elders labeled her a liability.

  Political sacrifice.

  He arrived too late.

  Her body lay cold.

  The rage that followed painted mountains red.

  He slaughtered every elder involved.

  But revenge did not bring warmth back to her eyes.

  Daniel blinked the memory away.

  I will not let that happen again.

  Rika cleared her throat gently.

  “The Patriarch is waiting.”

  The Silver Patriarch

  The office was dignified but heavy with tension.

  Behind a polished desk sat a man who looked as though he hadn’t slept in days.

  The Patriarch of the Silver Household.

  His eyes were tired.

  Desperate.

  “So… you are Daniel Maxim.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The man studied him carefully.

  “You cleared a dungeon independently?”

  “Yes.”

  “You command eight warriors at your age?”

  “Yes.”

  “You intervened in local territory matters on your way here?”

  Daniel didn’t hesitate.

  “Yes.”

  The Patriarch leaned back.

  “Why?”

  Daniel answered evenly.

  “It is the duty of strength to maintain order. Power without responsibility breeds decay.”

  Silence filled the room.

  The man’s expression shifted subtly.

  He continued questioning—

  On leadership.

  On loyalty.

  On ambition.

  On whether Daniel sought alliance or dominance.

  Daniel’s answers were measured.

  Calm.

  Honest, yet guarded.

  Finally, Daniel stepped forward and placed a sealed letter on the desk.

  “From my father. Isaac Maxim, Patriarch of the Crimson Household.”

  The Silver Patriarch accepted it slowly.

  His gaze lingered on Daniel once more.

  “You may leave.”

  Daniel bowed lightly and exited first.

  Outside the door, Rika waited.

  Inside the office, the Silver Patriarch opened the letter.

  His eyes widened as he read.

  The game between Houses had officially begun.

  And Daniel Maxim had just stepped onto the board.