The first light of dawn filtered through the broken windows of the hideout. Kael stretched, every muscle sore but tingling with excitement. Yesterday had been a baptism by fire: his first real battle, his first merges under pressure, and his first taste of power.
He rolled over and spotted the system interface floating above the makeshift bed he'd claimed. A faint hum pulsed from it, almost like a heartbeat.
[New Event Detected: Unknown Signal]
Kael frowned. Signal? From where? And why now? He tapped the floating screen, but all it said was:
"Incoming transmission will be unlocked at Level 2 Merge Mastery."
Kael groaned. Level 2 Merge Mastery? Great. More vague system nonsense.
Lumi bounced onto his makeshift bed, her silver-white hair a mess, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Morning, sleepyhead! Ready to make some chaos?"
Kael shot her a tired look. "Morning chaos? I'm still sore from yesterday."
Lumi snorted. "Sore? Pfft. Yesterday was a warm-up. Today, we're going exploring."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Exploring where?"
"The Ruins of Old Ashvale," she said, hopping to the floor. "They say it's crawling with mutated beasts, rogue ability users, and—best part—treasure scraps. You know, junk we can merge."
Kael's interest piqued. Treasure scraps. That could mean materials… better merges… maybe even rare components.
"Fine," he muttered, swinging his legs off the bed. "But we do it smart this time."
---
Into the Ruins
The Ruins were a few blocks from the hideout, a maze of collapsed skyscrapers, twisted metal, and gaping holes that led straight to the underground. The air was thick with dust, the smell of decay strong. Broken street signs jutted from the rubble like warning flags.
Kael led the way, weapons at the ready. He tested merging small materials on the fly: a broken pipe and shards of glass became throwing knives, scraps of cloth and metal became a makeshift shield. The system responded faster each time.
"See?" Lumi said, weaving between rubble. "This is fun! You, me, and a bunch of trash. It's like… super dangerous arts and crafts!"
Kael laughed despite himself. "Super dangerous… right."
They moved carefully, but the ruins were treacherous. Collapsed floors, hidden pits, and unstable walls forced them to merge on the fly, creating ladders, bridges, and armor enhancements from the rubble itself. Kael's confidence grew with each successful merge.
---
First Rival Encounter
As they neared a collapsed shopping plaza, a sudden shadow passed overhead. Kael instinctively merged a pile of scrap into a makeshift crossbow. He raised it, scanning the rooftops.
A figure landed in front of them—tall, lean, and glowing with a faint purple aura. His eyes narrowed, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Ah… you must be the Scrap Demon," the stranger said, voice smooth but dangerous. "I'm Zephyr. And I don't like competition."
Kael tensed. Rival system users were a problem. Systems could give power, yes—but in skilled hands, they could be deadly.
"What do you want?" Kael asked, keeping his distance.
Zephyr's smirk widened. "I want a little… demonstration. Let's see how good your merges really are."
Before Kael could respond, Zephyr waved a hand, and shards of metal from the ruins floated into the air, forming jagged, spinning blades aimed at Kael and Lumi.
Lumi's illusions flickered, creating decoy copies of herself, but Kael knew he had to act fast.
He tapped the interface. [Select Materials]
Scrap metal, broken glass, and a twisted street sign hovered in front of him. Streams of blue light merged the pieces into a long-range launcher—half crossbow, half cannon.
Kael fired. The projectile smashed through Zephyr's spinning blades, sending sparks flying. Zephyr's eyes widened, impressed.
"You're… better than I expected," Zephyr said, summoning more shards. "But let's see how you handle this."
Kael gritted his teeth, merging more scraps into throwing knives, shields, and traps. The ruins echoed with the sounds of battle—metal crashing, debris flying, and Lumi's laughter as she created illusions of dragons, wolves, and giant hands trying to slap Zephyr.
Zephyr leapt, dodging every attack with agility, retaliating with precise bursts of spinning metal. Kael merged mid-air, crafting a double-bladed spear. The system's interface guided him subtly: "Optimal Merge Suggestion: Reinforced Angular Strike."
Kael followed the suggestion. The spear hummed as he thrust it forward, knocking Zephyr back. The air shimmered with energy as metal collided against metal.
Finally, Zephyr raised his hands in surrender. "Impressive… for a beginner. You've got raw potential. I'll be watching, Scrap Demon. Don't disappoint me."
With a gust of wind, Zephyr vanished, leaving Kael and Lumi staring at the ruins in silence.
Kael lowered his weapons, heart racing. "That… was insane."
"You survived," Lumi said, smirking. "And honestly? That was awesome. You looked like a mad inventor fighting a tornado."
Kael laughed, adrenaline still coursing through him. "Mad inventor… sure. I'll take it."
---
Collecting Scraps
After the battle, Kael realized just how valuable the ruins were. Metal beams, glass shards, electrical components, and chemical residue littered the ground. He merged them into:
Enhanced Energy Blade – sharper, lighter, with a faint electrical edge.
Reinforced Crossbow – can fire explosive bolts.
Healing Pills – using chemical scraps.
Stamina Booster Pills – temporary speed and endurance enhancement.
Lumi cheered. "Look at you! You're like… some kind of scrap wizard."
Kael laughed. "Wizard of trash, maybe."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Kael and Lumi decided to camp in a half-collapsed building. Kael laid out his weapons, inspecting them carefully. The system pulsed faintly, almost like it was approving his choices.
---
Reflection
That night, Kael stared at the glowing interface. The Unknown Signal event loomed in his mind. He wondered what it could mean. Something beyond Ashvale, beyond the gangs and rogue users, was calling him.
And then he thought about Rox's words: "Survival isn't just weapons or systems. It's trust, timing, and knowing who's worth fighting beside."
Kael looked at Lumi, curled up nearby, snoring softly amidst her illusionary dragons. She was reckless, chaotic, but she had his back. That mattered. Allies mattered.
The ruins were dangerous, rival system users lurked, and his powers were new and untested. But for the first time, Kael felt… ready.
Powerless? No. Not anymore.
He was the Scrap Demon. He had a system that could turn trash into treasure, chaos into power, and survival into dominance.
Tomorrow, the real adventure would begin.
And the Unknown Signal… whatever it was… would be his first clue.