Heavenbreaker: The Rebirth of the cursed Hero

Chapter 3 -THE TEST THAT SHOULD'VE KILLED ME

The morning mist wrapped the village in a pale silver veil. Kai walked toward the trial grounds with Lira beside him, her steps light but her expression unreadable. The other village youths whispered as he passed.

“He’s the weakest one here. Why bother showing up?”

“He’ll faint before the test even begins.”

Kai ignored them. Their words meant nothing. What mattered was the pulsing heat under his skin , the Heavenbreaker Curse stirring again.

System… don’t start acting up now, he silently prayed.

The trial grounds came into view: a wide, circular stone arena carved into the hillside. Elder Han stood in the center, holding a staff etched with glowing symbols. Ten crystal pillars surrounded the arena, each humming faintly with power.

“All participants, step forward,” Elder Han called.

Kai inhaled sharply. This was it , the mana awakening test. Every person received a reading of their elemental affinity and potential. A normal boy like Kai should have ranked “Ordinary” or “Faint.” That was his fate.

But he wasn’t ordinary anymore.

The Curse pulsed again, a low growl rolling through his bones.

Lira stepped close and whispered, “Are you feeling strange again?”

Kai forced a small smile. “Just nerves.”

But she didn’t look convinced.

One by one, the villagers tested. Each walked to the pillar, placed their hand on the crystal, and let it judge their mana.

“Rin Alden , Fire affinity, Potential Rank: Bronze.”

“Seren Vel , Wind affinity, Potential Rank: Silver.”

“Hara Jin , Earth affinity, Potential Rank: Bronze.”

Each result drew cheers or groans. The excitement built toward the three expected stars of the trial: Lira, Raven Nightfall, and, Kai Ren… the boy everyone expected nothing from.

Lira’s turn came. She lifted her hand to the crystal, her silver hair catching the morning sun.

The pillar exploded with light.

“Affinity: Light and Spirit… Dual Affinity! Potential Rank: Gold!”

A wave of gasps swept the arena. Even Elder Han stumbled backward.

Dual affinity was almost unheard of.

Lira stepped away quickly, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, as though she didn’t want the attention. Kai gave her a reassuring nod, and she returned a small smile, but her eyes flickered, troubled, worried.

She’s hiding something, Kai thought.

Next was Raven Nightfall.

Raven walked with calm arrogance. Dark eyes, smooth steps, confident aura. He placed his hand on the crystal.

A pillar of black flame shot upward.

“Affinity: Shadow Flame. Potential Rank: Platinum!”

The crowd erupted. Raven smirked, casting a sideways glance at Kai.

“Try not to embarrass yourself,” he murmured.

Kai kept walking.

He stopped before the crystal pillar. The moment his hand hovered above it, the Curse surged violently.

Heavenbreaker System Activating… Suppression Failing… Identity Signature Detected…

Kai gritted his teeth. Not now. Please not, His palm touched the crystal.

Silence.

Not a flicker of light. Not a sound.

Just dead, empty stillness.

Snickers rippled through the crowd.

“Guess he really is a zero.”

“He didn’t awaken anything at all.”

Kai felt a strange calm settle over him. Maybe this was good. Maybe hiding his power.

BOOM.

The pillar exploded. Not light. Not flame.

A shockwave of black-gold energy blasted outward, sending dust spiraling and cracks ripping across the arena floor.

Children fell. Even adults staggered back.

Elder Han’s voice trembled. “T-This… I’ve never seen such resonance…”

The crystal began to scream , a high, ringing sound like metal tearing.

Then it shattered.

The shards floated, suspended in the air, spinning around Kai like glowing blades. The ground trembled under him.

“Affinity, Unknown.”

“Potential Rank, Impossible to calculate.”

“Warning: Reading exceeds known mortal limits!”

Gasps. Fear. Confusion.

Even Raven’s expression broke for the first time , eyes widening in something like shock.

Kai stood frozen.

System… what did you do? he whispered inside his mind.

The Heavenbreaker responded, voice smooth and dark:

“I didn’t do this. You did. The seal on your soul is cracking.”

Elder Han stared at the destroyed testing pillar, voice weak.

“Kai Ren… step away. Slowly. Do not attempt any magic.”

Kai stepped back.

The shards of the crystal collapsed to the ground, lifeless again.

Murmurs swept the crowd like a storm.

“Monster…”

“Is he cursed?”

“What kind of affinity breaks the testing pillar?!”

Fear. Distrust. Suspicion.

Kai clenched his fist.

This is exactly what I didn’t want.

Lira hurried to him, worry etched across her face. “Kai… your energy just now, it felt like…”

She didn’t finish the sentence.

Because Elder Han lifted his staff.

“Everyone! Stay back!”

Soldiers from the village rushed into the arena with weapons drawn.

Lira gasped. “Wait! He didn’t do anything wrong!”

Raven stepped forward, eyes sharp. “I sensed something too. Something… ancient.”

Kai stared at them all in disbelief.

I only touched the crystal. How did everything turn into this?

Elder Han pointed at him.

“Kai Ren… until we determine what you awakened, you will be placed under temporary supervision,”

He stopped mid-sentence.

Because a chilling presence swept across the arena, so cold it froze the air in their lungs.

A masked figure stood on a rooftop, cloak fluttering in the wind.

A symbol glowed on his chest , a white veil.

Lira’s face drained of color. “No… Not them.”

Kai didn’t know who they were.

But the system did.

“Warning: Divine Assassin detected. Celestial realm signature confirmed.”

The masked figure drew his blade.

“Kai Ren,” the assassin called, voice flat. “You were not supposed to awaken.”

He leapt down, blade aimed for Kai’s heart.

Lira screamed.

Raven moved.

Elder Han raised his staff.

But the assassin was faster.

Too fast.

Kai froze as cold steel rushed toward him, and the Curse awakened.

A pulse burst from his chest, black-gold and violent.

Then everything went white.