The Kingdom of Aranor, Heavenly Sect
Inside a weather-beaten stone cabin.
[Ding!]
[Player: Hawke, "Power Surge System" activated. Scanning player's condition…]
[Detection complete: Player's mana core is shattered, potential level: zero. System unable to initialize, aborting binding...]
Lan’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"System, wait, don't give up just yet! I’ve just been reincarnated here—there’s got to be some way to fix this!"
[Ding!]
[Binding cancellation failed, system core malfunctioning… initiating self-destruction...]
Lan could only stare in sheer exasperation. Could his luck get any worse? The body he had inherited was already a mess beyond repair!
Once, Lan had been one of the rising stars among the outer ranks of Silvercrest Sect. But during a critical breakthrough in his mana cultivation, he was betrayed and poisoned by his rival, Tristan Vale, leaving him possessed by a dark spirit.
The consequences were disastrous—his mana core shattered, his abilities completely crippled!
And if that wasn’t enough, dire news soon reached him: his beloved mentor, Archmage Garrick, had been found mysteriously murdered. Lan was left shattered, torn between grief and rage.
To make matters worse, the one woman he had held secret affections for had been snatched away by his former ally-turned-rival, Marcus Thorn… It was as if fate itself had conspired to crush him from all sides.
But as Lan delved deeper into the memories of his new body, he realized just how brutal the Kingdom of Aranor truly was—a ruthless, cutthroat world where power was law, and the strong dictated the fate of the weak. Here, a person's life was worth less than a handful of silver if it didn’t suit the whims of the powerful.
[Ding!]
[System rebooting… Activating Standby Mode: "Berserker System - Trial Version." Due to limitations, unexpected side effects may occur. Would the player like to bind the system now?]
Lan’s heart leapt. This was his chance—a lifeline thrown into the abyss. Trial version or not, this system was his only hope to claw his way back to power in this vicious world.
“Bind it now, dammit!”
[Ding!]
[System successfully bound. Player awarded an initial gift package… Error detected, compensation granted: Ten gift packages received! Would you like to open them?]
Lan’s eyes widened again.
"Wait, ten? Wasn’t it supposed to be just one? Is this the ‘Berserker’ aspect of the system in action? This might actually be worth something."
He quickly scanned through his status panel:
[Player: Hawke
Level: 0
Progression tiers: Initiate, Knight, Warlord, Battle Lord, Battle Master, Archknight, Grandmaster, Sovereign, Emperor, Deity. Each tier subdivided into levels 1-10
Fury Meter: Inactive
Mana Core: Shattered
Skills: None
Bloodline: Dormant
Body Type: None
Luck: ???
Charisma: ???]
A soft determination flickered in Lan’s eyes as he clenched his fists. “Lan, old boy, this body may be broken, but I’ll live on for you. I swear I’ll fulfill every unfulfilled dream you had.”
With the Berserker System now activated, the path forward no longer seemed impossible. He could almost taste the future glory that awaited him.
"Master Lan, are you awake? It’s time for your medicine," came a soft, melodious voice from outside the door.
Turning his head, Lan couldn’t help but let a genuine smile tug at the corner of his lips.
“Lilian, you’re here!”
She stood there like a vision from a dream, her porcelain skin glowing in the dim candlelight. Her eyes were as deep as the calmest seas, carrying a quiet strength. Even in her plain, servant’s attire, her beauty was undeniable—like a rare gem hidden in a pile of stones.
Her name was Lilian Evernight, a healer’s apprentice assigned to care for him. Despite the miserable state of his dilapidated cabin, she had faithfully come every day, rain or shine, to tend to him. And that unwavering kindness had not gone unnoticed.
"Lilian, aren’t you tired?"
“Not at all, Master Lan.”
“You sure? Because you’ve been running through my mind all day,” he teased with a smirk.
A rosy blush crept up her cheeks as she cast her gaze downward, trying to hide her flustered expression.
“Master Lan, you’re impossible,” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.
"By the way, Lilian, have you put on a bit of weight recently?” Lan quipped, leaning back with a playful grin.
“W-What? No, of course not! Why would you say that?”
