Arjun Malhotra had been resting at home for an entire week, wrapped in the comfort of his bed, his mind hazy with exhaustion. The quiet peace of his solitude was suddenly interrupted as the System, his unseen companion, spoke in a sharp, insistent tone.
System: You've been resting for a week, Arjun. It's time to do some work."
Arjun groaned, turning over, his eyes half-closed in defiance of the voice that seemed to echo from nowhere. "Let me sleep a little longer," he mumbled.
System: "You still haven't completed the penalty missions, and you haven't even checked your rewards."
Arjun's phone buzzed on his bedside table, catching his attention. He grabbed it with a sigh, his eyes scanning a message from Riya Patel: "Hey, how are you? Can we meet next week?"
The System's voice grew more impatient. System: "I told you to get up, but you ignored me. Yet, the moment a girl texts you, you jump to check your phone."
Arjun chuckled, a smirk forming on his lips. "And what exactly are you implying?"
System: "I'm implying that you're a playboy."
Arjun laughed out loud, a sound that quickly faded into the empty room. "Get out. Just get out of here," he said, his tone playful yet edged with irritation.
System: "Forgive me."
Arjun rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. I forgive you. Now show me my rewards."
System: "Very well. Your rewards are being displayed now."
Arjun watched the holographic screen appear before his eyes, listing various rewards: new abilities, enhanced skills, and a mysterious item. He nodded with mild satisfaction. "The rewards are okay," he muttered. "Now, show me the future."
System: "Alright, we are going to show you your future."
The room around Arjun darkened suddenly, and he felt himself being pulled into a void, a place devoid of light or form. He was surrounded by an impenetrable darkness, a suffocating emptiness that seemed to stretch on forever. There was nothing but a disembodied voice, cold and distant, echoing in the void.
Voice: "You all think I'm a villain, but I'm not. I only want to make the world a better place. But you… you always stand in my way. I don't want to kill anyone, but you all come to me as if begging to die. You've tried time and time again to destroy my plans, but I've always been two steps ahead. Because I am the final boss of this world."
Arjun's heart pounded in his chest. The darkness felt like it was pressing in on him, crushing his very soul. He gasped, clutching at his chest as he felt a sharp pain. He was jerked back into the present, his room reappearing around him. He collapsed onto the floor, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
System: "What happened to you, Arjun?"
Arjun wiped the blood away, his hand trembling. "Nothing," he whispered, "Nothing at all. Didn't you see my future?"
System: "I cannot see your future, Arjun. Only you can."
Arjun's face darkened, his eyes narrowing in determination. "Then tell me, System, how do I become powerful enough to change it?"
The System paused for a moment as if considering his request. System: "You wish to become powerful? Very well. I will grant you that wish. Your new mission is: Dungeon Hunting."
Arjun's eyes flickered with a mix of fear, anger, and something deeper—a resolve hardened by the glimpse of the future he could not unsee. He realized that the path ahead was not one of peace but of blood and shadows. He had to become stronger, much stronger, to face what lay ahead.
The darkness he had seen was not just a vision; it was a warning, a glimpse of a destiny he could not escape unless he fought against it with every ounce of strength he had. A fire burned within him, fierce and unyielding, as he whispered to himself, "I will not be the final boss. I will rewrite my fate."
System: "Prepare yourself, Arjun. The world you know is about to change."
Arjun felt the weight of those words settle upon him, a heavy burden he was prepared to carry. He was ready to confront the darkness, to battle the shadows of his destiny, and to emerge stronger—or die trying.