The bell rang sharply through the air, marking the start of another mundane day at Westlight Academy. Students flooded into the marble-tiled halls, laughter and chatter bouncing off the polished walls. But Joy Quinn Talen, seated near the window in Advanced Combat Theory, wasn't listening.
Her eyes were fixated on the empty air in front of her, where shimmering blue holographic text still hovered from her system interface.
> [New Quest Available: "The First Trial of the Ancients"]
Objective: Locate the Fragment of Light hidden within the academy.
Reward: +3 Levels | Unlock "Light Infusion" skill | Hidden bonus item
Time Limit: 48 hours
Joy leaned forward, pretending to scribble notes, though her mind was ablaze with questions. The ring Quinn had given her—his final legacy—pulsed gently around her finger. It was almost sentient, syncing with her very thoughts, and each pulse seemed to whisper:
"You are the next. The path begins now."
Yesterday, her world had been turned inside out. Discovering the system, activating her stats, and unlocking beginner abilities like Energy Sight and Spiritual Pulse Detection—it had all been exhilarating and overwhelming. But today… today came with its own storm.
"Joy," called out the professor, Mr. Kalrin, breaking her thoughts. "Since you're clearly very focused on your own world, why don't you explain the key difference between passive ki defenses and active aura barriers?"
A few giggles echoed through the room, but Joy stood calmly, tucking a strand of dark hair behind her ear. The system chimed again.
> [Support Mode Active: Knowledge Boost – +50% Recall Accuracy]
She blinked once, then spoke with surprising clarity. "Passive ki defenses function as subconscious energy buffers, layered into the skin's energy meridians. They act like instinctual shock absorbers. Active aura barriers, on the other hand, are intentional constructs. You draw ki from your core and mold it outward, often requiring visualization and constant focus."
Mr. Kalrin raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Correct… and well articulated."
She sat down to a few stares from classmates—especially the upper-tier students from elite clans. But Joy ignored them. The system was already working in subtle, powerful ways.
---
After class, she exited into the Academy gardens, where glowing blue flowers bloomed under artificial sunlight. She touched the ring again.
> [Would you like to accept the quest: "The First Trial of the Ancients"?]
✅ Yes | ❌ No
She chose Yes.
Immediately, the world shimmered. A glowing arrow appeared at the edge of her vision, pointing east—towards the hidden Archives beneath the eastern wing.
But before she could move, a voice interrupted.
"You're different," said a girl leaning against a stone pillar, arms crossed. Her lavender eyes gleamed with faint curiosity. She wore silver-plated armor that shimmered with embedded sigils, and an insignia marked her as one of the High Disciples of Clan Vael.
"I've never seen energy ripple around a first-year like that," the girl continued. "Who are you?"
Joy straightened. "Joy Talen."
The girl's eyes widened slightly at the surname, but she didn't pry. "I'm Kyrra Vael. You're coming with me."
Joy instinctively reached for her inner energy, but Kyrra raised a hand.
"Not to fight. To meet someone."
---
Kyrra led her through an underground corridor hidden by illusion magic, one Joy would've never seen without her Spiritual Pulse Detection. It throbbed softly in her mind now, showing traces of old energy seals woven into the air itself.
They emerged into a candle-lit chamber where two others were waiting.
One was a boy radiating darkness like it was stitched into his being. Black hair with crimson tips, pale eyes that pulsed with shadow—a contrast to Joy's luminescence. The other was an android-like figure, tall, metallic yet humanoid, marked with the crest of the Zorion Enclave—one of the machine clans.
"Joy, meet Raevyn and Dex," Kyrra said.
Raevyn stared at her in silence, then spoke. "The system chose you too."
Joy blinked. "Wait—you have it?"
Dex stepped forward. "We all do. We're part of what remains of the Levelers. The last generation of system-bound fighters. And we've been waiting for you."
Joy took a step back. "This is too much—"
Raevyn held up his hand. "Calm down. The system doesn't pick randomly. It chooses vessels aligned with its core laws. You… you're Light."
Joy narrowed her eyes. "How do you know?"
