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Lea went silent for a few seconds, then her tone changed from normal to threatening, spreading terror throughout Liam's heart as she said: "Liam Parker, for daily quests the penalties will be normal, harsh, and varied -" here Lea's tone became even more threatening and terrifying - "but for exceptional quests, the penalty won't be varied, it's just one: physical torture until your mind breaks, then your soul will be completely erased from existence."
Liam's heart clenched hard. He started feeling coldness at the bottom of his feet, not from the cold or the rain, but from pure fear.
Liam swallowed the words with difficulty, then closed his eyes for a moment. He started calming himself through deep breathing, trying to gather what was left of his composure. After a few moments, he slowly opened his eyes and said:
"Okay... let me first gather my thoughts, then we'll talk."
The system responded in its normal tone - a tone balanced between formal and friendly - without delay:
"As you wish, Master Liam. I'll be waiting for you."
Liam raised his head and took a few careful steps forward, touching the cold wall with his hand, watching the dim lights and wet streets. Everything seemed familiar and strange at the same time: smooth sidewalks, windows reflecting the city's colors scattered in the rain, and the air carrying the smell of metal and burnt rubber from previously burned cars.
He began exploring the place slowly, his eyes moving like someone trying to memorize every detail, and each step made him feel that this city wasn't just a new location... but the beginning of a new chapter of his life.
After his walk, Liam spotted an old abandoned warehouse, its metal door half open and its corroded roof barely enough to block the rain. He slipped under it, leaned his back against a rusty column, and for the first time since waking up, felt his body starting to calm down. His breathing steadied, and the noise of his thoughts quieted a bit.
He said calmly: "Lea..."
The reply came immediately: "Yes, sir."
He hesitated a moment, then asked: "First... the rewards. What are they like?"
She answered in a clear tone: "The reward might be a random item from an unlimited set of items, or an amount of system currency. You can withdraw the currency to reality and use it as regular money."
A slight smile appeared on Liam's face, a smile that hadn't been there since the accident. He said while slowly shaking his head:
"That's... that's better than I expected."
Then he looked up at the street again, like another idea had matured in his mind.
"My next question... what are the strongest companies in this city? In terms of money, influence, and execution."
Lea's voice came more serious this time:
"The strongest economic and executive entity in this city is Wayne Enterprises, owned by Bruce Wayne."
She paused a moment, then continued:
"Wayne Enterprises operates in multiple fields: military industries, advanced technology, medicine, energy, and infrastructure. Its financial power puts it at the forefront of the city's economy, and its influence extends to government institutions, security projects, and even undisclosed political decisions."
She went quiet briefly, then added:
"Bruce Wayne is publicly seen as a businessman and economic savior of the city, but his real influence is deeper than that. His moves can change the balance of power within days, and sometimes... within a single night."
Liam breathed deeply and stared at the wet ground in front of him.
His smile disappeared, replaced by calm focus.
He muttered to himself: "So... this is a city ruled by money above all else."
And under the roof of the abandoned warehouse, Liam realized that his first step in this world wouldn't be power, but understanding.
Sleepiness crept into Liam's eyes slowly, without asking permission. His mind was still working, but thoughts started breaking apart. He muttered fragmented words, barely coming out clear:
"Money... food... quests..."
Then sleep overtook him, there, under the cold warehouse roof.
He woke up violently.
The boom of an explosion tore through the morning, followed by screaming and overlapping police sirens. Liam jumped to his feet, his heart pounding hard. He looked at his hands, his chest, his legs, touching his body like someone making sure he wasn't still in a dream.
He said to himself in a tense voice: "What was I expecting... I already died."
He rushed toward the warehouse door and opened its crack carefully. What he saw made him freeze in place.
The street had turned into a battlefield. Huge robots, metallic, firing indiscriminately, moving with cold precision. On the opposite side, there was a team fighting them. Liam didn't know their details, but he recognized them immediately, instinctively; he'd heard about them before, names that pass in the news, short clips on the internet.
"Titans..." he said unconsciously.
He didn't know much about them except that they were a group trying to keep the balance, heroes but not angels, and that their appearance always meant things had gotten out of control.
And suddenly, small blue screens appeared before his eyes, floating near each one of them, like the system decided to open a window into this madness for him.
Near a young man wearing dark attire and moving at abnormal speed, a screen appeared saying:
Name: Dick Grayson
Title: Nightwing
Class: Field Fighter / Team Leader
Age: 24
Note: High reflexes, advanced combat experience
And next to a girl with purple hair using demonic energy:
Name: Rachel Roth
Title: Raven
Class: Dark Energy User
Age: 20
Note: Unstable energy, high danger level
Near her, a massively built young man, half cyborg:
Name: Victor Stone
Title: Cyborg
Class: Tech Support / Firepower
Age: 22
Note: Direct connection to digital systems
And finally, a young man transforming into different beasts:
Name: Garfield Logan
Title: Beast Boy
Class: Shapeshifter Fighter
Age: 21
Note: Variable abilities depending on mental state
Liam stepped back, having realized something dangerous.
This was no longer just a world he knew from stories...
This was a world moving now before his eyes,
And he... was right in the heart of it.
Liam moved quickly, with tense eyes searching for any exit that didn't pass through the line of fire. He wasn't ready to be a witness, let alone be part of a fight like this. After a quick search, he spotted a narrow opening behind a row of metal boxes, barely wide enough for his body.
He rushed toward it without hesitation. He squeezed into it quickly, then pulled himself through with force. He heard the sound of fabric tearing and felt the cold air touch his shoulder. When he finally got out, he looked at his dress shirt, now torn on the side.
He exhaled in frustration and said with quiet sarcasm: "Great... really off to a good start."
He didn't stop long. He continued walking through the wider streets, avoiding narrow alleys, getting as far away as possible from the sounds of fighting that started fading behind him.
And suddenly, a small blue screen appeared before his eyes, floating in the air:
Congratulations! You've completed a hidden quest
Rewards:
• 400 Experience Points
• $1000
Liam stopped in his tracks and stared at the screen in disbelief.
"A hidden... quest?" he muttered.
Before he could process it, another screen appeared, slightly larger, with a quiet sound accompanying it like a metallic echo:
Level Up...
Reached Level 1
Reached Level 2
Reached Level 3
Then a final screen settled before him:
Available Stat Points: 6
And while walking, his eyes were fixed on the blue screens still floating before him, slowly fading like they were testing his patience. He said while continuing to walk, in a tone mixing curiosity and suspicion:
"Lea... what quest exactly did I complete?"
The reply came without hesitation, but with a tone carrying something deliberately dry:
"The quest was titled: Chicken. Description: Run away from a battle happening in front of you."
Liam stopped for a moment, then let out a short laugh, empty of joy, and said while shaking his head:
"Real funny, Lea."
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If you like this story! and you wan read more or simply support me than check out my patreon at:
https://www.patreon.com/c/VoidCrown520
You can Get Access to 3+ Chapters OR 7+ Chapters if you wan!
And be sur am happy just by your reading
And be sure I'm happy just by you reading it.
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