Chapter 16 — The Fifth Gate

The forest had gone silent.

Kael stood among the broken trees, one hand resting on the hilt of his Darven katana.

The words from beneath the earth continued to echo inside his mind.

“Then the fifth gate can begin.”

He looked down at the black crystal fragment.

It was no longer glowing.

But the crimson mark on the distant Ironhide Ravager had not disappeared.

That bothered him more.

“Nightfang.”

The Golden-Eyed Nightfang stood several meters away, staring toward the eastern forest.

“What?”

“You said the forest had noticed me.”

The beast's golden eyes narrowed.

“Yes.”

“Did it mark me?”

Nightfang didn't answer immediately.

That silence was enough.

Kael tightened his grip on the katana.

“So it did.”

“Not exactly.”

“Then explain.”

Nightfang looked toward the ground.

“The creature you fought wasn't merely mutated.”

Kael frowned.

“The Ravager?”

“It was carrying something.”

“What?”

“A mark.”

Kael's eyes sharpened.

“The same mark I saw on it?”

Nightfang nodded.

“Your bloodline reacted to it. That's why the creature changed.”

Kael looked at his hand.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

[Bloodline reaction detected.]

Kael froze.

A faint crimson pattern appeared beneath his skin.

[Unknown Bloodline Resonance.]

[Source: Fifth Gate.]

[Warning: Incomplete information.]

The message disappeared.

Kael stared at the empty air.

“Fifth Gate…”

Nightfang's ears lowered.

“You shouldn't have seen that.”

“Why?”

“Because you're only at four percent.”

Kael slowly turned toward him.

“You knew.”

“I suspected.”

“You knew.”

Nightfang's expression became unusually serious.

“I knew the moment I smelled your blood.”

Kael stepped closer.

“What exactly is the Fifth Gate?”

Nightfang looked directly into his eyes.

“I don't know.”

Kael paused.

That answer surprised him.

“You don't?”

“No.”

The beast looked toward the mountains.

“But I know what happens when someone opens it.”

“What?”

“They stop being watched.”

Kael frowned.

“And?”

“They become hunted.”

The Next Morning

Kael decided not to investigate the Fifth Gate immediately.

He had learned enough.

Every time he followed one of the inheritance clues without preparation, he encountered something far beyond his current strength.

He needed power.

More importantly—

He needed options.

His damaged equipment was spread across the ground.

The Darven GL-01 was badly damaged.

The Darven SR-01 had a cracked outer casing.

His Darven MP-01 was functional after its reconstruction, but the weapon had already suffered heavy strain.

Kael examined everything carefully.

“I need a new arsenal.”

He placed his hands over the pile of metal.

Mana flowed through his fingers.

Metal Control activated.

The damaged components lifted from the ground.

[Metal Control activated.]

[Current proficiency: Intermediate.]

Kael separated usable materials from damaged ones.

He wouldn't waste mithril.

Not anymore.

The first weapon he rebuilt was the GL-01.

But this time, he changed its design completely.

Instead of making it stronger through raw power, he focused on efficiency.

After several hours—

A new weapon rested in his hands.

Darven GL-02

Type: Magical Grenade Launcher

Grade: 4 — Spirit

Quality: Fine

Special Property: Mana Compression

Kael smiled faintly.

“Better.”

He then repaired the sniper rifle.

The cracked outer casing was replaced with reinforced mithril.

Darven SR-01

Type: Sniper Rifle

Grade: 4 — Spirit

Quality: Fine

Enhancement: Metal Reinforcement

He didn't attempt to push it to Grade 5.

His mana reserves weren't large enough to maintain that enhancement for long.

Kael was beginning to understand something important.

Having a powerful weapon didn't mean he could use its full potential.

His own body was still the limitation.

Level 8

For the next several days, Kael avoided the deeper regions of the forest.

Instead, he hunted weaker monsters.

Not because he was afraid.

Because he needed controlled growth.

He fought—

Ironhide Boar — Level 6 — Common

Nightfang Hound — Level 7 — Common

Crimson Claw Wolf — Level 8 — Common

Ironhide Boar — Level 9 — Elite

Every battle became practice.

Swordsmanship.

Mana control.

Metal Control.

Weapon switching.

Movement.

And most importantly—

Knowing when to retreat.

By the end of the sixth day, Kael felt the familiar sensation.

His mana surged.

His body became slightly stronger.

[Level increased.]

[Level 8.]

[Five attribute points available.]

Kael opened his status.

Kael Darven

Age: 11

Level: 8

Rank: F-Rank — Initiate

Mana: 26

Strength: 14

Agility: 19

Vitality: 15

Intelligence: 18

Metal Control: 45

Unspent Attribute Points: 5

Kael thought carefully.

