Reyan reached his apartment and locked the door behind him. The sound of the lock echoed slightly in the empty room. It felt louder than it should have, but he did not think much about it.
He walked inside and sat down on the chair near the wall. It was the only chair left in one piece. The others had broken over the years, and he had never bothered to replace them. There was no reason to.
The room was quiet. Nothing moved. Nothing made noise.
Reyan stared at the wall for a long moment before his thoughts returned to the strange thing that had followed him since yesterday.
The system.
As soon as he focused on it, a screen appeared in front of his eyes.
Name: Reyan Sen
Race: Undead
Level: 1
Exp: 10 / 100
Health: 5 / 5
Strength: 5
Speed: 5
Agility: 5
Stamina: 5
Ability: None
Reyan blinked slowly.
"…So it's real," he said under his breath.
It looked like something from the stories he used to read. Stories where the main character suddenly gained a system, became special, and changed the world. Usually, they became heroes. Or monsters that saved humanity anyway.
"But I'm not like that," Reyan said quietly. "I'm just a normal person."
He stopped for a second.
"…No. I'm not even that anymore."
His eyes moved to the bottom of the screen, where a red message was displayed.
[Daily Quest Status: Partially Completed]
Warning: Soul Hunger will increase.
Reyan frowned.
"What does that mean?" he asked.
The screen changed, and another message appeared.
[Explanation]
Incomplete soul consumption detected.
Host failed to fully stabilize hunger.
Result: hunger accumulation over time.
Reyan read it twice.
"So I did consume a soul," he said slowly. "Just not enough."
The memory returned without warning. The boy collapsing. The strength leaving his body. That strange warmth flowing into Reyan, heavy and uncomfortable at the same time.
Reyan clenched his hand.
"I stopped," he said quietly. "I didn't kill him."
The system responded immediately.
[System Response]
Intent irrelevant.
Result incomplete.
Reyan clicked his tongue in frustration.
"So it doesn't matter what I wanted," he said. "Only what happened."
The system did not reply again.
He leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling. His chest felt strange. Not painful, and not like hunger a human would feel. It was deeper than that, like something inside him was slowly becoming aware.
"This is messed up," he muttered.
He looked down at his hands. They were steady. His body felt calm, almost too calm. Out of habit, he pressed two fingers against his neck.
There was no pulse.
"…I really am dead," he said.
Yet he was still here. Thinking. Breathing. Existing in a way that did not make sense.
His attention returned to the screen.
"Ability: None," he read. "So I can't do anything special."
He let out a dry laugh.
"No flying. No fire. No teleporting."
He noticed another line appear.
[Free Stat Point Available]
Reyan straightened slightly.
He focused on it, and a smaller window opened.
Available Stats:
Strength: 5
Speed: 5
Agility: 5
Stamina: 5
He hesitated.
"In those stories," he said quietly, "they always choose strength."
He looked at his reflection in the dark screen of the TV. Slim body. Same face people had pushed around for years.
Then he remembered the rock. The impact. How close he had come to losing control.
"If that happens again," he said, "strength won't save me."
He searched the list again.
There was no control. No resistance. No mental stat.
After a moment, he selected stamina.
The screen flickered.
[Stamina increased: 5 → 6]
Reyan exhaled slowly.
"Let's hope that helps."
He stood up and walked to the sink, splashing water on his face. When he looked into the cracked mirror, the reflection felt wrong. His face was the same, but his eyes were too still, too focused.
"No fangs," he said. "No glowing eyes."
He touched his neck again.
Still nothing.
The system flickered once more, drawing his attention back.
[Warning]
Soul hunger increasing.
Estimated time until instability: 23 hours.
Reyan stared at the message.
"…Not even a full day," he said.
The system remained silent.
Outside, he could hear distant traffic and voices from the street below. Life continued as usual. People laughed, argued, and went home without knowing anything had changed.
Inside the apartment, Reyan sat back down.
"If I do nothing," he said quietly, "I lose control."
He paused.
"And if I do something…"
He did not finish the thought.
The pressure inside him stirred again, slow and patient.
Reyan lowered his head.
"So this is how it starts."
Next Day....
Reyan was awake when the knock came.
He did not know how long he had been lying there, staring at the ceiling. Sleep did not feel natural anymore. His body stayed still when he closed his eyes, but his thoughts never slowed.
The knock came again, steady and firm.
When Reyan opened the door, two men stood outside his apartment. Their uniforms were plain and dark, without any visible rank. One of them held a tablet.
"Reyan Sen," the man said, looking at the screen. "You are required to report for military transfer."
Reyan nodded.
"You have ten minutes," the man continued. "Take only essentials."
"Where are we going?" Reyan asked.
The man paused briefly. "That information is restricted."
Reyan did not ask again.
There was little to take. He picked up his bag, checked the room once more, and stepped outside. The door locked behind him with a soft mechanical sound. He did not turn around.
Outside, a long armored vehicle waited. It had no windows, only smooth black metal and a single rear entrance. Other students were already there. Some stood quietly. Others spoke in low voices. No one looked excited.
Reyan boarded and took an empty seat.
When everyone was inside, the door closed and sealed. The engine started, and the vehicle began to move. At first, Reyan tried to keep track of the route, but it quickly became pointless. The sound of movement changed, becoming smoother, almost weightless.
After some time, the lights inside dimmed slightly. The walls darkened, losing their reflective surface. There was no way to see outside.
Someone near the front asked, "Are we underground?"
No one answered.
Reyan stopped thinking about time.
Eventually, the vehicle slowed and came to a halt. The lights returned to normal, and the door opened. Cool air entered the cabin.
They stepped out one by one.
The place they arrived at looked ordinary. Wide concrete ground stretched ahead, surrounded by low buildings. There were no visible weapons, no watchtowers, no fences that stood out. It could have been a factory complex or a research center.
That made it unsettling.
An officer waited for them.
"This is the Central Military Academy," he said. "You will not know its location. You will not record it. You will not describe it. Any attempt to do so will result in removal."
His tone was calm, as if stating basic rules.
"Extend your left arm."
Another officer walked along the line, fastening a thin black band around each student's forearm. The band closed tightly, cool against the skin.
When Reyan's band locked into place, a faint vibration ran through it.
A small display flickered briefly.
Neural Interface Band activated.
The officer spoke again. "This band will serve as your identification, credit storage, and access authorization. You will refer to it as your NIB. Do not attempt to remove it."
Reyan glanced at the band. Its surface was dark and smooth, with no visible buttons.
"This band does not assign power tiers," the officer continued. "That will come after evaluation. Those without abilities will be given the option to learn one of four basic disciplines: air, fire, earth, or water. Details will be explained later."
A quiet murmur spread among the students.
Reyan said nothing.
They were guided forward across the open concrete area. There were no buildings close enough to enter yet, no clear direction. Just a wide space where everyone was told to stand and wait.
The officers stepped back.
No further instructions were given.
Reyan stood among the others, his bag at his feet, the NIB cold on his arm. Around him, students whispered, checked their bands, and looked around the unfamiliar place.
The sky above was dull and empty.
Nothing happened.
And that was the most unsettling part.