Leon's heartbeat hadn't calmed since the moment the System awakened inside him. His hands still shook, not from fear alone… but from the strange energy running through his veins.
He was 24, yet right now he felt like a child staring at a world he never knew existed.
A low growl echoed from the shadows.
Those red eyes didn't blink.
Leon swallowed hard. "A… a monster? In reality?"
The creature stepped out from behind the broken wall. Its body was twisted, skin dark like burned ash, with sharp claws that scraped against the concrete, leaving marks behind. Its breath released black smoke.
This thing wasn't human.
It wasn't even from this world.
A message flashed before him:
Tutorial Enemy Detected: Vein Beast (Lesser)
Recommended Action: Fight or Die
Leon stumbled back. He wasn't ready for this. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't even strong. Until tonight, he was just a normal guy working part-time jobs to keep his house running.
His mother was lying sick at home, barely able to stand.
His little sister, only eighteen, studied and worked part-time to help.
And his father…
He disappeared when Leon was twelve. No letters. No calls. Nothing.
Leon clenched his teeth.
For years, he lived with pain, responsibility, and fear.
He was always the weakest one in the family—yet somehow the one holding everything together.
The monster growled again.
Leon forced himself to stand tall.
"I… I can't die here. Not when my family needs me."
The creature leapt toward him.
Leon raised his arms instinctively—
And something exploded inside him.
Blue energy burst from his veins like lightning. His body moved faster than his mind. He dodged the swipe by inches, feeling the air slice where his head had been.
The System flashed again:
Skill Activated: Vein Pulse (Basic)
Effect: Temporary stat boost
Leon felt weight lift from his limbs. His senses sharpened. His vision brightened.
The monster lunged again.
This time, Leon didn't run.
He stepped forward, fist blazing with blue energy, and punched the creature's jaw with all the strength in his body.
CRACK!
The beast stumbled back, screeching in pain.
Leon stared at his own fist, shocked.
"That… came from me?"
The System responded:
Damage dealt: 38
Enemy HP: 44%
The creature roared and charged again, faster than before.
But Leon was ready.
He ducked, drove his elbow into its ribs, and felt another burst of Vein Pulse. Blue lightning spread across his arm as he slammed his fist into the monster's chest.
The creature collapsed, body turning into black dust.
A final notification appeared:
Tutorial Enemy Defeated
Reward: +1 Level
New Skill Unlocked: Vein Sense (Basic)
Leon fell to his knees, panting.
His first real fight… and he had survived.
He looked up at the sky, breathing heavily.
If monsters like this had appeared once… they would appear again.
And if they threatened his mother, his sister, or his home—
He would destroy them all.
Leon tightened his fists, energy sparkling faintly around him.
"From now on… I won't be weak."
His new life as a Vein Bearer had truly begun.