Death to Power
Copyright© 2025 by TheSmartOne
Chapter 6: Grind
“ ... Pardon me?”
Kaden blinked, stunned. Surely, he hadn’t just heard what he thought he heard.
‘You have to die to become stronger’...?
No. Impossible.
“That ... that can’t be right.”
He tried to convince himself. Maybe it was just his imagination. Maybe—
[You heard me correctly, Host. You must die in order to grow stronger.]
Reality hit like a slap.
Of course, the system wouldn’t let him fool himself.
“ ... How? How can I possibly revive after dying?” 2
[Through Death Coins, earned by completing quests.]
[The more you spend, the farther back in time you can rewind—and the greater the Origin Fragment you can extract from your killer.]
[Fragments can be of various types: Skills, Traits, Memories, Instincts, Wills, and the rarest—Core Fragments.]
Kaden was silent.
Still.
Processing.
If the system was telling the truth...
Then that meant he could die—and come back. As long as he had the coins.
Which also meant...
“I can get stronger.”
Abd with strength naturally came power.
A slow realization hardened in his mind.
Yes, he bore the name Warborn. That name alone commanded respect. No one would foolishly challenge a family whose warriors welcomed death with open arms.
They were legendary. Feared. Honored.
But that was his family’s power.
Not his.
Kaden had experienced enough things—died once already—to learn something brutal and honest:
At the end of the day, you stand alone.
People won’t risk their lives—or their loved ones—for you.
Granted, exceptions exist.
But you can’t afford to gamble your life on exceptions.
So...
“I’ll grow stronger on my own. If I have to die for it ... then so be it.”
He had died once from fear, cowardice, and weakness.
This time, if he was going to die—
It would be for something.
For strength.
For freedom.
For control.
His heart slowed. Steadied.
His resolve clicked into place.
[That’s the spirit, Host. Do not fear death—he will soon be your closest companion.]
Kaden nodded. Then hesitated.
“ ... Calling you ‘System’ all the time feels weird. You sound like you’ve got a personality.”
“You know what? I’ll call you Death.”
A beat of silence. Then—
[ ... It’s an honor, Host.]
Kaden gave a simple nod.
[To access your profile just will it.]
“Show me my profile.”
<<<<< Profile >>>>>
Name: Kaden Warborn
Age: 10
Rank: Awakened
Origin: Bloodsoaked Sword King (Legendary)
Titles: Child of Blood
STR: 6
AGL: 8
CONS: 5
MANA: 5
INT: 10
WILL: 8
Stat Points: 0
Fragments: None
Quests in Progress: None
Death Coins: 0
Skill – Awakened:
Blood Reservoir – Every successful kill adds blood to your internal reservoir. This blood can be used as fuel—form, weapon, or recovery.
Kaden studied the display closely.
Everything was clear. Logical. Efficient.
This profile would help him track his growth.
“Perfect,” he muttered.
His eyes lingered on the word Awakened. It was the starting point. A new beginning.
In this world, awakening marked the first true step toward power.
It granted you one innate skill—drawn from your Origin.
After this came core saturation—absorbing cores from beasts, monsters, and other races. Only then could you start your evolution quest.
And evolution was everything.
Only the strong survive.
After Awakened came Intermediate, then Master. And beyond that...
Very few knew of the Grandmaster rank.
Kaden, as young master of the Warborn, did.
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