District 6.
The name alone gave people chills. It wasn't just because it was crime-ridden or full of abandoned buildings—it was because strange things happened there. People disappeared. Lights flickered in patterns. Whispers traveled faster than footsteps.
Kael stood at the edge of the district, staring down a cracked bridge that led into silence. The message still blinked on his screen:
[Hidden Mission – Find the Fragment.]
Reward: ???
Time Limit: 23:02:14
He took a breath and stepped forward.
---
The deeper Kael walked, the less the world felt real. Buildings leaned like they were trying to whisper secrets. Spray paint covered old factory walls—symbols, mostly, and cryptic phrases like "The system chooses, but the void decides."
His Awareness skill stayed active. No threats yet, but something pulsed in the air, almost like the heartbeat of the city was louder here.
His screen pinged.
[Fragment Energy Detected – 45 meters ahead.]
Kael followed the signal into a ruined library. The ceiling had collapsed, books were soaked from long-gone rain, and nature had started to reclaim the place—roots curling through concrete, moss on the stairs.
He moved toward the back, pushing past a toppled shelf. Then he saw it.
A shard of glowing blue crystal embedded in the ground, pulsing softly.
[Life Fragment Located – Interact?]
Kael crouched and touched it.
Instantly, his system went berserk.
[Data Surge Detected]
[System Accessing Hidden Archive…]
[WARNING: You are not authorized.]
A voice, cold and mechanical, echoed in his mind.
"Kael Riven. Unauthorized access to Core Fragment. Processing consequences."
Kael tried to pull away, but his fingers were locked in place. His vision swirled—images flooded his mind. A massive tree of light stretching into the sky. A broken planet. Thousands of glowing users across different timelines, each battling something dark and unseen.
Then… silence.
And a final message.
[You are not the first.]
[But you may be the last.]
The shard let go.
Kael fell back, gasping. His screen flashed:
[Life Fragment Absorbed]
Hidden Trait Unlocked: Echo of the First]
Effect: Allows brief glimpses into the past of system-bearers. (Limited Use)]
Kael stared at his trembling hands. The system wasn't made for one city. It wasn't even made for Earth.
It was a test.
And the people who failed… they weren't just erased—they were forgotten.
He stood slowly, his heartbeat steadying. The system was vast. Bigger than he'd ever imagined. And now, a part of it was inside him.
But before he could think further, his Awareness skill pinged—three blips, closing in.
Outside.
Kael moved quietly to the window. Three figures dressed in dark suits with glowing red goggles approached the library.
Black Veil.
They were tracking the fragment too.
Kael's eyes narrowed. No more running. No more hiding.
If they wanted a piece of the system… they'd have to go through him.