Roni stood at the edge of Clevelhill, the sun already dipping behind the trees. "5 p.m. sharp. Don't mess this up, Roni." He muttered within himself.
He adjusted his cloak and muttered, "Alright system, if you're listening, tonight would be the perfect time to actually work."
Silence.
As always.
He walked for about five minutes into the woods before spotting them, gathered just beside a large moss-covered rock. Mirael and her friends stood in the open clearing, all suited up, their gear gleaming faintly under the fading light. They trained in the quiet air of the forest, no audience, no interruptions—just the four of them moving with precision and focus.
"Hey," Roni called out, raising his hand in a wave as he approached.
The group turned toward him, their expressions serious, their attention sharp. There were four of them in total—three women and a single man—each carrying an aura of discipline.
"Look who finally decided to show up," Mirael said, a hint of warmth softening her otherwise firm tone. She gestured to the others. "Guys, this is Roni."
"Hey, Roni," a voice boomed. It came from Vinyl, the tallest of the group. His build was strong and muscular, his broad shoulders carrying the weight of countless hours of training. His curly blonde hair framed around his face.
On the opposite side stood Raine. Her skin was a deep, rich shade of brown that contrasted strikingly with her piercing blue eyes.
Next to her was Alexa. She had long, jet-black hair that seemed to absorb the light around her, her entire appearance carrying a stark black-and-white aesthetic.
"Hmm… Roni, the demon slayer," Vinyl said with a grin, his tone carrying both curiosity and respect. "I heard about what you did at yurin."
"Ummm…" Roni stammered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. "Yeah… I did kill a level six demon."
"A level six demon?" Raine's sharp blue eyes widened slightly, disbelief flashing across her face. "Do they even exist anymore?"
"Well yes I saw one at Yurin," Roni replied, his voice steady.
Vinyl stepped closer, his expression serious now. "So, what level are you? And what's your system power?" His tone was eager, almost impatient, as if he couldn't wait to measure the strength of the one who had slain such a monster.
Roni froze. The question hit him harder than he expected. For a few seconds, he just stood there, his thoughts scrambling for an answer that wouldn't sound pathetic. Finally, with a sigh, he spoke softly, "Honestly… I don't know. It's been difficult figuring out what my system even is. That's why I'm here."
Vinyl frowned slightly, then turned toward Alexa, his eyes seeking confirmation.
Alexa's gaze sharpened as she focused on Roni. Her pupils seemed to shimmer faintly as her ability activated.
Analyzing information…
[Name: Roni Specter. Strength: 5. System ability: None.]
Her voice was calm and matter-of-fact when she finally spoke. "He's telling the truth, I think. My system couldn't detect any ability. So, he probably doesn't have one."
Roni's jaw dropped slightly, his eyes widening in amazement. "Wait a minute… she can see anyone's ability just by looking at them? That's… that's incredible!" His tone was a mix of awe and envy. "That's such a rare talent."
But deep inside, as his excitement settled, a troubling thought lingered. Why did the system say 'none'?
"What are you not telling us? How did you defeat a level six demon without an ability?" Vinyl pressed, his tone sharper now, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
Roni's throat tightened. He could feel the weight of their stares pressing on him. "I… I don't know how it happened," he said shakily, his voice cracking just a little. His uncertainty only seemed to fuel their intensity. Mirael's friends leaned in closer, their expressions tightening, like predators circling prey. Mirael herself stood apart from them, her arms crossed, simply watching them.
"Okay then… show us what you've got," Vinyl challenged.
Before Roni could respond, Vinyl's body began to shift, bones snapping and reshaping with a sickening crunch. His skin bristled into fur, his frame stretching taller and broader. In seconds, the man was gone, replaced by a ferocious beast—an enormous dire wolf standing a towering six feet tall, its eyes gleaming like molten gold. Saliva dripped from its fangs as it growled, ( his ability allowed him to transform into any beast he thought of.)
Roni instinctively began retracing his steps backward, each movement slow and cautious, his heart pounding louder with every inch of distance. The beast before him crouched, ready to charge at the slightest twitch.
On the other side, Raine's transformation was just as chilling. Her piercing blue eyes glowed brighter, so radiant they seemed almost unnatural. Cold mist rolled from her lips with every breath, and in her hands, jagged crystals of ice began to form, crackling faintly like glass under strain. She looked like some frozen queen from a nightmare, her presence alone making the air around them drop a few degrees.
Then there was Alexa. Her face was partially obscured, a dark veil covering half of it. Her aura was harder to read—silent, composed, yet heavy with something dangerous, something Roni couldn't quite place. It was like staring into a shadow that refused to reveal its shape.
They were all facing him now.
"Okay, guys," Roni said, his hands raised slightly in surrender. His voice was nervous, but he tried to keep it calm. "Please… let's take this easy, alright?" He forced a faint smile, hoping his words might ease the tension, though deep inside he wasn't sure if anyone here was in the mood for mercy.
Vinyl moved first, charging with a thunderous roar. His dire wolf form lunged, claws slashing. Roni twisted aside, but not fast enough—the claws grazed his arm, leaving a burning cut.
Before he could recover, Raine attacked. Her hands crackled with frost as sharp ice shards flew toward him. Roni dropped and rolled, the frozen spears shattering against the ground where he had stood. The air grew colder, biting at his skin.
Then Alexa vanished. One blink, and she was gone. A shadow streaked past, then her fist crashed against his ribs with rattling force. Another strike followed—too fast to block. It slammed into his chest knocking him back with a grunt.
Vinyl circled and leapt again, jaws snapping inches from Roni's shoulder. Roni barely slipped past, but not without another scratch tearing through his sleeve.
Raine lifted her arms, frost swirling. This time, a block of solid ice formed and launched forward like a cannonball. Roni tried to dodge, but it struck him hard. The impact sent him sprawling, the world spinning as he crashed to the ground.
He groaned, clutching his ribs—when suddenly… everything stopped.
The roar of Vinyl. The icy mist from Raine. Alexa's next step through the shadows. All frozen in place. Even the wind halted mid-sway through the trees.
Time itself had stopped.
And in front of Roni's blurred vision, glowing letters finally appeared—
[System initializing…]
Mirael still hadn't moved. Arms crossed, eyes fixed on him, as if she'd been waiting for this very moment.