The sun had long disappeared behind the smoke and ash of the ruined city. Kairis moved quietly, sticking to the shadows, knife sheathed but ready. The system hummed faintly in his vision, a reminder of what he had now.
> [Quest: Survive the first seven nights – Day 1.]
Food had been secured for the night, but water and supplies were low. He had to venture out again.
The streets were empty—or so it seemed. Buildings, once proud, now leaned against each other like drunk old men, rubble spilling into every alley. Fires burned unchecked, and somewhere in the distance, a low, guttural roar reminded him that the monsters were still out there.
He moved fast, silent. The first kill had sharpened him. Every sound was measured, every shadow scanned. Yet, tonight, something felt… different.
There were movements ahead—not monsters.
He crouched behind a collapsed wall, peering through the debris.
Three figures stood across the street. They were human—but they weren't just human.
One of them raised a hand, and gravity seemed to bend around him. A car lifted off the ground slowly, twisted like soft clay, and then slammed into a wall with enough force to crush it. The second flicked his fingers, and bolts of purple energy shot from his palm, vaporizing a pile of debris that blocked their path. The third drew a sword from thin air—a blade made of flickering dark light—and cut a metal beam as if it were paper.
Kairis froze.
They're like me…
And then he realized the truth. He could see the faint outlines of their system floating around them—their status, attributes, skills—but they couldn't see him. Their eyes glowed when they fought, their bodies pulsing with energy. Yet for them, he was just part of the background.
> [System Note: Other Awakeners detected – Visibility: Passive.]
It was subtle, almost invisible, like a ghostly shimmer on the edges of his vision. Each system was different—layouts, colors, stats, skills. Some seemed advanced. Some crude. Some brutal. Some… almost elegant.
Kairis observed quietly, hidden behind the debris. He understood in an instant: each Awakened was born differently. Each had powers tailored to them. The system was personal. The way they fought, the way they moved—it wasn't just training, it was instinct guided by something that existed outside the human mind.
He watched as the trio dispatched a small monster. The beast was enormous, with arms like tree trunks and a head that could have crushed a car. They moved in sync, each strike precise. Gravity, energy, and dark matter bending around them like a storm in miniature. When it was over, one of them looked up, scanning the horizon—but Kairis was gone. They didn't know he had been there.
He exhaled slowly, the weight of realization pressing down.
This… this is how the world works now.
It wasn't enough to survive. Strength wasn't just about killing monsters. It was about mastering the system. Learning how to awaken. Learning how to see beyond what normal humans could. And Kairis now knew, with cold clarity, that the city was full of these Awakeners—humans who were dangerous, skilled, and unpredictable.
He slipped away, moving back through ruined streets. The scavenging had been successful: a few more cans, a broken but usable flashlight, and a crate of bottled water. His shoulder ached, his hands were scraped, and the adrenaline had not yet left him.
When he returned to the house, Elyra and Aeren were waiting, eyes wide, hoping for good news. He set the supplies down, nodding once, and let them eat.
Alone, after ensuring they were safe and sleeping, he leaned back against the wall, staring at the faint glow of the system still hovering before him.
The monsters are only the beginning.
The humans… are just as dangerous.
And in the quiet, he made another silent vow.
I will be stronger than all of them. I will see everything. And I will survive.
The system hummed faintly, as if acknowledging him.
> [Quest Progress: 1 / 7 Nights Survived.]
[New Objective: Observe other Awakeners without being detected.]
Kairis closed his eyes for a moment. Sleep wouldn't come easy tonight. Not yet. Not when the city was alive with shadows that moved, breathed, and fought in ways he could only just begin to understand.
But he welcomed it.
Because fear had left him.