Rin's mind raced as he moved through the debris-strewn streets, the ground trembling with each step of the creatures emerging from the rift. His body felt different, as if a dormant energy had finally been unleashed. He hadn't known power like this was possible. It wasn't just adrenaline—something deeper had awakened within him, but he didn't know how to control it.
The shimmering interface screen still floated in front of his vision, but as much as he willed it to disappear, it stayed stubbornly in place. Every step he took, it followed, as if it were part of him now.
More translucent messages appeared, rapid-fire across his vision:
**Quest: Survive the Dimensional Rift Invasion
Objective: Defeat 5 Rift Beasts
Reward: Beginner's Pack, 100 XP**
"Five Rift Beasts?" Rin muttered under his breath, dodging a falling slab of concrete as another roar echoed through the city. He looked up at the sky, where the rift pulsated like a beating heart, creatures spilling from its maw.
This was insane. He had never fought before, let alone taken on a Rift Beast. He didn't even have a weapon.
The earth rumbled, and a second beast emerged from the rift. It was smaller than the first one—a quadrupedal creature with obsidian-like skin and glowing blue lines etched across its body. Its eyes locked onto Rin, and with a screech, it charged, moving faster than something its size had any right to.
Instinct kicked in. Rin threw himself to the side, barely avoiding the beast's snapping jaws. He stumbled, heart pounding, and scrambled to his feet just in time to see the creature skid to a halt, circling him.
*Think, Rin. How do I fight this thing?*
The beast lunged again, and this time, Rin's body reacted without thinking. His hands glowed with the same strange energy that had saved him earlier. When the beast was close enough, he swung his arm wildly, and to his shock, a blast of energy shot from his fist, hitting the creature square in the chest.
The beast howled in pain, its obsidian skin cracking where the blast had struck. Rin stood frozen for a second, staring at his own hand in disbelief. He had no idea what he had just done. It wasn't magic—at least not any magic he'd seen before.
**Ability Unlocked: Energy Strike (Level 1)**
Another notification flashed before him, but there was no time to read it. The beast wasn't down yet. It snarled and lunged again, faster this time. Rin barely had time to react, instinctively raising both hands in defense.
A barrier of shimmering light formed in front of him, blocking the beast's attack. The impact sent a shockwave through his arms, but the shield held.
**Ability Unlocked: Force Shield (Level 1)**
Rin grit his teeth. He wasn't going to survive this if he kept reacting blindly. He needed to finish the fight, and quickly.
His mind raced as he lowered the shield and took a step forward. The creature was already preparing for another charge, and Rin knew it would be harder to block this time. He had to strike first.
*Focus. Control it.*
He concentrated, willing the energy in his hands to coalesce. It was like trying to direct a storm, the power wild and untamed, but as he focused, he felt it gathering in his palms, growing hotter, denser.
When the beast lunged for the third time, Rin struck. He thrust both hands forward, releasing a concentrated blast of energy straight at the creature's head.
The explosion of light was blinding. The force of the impact knocked Rin off his feet, sending him skidding across the pavement. When he opened his eyes, the beast was gone, reduced to nothing but smoking remnants.
Rin lay on the ground, chest heaving, the energy in his body flickering and fading. His arms ached, and his head throbbed, but the exhilaration of victory burned brighter than the pain.
**Quest Update: 1/5 Rift Beasts Defeated
Reward Progress: 20 XP**
A small grin tugged at the corner of his lips. He'd done it. He had actually defeated a Rift Beast.
But as he struggled to his feet, the thrill of his first victory quickly faded. The rift still loomed above, and more beasts continued to pour through. In the distance, he could hear the sounds of battle—the top Hunters were likely still inside the rift, fighting the larger threats. The city's defenses were falling apart. People were dying, and Rin knew that if he didn't act fast, they wouldn't be the only ones.
He had no choice but to keep moving forward.
As he sprinted through the wreckage of the city, his mind raced with questions. What was this power? Why had it awakened in him now, of all times? He had lived his whole life believing he was powerless. Was this some kind of fluke, or had he been chosen for something?
The next creature came into view before he had time to process it. It was smaller, faster—an insectoid Rift Beast with razor-sharp mandibles and wings that hummed with an eerie sound. Rin ducked as it swooped toward him, the tips of its mandibles grazing his hair.
He summoned the energy again, his arms glowing with that familiar light. But this time, he tried something different. Instead of waiting for the creature to attack, he reached out with his mind, imagining the energy forming a weapon—something solid, something he could use to fight back.
A spear of light materialized in his hand, crackling with energy. Without hesitation, he hurled it at the insectoid beast, and the spear flew true, impaling the creature through its abdomen. It crashed into the ground, twitching once before going still.
**Quest Update: 2/5 Rift Beasts Defeated
Reward Progress: 40 XP**
Rin stood over the fallen beast, panting heavily. His body ached, his energy waning with each attack. But something inside him had shifted. He wasn't just surviving anymore.
He was fighting back.
And he was winning.
Before he could take a breath, a distant roar echoed through the streets—deeper, more menacing than any creature he had faced so far. Rin turned, eyes widening as a towering figure emerged from the next wave of beasts.
It was massive, at least twice the size of the molten serpent from before, its body covered in jagged, crystalline armor. Its eyes glowed a sickly green, and its very presence made the ground tremble.
A notification popped up in front of Rin, the words sending a chill down his spine:
**Warning: Boss-Class Rift Beast Approaching
Recommended Level: 15
Current Level: 1**
Rin swallowed hard. He was nowhere near ready for this.
But ready or not, the battle was coming.