Raevyn's expression darkened. "Because I'm Dark."
---
They sat together at a stone table as the truth unraveled.
Raevyn had been chosen by the Father Spirit of Darkness, just as Joy had been chosen by the Mother Spirit of Light. The ancient balance was returning, and both sides were reawakening through vessels.
"We are the next convergence," Dex said. "You, Joy, are key."
Suddenly, Joy's system blinked again.
> [New Party Members Unlocked: Kyrra Vael | Raevyn | Dex]
Shared XP Enabled
Co-op Quests Activated
Bonus Reward: +5% stat gain during group events
Kyrra leaned in. "Welcome to the resistance."
---
That night, in her dorm room, Joy sat cross-legged, staring at the glowing quest arrow again. Her HUD now had tabs—Party, Inventory, Skill Tree, Map. She clicked on "Skills."
Her unlocked skills were few, but promising:
Energy Sight (Lv.2): Visualize energy flows and anomalies.
Light Pulse (Lv.1): Release a burst of blinding light.
Infused Movement (Lv.1): Momentarily boost agility with light energy.
Mother's Embrace (Locked)
System Guardian (Passive) – Quinn's Consciousness Guidance Activated.
> "You're adapting quickly," Quinn's voice echoed in her mind, slightly amused. "But don't get cocky. Your real trial starts tomorrow."
Joy closed her eyes, a nervous fire in her chest. She was in too deep to stop now. And the system… it had no mercy for hesitation.
---
The following morning, the trial began.
Guided by the glowing arrow, Joy arrived at the entrance to the sealed Archives, only to find it already open. A figure waited inside—tall, dressed in black robes, a veil over their face. Their aura was unreadable.
> [You have entered: Trial Zone – Fragment of Light]
Restrictions: Skills limited | Party Disabled | Time limit active
"Step forward," the figure commanded.
Joy obeyed.
"You seek the Fragment of Light. To claim it, you must face your own darkness."
Suddenly, a mirror rose from the ground, shimmering silver. Joy looked into it—and gasped.
Her reflection smiled wickedly, with corrupted eyes and dark veins crawling across her skin.
> [Mini-Boss: Inverted Joy – Level 12]
HP: 2000
Special Ability: Light Inversion
The battle began.
Inverted Joy attacked first, blasting Joy with her own Light Pulse—but twisted. It burned instead of blinding.
Joy rolled to the side, activating Infused Movement, dodging the second strike. Her heart raced. The clone was stronger, faster, and her own tactics were being used against her.
She tried to fight back, launching her own Light Pulse, but the clone absorbed it, laughing. Joy was losing.
Then the ring glowed.
> [System Override – Quinn's Guidance Triggered]
Skill Unlocked: Photon Chain (Lv.1) – Bind a target with solidified light.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
She raised her hand. Chains of light burst from her palm, wrapping around the clone, who screeched in fury.
> [Inverted Joy: Stunned – 3 seconds]
Using the window, Joy charged forward and landed a glowing fist into the clone's chest, then another. With a final cry, she summoned all her energy—
> "Light Infusion!"
A blast of pure radiance exploded, dissolving the clone into particles.
> [Boss Defeated – +3 Levels Gained]
[Skill Unlocked: Light Infusion (Lv.1)]
[Fragment of Light Acquired]
As the mirror shattered, a golden gem floated down. Joy grabbed it, breathless, sweat dripping from her brow.
Then, the mysterious robed figure stepped forward and bowed.
"You have passed. The Mother smiles upon you."
---
Back in the chamber, Joy's system interface updated again.
> [You are now Level 5]
Stat points available: 12
Skill points available: 3
New Title Earned: Lightborn Initiate
Raevyn, Kyrra, and Dex appeared via teleport nodes.
"You did it," Raevyn said simply.
Dex nodded. "The light within you… it's only beginning to awaken."
Joy looked at them—and smiled. For once, she felt like she wasn't alone. She had allies. A system. A purpose.
But deep inside, something darker stirred. For every light, there is a shadow.
And her brother, Vaatu—the Dark Prince—was waking up too.
---
End of Chapter 4