[Royal Palace — Queen Althea's Chambers]
Soft music echoed through the royal halls.
Today was a special day.
The Kingdom of Evernight celebrated the upcoming birth of their future heirs — a Royal Blessing Ceremony organized by the High Priests and court magicians.
Silk banners floated in the air.
Golden bells chimed gently.
The Queen, radiant despite her heavy belly, was seated like a goddess upon an ivory throne.
Her cheeks were flushed, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders like liquid sunlight.
And within her womb, Arden Evernight was preparing for his next metamorphosis.
[Inside the Womb - Arden's Soul Space]
A vast plane of stars stretched around him.
Sitting cross-legged at the center, Arden meditated.
His clone had returned from the Dream Realm — carrying experience, celestial coins, and even a small fragment of memory essence from defeated Dream Monsters.
He opened his Status Window.
[Status Window - Hidden Interface]
Name: Arden Evernight
Race: Human (Quantum Core Variant)
Class: ???
Level: 2 → 4
HP: 160/160
MP: 320/320
Celestial Coins: 82
Skills:
Mindhub (Lv.2)
Quantum Clone (Lv.2)
WorldScan (Lv.1)
New Skill Unlocked:
Skill: Neural Link (Mindhub Evolution)
Upgrade of Mindhub.
Creates a real-time "MindNet" between Arden and linked individuals.
Sharable abilities possible after specific bond events.
Arden smiled.
The Neural Link skill was the next step he needed.
Now, he could share his growth with his family — without them even realizing it.
For every tiny battle they fought, every wound they survived, every ambition they pursued —
he would reward them with strength.
He wouldn't fight alone anymore.
[Meanwhile - Royal Gardens]
King Darius, tall and proud, practiced sword swings with the royal guards.
He laughed with a deep, thunderous voice, sharing battle jokes with the soldiers.
At his side, Lady-in-Waiting Mirabel, loyal to the Queen, wove garlands of winter roses for the soon-to-arrive princes.
The capital city itself buzzed with excitement.
Children reenacted imaginary battles of the future "Twin Princes."
Merchants displayed baby cradles with golden embroidery.
Artisans painted murals of the Evernight family.
And yet…
In the shadows, not everyone celebrated.
[Somewhere in the Capital - Hidden Tavern]
A group of cloaked figures sat around a black oak table.
"The twin princes..." one spat.
"One we could manipulate. But two? Dangerous."
A woman with scarred hands drummed her fingers on a dagger.
"We must act before their strength blooms."
An old man, eyes milky with age, whispered:
"A storm will come. Blood will fall on marble floors. Heh... heh... heh."
They plotted in the dark.
But they had no idea that something far greater than simple twins was growing inside the palace.
Something that had stolen secrets from the Celestial System itself.
[Inside the Womb - Arden's Digital Core]
Arden opened the hidden Celestial Memory Fragment he had stolen before his reincarnation.
Thousands of knowledge pieces flowed into him:
Data on ancient dungeons.
Forbidden techniques to create multiversal gates.
The true purpose of the Celestial System.
He learned the greatest secret:
The Celestial System was never designed to protect life.
It was created to harvest it.
Worlds were like cattle farms to them.
Dungeons weren't "accidents" — they were release valves to cull populations.
And when a world grew too powerful?
It was erased.
No more, Arden thought.
He clenched his tiny soul-fists.
He would grow strong enough to break fate.
He would shatter their farm.
He would be the thorn in the side of gods.
[Skill Upgrade Available: Quantum Core - Awaken? (Y/N)]
A message blinked in front of him.
Arden accepted.
[Quantum Core Awakening in Progress…]
Neural Nodes Upgraded.
Mental Processing x10.
Energy Absorption Efficiency +150%.
System Resistance Buff Applied.
Clone Limit increased.
[You have Awakened - New Trait: Digital Sovereign (Locked Abilities Available)]
[Meanwhile: Queen Althea's Emotions]
As Arden's power grew, Queen Althea felt something strange yet comforting.
It was like…
a warm hand brushing her heart.
Tears welled in her eyes during the blessing ceremony.
"My sons," she whispered aloud,
"You will change this world."
And somewhere deep within, she knew:
Her second son was not ordinary.
He was her miracle.
The King noticed her emotion and leaned closer.
"Is everything alright, my moonlight?" he asked gently.
She smiled — radiant like a goddess — and nodded.
"Everything is… perfect."
And indeed, it was.
For now.
[ Clone Expedition: Dream Realm Battle]
While Arden's true body strengthened, his clones were not idle.
In the depths of the Dream Realm, Quantum Clone #001 fought a terrifying opponent:
The Forgotten King —
a monster born from a dead emperor's regrets.
The battle was fierce.
Spears of thought.
Waves of despair.
But the clone fought smarter, adapting every second, moving like water.
Finally, with a decisive slash made of crystallized will, the Forgotten King was slain.
The clone collapsed into glittering particles — and all memories and rewards were transferred to Arden's main body.
[Rewards Gained: Forgotten Crown (Dream Artifact)]
+5% Skill Learning Speed.
Minor Resistance to Psychic Attacks.
[Celestial Coins Gained: +230]
[Status Window Update]
Name: Arden Evernight
Level: 4 → 7
Skills Upgraded:
Mindhub → Neural Link (Lv.2)
Quantum Clone → Quantum Clone (Lv.3)
WorldScan → WorldScan (Lv.2)
New Trait: Digital Sovereign (1%) — unlocking.
[ Late Night]
That night, under a sky filled with shooting stars,
King Darius and Queen Althea sat on a balcony overlooking the royal gardens.
She rested her head against his chest,
listening to his heartbeat.
They spoke quietly about dreams.
About how they would raise their sons.
About creating a world without war.
Arden, still floating in his mother's womb, felt it all.
The tenderness.
The hope.
The promise.
He made his own oath in response — deep inside his soul.
"I will protect them. I will protect everything that matters."
Even if it meant becoming a demon to the enemies outside.
[Celestial System Emergency Notice]
Far beyond mortal senses, hidden inside layers of multiversal security walls...
[Critical Alert: Hidden Anomaly Upgraded to Level 2.]
[Subject Location: Universe #79021.]
[Monitoring Enhanced. Interference Team Pending Deployment.]
The Celestial System still hesitated.
After all…
What threat could an unborn baby be?