The light wasn't just brightness. It was a presence — cold and vast, stretching beyond the edges of my mind. It held me like a tide pulling me under, and yet, I felt no fear. Only an aching hunger, as if something inside me was waking from a long sleep.
[Class Awakening: Initiated]
I saw visions — flashes of power I didn't understand. Ancient battles, broken seals, whispers of a forgotten name. Then a voice, soft and unyielding, spoke inside me.
"You are chosen, Crispin David. But the path will break you before it remakes you."
I gasped. The name… How did it know?
Then everything shattered.
I woke gasping in the cramped apartment. Light filtered weakly through cracked blinds. Lily was asleep, curled beside Mom, who was already stirring, rubbing her tired eyes.
No sign of power. No glowing System screen. No whispered voice.
Just the weight of morning.
I touched my chest. The scars were gone. My wounds—healed as if by miracle.
But the exhaustion was real.
The System buzzed faintly in my mind, a reminder that the quest continued.
Outside, the city was waking. Blackridge was a beast that never slept — always hungry, always waiting.
I needed answers.
Who had sent that voice? Why me? And what did it mean to be 'chosen'?
Before I could dwell, my phone vibrated.
A message.
"Meet me. Rooftop, Block 7. Midnight. Come alone."
No name. No sender.
That night, I made my way to the rooftop under the cover of darkness. The city stretched beneath me — broken, beautiful, and dangerous.
A shadow moved.
A figure stepped forward. Tall, cloaked, eyes sharp and calculating.
"Crispin David," the voice said, calm but firm. "You're not alone. Not anymore."
"Who are you?" I asked, hand resting on the hilt of my blade.
"Call me Arlen. I've been watching your progress. The System chose you for a reason, but you're just a piece on a much larger board."
I narrowed my eyes. "Why should I trust you?"
He smiled, a hint of sadness in his eyes.
"Because the Hunters Guild isn't what it seems. They want control. And the Gates… they hide secrets that could burn this world down."
I didn't know what to believe. But one thing was clear.
This war wasn't just about survival anymore.
It was about power, betrayal, and the truth buried beneath the city's ruins.
And I was right in the middle of it.
The night whispered promises of danger and discovery.
I tightened my grip on my blade.
Because whatever came next, I wouldn't back down.