Aldoria: Am I a hero...or not?

{{Valor Manor – Secret Vault Entrance}}

Cassian walked ahead, his footsteps barely making a sound against the stone floor. Kael followed closely, his heartbeat steady but filled with curiosity.

"Listen, Kael," Cassian muttered, glancing back. "I'm only showing you this because I believe you have potential. But don't get any ideas, the inner vault is off-limits. Only Father, Mother, and I are allowed inside."

Kael nodded, his eyes scanning the massive vault doors as Cassian pushed them open. Inside, rows of weapons, armors, and ancient artifacts lined the walls. The air felt thick with history, a weight pressing down on him as if the past was watching.

"You can pick something from the outer vault," Cassian continued. "Choose wisely."

Kael wandered through the rows of relics, his fingers grazing the hilt of various swords, none of them feeling right. But then–

His eyes locked onto a pedestal in the far corner. Upon it rested… a sword handle. No blade, no weight, just the grip of a weapon long forgotten.

He stepped closer, reading the inscription below:

"The Sword of the First Valor."

Kael's fingers trembled as he reached out. The moment his hand wrapped around the hilt–

SLASH!

A sudden pain shot through his palm. A shallow cut formed, and his blood dripped onto the handle. Instead of falling, the blood was absorbed into the grip. The air crackled with unseen energy, and Kael felt a pulse run through his body.

A flicker of excitement filled him, but he pushed it down. To the side of the pedestal, he noticed a simple-looking sheath. It was plain, unremarkable, but its size perfectly matched the handle. He took it without hesitation.

When he turned back, Cassian was watching him with narrowed eyes.

Cassian exhaled. His little brother was full of surprises. If Kael trained properly, he might just become one of the strongest swordsmen in their family.

"Come on," Cassian said, shaking off his thoughts. "Let's go before someone notices."

{{Valor Manor – Kael's Room}}

Kael returned to his ruined room, rolling up his sleeves to help the maids clean. Though they seemed hesitant at first, they eventually allowed him to assist.

A knock on the door.

"Kael," Elysia's voice was firm but not unkind. "Call the builders tomorrow to fix your room. You can sleep in one of the empty guest rooms tonight."

Kael shook his head. "I'll be training overnight in the training area."

Elysia frowned but didn't argue. "Don't push yourself too hard."

{{Training Grounds}}

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Kael stood in the training area, the handle of the sword in his grip.

[ System Function: Scan and Save Techniques Available. ]

Kael's lips curled into a smirk. "System, initiate visual simulation."

A translucent projection flickered before him, displaying various swordsmanship techniques. Kael watched, analyzed, and mimicked each movement, his body moving in sync with the illusions.

Hours passed. Sweat dripped down his face, muscles ached, but he pushed forward.

Then instinctively, he channeled his aura. The dark yellow glow pulsed from his body, flowing into the sword handle.

WHOOSH!

For a split second, a faint, almost invisible blade extended from the hilt before vanishing.

Kael's grip tightened.

Unbeknownst to him, a mysterious silhouette stood hidden in the shadows, watching his every move.

The mysterious silhouette lingered in the shadows for a moment longer before vanishing into the forest. The sudden movement caught Kael's attention, but he chose to ignore it.

Instead of chasing, he refocused on his training. Hours passed, yet no matter how much he channeled his aura, the blade remained faint and unstable.

TCH!

Frustrated, Kael exhaled sharply and made a decision.

He adjusted his grip, drew his stance, and began refining his movements. Strike after strike, he moved as if the invisible blade was fully formed, ensuring that when the time came, he would be ready.

Once satisfied with his progress, he sat down in a meditative stance, attempting to recreate the sensation he felt when he awakened his aura.

Nothing.

No explosion, no surge of power, just silence.

Kael frowned.

Realization dawned upon him. Strength wasn't something gained by simply meditating, it required experience, battles, and growth.

{{Town – Market District}}

With the first rays of sunlight peeking over the horizon, Kael made his way to the builder's workshop. The scent of sawdust and metal filled the air as workers bustled about.

"I'm here to summon the builder to Valor Manor," Kael announced respectfully.

The head builder raised a brow but nodded. "We'll be there shortly."

With that taken care of, Kael headed toward the guild.

{{Ironclad Adventurer's Guild – Main Hall}}

Stepping inside, Kael immediately noticed familiar faces.. the three survivors he had rescued from the forest. One of them, a young woman with sharp green eyes, stepped forward.

"Kael, right?" she asked.

Kael gave a small nod.

"Thank you for saving us," she said sincerely, bowing slightly. "I'm Elara, daughter of the guild master."

Before Kael could respond, a guild staff member approached. "The Guild Master wants to see you."

{{Ironclad Adventurer's Guild – Guild Master's Office}}

The room was lined with maps, weapons, and trophies of past hunts. Behind a heavy wooden desk sat a broad-shouldered man with streaks of gray in his beard.

"I've heard about what you did," the Guild Master said, his voice deep and commanding. "Bravery like that shouldn't go unrewarded."

Kael remained silent, waiting.

"Your rank as a copper adventurer will be promoted."

Kael's eyes widened slightly. "That fast?"

"You saved three people on your first quest. Even so, don't get ahead of yourself. Avoid venturing too deep into the forest. The monsters there aren't forgiving."

Kael nodded in understanding.

{{Ironclad Adventurer's Guild – Quest Board}}

After leaving the office, Kael scanned the quest board for his next mission. Most of the tasks were still basic, but one caught his eye, a town assistance quest.

He took the quest, spent the next few hours helping townsfolk with minor tasks, and returned to the guild to report.

With his job done, he headed home, knowing that tomorrow is an important day, his older brother, Kyle, would be leaving for the academy.