"Darn, I thought that lottery was going to be my big break. How could the last number be 17?" Michael muttered under his breath.
He looked up, drawn to a commotion ahead. "What's going on over there?" Michael thought.
He saw a car parked on the walkway, someone had been hit. People were gathering around, gasping while some began recording. Welcome to the world.
"Looks like an accident, better take the alleyway," he decided, veering off the crowded street.
As Michael walked through the dark, empty alley on his way home. The alleyway was flanked by towering brick walls that loomed overhead, casting deep shadows below. The ground was uneven, littered with discarded bottles, and the occasional forgotten shoe.
The air was filled with the faint odor of garbage that had been left to rot in a corner. Patches of graffiti were on the walls, splashes of color that contrasted sharply with the dull, gray bricks, sign of rebellion in a place otherwise shrouded in neglect.
It was dimly lit by flickering energy lights advanced tech at either end. A thin layer of mist curled along the ground, swirling around Michael's feet as he walked, enhancing the eerie atmosphere.
Dark clouds gathered overhead. Suddenly, the rain began to pour down in heavy sheets, drenching the streets and creating a symphony of sound as droplets splattered against the ground and rooftops. The air was filled with the fresh, earthy scent of rain.
Thunder rumbled in the distance. The rain intensified, creating miniature waterfalls that dripped onto the ground below. Puddles formed quickly, reflecting the moon above, as the water pooled and splashed with every new wave of rain.
People rushed through the streets, laughter and shouts with the sound of the downpour as they sought refuge in nearby homes and shops.
Michael looked up into the sky, feeling the cool rain fall onto his face, his clothes was dripping wet. "Darn, this is so refreshing," he thought, a depressed smile appeared on his face.
He suddenly felt the prickling sense of being followed. He paused, and a shadowy figure behind him ducked out of sight. His gaze fell on a small book lying at his feet, wet.
The cover was adorned with a red emblem, but it had no title. Driven by curiosity, he shaked the water off the wet book, and pocketed the book, intending to read its contents later.
"I should head to work now; it's 11:12 PM—time for my night shift," Michael mused, resuming his walk. The mysterious figure resumed their pursuit, closing the distance and walking faster.
Michael's instincts kicked in. He spun around to confront the stranger. "Hey, who the heck are you?" he demanded.
The assailant was a man wearing a black hood, a cap pulled low over his face, and thick black trousers. Michael couldn't see his face due to the cap and hood. In response, the man darted a hand into his pocket, emerging with a knife.
Michael stepped back, about to run, but before he could react, the assailant lunged at him, plunging the blade into him repeatedly. Blood spilled onto the ground, staining the knife as it dripped from the tip.
He collapsed onto the wet ground. His body was drenched in water and blood mixed together., his hair was wet, clutching his bleeding stomach, his vision was fading as the attacker walked away, their footsteps splashed against the pooling water.
Michael thought, "Is this the end for me? Is this how I die? Why?"
Michael Turner, a teenager with thick black hair, black eyes, and a sharp jawline, was an orphan with no friends. His parents had gone missing mysteriously during the war against the Makisis when he was just ten.
He juggled school with a part-time job at a department store to pay for his tuition and bills. Now, he lay on the cold ground in a dark alley, his hands covered in blood and water, pooling around him. The book in his pocket fell to the ground, and the blood emblem began to glow red as it soaked in the blood.
Suddenly, a translucent screen appeared before him.
[Blood and death detected.]
[Linking with new user.]
[ Bloodlinked: Successful]
[100 Exp points have been rewarded to new user]
[100 Exp points will be used for healing]
[Healing process has begun...]
Michael's eyes went blank, and he fell unconscious as the system message flashed before him.
The Next Morning
Michael woke up to find himself in his small room, where he lived alone. He saw knife stabs all over his clothes, blood staining them, but no wounds under his clothing.
"Aha, I must be dead. All I wanted was to lead a good life, and now I'm in heaven, which oddly resembles my room," he thought. To confirm his afterlife status, he gave himself a hard slap on the cheek.
"Ouch, that hurts! Wait, what was that notification in my head?" he pondered.
[Hello New User!!.]
[Healing process is complete!!]
[System interface]
[Name: Michael Turner]
[Race: Human]
[Level: 1]
[Exp points: 0/100]
[Agility: 10]
[Strength: 10]
[Health: 15/15]
[Speed: 10]
[Abilities: None]
"I have a system, just like in those books," Michael realized, feeling a mix of awe and confusion.
As he grappled with the fascination of the screen before him, he noticed something peculiar: the wounds on his body had disappeared, his cloth was wet and covered in blood.
"Is this part of the system too?" he wondered.
Deciding to explore the system's interface, he tapped on the floating screen, and a series of options displayed before him. The system chimed again:
[New Quest: Find and Kill the man who stabbed you]
[Reward: 50 Exp points]
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First 15 chapters might feel a bit rushed but trust me,it gets better the more you read deeper. I really hope you get to chapter 100.