Rise of the System Lord

Hunger and Desperation

Ethan’s stomach growled.

The sound was low, sharp, and miserable. It curled in his gut like a knife twisting between his ribs. His mouth was dry, and a sharp pang of emptiness settled beneath his skin, spreading through his limbs.

He pulled his cloak tighter around himself as he crouched beneath the overhang of a crumbling stone arch. The rain had stopped sometime during the night, but the cold hadn’t left the air. His breath curled in thin white tendrils as the dawn’s gray light bled through the alley.

Lyra sat beside him, her back pressed against the wall. Her crimson hair was damp and tangled, loose strands sticking to her pale skin. She idly twirled the tip of her dagger between her fingers, her legs stretched out in front of her. Despite the cold, she didn’t shiver.

Kael stood near the mouth of the alley, arms crossed, his dark eyes scanning the street beyond. His face was calm — empty — but Ethan knew the look. Kael was calculating, watching the patterns of the street. Looking for an opening. A weakness.

"How long has it been since you’ve eaten?" Lyra asked.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Lyra’s mouth curved faintly. "Because you look like you’re about to pass out."

"I’m fine."

Kael’s gaze flicked toward him. "You’re not."

Ethan’s jaw tightened.

"How much gold do we have left?" Kael asked.

Ethan reached beneath his cloak and pulled the leather pouch from his belt. He emptied the coins onto the ground between them.

Four gold marks.

Lyra’s eyebrow arched. "That’s it?"

Ethan’s gaze darkened. "Spent the rest on weapons and supplies."

Kael crouched beside the coins, his sharp eyes scanning the street beyond. "Four marks might buy enough food for one day."

"Or," Lyra said, "we could steal it."

Ethan’s eyes sharpened. "From where?"

Lyra’s smile was faint. "There’s a merchant stall near the western gate. Imports fruit and spices from the southern kingdoms. Gold marks won’t mean much to him — but the steel on our hips might."

Kael’s gaze hardened. "Merchants in the western quarter are protected by House Valtorin’s guards."

Lyra’s smile sharpened. "I know."

Ethan’s jaw tightened. His gaze slid toward Kael. "We need food."

Kael’s expression remained cold. "It’s a bad idea."

"We don’t have a choice."

Kael’s gaze narrowed. "No. You don’t."

Ethan stood, brushing dust from his cloak. The System pulsed faintly beneath his skin — a steady thrum of strength in his muscles and clarity in his mind. His stats had increased, but the hunger still burned beneath his ribs.

The System wouldn’t feed him.

Kael’s eyes darkened. "You sure about this?"

Ethan’s mouth curled faintly. "No."

Kael’s mouth twitched. "Good enough."

Ethan adjusted the weight of the steel sword at his back and turned toward the mouth of the alley. Lyra followed, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes.

"You coming?" Ethan asked Kael.

Kael sighed. "Against my better judgment."

Ethan’s gaze sharpened as he stepped into the street. His footsteps were quiet against the slick stone. His hand brushed the hilt of his dagger beneath his cloak. The weight was familiar now.

[System Update: Hunger Status – Strength Penalty (-1)]

"Sustained hunger will weaken strength and stamina."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. "Figures."

"Problem?" Lyra asked.

"Just the System being annoying."

Kael’s gaze flicked toward him. "It’s tracking your hunger?"

"Apparently."

Kael’s expression darkened. "That’s not normal."

"Good to know."

Ethan turned toward the western quarter, the narrow street opening into a wider market square.

It was early. Most of the stalls were still being set up. Merchants unloaded crates of fruit, fish, and barrels of ale beneath tattered cloth canopies. A thin layer of mist curled over the square as the gray light of dawn filtered through the narrow gaps between the buildings.

House Valtorin guards stood at the entrance to the square — crimson-and-black cloaks draped over heavy plate armor. They stood in pairs, steel swords hanging from their belts. Their eyes tracked every movement with the quiet, dispassionate gaze of men trained to kill without hesitation.

Lyra’s gaze swept the square. "Two at the north gate. Two at the east. Another two behind the grain stall."

"Armed?" Ethan asked.

"Blades. Crossbows."

Kael’s gaze darkened. "Fast response time?"

Lyra’s smile sharpened. "Under a minute."

"Lovely."

Ethan’s eyes settled on a merchant stall near the center of the square. A wide wooden table was stacked with bright red apples and thin bundles of dried meat wrapped in wax paper.

His gaze sharpened.

"That’s the target," Ethan said.

Kael’s brow lifted. "You’re serious?"

Ethan’s hand slid toward his dagger. "We hit hard. We hit fast. We’re out before the guards close in."

Kael’s jaw tightened. "And if it goes wrong?"

"Then we fight."

Lyra’s smile deepened. "I like him."

Kael sighed. "Of course you do."

Ethan adjusted his grip on the hilt of his dagger. His gaze sharpened. His muscles tensed. His heart steadied.

"Let’s move."

Ethan crossed the square, slipping through the early morning crowd. Kael and Lyra followed, moving with practiced ease through the shifting tide of merchants and traders.

The merchant behind the stall was an older man with a round face and thinning gray hair. He wore a stained apron over his thick tunic, his eyes sharp despite the early hour.

Ethan’s gaze flicked toward the nearest Valtorin guard. The man’s hand rested on the pommel of his sword, but his gaze was dull — distracted.

Perfect.

Ethan stepped up to the stall. The merchant’s gaze sharpened. "Buying or wasting my time?"

Ethan’s hand shot out.

The merchant’s eyes widened as Ethan grabbed a bundle of dried meat and two apples from the table.

"Hey—!"

Ethan’s foot shot out, hooking the edge of the table. The stall collapsed in a loud crash, scattering apples and bundles of meat across the stones.

The nearest guard’s head whipped toward the sound.

"Thief!" the merchant screamed.

Ethan sprinted.

The guard drew his sword. "Stop!"

Ethan’s feet slammed against the stones as he tore through the market. His cloak whipped behind him as the guards shouted and broke into pursuit.

Lyra darted past him, a wicked smile on her lips as her dagger flashed. One of the guards stumbled, clutching his thigh as blood spurted between his fingers.

Kael moved behind Ethan, blades flashing in sharp arcs. A guard fell with a strangled gasp.

[Combat Skill Activated: Blade Strike Lvl 2]

"Fast, precise, lethal."

Ethan’s dagger cut upward. The guard’s arm twisted back — bone snapped — and the man fell screaming.

Ethan twisted, driving the hilt of his dagger into the side of another guard’s skull. The man crumpled.

"Move!" Kael shouted.

Lyra’s dagger flashed again. A guard screamed. Blood sprayed across the cobblestones.

Ethan vaulted over a low wall, his breath sharp. The System’s pulse hammered in his chest.

The exit to the alley loomed ahead.

Ethan shot toward it — fast — faster than he should have been able to move.

A final guard stepped into his path.

Ethan’s dagger flashed. Blood sprayed. The guard crumpled.

Ethan hit the alley at full speed. Lyra and Kael followed close behind.

They disappeared into the shadows.

[New Achievement: First Successful Raid]

+5 Strength | +2 Speed

Ethan’s breath steadied. His hunger faded.

Lyra smiled faintly. "Told you it would work."

Ethan’s lips curled. "Not bad."

Kael’s eyes narrowed. "It’s only going to get harder from here."

Ethan’s gaze darkened.

"Good."