As they neared the door to Emily's apartment, she turned to Leon with a soft smile. "Thanks again, Leon. I don't know what I would've done without you tonight."
Leon gave a nod, his eyes meeting hers with quiet reassurance. "Glad I could help."
Emily pulled her keys from her pocket and unlocked the door. As it creaked open, a voice called from inside.
"Emily! Where have you been? I was starting to worry!"
Stepping in, Emily was followed by Leon. Her younger brother, Jake, stood in the hallway, eyes wide with concern. He couldn't have been more than ten, his messy brown hair falling into his face.
"Hey, Jake," Emily said, crouching to give him a quick hug. "Sorry I'm late. Ran into a friend and lost track of time."
Jake's gaze flickered to Leon, brow furrowing. "Who's that?"
Leon gave a friendly wave. "Hey, I'm Leon. Nice to meet you."
Before Jake could respond, Emily stood up and brushed off the question. "He's an old friend from college. We were talking for a while. I'll make us some dinner in a bit, okay?"
Jake eyed them both, still skeptical. "Okay, but you're home now. Just... be careful."
Emily ruffled his hair, a soft smile on her lips. "I'm fine, don't worry. It was just a walk. Nothing serious."
Leon caught the protective tone in Jake's voice and gave him a subtle nod of respect. It was clear the kid cared a lot.
"Come on inside," Emily said, stepping fully into the apartment. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll get us settled."
The apartment was warm. Emily immediately set to preparing something simple to eat, while Leon took a seat. The tension of the night, the unease that had followed them, started to ease.
Jake, glancing over at Leon, still seemed curious. "You guys were talking a long time, huh?"
Emily chuckled softly, glancing at Leon. "Yeah, just catching up. It's been a while. Go on, get ready for bed."
Jake hesitated, then nodded and shuffled off to his room. Emily and Leon were left in the quiet of the apartment, the hum of the city just faintly audible through the walls.
Emily turned to him, her voice soft but genuine. "Thanks again for helping tonight. I don't know how I can repay you."
Leon offered a small smile, shrugging it off. "No need. Glad you're safe."
As she worked in the kitchen, Leon took in his surroundings. The apartment was modest but clean, a reflection of Emily's careful, grounded nature. He could sense the steadiness in her, the quiet strength.
"Everything okay?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"Yeah," Leon replied, his voice even. "Just thinking."
She paused, a small frown tugging at her lips. "About earlier?"
He leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees. "Not exactly. I'll deal with it if it comes back to bite us."
Emily took a moment, nodding slowly. "Well, dinner's almost ready. Hope you're okay with something simple."
"Anything's fine," he said, watching her move around the kitchen. "Thanks for making it."
She smiled faintly, not replying. Leon's thoughts briefly drifted back to Jake, the kid's protective nature amusing him. It wasn't a bad thing—Jake had guts. Maybe that'd come in handy one day.
Dinner was served in a comfortable silence. They ate, the rhythm of their quiet conversation matching the peaceful atmosphere. Jake had already disappeared to his room, and Emily seemed content to let the quiet settle in.
When the meal was over, Leon stood, collecting the plates without waiting for her to protest. She gave him a surprised look, but he shrugged. "You cooked. Least I can do is help clean."
"Fair enough," she said, her voice light, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
The dishes were quickly done, and Emily set out a blanket and pillow on the couch. "You can crash here for the night. It's not much, but..."
"It'll do," Leon replied. It wasn't that he liked relying on others—it was just practical. The streets weren't an option tonight.
Emily hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Goodnight, then. And... thanks again."
Leon gave her a short nod, watching as she retreated to her room. The apartment grew still, the city's distant hum the only sound breaking the silence. Leon sank into the couch, exhaling deeply, letting the day's weight settle.
Then, as he closed his eyes, a sudden surge of overwhelming energy cut through him. His body tensed, every muscle locking up as his heart raced. The room around him blurred into black and white.
[System initializing...]
The voice was cold, mechanical.
[System integration complete.]
[SSS-Rank Kingdom-Building System]
Leon's eyes snapped open, his body frozen in place. A shimmering holographic screen flickered before him, the text scrolling past with unnerving precision. He stared at it, incredulous, a dark chuckle rising in his throat.
[Welcome, User. You have been selected as the sole inheritor of the SSS-Rank Kingdom-Building System.]
"..."
The system continued, its tone unnervingly robotic.
[Primary Functions Activated.]
1. Status Panel – Displays your attributes, skills, and current health.
2. Inventory – A pocket dimension for storing items. Capacity increases with upgrades.
3. Quest System – Missions tailored to your progress. Completion rewards are provided based on performance.
4. World-Hopping Protocol – Unlock the ability to travel between the current world and another realm after completing specific accomplishments. Once unlocked, you can move freely between the two worlds.
[Bonus Feature Activated: Knowledge Assimilation]