The morning sky was a dull gray, weighed down by thick clouds that threatened rain but never delivered. The air smelled faintly of exhaust and damp concrete—a city's quiet cry for help, though few ever stopped to listen. Among the crowd of office workers, students, and delivery couriers rushing to their destinations, one figure stood out—not for anything remarkable, but for his lack of urgency.
Ezekiel shuffled along the sidewalk, his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his worn jacket. His dark eyes scanned the world ahead of him, not with interest, but with the detached observation of someone who had long since stopped caring. The bustle of the city felt distant, like a movie playing on mute, and he moved through it with practiced indifference.
The day ahead promised nothing special—just another string of hours to endure. He worked a part-time job stocking shelves at a convenience store, a role that offered no prospects but just enough money to scrape by. Rent was due soon. So were the utility bills. He didn't care enough to panic.
The city had its own problems, anyway. A few weeks ago, strange reports had started circulating online. Wildlife behaving aggressively. Sudden blackouts in random neighborhoods. Even a few rumors of mutated creatures attacking livestock in rural areas. The news brushed it off as exaggerations, and most people shrugged and went about their lives. But the tension in the air was undeniable, an invisible thread pulling tighter with every passing day.
He reached the crosswalk just as the light turned red. Pausing, he leaned against the nearby pole and pulled out his phone, scrolling through headlines with disinterest.
"Unexplained Phenomena on the Rise: Scientists Baffled."
"Local Authorities Deny Rumors of Mutated Animals."
"Survivalists Warn of Impending Disaster."
The last headline made him snort quietly. Always someone screaming about the end of the world. If it hasn't ended yet, it's not going to start now.
The light turned green, and the crowd surged forward. He moved with them, his pace unhurried, his thoughts drifting. What if the world really did end? The question wasn't born of fear or curiosity but idle wonder. Would it really be so bad? At least it would be something different. Something to shake him out of this numb monotony.
By the time he reached the convenience store, the morning rush had already started. He stepped behind the counter, nodding a half-hearted greeting to the cashier before grabbing his assigned list of tasks for the day. Stocking shelves, organizing inventory, cleaning spillsnothing that required thought or energy. He liked it that way. The less effort he put into the world, the less it demanded from him.
But even as he moved through the aisles, arranging boxes and restocking cans, the subtle unease from the headlines lingered in the back of his mind. It wasn't fear, not exactly. Just a quiet whisper that something was coming.
Hours passed in their usual sluggish way until, finally, his shift ended. He left without ceremony, stepping back into the dreary afternoon light. The city was quieter now, the earlier rush replaced by a sluggish lull. He decided to take the long way home, cutting through the park for a bit of quiet before returning to his cramped apartment.
The park was mostly empty, save for a few joggers and a couple walking their dog. The trees swayed gently in the wind, their bare branches creaking like old hinges. He sat on a bench near the edge of the pond, staring at the water's surface.
It was moments like this that made him wonder if life had more to offer. Not in the grand, existential sense, but in the small, immediate way. Was there something he was supposed to be doing? Someone he was supposed to be?
His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him out of his thoughts. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
"Breaking News: Strange Lights Spotted Over City Skyline."
He frowned, opening the article out of mild curiosity. The accompanying image showed a streak of green light cutting across the evening sky, its edges blurred as if the air around it was distorting. The text below described witnesses reporting strange sensations—dizziness, nausea, even hallucinations.
A loud crack interrupted his thoughts, followed by a deep rumble that shook the ground beneath his feet. He stood abruptly, his eyes scanning the horizon. The park had fallen silent, the joggers and walkers frozen in place as the rumble grew louder, more insistent.
Then it happened.
The sky split open.
It wasn't an explosion, not exactly. It was more like the fabric of reality itself had been torn apart, leaving a jagged scar of green and black energy stretching across the heavens. The air hummed with an unnatural frequency, making his skin crawl and his teeth ache.
People screamed, running in all directions as the sky continued to crackle and writhe. He remained rooted to the spot, staring up at the impossible sight above him.
Something fell from the rift—no, several somethings. Shapes he couldn't quite make out, their forms twisting and flickering as if they couldn't decide what to be. The first of them hit the ground nearby, sending a shockwave that knocked him off his feet.
When he looked up, his blood ran cold.
The creature was like nothing he'd ever seen, its body a grotesque fusion of flesh and metal, with jagged appendages that scraped against the pavement as it moved. Its head—or what passed for one—snapped toward him, emitting a low, guttural growl.
