The sky over Draegor City was a dull, ashen gray, a mirror to the weight of a world broken by power and greed. The clouds hung thick, suffocating the city in a blanket of uncertainty and despair. This was no ordinary city—it was a world built on strength, a world where those with systems wielded god-like powers, and those without them were nothing more than cogs in the machine.
For Aleron Vale, the city had always been a cold, indifferent place. Born without a system, he had been a non-entity in a world where power was everything. The system—an otherworldly force that granted each person unique abilities—was the key to survival. Those who possessed a system could summon beasts, control elements, and command the world around them. Those without one? They were expendable.
But Aleron had never been a system holder. He had never known what it was like to wield power. The world saw him as weak, a mere shadow among the many who rose to prominence through their systems. His classmates, his neighbors, even the strangers on the street—they were all stronger, faster, more capable.
Except for one person.
Selene Vale, his younger sister.
She was the only light in Aleron's bleak existence. A reminder that not all was lost. Together, they had survived, living in the slums of Draegor City, struggling but content. Their parents, though not rich, had given them everything they had—love, protection, hope. They didn't need systems or power to survive. They had each other.
Then, everything changed.
It had been a quiet night when tragedy struck. The streets, usually bustling with life, were eerily silent. And in that stillness, a shadowy force moved—an underworld syndicate of system holders, ruthless and cold, had chosen to make an example of a powerless family.
Aleron had tried to protect them. He had stood his ground, but his hands were empty. His lack of a system had condemned him, while the thugs tore apart his world, leaving nothing but the wreckage of his past. His parents were slaughtered in an instant, their lives snuffed out like candles in the wind. And worse still, Selene, his sister, was taken. Kidnapped by the very people who had torn apart their family.
Without a system, Aleron had been powerless.
But his desperation—his overwhelming need to protect—had driven him into the dark corners of the city. He sought every lead, followed every whisper, visited every underworld contact he could find. For days, he wandered, searching for a way to save his sister.
Every lead ended in a dead end. Every path led to a cliff. He was nothing more than an invisible orphan, caught in a world that no longer cared.
But in the deepest part of the city, where the lights never reached, he found them.
A group of system holders who thrived on the misery of others—rogues, criminals, killers. They knew he was coming, knew he was weak. They laughed at him, mocking him for daring to think he could fight back. They had no idea what he was about to awaken.
One of the men stepped forward, sneering at him. "No system, huh? Pathetic. You're not even worth the time."
The others chuckled, weapons drawn. They were the strong, the mighty, the elite of Draegor. He was nothing but a shadow.
But Aleron was done being weak. He was done being a shadow.
The rage burned deep in his chest, and for the first time, he felt something stir within him—something that felt both foreign and ancient.
"Activate System. Tebu System."
The words rang in his mind like a bell tolling in the silence, and as the power surged through him, his vision blurred. A searing light consumed his senses. His body convulsed with the raw energy, and a voice, cold and unfeeling, whispered in his ear:
"Welcome to your true path, Aleron Vale."
He fell to his knees, gasping for breath, as the world around him seemed to shift and change. Before him, an otherworldly creature materialized—a towering beast, with glowing red eyes and jagged claws, a creature bound to him by the Tebu system. Its presence was overwhelming, yet Aleron could feel a strange connection—this creature, this power, was his now.
It growled, a deep, guttural sound that reverberated in Aleron's chest. The gang members recoiled, eyes wide with fear. They had thought him weak, pathetic. But now, they saw the truth.
The creature's power surged. Aleron's power surged. It was beyond his control, beyond his understanding.
Before they could react, the creature lunged, slashing with claws that ripped through the air like a blade. The gang members screamed, scattering in terror. The creature's movements were fluid, precise, and deadly—its bloodlust was palpable.
But Aleron didn't feel fear. He felt alive. The raw power coursing through him was intoxicating. It wasn't just the creature. It was his power. His strength. He was finally not weak.
Yet, in the back of his mind, a nagging voice whispered. Control. Balance. The Tebu system was not just a tool—it was a curse. A power that could consume him if he didn't learn to master it.
As the last of the gang members fled, Aleron stood alone, breathing heavily. His hands trembled, the reality of what he had just done crashing into him. The creature behind him was fading, its form disintegrating into mist, but Aleron knew that was just the beginning. This was the first evolution, but there would be more. Much more.
His body burned with energy, and the power of the Tebu system screamed for release. But deep inside, Aleron was aware of something darker, more dangerous—something that could turn him into the very monster he sought to destroy.
The Tebu system had given him what he wanted: power. But at what cost?
Aleron didn't have the answers. But he knew one thing—he would protect Selene. No matter the cost. No matter the risks.
The world might fear the Tebu system, but Aleron would make them fear him.