NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 16: The First Brand
June 25th. 3:03 AM.
The world went still. Not quiet—still.
The kind of stillness that comes before thunder splits the sky in half.
The screams vanished. The flames kept burning.
But not a single sound survived the sudden pressure in the air.
And then—above our heads—text appeared in the sky.
---
> [JUDGMENT COMPLETE]
[INITIATING: DIVINE BRANDING]
Everyone saw it. Everyone understood it. Not with their minds, but their souls.
It wasn't magic. It wasn't science.
It was truth.
And it hurt.
Light poured down like rain, not warm and golden—but white-hot and cutting.
People screamed as symbols seared into their skin—on hands, necks, chests, backs.
Some collapsed.
Some convulsed.
Some knelt and prayed. Others cursed the sky.
Everyone began to glow.
Dim pulses of light shimmered off their skin, colors shifting slightly from person to person.
But no one could see anyone else's information.
The branding was personal. Private.
You could feel the presence of power in others—but never the details.
That was intentional.
This system wasn't built for envy. It was built for judgment.
Ishani, the girl I'd seen earlier, cried out and fell to her knees. Glowing runes burned into her collarbone. Her lips moved in a silent scream.
She shined bright—silver-blue light dancing over her skin.
But I had no idea what her rank was.
No one did.
Each person knew only their own truth.
---
Then came my turn.
A quiet hum. A beat. A pulse.
And then a light erupted from my chest—green and searing, but not painful.
Two messages appeared in front of me, floating like scripture written on mist.
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> [SOUL CLASS: SAINT-SHARD]
[RANK: S]
[CORE ABILITY: DIVINE ECHO]
Emits a radiant echo that removes flaws, limits, and weaknesses from righteous core abilities nearby for 10 minutes.
User's own righteous ability is permanently purified of all restrictions.
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> [SECOND ABILITY: ROUTINE SURGE - Rank C]
Stores power through disciplined daily rituals: push-ups, prayer, reading, fasting, silence.
When activated, grants a powerful physical enhancement boost for 10 minutes.
Boost includes increased speed, strength, durability, reaction time.
Originally limited to 10 minutes per day. Limit has been removed due to Divine Echo.
> [PASSIVE: +30% Physical Boost at All Times]
---
Now it made sense.
My passive was a permanent, quiet improvement. I moved faster, hit harder, focused deeper—30% better than before, always.
But Routine Surge changed everything.
Every time I activated it, my body kicked into something otherworldly. For 10 minutes, I received a full 100% boost to every physical attribute.
Double the speed. Double the strength. Reflexes that made time feel slower.
But thanks to Divine Echo, I wasn't bound by time anymore.
If I had the discipline to fuel it, I could use Routine Surge as much as I wanted.
I wasn't stronger because of luck.
I was stronger because of habit.
And no one could see it.
No one even knew I had it.
Because the sky had hidden everything but the glow.
Everyone looked like they were chosen.
But no one knew who was favored.
---
A third wave rolled across the heavens, this one colder, more deliberate.
Another message appeared:
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> [SYSTEM: TASK PROTOCOL INITIALIZED]
> [DAILY TASK - UNIVERSAL TRIAL]
Each day, complete one morally righteous or selfless act under pressure.
The act must cost you something: energy, time, reputation, or safety.
Examples: Defend someone against danger. Provide aid at your own risk. Kill a monster that endangers innocents. Overcome fear to do what is right.
> Reward: +0.01% permanent stat gain OR one minor enhancement item.
> [WEEKLY TASK - TRIAL OF WILL]
Within 7 days, endure or overcome a situation where personal cost is inevitable.
Examples: Rescue someone without expecting reward. Stand against injustice alone. Complete a task of hardship without breaking a rule.
> Failure has no penalty. But only the worthy evolve.
---
It hit everyone at once.
This wasn't a game.
This wasn't a blessing.
It was a trial.
A long one.
People screamed.
People broke.
Some knelt. Some stood still.
Some begged for it to stop. Some begged for more.
And me?
I simply watched.
Everyone else was panicking over their new powers. Their stats. Their ranks.
But I was already thinking about tomorrow.
About how many push-ups I needed.
About how much silence I could earn.
About how many people I could guide.