The Upgrade System,Rise of an Ordinary King

The Dying King's Gambit

Chapter 4: The Dying King’s Gambit

The grand hall of Ironcrest Fortress had never looked so hollow.

Kiny walked between two elite guards clad in silver-etched plate, their steps heavy and deliberate. He wore a fresh tunic, his wounds freshly bandaged, but the weight of blood still clung to his skin like smoke. The system hummed quietly in the back of his mind, ready, watching.

Ahead, the golden doors of the Throne Chamber creaked open.

A low voice echoed from within. “Enter.”

He stepped inside.

The chamber was dim. Velvet drapes were drawn, torchlight flickered across mosaics of ancient wars—kings wielding blades of fire, gods kneeling to mortals.

And in the center, slumped upon the obsidian throne, was King Thamor Ironcrest.

His once-robust frame was shrunken beneath layers of regal cloth. His eyes, sunken and lined with illness, flicked toward Kiny with unnerving clarity.

Veylan stood beside the throne, arms crossed. No smug smile this time—only caution.

Kiny bowed stiffly. “You summoned me, Your Majesty.”

The King’s voice was a gravelled whisper. “You’re the boy who beat my nephew.”

“I survived him,” Kiny replied, careful with his tone.

A dry chuckle rattled the old man’s throat. “That alone is a miracle.”

King Thamor lifted a trembling hand. “Come closer.”

Kiny stepped within five feet, aware of the snipers likely hidden in the rafters. One wrong move, and he’d be a stain on the carpet.

The King studied him. “Seventeen years ago, your name was written in a prophecy buried beneath the Temple of Silence. ‘A forgotten soul shall rise from ash. Crowned not by blood, but by struggle. He shall possess the unseen flame.’”

Kiny’s breath caught. “What are you saying?”

Veylan finally spoke. “He’s saying you were meant to awaken something—something we’ve only heard of in myth.”

The King coughed violently into a silk cloth—stained red.

He continued, “I am dying, boy. My sons are either too weak or too corrupt to inherit Ironcrest. And Valen… Valen is a fool.”

“So why me?”

Thamor leaned forward, eyes blazing.

“Because the system chose you.”

Kiny froze.

The word hit harder than any blade. “You… know about it?”

“I felt it,” Thamor rasped. “Once, long ago. A flicker. But it rejected me. My soul was too… consumed.”

Veylan added, “The Upgrade System is ancient—older than kingdoms. It’s said to attach to those who can rewrite fate. One host per generation. And now, it’s you.”

Kiny stepped back, pulse pounding.

The King coughed harder, blood dripping onto his robes.

“I have one final task… before I fade.”

Kiny said nothing.

“You will infiltrate the Royal Trials.”

Kiny blinked. “The what?”

Veylan stepped forward. “A secret tournament held every decade. Champions from noble families, chosen assassins, and royal bastards compete for the King’s Favor. It is where the future rulers of Ironcrest are shaped.”

Kiny frowned. “Why would you send me?”

“Because,” Thamor said darkly, “I want you to win it.”

The chamber fell silent.

“I want the nobles to bow to someone they would spit on. I want them to watch an ‘ordinary’ rise above their gods.”

Kiny laughed bitterly. “Why would you care? You are their king.”

Thamor’s voice dropped.

“I built an empire… but I failed my people. The nobles feast while the outer cities burn. The court breeds monsters. If I die and let them rule, Ironcrest will rot.”

Veylan interjected, “If you win, you’ll be named a Warden of the Realm. Untouchable. Powerful. Feared.”

Kiny crossed his arms. “And if I lose?”

Thamor smiled.

“Then you die, and the kingdom forgets you ever existed.”

[SYSTEM UPDATE]

>> Quest Unlocked: The King’s Favor (Main Story Arc)

• Objective: Survive and win the Royal Trials

• Status: Entry Pending

• Reward: Title Upgrade + Rare Trait + Access to Forbidden Archives

• Failure: Permanent death

This quest cannot be declined.

Kiny stared at the glowing words in his mind.

“This cannot be declined…”

His hands trembled slightly.

The system wasn’t giving him a choice.

“I’ll do it,” he finally said, voice cold. “But not for you. I do it for me.”

“Good,” Thamor whispered. “Then you are already more fit than my blood ever was.”

He slumped back, exhausted. “Veylan will prepare you. You enter the Trials in ten days.”

Later That Night – Veylan’s Tower

Kiny stared at the tray of rare meat and fresh water in front of him. He hadn’t seen this kind of food in… ever.

Across the room, Veylan watched from his desk. “Eat. You’ll need your strength.”

Kiny picked at the meat but didn’t look up. “Why me, really?”

Veylan sighed. “I grew up a commoner. Rose through manipulation, magic, and ruthlessness. But I’ve never seen anyone adapt like you do. The system didn’t just choose you. It transformed you.”

He stood, walking to a small chest.

“I’m giving you this.” He tossed a crystal pendant.

Kiny caught it. “What is it?”

“A relic from the Age of Titans. It’ll mask your system signature from other mages during the Trials. Keep it on or you’ll be dissected by Day Two.”

[Relic Acquired: Obscura Pendant]

• Effect: Masks presence of active system aura

• Passive: Nullifies low-grade detection spells

Veylan sat again. “Also… don’t trust anyone.”

Kiny raised an eyebrow. “Not even you?”

Veylan smiled darkly. “Especially not me.”

Three Days Later – The Hall of Echoes

Kiny stood in line with fifteen other contestants, all robed, masked, and silent. The wind howled as a Judge emerged from the stone gate above.

“In ten days, you will face each other in the Royal Trials,” the Judge announced. “This week is the Preparation Phase. Bonds may be made. Enemies identified.”

Kiny noticed a cloaked figure staring at him across the stone courtyard. He couldn’t see the eyes—but he felt the pressure.

A voice whispered beside him. “You're not like the others, are you?”

He turned. A girl with violet eyes and a scarred jaw stood beside him. “What’s your secret, ‘Ordinary’?”

Kiny didn’t answer.

But the system whispered again.

[New Player Detected: System-Compatible Signature]

Name: Reyna Mordane

Threat Level: Unknown

Note: Hidden system variant detected. Observation advised.

Kiny’s blood ran cold.

She had a system too.