The Dark Ascendant

The sky above Ravendale darkened as the fabric of reality bent and twisted. A swirling portal tore open in the heart of the forest, crackling with crimson lightning and exuding an ancient power that shook the very ground. From the blinding light, a young boy stumbled out—barefoot and completely naked.

His black hair clung to his forehead, and his youthful body shivered in the cool breeze. He looked around, his eyes filled with confusion and exhaustion. Raj Darkthrone, once a 56-year-old archaeologist, now stood in a strange body, lost in an unfamiliar world.

"What the hell just happened? The tomb... the trap... I was supposed to be dead. This place... it's not Earth. It's something else entirely."

His hands clenched into fists as he tried to piece everything together. The body he now inhabited felt strong but foreign—lean muscles, unblemished skin. He looked down at himself, realizing for the first time that he was naked.

"A young body... a second chance? No, this isn't just a second chance. Something's wrong. This body—this world—feels too strange, too... alive."

The air crackled with residual energy from the portal, and the surrounding trees seemed to hum with an unnatural rhythm. The sky above swirled with streaks of gold and violet, a cosmic display that could be seen for miles.

In the shadows of the forest, a man watched with keen interest. His eyes gleamed with greed as he took in the boy's strange arrival and the closing portal. The man was a Level 8 Warrior, a seasoned hunter with years of experience on the Steel Path. He had been tracking a beast when the portal appeared, and now his instincts screamed at him—this was an opportunity.

Warrior's Thought

'A portal... and a boy with no visible Gem aura? That's no ordinary phenomenon. This portal must have left something valuable behind—or this boy is hiding something precious.'

The warrior stepped out from the shadows, a sly smile on his face. His hand rested casually on the hilt of his sword, but his eyes never left Raj.

Warrior: "Well, well... What do we have here? A lost little lamb, it seems."

Raj's head snapped toward the voice. His instincts flared, warning him that this man was dangerous.

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'He's not here to help. That look in his eyes... I've seen it before. Greed. He thinks I have something he wants.'

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Warrior: (grinning) "Strange, isn't it? A naked boy appearing out of thin air, right in the middle of the forest. What were you running from, boy? Or should I say... what were you hiding?"

Raj narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

Warrior: "Come now, no need to be shy. I saw that portal. You've got something valuable, don't you? Some rare artifact or treasure? Why don't you hand it over, and we can both walk away happy?"

Raj kept his voice calm, masking his confusion and frustration.

Raj: "I don't have anything. I don't even know where I am."

The warrior chuckled, his grip tightening on his sword. "Oh, you've got something. No one just falls out of the sky without a reason. If you won't give it to me willingly... well, I'm not above searching for it myself."

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Raj's Monologue

'He thinks I'm defenseless. He wants to rob me—or worse. I can't fight him head-on, not without understanding the rules of this world. But if he thinks I'm weak... I can use that against him.'

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Raj: (smiling faintly) "I told you, I don't have anything. But if you want to waste your time, go ahead and search me."

The warrior hesitated, thrown off by Raj's sudden confidence.

Warrior's Thought

"Cocky little brat. Either he's lying, or he really doesn't have anything. But that portal... No, there must be something."

The warrior stepped closer, his eyes scanning Raj's body for any sign of hidden power or treasure.

Warrior: "You're an odd one, boy. No Gem, no clothes... no idea where you are. Either you're a fool—or you're something far more dangerous."

Raj said nothing, but his eyes never wavered.

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'He's second-guessing himself. Good. I need to keep him off balance, make him doubt. If he decides to attack, I'll be ready. I've been through worse than this.'

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Suddenly, the sky rumbled, and a surge of energy washed over them. The warrior froze, his eyes darting toward the heavens. The cosmic light from earlier pulsed once more, and for a brief moment, Raj's body glowed faintly with a golden hue.

The warrior's eyes widened. "What... What are you?"

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'Whatever that was, it scared him. Use it.'

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Raj: (stepping forward) "I told you—I don't know. But maybe you should think twice before messing with something you don't understand."

The warrior took a step back, his confidence shaken. His instincts told him to leave, but his greed fought against his better judgment.

Warrior: (gritting his teeth) 'You got lucky, boy. But luck doesn't last long in this world. I'll be watching you.'

With that, he turned and disappeared into the forest, his footsteps fading into the distance.

---

'That was close. Too close. I need to understand this world's rules before I run into someone worse than him. He mentioned a Gem Path—power tied to the soul. If that's the key to survival here, I'll figure it out. But first, I need clothes... and information.'

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Raj's Next Move

Raj glanced around the forest, noting the direction the warrior had taken. The town of Ravendale couldn't be far—he would head there and blend in. Information was power, and right now, he was at a serious disadvantage.

'Stay smart, Raj. One step at a time. You've survived worse than this, and you'll survive this too.'

He began walking, his bare feet pressing into the soft ground, his mind already working on a plan. The sky above him cleared, but the memory of the portal and the strange light lingered in his thoughts.

Raj Darkthrone had arrived in Eryndral—naked, confused, and alone. But he wasn't weak. Not anymore.

This world would learn who he was soon enough.