In the heart of the continent of Virelith stood the great Kingdom of Hyero Cripkto, a land surrounded by wild mountains, cursed forests, and an ever-changing Dungeon known simply as The Abyss Maw. Its people lived in fear and awe of the Dungeon, for it spawned powerful beasts—and even stronger treasures.
To survive, the kingdom relied on Hunters, elite warriors trained to battle the monsters of the Dungeon. They were praised as heroes, legends, gods walking among men.
But I was none of those.
I was just Kael, a weak, thin villager from the outer fields of Hyero Cripkto, struggling to carry sacks of grain heavier than myself. I had no mana, no combat skills, and no family name worth speaking of.
Until the day I died.
It was supposed to be a routine hunt. A group of Hunters had come through and said the outer dungeon gates were clear. But the monsters had evolved faster than anyone expected.
A Shadow Howler tore through our fields like a whirlwind. It was fast, sleek, and bathed in darkness. I tried to run, but I tripped. And it was on me in seconds.
Claws ripped through my chest.
Pain. Cold. Darkness.
I remember gasping, feeling my heart stop—and then I saw her.
She was tall, cloaked in black and gold. Her skin pale as bone, her eyes glowing like dying stars. She knelt beside my broken body and smiled.
"You're not ready to die," she said. "But you've earned a second chance. A rare one."
"W-who are you?" I asked.
"Death," she whispered, and touched my forehead.
I awoke in a pool of blood.
But I wasn't dead.
A glowing symbol burned on my chest—a black flame shaped like a skull with wings. A voice echoed in my mind:
"[You have been chosen: Path of the Undying Flame]
Class: Soulbound Ascendant
Level: 1
New Quest: Survive. Evolve. Conquer."
From that day, everything changed.
I could feel monsters before they appeared. I could absorb their essence after battle. My wounds closed faster. My strength grew each time I fought, died, and returned. I could level up.
And I would use that power to protect the village that once pitied me…
…and one day face Maldrak the Infinite, the tyrant beyond the Dungeon—an ancient being who believes himself a god, whose ego is only matched by the destruction he leaves behind.
He sees us as insects.
But I will rise.
And I will burn the sky to prove him wrong.