The third morning of exile crept in beneath a blood-colored sky. Red streaks bled through the clouds like claw marks across the heavens. Even the wind carried something heavier now—like the forest was holding its breath, watching him.
Kairo rose slowly, his bones aching from the cold ground and his muscles sore from yesterday's battle. He looked down at his wrists.
The chains were no longer just restraints.
They were evolving with him.
> [Passive Alert: Curse Level Threshold Reached]
Begin Evolution: [Y/N]
A cold chill ran down Kairo's spine.
"Evolution…?" he muttered. "What happens if I say yes?"
No answer. Of course. The system only offered choices—it never explained consequences.
He stared at the prompt, teeth clenched.
Then he exhaled sharply and tapped [Yes].
Immediately, a sharp jolt ripped through his arms. The chains tightened like serpents coiling around prey. His vision went white with pain.
> [Cursed Ascension Initiated…]
Curse Level: 2
New Abilities Unlocked:
– [Parasite Chain Lv. 2]
– [Grave Pull Lv. 1]
– [Cursed Resilience Lv. 1]
Kairo dropped to one knee, panting. The mist around him warped subtly, like the very air recognized him now—marked him.
The chains looked different too—thicker, etched with faint glowing runes. They pulsed faintly, alive.
> [You are evolving.]
[But beware—every step closer to power is a step deeper into the curse.]
[Retain your will, or lose yourself.]
"I'm not giving in," Kairo growled. "I'll use this power—but I'll stay me."
The forest rustled.
Then, a voice from the shadows: "That's what they all say."
Kairo froze. He shot to his feet, chains rising instinctively.
From between the trees stepped a woman clad in black leather armor, twin daggers glinting at her sides. Her crimson scarf fluttered behind her like a torn banner. Her eyes gleamed gold.
"You're the exile, aren't you?" she said, sizing him up. "The cursed one."
Kairo didn't answer. His chains hummed with tension.
"I'm not here to kill you," she said, raising her hands. "If I wanted to, you'd already be dead."
"Then why are you here?" Kairo asked, not lowering his guard.
The woman smirked. "Because I'm curious. Word travels fast among the shadows. Some say the Crown exiled a mistake. Others say a monster was born from a failed ritual."
She tilted her head, eyes glinting. "I wanted to see which one was true."
"I'm neither," Kairo said through gritted teeth. "I didn't ask for any of this."
"None of us did," she replied. "But we survive anyway."
A tense silence hung between them as the wind whispered through the trees.
"Who are you?" Kairo asked.
"Call me Nyra," she said. "I'm a Hunter. Rogue Class. I operate where the law doesn't reach—which means we're neighbors now, Cursed Boy."
She looked him up and down. "Chains… That's rare. I've seen mages, beasts, blades… but never a living weapon that bites its wielder."
Kairo narrowed his eyes. "You came all this way just to gawk?"
"No," Nyra said, drawing a small crystal from her belt. It pulsed softly in her palm. "This detected a cursed surge yesterday. Strong enough to ping the network."
"That was me," Kairo admitted.
"I know," she replied, slipping the crystal away. "And here's the thing—this forest isn't empty. Exiles like you aren't left alone for long."
"What do you mean?"
Nyra pointed toward the distant cliffs. "The Scourged Den is just west of here. A nest of corrupted monsters. Normally they don't stray… but lately, something's been driving them out."
A deep howl echoed across the trees—long and unnatural.
Kairo felt it in his bones.
"They'll come for you," Nyra said quietly. "They're drawn to the curse. And you're radiating like a bonfire."
"So what, you're warning me out of kindness?" Kairo asked bitterly.
Nyra smiled faintly. "No. I want to see if you'll survive."
She turned to leave.
"But if you do…" she glanced over her shoulder, voice barely above the wind, "come find me. Power like yours doesn't go unnoticed. Especially not by the Black Fang."
Then she vanished into the shadows.
---
The sun barely rose before the forest began to shift.
The mist thickened. The air grew heavy. And from the underbrush, they came.
Cursed beasts—twisted stags with rotting flesh, carrion crows with too many eyes, a centipede the size of a horse. All converging.
Kairo backed toward a stone outcropping, breathing hard. The chains around his wrists pulsed with dark energy.
"Come on…" he whispered. "Let's see if you're really cursed."
The beasts lunged.
He struck first—his chain lashing out like lightning, wrapping around the stag's throat.
> [Grave Pull Lv. 1 Activated]
Effect: Pulls chained target into your radius. Increases impact force by 150%.
The beast was yanked mid-leap and slammed into a tree with a crack. It didn't get up.
Another creature rushed in—a skeletal boar with molten eyes.
Kairo braced.
> [Parasite Chain Lv. 2]
Effect: Embeds curse damage over time. Feeds resilience per tick.
He whipped the chain, striking its flank. Black runes spread from the point of contact, crawling like infection. The boar screamed—but so did Kairo, clutching his stomach as the feedback hit him like hot nails.
Still—he didn't fall.
> [Cursed Resilience Lv. 1]
Passive: Converts 5% of total damage into stamina.
His vision sharpened as the pain morphed into clarity.
Three more beasts charged. Kairo moved like instinct—spinning, ducking, chaining them in place with [Bind], then slamming one into the other.
Minutes passed like hours.
Blood soaked the forest.
And when it was over, Kairo stood alone—chest heaving, chains limp.
> [System Alert: Survival Threshold Achieved]
New Skill Unlocked: [Pain Mirror Lv. 1]
Effect: Reflects 10% of received damage to attacker.
He collapsed to his knees.
"Still alive…" he whispered.
The chains coiled around him softly—almost like they approved.
---
Meanwhile, in the palace...
Princess Evelyne sat before a war map, eyes distant as she watched the flickering orb that tracked Kairo's location.
"He survived again," she muttered.
The masked man behind her crossed his arms. "He's adapting faster than anticipated."
Evelyne smirked. "Good. Let the curse consume him piece by piece."
"Shall we intervene?"
"Not yet," she said. "But inform the other Heroes. It's time they knew the error still breathes."
She stood, her gaze cold.
"If the Shackled Hero rises… I want them to be ready to strike him down."
---
Back in the forest...
Night fell like a shroud. Kairo sat beside a dying fire, staring at his hands.
The chains had fallen still. For now.
He looked up at the moon, breathing slow.
"Nyra… the Black Fang… cursed beasts… the Princess…" he muttered.
Everything was spinning.
But one thing stayed clear.
"I'm not dying here."
He clenched his fists. The chains rattled like an oath.
"I'll rise. Curse or not."
> [System Update: Curse Level 2 – Stable]