The Devil's Rebirth System

Chapter 6: Shadows in the Orphanage

Morning light spilled weakly through the cracked shutters of the orphanage, but it could not wash away the blood.

The wooden planks in the hallway still bore the dark stain where Brann’s body had fallen. It had been scrubbed once, then twice, but the mark would not fade. Blood always left a memory.

The orphans whispered about it even as they worked. Their brooms moved across the floor, their hands clutched at buckets of water, but their eyes flicked nervously toward the red-brown streak that stretched along the wood.

The boy who had ruled them through fists and cruelty was gone.

And Kael had killed him.

When Kael stepped from his room, the chatter died instantly. Dozens of small faces turned, pale and wide-eyed. Some children froze mid-step. Others shrank back against the walls, their bodies trembling.

Kael walked calmly down the corridor. His ragged cloak brushed against the walls. His hood shadowed his eyes. But none of that mattered. What mattered was the weight that pressed against every chest, the invisible force that made hearts race and throats tighten.

The Aura of Fear.

It radiated from him with every step, unseen but suffocating. The weaker children whimpered. One dropped his bucket, the water splashing across the floorboards.

“Don’t look at him,” a boy hissed, dragging his younger sister away.

“He’s cursed,” another whispered. “He killed Brann. He’ll kill us too.”

Kael said nothing. His lips curved faintly. He could feel their terror, taste it almost, and the System fed on it like fire on dry wood.

[Ding! Passive Skill Progression: Aura of Fear Lv.1 → Lv.2.]

[Effect: Fear duration increased. Enemies below Host’s strength lose 15% attack power.]

Kael’s smirk deepened. Even their fear made him stronger.

When he stepped into the courtyard, he found the matron and the older orphans already gathered. The matron’s face was pale, her eyes red from weeping. Brann’s body had been dragged outside before sunrise, covered with a sheet and carried away by the city guards. But the memory of his twisted face lingered.

“He was a boy under my care,” the matron cried, her voice trembling. “Now he’s dead, butchered like an animal!”

Whispers rose among the children. Fear. Confusion.

Then a voice cut through it like a knife.

“It was him!”

The lackey who had fled last night stepped forward, pointing directly at Kael. His hand shook, but his words were loud. “I saw it! He killed Brann! He had a knife—his eyes—he’s not normal!”

Gasps rippled through the courtyard. Dozens of heads turned toward Kael, their gazes sharp with suspicion, terror, and hatred.

The matron’s lip trembled. “Kael… is this true?”

The air was heavy, suffocating. Kael stood still, the Devil’s Dagger hidden beneath his cloak. His eyes were cold, his expression unreadable.

Finally, he stepped forward. His voice was soft but steady, every word clear.

“Brann came to kill me,” Kael said. “He wanted my life. Instead, I took his.”

A ripple of shock spread through the orphans. The matron’s hands shook violently. “You— you admit it?”

Kael’s lips curved into a thin smile. “Why should I deny it? You all knew what Brann was. He beat you. He stole from you. He broke you. Yet none of you ever raised your voice. You only called him strong.”

Silence fell. Children lowered their gazes, ashamed. Some clenched their fists, remembering their bruises.

Kael’s eyes burned. He stepped closer, his cloak brushing the dirt, his shadow stretching long.

“Now he’s gone. And I am strong.” His voice dropped, dark and sharp. “Remember that.”

The Aura of Fear pulsed outward. The matron staggered back, her face white. The orphans flinched, their breath catching in their throats. Even the lackey who had accused him stumbled, eyes wide with panic.

The System chimed in Kael’s mind.

[Ding! Achievement Unlocked: Fearmonger.]

[Effect: Aura of Fear extends to civilians. Host gains +5 Influence in all social encounters.]

Kael’s smirk widened. Power wasn’t only blood and blade. Power was the way people looked at you. The way they bent without you lifting a hand.

The courtyard broke apart after that. The children scattered, too afraid to linger. The matron shut herself in her quarters, whispering prayers under her breath. Only the bloodstain remained, dark against the dirt.

Kael sat alone beneath the old tree in the corner. The dagger rested across his lap, its glow faint but alive, as though it fed on the fear that had spread through the orphanage like fire.

The whispers came again, curling through his thoughts.

“Kill them all. None can defy you if none remain.”

Kael’s grip tightened on the hilt. His jaw clenched. He could feel the dagger’s hunger, the System’s pull, urging him to sink deeper into slaughter.

But Kael was not a beast. He had not clawed his way back from death only to waste himself on meaningless blood.

Revenge. Serenya. Darius. The kingdom that had laughed while he died. That was his purpose.

He exhaled slowly. “No. Not them. Not yet.”

The whispers subsided, though faint laughter echoed in his mind.

Then the System lit up again.

[Main Quest Unlocked: Path of the Devil.]

[Requirement: Gain 3 loyal subordinates within 30 days.]

[Reward: +50 Blood Points, Unique Skill.]

[Failure: -20% Attributes permanently.]

Kael’s eyes narrowed. “Subordinates?”

The window flickered again.

[The Devil’s path cannot be walked alone. The Host must spread his shadow. Gather those who fear you, those who admire you, those who crave power. Bind them. Make them yours.]

Kael sat in silence, considering. The System was right. Fear alone was not enough. He could not storm a kingdom as a lone wolf. He would need blades. He would need spies. He would need a following.

His gaze swept across the yard. The orphans moved with quick, nervous steps, avoiding him. Most cowered. But not all.

One girl sat apart, her tangled black hair falling over her face. Lira. She was quiet, but her eyes never stopped moving. Watching. Listening. Calculating. She was small, but Kael had seen her trick older boys into giving her food. Sharp. Clever. A survivor.

Then there was Jarek, tall and broad, his arms covered in fading bruises. Brann had used him as a punching bag. Now, with Brann gone, Jarek’s gaze flickered toward Kael with something different. Gratitude. Maybe even respect.

Two seeds. He only needed three.

Kael leaned back against the tree, the dagger pulsing faintly in his lap. His lips curved. “Very well. If this is the Devil’s path… then let it begin.”

That night, the orphanage grew silent. The moon hung high, pale and cold, spilling silver light through the broken windows.

Kael sat cross-legged in his room, eyes closed, the dagger resting against his chest. He could feel the System thrumming through his veins, urging him to hunt, to kill, to conquer.

A soft creak broke the silence. His eyes snapped open.

The door pushed open slowly. A thin figure slipped inside.

Lira.

Her bare feet made no sound as she crossed the room. She stopped in front of him, her dark eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

“You killed him,” she whispered.

Kael’s gaze sharpened. “Yes.”

For a moment, silence hung between them. Then, to his surprise, she smiled.

“Good.”

She stepped closer, her voice low, trembling with hunger. “Teach me. I want to be strong too.”

The System chimed.

[Potential Follower Detected: Lira.]

[Condition: Gain her loyalty through a pact.]

Kael’s lips curved. The Devil’s Rebirth System was already weaving its net. The shadows in the orphanage were no longer only whispers of fear. They were the beginning of something more.

And Kael would seize it.