“Because, love, the space you occupy in my heart just keeps getting heavier,” he shot back, enjoying the way her cheeks turned a deeper shade of crimson.
“A-Ah, Master Lan, you’re too much!” she huffed, lightly swatting at him with a handkerchief.
But Lan’s grin faded as he suddenly remembered the ten gift packages waiting in his system’s inventory.
"System, open the gift packs—now!"
One by one, notifications exploded before his eyes:
[Congratulations, Player Hawke! You have acquired the "Elixir of Ascension"! Would you like to consume it?]
[Congratulations, Player Hawke! You have learned the legendary technique: "Dragon’s Wrath - Berserker Edition". Would you like to master it?]
[Congratulations, Player Hawke! Basic Swordsmanship unlocked!]
[Congratulations, Player Hawke! Basic Archery skills unlocked!]
...
[Congratulations, Player Hawke! Alchemy proficiency unlocked!]
[Congratulations, Player Hawke! Mastery of Enchantment Runes acquired!]
...
A barrage of system notifications echoed in rapid succession.
Hawke gasped, stunned into silence.
"Shit, ten massive gift packs, each containing every skill imaginable!"
Alchemy, blacksmithing, formations, talismans, beast taming... even basic swordplay, basic martial techniques...
Everything was covered!
He had learned it all in an instant.
"Hahaha, who's got it better than me? No one!"
The berserk system was absolutely overpowered!
"And there's even a magical item like the Upgrade Pill!"
Hawke's eyes flickered, his heart racing with excitement as he read the item description:
[Item: Upgrade Pill
Tier: S
Description: Exclusive product of the Berserk System! Consuming it allows anyone, regardless of their current level, to instantly break through one rank, with no conditions or limitations! After use, all negative effects and injuries are fully healed!
"Time to use it now!"]
Boom!
A golden dragon-shaped illusion surged above Hawke's head, soaring higher into the air.
[Congratulations to Player Hawke for leveling up! Current Level: Tier 1 Warrior!]
All negative states have been cleared!
Hawke’s wounds vanished instantly, his shattered energy core fully restored to perfect condition.
A wave of immense power flooded through his body, surging through his limbs, and filling every part of him with explosive strength.
"Hawke, come out here! Hand over the Heavenly Sky Scripture!"
Hawke's brow furrowed slightly at the sound of the shout.
But when Lilian heard it, her face turned as pale as a ghost.
"Lilian, what’s going on?" Hawke asked.
"I... I... Big Brother Hawke, save me! Tao wants to give me to Lee as his concubine... If I refuse, he says he’ll kill me!"
Lilian’s eyes welled up with tears as she looked at him, pleading for help.
Hawke’s eyes turned icy. Refuse, and he will kill you?
In this world, lives were really nothing more than dust.
Tao was just a dog for Lee, and yet he dared to lay his filthy hands on his woman!
"I’ll give you one chance. Get out of here now, and I’ll let you live." Hawke’s voice was as cold as steel as he stared at the doorway.
At the entrance stood a greasy fat man who froze for a moment upon seeing Hawke. His mouth gaped open in shock.
"Huh? You’re still alive, cripple?"
This was Tao, a Tier 2 Warrior, and Lee’s lackey. He had never missed an opportunity to make life difficult for Hawke before, and now he had the audacity to make a play for Lilian.
"Little bastard, hand over the Heavenly Sky Scripture or I’ll kill you..." Tao sneered, his words dripping with contempt.
Before he could finish, a slap rang out with a sharp crack. His face exploded with pain, as if struck by lightning, sending him tumbling backward.
"I’ll paint a dragon on your left cheek, and a rainbow on your right," Hawke grinned, spinning in place. He launched two powerful slaps, sending Tao reeling in a dazed stupor.
With a swift motion, Hawke kicked him squarely in the chest, sending him flying through the air. Tao crashed into the courtyard wall with a resounding thud, sending dust and debris flying everywhere.
Blood dripped from the corner of Tao’s mouth as he stared in disbelief at Hawke.
"It’s impossible! Didn’t Lee cripple you?"