Year 5009 after the system day 60 to day 70 of the flowering season.

Inside a tavern in one of the villages at the North, "have you heard of the newest rumor?" A man who was eating and drinking to its full content asked excitedly.

"The one where Monika bought 20 new cows in one go? I'm still surprised how a peasant managed to get that much money... I wonder if some rich lad sponsored her since she's kind of hot you know? Maybe the person wants to have a go with her in exchange."

"Ah... yeah, I guess? But no I meant the new rumor, the one about the 9-year-old peasant daughter of the famous Luke the healer has ascended to nobility and is currently leading an army as the general, and waging a war against the goblin king in the South."

The man who heard the newest rumor started laughing and then he promptly replied," nice joke man, nice fucking joke."

A woman who was eating alcoholic bread with wine shouted," fool! It is no joke I was there in the capital when a little blonde girl made a speech for the masses, that girl had a very scary dark elemental aura, and it is said that she also owns the rare ice element, and received the unique dark one from the Saintess and the goddess blessing, due to that the church is having very big issues, since they're doctrine banished users of that element in the past, and dictated demons evil for using them which made them be murdered on sight for who knows how long."

The man who was laughing gulped upon hearing such words, and then nervously asked," so you're saying she's leading the late king army of 100 thousand soldiers?"

"100 thousand? You jest, just on her influence alone she gathered close to 700 thousand to fight under the same banner be they peasants or nobles, as she's been both, the general Aurora pays both equally and more depending on their achievements, even allowing soldiers to rank up with her own war system, I sent my eldest son there to earn himself a good position, since he's a pretty good fighter."

The man who said the rumor said," I sent my two daughters to support the cause, I taught both how to hunt since young, I'm sure they'll be able to trap a lot of those nasty and stinking goblins," he said while praying to the goddess Aria in his mind to keep an eye over them.

"It's a good thing we don't live close by to the southern outpost of Aurora, otherwise we'd be forced to fight alongside her."

Upon hearing those words from the man who hadn't contributed with anything the woman said," if the demon forces invaded with a great number from the closest border, with that useless and lazy attitude, you'd be the first one to die."

The man smacks the table with a closed fist to cause a ruckus, and as he's about to protest, the man in front of him punches his face and shouts," you fucking idiot look at my clothes you made my drink jump with that, geez man if you can't hold your own from a simple discussion Harmin, then go to the southern outpost and kill some goblins, they're paying pretty well."

The man who ended up receiving the punch in its full force ended up sobering up, and undamaged from it, he said," I might just go with my unique graded weapon."

The woman sitting at the table next to them said," yes if you see my son over there tell him his mother misses him a lot."

"Is this the return of the villager hero, the great wielder of the red hammer?" The man who punched Harming laughed happily with respect for him.

"Can't just let my unique hammer rest to the point of rusting," Harming got up and left the tavern without paying his share, and then went into thought,' it's been a while since I fed it with blood, for a weapon that once belonged to the goddess Aria it sure is very wicked, it was quite lucky my ancestor found it long ago, however wielding it makes me a tad insane, great power really does require a big toll.

On the east border of the lumen capital, a young boy was fishing.

'It sure took a while to get the legendary fisherman title, to think I needed to catch 1000 fishes, with this I've reached my grandfather level which he mentioned in the diary.'

"You seem happy brother Ming, did you finally achieved it? That thing you've been practicing for, for years now?" His sister asks innocently while holding her hands behind her back, leaning slightly forward towards him.

"Yes, Momo! I've finally achieved the legendary fishing title described in those very old diaries he left behind, it's a good thing you somehow self-learned how to read, with only the basics mom knew, otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do."

"Mother says I'm a prodigy, the only one in the entire village who's learned how to read at such a young age, not like there are many who know how to read or even had the chance to learn."

"Or they will too, in the end, it's all about motivation and you have enough, so what's the next title little sister of mine?"

From her perfect memory, she says, "there's one called rock breaker, you just have to smash rocks with a rock itself, apparently, before tools that's how the first titles were earned, back in the time were civilization didn't exist."

"Very well, I'll become strong enough to find a way for us to rise in life, worry not Momo."

"Alright brother Ming, I'll do what I can on my own to help you, in fact, there are whispers coming from the capital and the South."

"Your cursed skill soul whisper, what is it telling you this time around?"

"It..." her hands trembled which made Ming hold them softly to support her, as this skill in specific grants fears to the user upon using it, she upon feeling calmer continued speaking," the soft and cold whispers said that there's a great war to come in the South, between humans and goblins, and the result will decide either our race lives or dies."

"I guess you want to partake in it? To help them with your skill?"

"I don't know much about the war but perhaps someone there does, and depending on the information I can give, maybe it would make a difference."

"Well you know we can't leave our village till I complete all the titles our ancestors left to our grandfather, and now to me, so we'll sneak out tonight with the books, and I'll do the training on our way there."

"The books stay, I have memorized all of them with my unique skill photographic memory, so it was pretty easy despite consuming a lot of mana, but I had time to do so."

"Should we share the knowledge of the titles among the other soldiers? It should make the war easier."

"I'll evaluate all the generals over there, and if I see any that is worthwhile of using my knowledge, I'll see what I choose to do with it."

"Guess I'll take the unique fishing rod with us, it can easily be used in battle."

"Do as you wish Ming."

"Alright! We'll depart tonight through the shadows, make sure you pack us food and money."

Later that night as they have opened the door to escape home where they live with their parents and grandfather, outside of it an old man was waiting for them.

"I don't remember Ming finishing the training, nor either of you having my authorization to leave the village."

"Grandfather with all due respect, my sister Momo heard a whisper that a war in the South will happen, and I'm sure we're both necessary there, after all, if they lose we'll all die anyway."

"Fool, I've told you not to hear what that cursed child says," Momo lowers the head, holding back her tears while clinching the fingers on her cloth dress.

The grandfather takes out his own necklace and says," you know very well that our village exists to protect one of the keys," he shows the black key in front of them.

"That shitty story again grandpa, our family has been training by studying those diaries to have so much power, never doing anything other than protecting a key that doesn't open anything, and all of this in secret for who knows how long."

"Fool! This is just one of the keys, they are not meant to be brought together, much less used, otherwise great chaos would fill our kingdom, I've told you this many times before you, idiot!"

"Sister did get my share of the intelligence making me an idiot, but at least I know that I must protect humans, and if they need my strength I couldn't possibly be here waiting for the goblins to breach through killing everyone, ending up getting the keys to themselves."

The grandpa throws the key to the cursed child feet," then take it and never show yourselves in this village ever again, or you will not live another day, I'll leave the fate of the human race in your shoulder, may it end by the keys or the goblins, I'm too old to care anymore, now fuck off before I kill both of you right here," a murderous intent filled both of them as the old man walked between them back to the house closing the door behind them.

"I don't know what the key is for, even with my soul whisper I haven't received a single message for it, so let's take it with us for now," Momo said softly with a sad tone to it.

Ming who was tearing up while feeling angry started walking silently towards the South, alongside his little sister who placed the key around her neck, she then approached closer next to him and grabbed his hand, understanding the sadness he feels as she had been discarded by the entire village due to her cursed skill, since it was a reference to the disgrace which for thousands of years the church does their best to discriminate, and some places have different ways of handling it other than exile.

'Through this darkness, we shall pave a path towards the light we hope to find.'