For the first time in years, fear clawed at his chest.
The creature lunged.
He barely had time to think. His body reacted before his mind could catch up, throwing himself sideways just as the creature's jagged appendage crashed into the bench where he'd been sitting. Splinters flew in every direction, the bench reduced to a mangled heap of wood and metal.
Scrambling to his feet, he darted toward the nearest tree, putting its thick trunk between him and the monster. His chest heaved as adrenaline surged through his veins, his earlier apathy replaced by raw, unfiltered terror.
The creature let out a shrill, piercing screech that seemed to vibrate through the air. It charged again, its movements unnaturally fast for something so large. Ezekiel stumbled backward, narrowly avoiding another swipe from its blade-like limb. He tripped over an exposed tree root and hit the ground hard, the impact jarring his entire body.
This is it, he thought, staring up at the beast as it loomed over him. This is how I die.
But as the creature raised its appendage for the killing blow, something strange happened.
A voice that was not his own echoed in his mind.
[> System initializing... Talent assessment in progress...]
He blinked, confusion momentarily overriding his fear. The creature hesitated, its head twitching as if sensing the same presence he did.
[> Assessment complete. Talent identified: Reality Manipulation (SSS Rank).]
The words meant nothing to him, but they were quickly followed by something that did:
[>Activating defensive protocol.]
Before he could question what was happening, a ripple spread through the air around him. It was subtle at first, like the shimmer of heat rising from asphalt, but it grew rapidly in intensity. The creature reared back, letting out another shriek as the ripple expanded outward, striking it with a force that sent it hurtling across the park.
Ezekiel sat up, his heart pounding. He felt... different. There was a strange warmth coursing through him, like electricity buzzing just beneath his skin.
The voice returned, calm and mechanical.
[>Welcome, Host. The System is now online.]
"What...?" he muttered, looking around as if the source of the voice might appear before him.
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[> Host's current stats are as follows:
Name: [MC's Name]
Talent: Reality Manipulation (SSS Rank)
Level: 1
XP: 0 / 100
HP: 100 / 100
EP: 50 / 50
STR: 30
DEF: 20
AGI: 25
INT: 40
CHA: 10]
______________________________________
"What the hell is this?" he whispered, his eyes scanning the translucent interface that had appeared before him. It floated in the air, visible only to him, its sharp edges glowing faintly.
The creature stirred, dragging itself upright with a series of guttural growls. He tensed, instinctively raising his hands as if to ward it off.
[>Reality Manipulation active. Defend yourself.]
The words barely registered before his body moved again—only this time, it didn't feel like his own doing. His outstretched hands glowed faintly, a distortion rippling outward from his palms. The creature lunged, but its charge was stopped mid-air as the distortion wrapped around it like invisible chains.
He stared, wide-eyed, as the beast thrashed and roared, unable to break free. The air around it seemed to warp and twist, bending the light in unnatural ways.
Am I... doing this?
The thought barely had time to settle before the voice spoke again.
[> Host has incapacitated the target. Do you wish to eliminate it?]
The question hung in the air, chilling in its simplicity. He hesitated, his hands trembling. The creature's struggles were growing weaker, its distorted form flickering like static.
"I..." he started, but the words caught in his throat.
[> Decision required. Do you wish to eliminate the target? Yes or no?]
The urgency in the voice pressed against him, forcing him to act. His jaw tightened, and he gave a sharp nod.
["Yes"]
The glow around his hands intensified, and the distortion constricting the creature collapsed inward with a deafening crack. The beast let out one final, agonized shriek before its form disintegrated, scattering into particles of light that dissolved into the air.
He fell to his knees, gasping for breath. The warmth coursing through him faded, replaced by a heavy exhaustion that settled deep in his bones.
_____________________________________
[ The interface shifted, updating his stats. > Level: 2 XP: 0 / 200 HP: 110 / 110 EP: 60 / 60 STR: 35 DEF: 25 AGI: 30 INT: 45 CHA: 10] _____________________________________ He stared at the updated screen, his mind racing. Whatever had just happened wasn't a fluke. Something inside him had changed something powerful, dangerous, and utterly incomprehensible. And the world around him wasn't the same anymore, either. The distant sound of sirens filled the air, accompanied by more unearthly growls echoing through the city. The park, once a place of quiet retreat, now felt like a war zone waiting to ignite. As he pushed himself to his feet, one thought consumed him: What the hell have I gotten myself into?