His biggest weakness wasn't strength.

It was endurance.

He allocated:

+1 Strength

+1 Agility

+2 Vitality

+1 Intelligence

The System responded.

[Attributes updated.]

Updated Status

Strength: 15

Agility: 20

Vitality: 17

Intelligence: 19

Kael clenched his fist.

He could feel the difference.

It wasn't enormous.

But it was real.

He wasn't becoming a monster overnight.

He was slowly becoming harder to kill.

The Trap

That evening, Kael noticed something strange.

There were no monsters nearby.

Not one.

The forest should have been filled with movement.

Instead—

Silence.

Kael immediately stopped walking.

His hand moved toward the Darven katana.

“Nightfang.”

No answer.

Kael turned.

The Golden-Eyed Nightfang was gone.

His expression changed.

“That's not good.”

A sound came from behind him.

Crack.

A branch broke.

Kael spun around.

Nothing.

Then—

BOOM!

The ground beneath him collapsed.

Kael dropped.

He fired the Darven MP-01 into the ground as he fell, using the recoil to alter his movement.

He landed hard.

Pain shot through his ribs.

“Damn!”

He rolled away just as several stone spikes erupted from the ground.

Kael immediately raised his katana.

Metal Control.

The blade moved.

The spikes shattered against it.

But another attack came from above.

Kael barely dodged.

A massive claw struck the stone beside his head.

The impact created a crater.

Kael looked up.

His blood ran cold.

A creature was standing above him.

Not the Ironhide Ravager.

Something different.

Something smaller.

But far more intelligent.

Its body was covered in dark metallic scales.

Two crimson lines ran across its face.

The System activated.

[Threat Analysis.]

[Target detected.]

Name: Unknown

Level: 19

Grade: Rare

Species Potential: Lord

Type: Metallic Predator

Traits: Metal Devouring, Blood Tracking, Adaptive Armor

Kael's eyes widened.

“Level nineteen…”

The creature smiled.

Actually smiled.

Then it spoke.

“Finally.”

Kael froze.

“You can talk?”

The creature's crimson eyes focused on the black crystal fragment hanging from Kael's belt.

“No.”

It pointed at him.

“I can remember.”

Kael's expression hardened.

“Remember what?”

The creature's smile disappeared.

“A Darven.”

The ground shook.

Kael immediately activated Metal Arsenal.

The MP-01, GL-02 and SR-01 rose from the ground.

Three weapons.

One enemy.

Level nineteen.

Kael knew immediately—

He couldn't win a direct fight.

So he didn't try.

“Let's see how much you remember.”

He fired.

The forest exploded into motion.

The creature charged.

Kael switched weapons continuously, forcing it to change direction.

MP-01.

GL-02.

SR-01.

None were powerful enough to kill it.

But they didn't need to be.

Kael was buying time.

The creature suddenly vanished.

Kael's instincts screamed.

He turned—

Too late.

The creature struck him across the side.

Kael flew several meters and crashed into a tree.

Pain spread through his ribs.

His vision blurred.

He forced himself upright.

“Still alive…”

The creature approached.

“You have his eyes.”

Kael's breathing stopped.

“Whose?”

The creature didn't answer.

Instead, it looked at the Darven katana.

Its expression changed.

Fear.

For the first time—

Kael saw fear in its eyes.

“The sword…”

It stepped backward.

“That sword shouldn't exist anymore.”

Kael slowly raised the katana.

“What do you know about my family?”

The creature stared at him.

Then it laughed.

“Your father didn't tell you.”

Kael's grip tightened.

“Tell me what?”

The creature suddenly turned away.

Kael's eyes widened.

“You're running?”

The creature looked back.

“No.”

A crimson symbol appeared on its forehead.

“I'm reporting.”

Kael's expression changed.

“Reporting to who?”

The creature smiled.

“To the one who has been waiting for you.”

Then it disappeared into the darkness.

Kael stood completely still.

The System appeared.

[Unknown event detected.]

[Information incomplete.]

[Warning.]

[The Fifth Gate is no longer dormant.]

Kael stared at the message.

Then another appeared.

[Hidden Inheritance Progress: 4% → 5%]

He had reached five percent.

But there was no reward.

No weapon.

No attribute increase.

No treasure.

Only one final message.

[Fifth Gate: Activated.]

Far beneath the forest—

Something opened its eyes.

And this time, it wasn't a beast.

It was a human voice.

“Kael Darven…”

A pause.

“Your father was not the last Darven.”

Then the voice whispered—

“Unfortunately for you…”

“You aren't the first one to awaken either.”