Chapter 1: Into the Abyss
The sky was dark, filled with swirling clouds, and the air was thick with the scent of damp earth and blood. Jaden stood alone in a vast, empty field, his breath steady as his eyes swept over the wreckage. Bodies of monsters, twisted and grotesque, lay in heaps around him. His sword, still dripping with black blood, gleamed in the pale light of the dying sun.
He hadn't always been this powerful. Not long ago, Jaden had been just an ordinary person, living an ordinary life in a world far removed from the chaos he now found himself in. But all of that had changed when he woke up one day in the body of an extra character from a novel—a side character so insignificant, he hadn't even been given a name in the story.
Now, he was something else entirely. A monster in his own right, shaped by the system that had been gifted—or cursed—upon him.
Jaden wiped the blood from his sword and sheathed it, staring at the notifications flashing before his eyes.
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[Skill Points Acquired: 500]
[Level Up Available]
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He had grown accustomed to the cold, mechanical voice of the system. It had been his constant companion ever since he had been thrown into this world—into their world. He was no longer just a spectator, reading about the heroic exploits of the protagonist, Revan. Now, he was a player in this deadly game, and he was determined to rewrite the ending.
It all started when he woke up in the body of Jaden Velar, the forgotten son of a fallen noble house. In the original novel, Jaden was supposed to die early on, cut down by a lowly monster in one of the dungeons, serving as nothing more than a footnote in Revan's rise to glory.
But Jaden had no intention of dying. Not again.
He remembered the shock when he first realized what had happened, the disbelief that he had been reincarnated inside a world he had only known through the pages of a book. At first, it seemed like a dream—until the monsters attacked.
That was when the system revealed itself.
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[Upgrade System Activated]
[Kill Monsters to Earn Skill Points]
[Use Skill Points to Enhance Abilities]
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It was as though the world had tilted on its axis. The rules of the game had changed, and Jaden was no longer a helpless extra. The system gave him an edge—a way to survive, to grow stronger. He could upgrade his skills, enhance his physical abilities, even learn new techniques. But there was a price.
To grow stronger, he had to kill. And the more he killed, the more powerful he became.
He had spent months honing his skills in the dungeons, slaughtering beasts, collecting skill points, and leveling up. It wasn't long before he realized something else—he was surpassing the original protagonist. Revan, with all his charm and heroic ideals, was no match for Jaden's ruthless efficiency.
Jaden had become something else—an anomaly in this world, a predator lurking in the shadows. He didn't care about being the hero. He didn't care about saving anyone. His only goal was to survive, to grow stronger, and to ensure that no one—especially not Revan—stood in his way.
He opened his status window, eyes scanning the details.
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Name: Jaden Velar
Level: 25
Skill Points: 750
Strength: 82
Agility: 79
Endurance: 74
Mana: 65
Skills:
[Blade Mastery] (Level 4)
[Shadow Step] (Level 3)
[Mana Control] (Level 2)
---
Not bad. His progress was faster than he had anticipated. At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he reached the levels that the protagonist would have taken years to achieve. Jaden grinned coldly.
Suddenly, a notification pinged, drawing his attention.
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[New Quest Available]
[Dungeon: Crimson Abyss Unlocked]
[Recommended Level: 30+]
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The Crimson Abyss. Jaden remembered that from the novel. It was one of the most dangerous dungeons, a place where countless adventurers had lost their lives. According to the story, Revan would barely survive his expedition there, gaining a powerful artifact that would aid him in his journey.
But this time, Jaden would claim it first.
He closed the status window and glanced toward the distant mountains, where the entrance to the Crimson Abyss was said to lie. His body thrummed with anticipation. The dungeon would be crawling with monsters—each one a chance to earn more skill points, to grow stronger.
Jaden turned, his cloak billowing behind him as he began walking toward the mountains. The wind howled, and the sky above seemed to darken even more, but none of it mattered.
He was an anomaly, a force that should never have existed in this world. And now, he would take everything that was meant for the protagonist.
"Revan," Jaden muttered under his breath, his voice as cold as the steel of his blade. "I wonder how long you'll last."
With that, he disappeared into the shadows, ready to carve his own path through the blood-soaked world of the novel.