The harsh light of morning barely cut through the thick grime on the city's rooftops. Kaito's body ached—not just from the bruises and cuts, but from the weight of what had happened. The Watcher's words echoed in his mind, an invisible chain tightening around his soul: "Live long enough to matter."
Rina stood beside him, silent but resolute. "No one survives this world by luck," she said finally. "You have to fight. Train. Understand the system's rules, or you'll become another forgotten ghost."
Kaito swallowed the bitterness rising in his throat. "Where do we start?"
She motioned toward a rusted ladder leading down into the bowels of the city—a place most called The Underbelly. It was a lawless wasteland, crawling with scavengers, outcasts, and creatures twisted by the system's corruption.
"This is where the real trials begin," Rina said, eyes hardening. "If you can survive here, you can survive anywhere."
As they descended, Kaito's system interface flared again:
"Training Mode Activated."
"Objective: Complete 10 Survival Challenges."
"Reward: Increased stats and new abilities."
The challenges ranged from scavenging scarce resources to fending off hostile gangs and corrupted beasts. Each task forced Kaito to push beyond his limits. Every failure brought pain—bruises, broken bones, near-death experiences. But each success stitched a thread of strength and knowledge into his being.
Days blurred into nights as Kaito grew. His Spectral Edge became an extension of his will, cutting through threats with growing precision. His reflexes sharpened, senses heightened by the system's relentless training. But with every step forward, the system's hidden price became clearer.
"Watcher's Debt: Ongoing." The warning never left his vision.
One evening, after a brutal skirmish with a gang of hunters, Kaito collapsed beside a flickering fire in a forgotten subway tunnel. Rina handed him a flask of water, her expression softer than usual.
"You're changing," she said quietly. "But the system doesn't give without taking. That debt? It grows with every step you take."
Kaito looked up, pain and determination warring in his eyes. "Then I'll pay it. One way or another."
Suddenly, a sharp vibration startled them. A new notification blinked into Kaito's vision:
"Incoming message from Jin."
"Meet at the Old Factory. Midnight."
Rina's eyes narrowed. "He's making his move. You need to be ready."
Kaito clenched his fists, feeling the familiar hum of the system pulse beneath his skin. The game was far from over. In fact, it was only just beginning.