Chapter 10: A familiar figure

The portal possessed a deep, ominous crimson color.

​Even the training room itself was transformed by its presence, swallowed by a deep hue that made it look as if they were submerged in a sea of blood. A sharp, metallic taste filled their mouths; even the air felt thick and heavy to breathe.

​Then, a woman stepped out.

​She had silky white hair and pale skin that looked almost inhumane, creating a stark contrast against her red eyes. She was outfitted in samurai-style half-armor and carried two katanas along with a single long odachi.

​The moment her feet touched the ground, the portal disappeared.

​The oppressive atmosphere from moments ago vanished right along with it as if it had all been an illusion. However, the metallic taste in the air and the lingering killing intent did not dissipate in the slightest.

​Standing with Brian at the edge of the room, Jack lowered his voice to a whisper. "Just so you know... this can’t just be a Novice rank Queen. What I’m feeling right now is like I’m facing a beast that could devour me alive without even spitting out the bones and still be not satisfied."

​This time around, Brian didn’t disagree. He observed the scene in silence.

​A few seconds later, the suffocating aura vanished. Smith, who stood at the center of it all, could only stare at the figure before him. Even though her appearance had changed over time, he could never mistake her for anyone else.

​As if to prove him right, the moment the woman saw Smith staring at her, the cold expression she wore melted away. Her face brightened, and an excited voice sounding like a fangirl who had finally met the idol she had dreamed of all her life.

​She was about to leap toward Smith in pure joy, but when her eyes fell upon his crippled legs and his wheelchair,like something inside her broke.

​Her cheerful expression instantly vanished, replaced by a killing intent far thicker and sharper than before. Her eyes transformed completely into a violent, bloody red; where only her irises had been crimson earlier, now even the sclera burned with absolute malice. ℴ

​"Who... did this to you?" she demanded. Her heavy, booming voice didn’t sound human at all it sounded like a demon returning for vengeance after a thousand years of torture.

​Smith opened his mouth to explain, but before he could speak, her cold gaze scanned the room and locked onto the two men standing in the corner.

​This time, Brian and Jack truly experienced what it felt like to be targeted by an apex predator. Goosebumps erupted across their skin, and every hair on their bodies stood on end. The alarm bells blaring in their minds warned them that if they so much as twitched a single muscle, their heads would no longer belong to them in the next second. Sweating profusely, both men stood ready to summon their own Queens at a moment’s notice.

​Just as the tension reached a boiling point thick enough to be cut with a knife, Smith spoke in a soft, velvet voice.

​"It wasn’t them, Velvet. They are my friends who helped me until I was able to summon you. They are my guardians."

​The moment those words left his mouth, the terrifying killing intent evaporated. Her eyes returned to normal, and she glided smoothly to Smith’s side.

​"Brother... I see you still remember me," she said in a sweet, coquettish voice, sounding like an angel playing a flute. "I thought you had abandoned me. What happened to you in all those years?"

​She began bombarding him with a endless barrage of questions. Smith was overwhelmed; some of the answers were far too complicated, and he had no idea where to even begin.

​While the two were talking, Brian suddenly nudged Jack’s shoulder.

​Jack, who was still tense, flinched so hard he nearly summoned his Queen. When he realized it was just Brian, he let out a long sigh of relief. "Damn it, Brian! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

​"Go instruct Smith on the bonding process," Brian said calmly. "So he can officially become a Chess Player."

​Jack stared at him in disbelief. "Are you trying to send me to my death?! You felt that killing intent it was so thick I could practically touch it! And you want me to walk up to that demon in human skin?"

​"I guided Smith all the way to this point," Brian replied flatly. "Now it’s your turn."

​Unwilling to go, Jack demanded they settle it with a game of rock paper scissors. Naturally, Jack lost.

​Grititng his teeth, Jack slowly approached Smith and interrupted the conversation. "Now that you’ve summoned your Queen, you must first bond with her. After that, you’ll be able to view her stats and information. That will be your official first step as a Chess Player."

​Smith turned to the woman beside him. "Velvet, since you’re here, let’s complete the bond first. We can continue our discussion right after."

​setup was straightforward. Smith placed his index finger onto Velvet’s forehead. As long as both parties wholeheartedly agreed to the master and servant relationship, the bond would form. A moment later, a connection resonated between them, signaling that the bond was complete.

​"Now that you’ve bonded," Jack continued, eager to finish his explanation, "you’ve unlocked several fundamental features, such as your Personal Inventory and the Trial Space. The Inventory is where you store the rewards you receive after clearing dungeons or completing trials. It cannot hold ordinary items only system rewards. You can inspect those spaces later tonight."

​Jack cleared his throat and tried to wrap up quickly. "Since it’s getting late, I’ll stick to the most critical information for now: Ranks, Titles, and Aura Levels."

​Basic System Overview

​1. Ranks and aura level

​Novice Rank: Starts at 10 Points and peaks at 20 Points.

​Advancing Ranks: Transitioning to a higher rank increases points by 50%. Within a rank (like Intermediate or Expert), your power points double from the base to reach the peak. Higher ranks also unlock new active and passive skills.

​2. Aura Level

​Aura is the physical manifestation of combat power.

​Elite Chess Pieces inherit 80% of the Queen’s Aura Level.

​Pawns inherit 50% of the Queen’s Aura Level.

​3. Titles and Boosts

Titles provide percentage multipliers to three core stats: Attack (power, penetration, and total damage output), Speed (movement, attack speed, and reaction time), and Defense (active, passive, and body durability).

​Bronze Title: Boosts stats by 120% (\times 1.2)

​Silver Title: Boosts stats by 150% (\times 1.5)

​Gold Title: Boosts stats by 200% (\times 2.0)

​Note: Any title equipped by the Queen automatically grants its full bonus to the rest of the chess pieces in your lineup.

​"That covers the basics you need for now," Jack said quickly. "Tomorrow morning, we’ll meet at the first floor bar. From there, we’ll find you a suitable dungeon so you can get used to fighting as a Chess Player."

​The second he finished speaking, Jack retreated rapidly to Brian’s side. After bidding Smith a hasty goodbye from a safe distance, the two of them practically sprinted out of the training room as if a monster were chasing them down.

​Smith couldn’t help but chuckle. He turned back to Velvet, his eyes softening. "How did you grow up so much? And... what happened after I left? My memories of that time are still so hazy."

I was obvious that he was laying but he plans to tell her slowly after he understood the whole thing about Chess Players and trials

​With the outsiders gone, Velvet relaxed. she unequipped her armor, dispersing it into light. She was left wearing a simple, flowing red robe that gave her the ethereal look of an immortal who had descended into the mortal realm.

​Though the robe was loose, it did little to hide the breathtaking curves underneath. Looking at her now, Smith even wondered how she had managed to fit into that rigid armor in the first place.

​Without hesitation, Velvet sat directly on Smith’s lap, leaning her entire body against his chest.

​Smith froze. It was the very first time he had ever been in such an intimate position with the opposite sex. Velvet was surprisingly light almost weightless like a feather and a subtle, sweet fragrance drifted from her.

​Struggling to keep his focus, he cleared his throat. "So... what really happened back then?"

​Velvet lifted her head, looking into his eyes with a faint, sorrowful expression. Then, with a teasing smile, she began to tell her tale.