Kai barely had time to react before his instincts—and something else—kicked in. The world slowed around him, like someone had cranked down the frame rate. The monster's claws slashed through the air where his neck had been a second before.
[Skill: Blink Lv.1 activated – cooldown 10s]
Kai reappeared five feet away, landing awkwardly on the rooftop tiles. His knees buckled, but he stayed up.
"Okay," he gasped. "Cool power. Not very beginner-friendly!"
The monster snarled again, its mouth stretching open unnaturally wide. A foul black mist poured out, hissing against the concrete.
Kai's fingers twitched. Without knowing why, he whispered, "Analyze."
[Analyzing target...]
Name: Shadowspawn (Lesser)
Level: 3
HP: 112/112
Threat Level: Moderate]
Weakness: Light, Fire]
Drops: Void Dust, Lesser Core]
"Level three?" Kai muttered. "I'm level one! This isn't a fair fight—it's bad game design!"
The Shadowspawn leapt again. He ducked, rolling behind a ventilation unit. His body was moving faster than it should—faster than he knew how. The system was giving him boosts. But how long could that last?
[New Objective: Survive the Encounter – Reward: System Stabilization]
"Oh, now you give me a quest?!" Kai shouted at the sky.
He grabbed a broken pipe from the ground—useless, but it gave him something to swing with. The Shadowspawn pounced again.
"Come on!" he yelled, slamming the pipe into the creature's side.
To his surprise, the blow landed—hard. A flicker of light exploded from the impact.
[Passive Triggered: Hidden Trait – Magic Resonance]
[New Skill Unlocked: Arc Strike Lv.1]
The pipe lit up with electric-blue energy, and the Shadowspawn shrieked as the magic burned its flesh.
Kai blinked at his own hands. "Wait. Did I just—?"
The monster charged again.
This time, Kai didn't run.
He jumped.
Mid-air, he spun and brought the pipe down with all his strength.
[Arc Strike Lv.1 – Critical Hit!]
The creature exploded into dark smoke and ash, vanishing in the night.
Silence returned.
Kai stood panting on the rooftop, looking at his shaking hands. His system screen reappeared, glowing brighter now.
[Battle Complete]
[Level Up! → Level 2]
[Rewards: +3 Stat Points, Item Drop: Void Dust x1]
[Hidden Achievement: First Kill – Title Gained: "Awakened Before the Dawn"]
Then another message appeared, in crimson red:
[You Are Not Alone.]