Eli stared at the three glowing silhouettes hovering in front of him. Assassin. Warrior. Mage. Each radiated power, danger, and "you probably shouldn't pick me" vibes.
He licked his lips. "Level zero. Trash stats. But hey… if you're going to die, die stylishly."
The System chimed.
[Class Selection Active]
[Assassin: Stealth, Speed, Precision]
[Warrior: Strength, Defense, Melee Mastery]
[Mage: Elemental Control, Ranged Combat, Mana Manipulation]
Eli scratched his head. "Okay… tricky. Assassin sounds like I get to stab stuff and run away. Warrior sounds like I die less. Mage sounds like… fireworks."
The silhouettes pulsed, waiting. The System added one last comment.
[Hint: Choose the class that matches your instincts.]
Eli grinned. "Instincts, huh? Well… I do like running, jumping, and occasionally stabbing things. Assassin it is."
A soft blue light wrapped around him, tingling like electricity. Numbers, symbols, and lines of code floated around him in a dizzying spiral. His heart pounded.
[Class Selected: Assassin]
[Skill Unlocked: Shadow Step – Instantly move short distances in the direction of intent]
He jumped back involuntarily, then blinked. "Whoa. Did… did I just teleport like ten feet? That's insane."
The System beeped.
[Stat Points Available: 5]
[Suggested Allocation: Agility + Strength]
Eli rolled his eyes. "Sure. Why not."
He allocated his points, watching his stats rise.
[Strength: 5]
[Agility: 7]
[Intelligence: 5]
[Mana: 0]
[Luck: 7]
"Level zero, but faster, slightly stronger, and still spectacularly clueless," he muttered. "Perfect."
---
School wasn't far. He sprinted there—or rather, **Shadow Stepped** most of the way, popping up randomly in alleyways, trees, and rooftops. A few pedestrians screamed. He ignored them.
Entering his classroom, he nearly crashed into Kyle. "Dude… you look different," Kyle said, eyes wide. "And… shiny?"
Eli smirked. "New year, new skills. Don't try to keep up."
He spotted her immediately. **Lyra**. Shoulder-length black hair, sharp green eyes, laughing at something Kyle said. The girl Eli had been secretly crushing on for months.
He took a deep breath. "Time to be cool. Totally cool."
Then his backpack hit the floor. And his first attempt at casual charm went spectacularly wrong. He tripped over it and fell face-first.
Lyra laughed. "Eli, are you okay?"
"Yeah… fine. Totally fine," he said, sitting up. "Just… testing gravity."
Kyle muttered, "Smooth."
---
Classes started, but it was still early morning when the first alarm went off. Not a school bell. Something else.
A rumble shook the classroom. Windows rattled. Students froze. The holographic world map above the city flickered as the ceiling cracked.
"Monster!" someone screamed.
Eli's eyes widened. A slime? Another slime? Maybe a rat?
No.
It was bigger. Dark, shadowy, with claws that scraped across the tiles like nails on a chalkboard. It had glowing red eyes that locked on Eli instantly.
The System flared.
[Combat Mode Activated]
[Threat Level: Moderate]
[Suggested Action: Use Shadow Step]
Eli gulped. "Moderate threat… okay, I can handle moderate. Maybe. Probably. Hopefully."
The creature lunged at a teacher who had frozen in place. Eli didn't think. He reacted.
[Skill Used: Shadow Step]
He blinked across the room, appearing behind the monster. The air smelled of ozone. His heart hammered.
He struck. First attack. Missed. Badly. Hit a desk. Papers went flying.
"Okay… focus."
Shadow Step again. Closer. This time he aimed for the legs, a quick stab with a dagger he summoned via the system. The monster staggered. A hiss, sharp and angry.
Lyra screamed. "Eli!"
He glanced at her, face blazing red. "Don't—look—now!"
Another Shadow Step. Another precise stab. The monster faltered, then, with a final shriek, **collapsed into a puddle of shadow mist**.
Eli wiped sweat off his brow. "Level zero. Dead monster. Still alive. Mission accomplished."
The System pinged cheerfully.
[Experience Gained: 50 EXP]
[Skill Growth: Shadow Step +1 Efficiency]
[New Objective Unlocked: Investigate Monster Source]
Eli sank into his chair, trying not to breathe too loudly. Kyle slapped him on the back. "Dude… that was insane. You… actually saved everyone."
Lyra looked at him differently now. Eyes wide. Respect. And maybe… something else.
Eli coughed. "Yeah… no big deal. Totally normal first-day-of-school chaos."
The System, hovering silently nearby, added a final note.
[Hidden Parameter Detected]
[User Exceeds Expected Level Zero Efficiency]
[Flagged for Observation]
Eli shivered, feeling that familiar tingle in the back of his neck. The adventure had only just begun.