Mia Chen had never believed in second chances. Not when she flunked her midterms, not when her ex dumped her via text, and definitely not when she saw the headlights of a truck barreling toward her on a rain-slicked street. Her last thought, as the world blurred into a cacophony of screeching tires and shattering glass, was painfully mundane: I didn't even finish my playlist.
Death was supposed to be the end. A void. Nothingness. Instead, Mia woke up gasping, her lungs burning as if she'd been underwater for hours. She was sprawled on cold, uneven cobblestones, the air thick with the scent of wet stone and something metallic—blood? Her hands scrambled beneath her, brushing against rough fabric that definitely wasn't her hoodie. She looked down. Black leather clung to her body, a tight tunic and pants that felt both foreign and disturbingly familiar. A dagger rested in a sheath at her hip, its weight unnerving.
"What the…?" Her voice echoed faintly, and she froze, noticing the sky above. It was a deep, bruised purple, streaked with stars—and two moons. One was a pale crescent, the other a bloated, silvery orb casting an eerie glow. "This isn't Earth," she whispered, her heart hammering. "This isn't even close."
Before she could spiral into full-blown panic, a sharp ding rang in her mind, like a notification from her phone. A translucent screen materialized before her eyes, glowing with blue text that made her stomach drop.
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*Shadow System Activated*
*Host: Mia Chen*
*Status: Reincarnated as "Nameless Assassin" in Eryndor*
*Mission: Eliminate Lord Varen within 24 hours*
*Reward: 100 Shadow Points*
*Failure: Death*
*Warning: You are a disposable pawn in the villain's plot. Survive, or be erased.*
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Mia stared at the screen, her mouth dry. "Reincarnated? System? Eryndor?" She'd read enough web novels to recognize the setup—isekai, a genre where ordinary people got thrown into fantasy worlds with game-like mechanics. But this wasn't a story she could close and forget. This was real. The dagger at her hip, the alien sky, the system's cold, mechanical voice in her head—it was all real.
"Okay, Mia, think," she muttered, forcing herself to stand. Her legs wobbled, but her body moved with a strange, practiced grace, as if it knew what to do even if her mind didn't. "I've got a system. That's… good, right? Like a cheat code." She focused on the screen, willing it to give her more. It obliged, updating with a new message:
*Skill Unlocked: Shadow Veil (Level 1) – Blend into darkness for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.*
"Great. I'm a budget ninja," she said, sarcasm masking her fear. She glanced around the alley she'd woken up in. It was narrow, flanked by high stone walls slick with moss. Torches flickered at the far end, casting long shadows that danced like specters. Beyond the alley, she heard the clatter of hooves and distant shouts—a city, alive and bustling despite the late hour. If she was going to survive, she needed to move.
The system chimed again:
*Objective Update: Lord Varen is attending a banquet at Vaelor Keep. Infiltrate and eliminate.*
"Banquet? Infiltrate?" Mia groaned, running a hand through her hair—longer than it should be, dark and tangled. "I'm a college student, not a spy! I can't even sneak into a frat party without getting caught!" But the system didn't care about her excuses. The timer in the corner of the screen ticked down: 23:58:12. Less than a day to kill a man she'd never met, or she'd die. Again.
She crept to the alley's mouth, peering out. A cobblestone street stretched before her, lined with market stalls shuttered for the night. People in cloaks and armor moved under the moonlight, their faces hidden. A signpost read "Vaelor City," and in the distance, a towering keep loomed, its spires piercing the sky like jagged teeth. That had to be Vaelor Keep—her target's location.
Mia took a deep breath, gripping the dagger's hilt. It felt unnaturally comfortable in her hand, as if this body had wielded it a thousand times. Flashes of memories that weren't hers flickered in her mind—training in the dark, the glint of steel, the warmth of blood on her hands. She shuddered. "I'm not a killer," she whispered, but the system's warning echoed in her head: Disposable pawn. Survive, or be erased.
She activated Shadow Veil on instinct, and her body shimmered, blending into the shadows like a ghost. It felt like slipping into cool water, her presence muted, her footsteps silent. She stepped onto the street, heart pounding, and moved toward the keep, using the skill to cross open spaces where guards patrolled. The cooldown forced her to hide behind barrels and crates, her pulse racing each time a soldier's gaze swept too close.
Vaelor Keep was a fortress, its gates guarded by men in silver armor. Mia crouched behind a cart, watching them. She wasn't getting in through the front—not with Shadow Veil's measly 10-second duration. "Think, Mia," she muttered. "You've got a system. Use it."
She focused, and the system responded:
*Shadow Points: 0*
*Available Upgrades: Enhanced Agility (50 Points), Poison Blade (75 Points)*
"Zero points. Perfect," she grumbled. She'd need to complete the mission to earn anything useful. For now, she had her dagger, a single skill, and a whole lot of desperation. Circling the keep, she spotted a servant's entrance, unguarded. Slipping inside, she found herself in a maze of marble halls, chandeliers casting golden light across polished floors. Laughter and music drifted from a grand ballroom ahead.
Mia followed the sound, her black attire blending with the shadows. She peeked through a doorway and saw the banquet in full swing—nobles in silks and furs, servants weaving through the crowd with trays of wine. At the head table sat a man who had to be Lord Varen: middle-aged, with a sharp beard and a gold circlet, laughing with a woman beside him. Mia's grip tightened on her dagger. One quick strike, and she'd be free.
She took a step forward, ready to use Shadow Veil to close the distance—when a cold voice froze her in place.
"Planning something, little shadow?"
Mia spun, her heart slamming against her ribs. A man stood behind her, leaning against the wall as if he'd been there all along. He was tall, with jet-black hair and eyes like storm clouds, a crimson cloak pooling around him like blood. His smile was sharp, predatory, and far too knowing. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but her feet wouldn't move.
"Who are you?" she hissed, raising her dagger, though her hand trembled.
He chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. "You don't know? That's almost insulting." He stepped closer, and the air hummed with power, a dark aura that made her skin prickle. "I'm the one who owns you, little assassin. Or did your masters not tell you?"
The system pinged, and a new message flashed:
*Warning: You are in the presence of Kael Draven, the Shadow King. Survival probability: 5%.*
Mia's blood ran cold. The villain. This was the man the system had warned her about—the one pulling the strings. And he was looking at her like a predator sizing up its prey.
"Why are you here?" she demanded, trying to sound braver than she felt.
Kael tilted his head, his gaze piercing. "To see if you're worth keeping alive. You're not like the others, are you? There's… something different about you." He stepped closer, and she backed away, her dagger shaking. "Tell me, little shadow. Why shouldn't I kill you right now?"
Mia's mind raced. She couldn't fight him—she'd die in seconds. She couldn't run—he'd catch her. The system was silent, offering no help. So she did the only thing she could think of. She lied.
"I'm not here for Varen," she said, lowering her dagger slightly. "I'm here for you."
Kael's smile widened, dark and intrigued. "Oh? Now that's interesting." He leaned in, his voice a whisper that sent shivers down her spine. "Prove it. Serve me, and I might let you live."
The system chimed:
*New Mission: Gain Kael Draven's trust. Reward: 500 Shadow Points. Failure: Immediate termination.*
Mia stared into Kael's storm-gray eyes, her heart pounding. She was in over her head, caught between a deadly mission and a villain who saw right through her. But one thing was clear: if she wanted to survive, she'd have to play his game.
And maybe, just maybe, she could rewrite the story.
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*To be continued…*