Kael woke to the morning sun pouring through his window. It felt strange how nice the sun felt, but he was still aching from his workout the previous day. Nonetheless, he felt a quiet restlessness inside. Every day meant new challenges and experiences, and today was not going to be any different.
He slowly made his way up to a sitting position in bed, stretched, and groaned with his protesting muscles. However, time for relaxing was a luxury he could not afford. He needed to push forward. The path to power wouldn't be a cakewalk, and the system highlighted that very fact for him. Kael wasn't ready to take a step back now.
After washing up and brushing his teeth, he dressed in his usual worn-out clothes. The familiar sense of emptiness that lingered in his apartment seemed to weigh him down, but he shook it off. Today, things would be different.
The system's voice chimed in, its tone firm as always.
"Today we'll be heading to the Rift," it said.
Kael paused mid-step, narrowing his eyes. "The Rift? What's different about this one?"
"You'll see," the system said, "but before we head out, I gotta tell you something important."
Kael focused on the screen, looking confused. "What's up?"
Right now, you've got only the blade. The rest of your armor is locked up tight. If you wanna be leveled up really fast, you gotta work on boosting your abilities and strength. And let me tell you, this Rift we're gonna hit up, it's not like those you normally see here. Not one of your usual rifts popping up around here. This one has been made just for you.
Kael was very inquisitive, but the system simply continued without letting him ask anything else.
"While other hunters go to regular rifts for loot and to fight monsters, you're going to go into a place that is all about you. It's built just for you and set up to help you level up faster. But hey, don't forget, this is your own personal Rift. Only you can see and get into it.
Kael's mind raced. The thought of a Rift that no one else could access was a strange concept. "But… what about the armor? Why is it locked?"
"The armor you'll receive is legendary," the system explained. "It belongs to Erythral, and it cannot be damaged. It also provides special buffs. But the armor is currently locked. To unlock it, you need to level up. The more experience you gain, the more pieces of armor you unlock, but for now, you just have the blade, and let's just say that this blade is powerful in a way because it is, after all, said to be a legendary weapon once owned by Erythral himself.
Kael's eyes widened. A legendary weapon? The blade that had appeared in his hand when he had first gained his powers had felt special, but he hadn't understood the full extent of its significance.
"What's so special about this blade?" Kael asked, his voice tinged with awe.
"So, check this out: when you take someone out with this blade, you'll get triple experience points," the system said. "But here's the deal—nobody in your world knows about this blade or what it can do. Seriously, keep it under wraps. Don't tell a soul."
Kael gulped, really feeling the impact of what the system just said. Triple experience points? That's a total game-changer. But why the big deal about keeping it a secret? Why did no one need to know about the blade?
Just as he was about to ask more questions, the system chimed in again.
"Okay, enough chit-chat. We're heading to the Rift now. Just follow my lead."
Kael's heart was racing as he obeyed the instructions from the system and went downstairs into his apartment basement. It was super dark, cold, and kind of musty smelling, but he'd gotten used to that weird feeling of being alone down there. It was like his own little escape from the world, a spot where he could train and really focus.
He felt the voice of the system echo in his head as it opened a hidden compartment in the floor. A light began to fill in, pulsing with a great whirlpool before him, its colors swirling, mesmerizing yet terrifying.
Frozen, Kael stared, wide-eyed in his incredulity. "This is the Rift?
"This is the Rift only you can access," the system confirmed. "You are the only one who can see it and enter it. Step through, Kael. The sooner you begin your training in there, the sooner you'll become stronger."
Kael took a big breath, getting himself ready. This was it. This was his shot to level up fast, to grab the power he needed to make it in this crazy world. Without thinking twice, he moved ahead, jumping into the Rift.
Everything changed around him the moment he crossed the threshold. The air turned and became heavy and thick, and the earth he used as stepping stones vibrated with an energy that felt electric. The landscape stood out before his eyes as end and barren land as far as it was visible by the naked eyes, with gigantic jaggedly rising rock walls, and the turbulent above darkish purple sky of green and glowing streaks.
It was quite a walk, really, getting into another's world.
The voice of the system buzzed inside his mind: "This is the Rift. It is not like anything you have ever seen. There is no rules or time here in this place. It's a spot where you can level up super fast. But watch out—this place can be risky, and you can't count on making it out alive."
Kael gripped the blade a little harder, and the weapon shone in his hands, famous for the legend attached to it. It just felt like part of him; he didn't know how else to say it. What the system said really hit home. This place was totally unlike anything he'd ever been through before, and he couldn't let this chance slip by.
"Focus on leveling up, Kael," the system advised. "The more you fight, the more you'll gain. And remember, use the blade. It's your most powerful tool."
Kael nodded, feeling all determined inside. He was all by himself in this spot, and he had no idea of the kind of enemies or challenges being faced by him. But he was not afraid. For he had a weapon like there was nothing that existed in this world. He had the blade, and he felt the power of Erythral flowing through him.
He set off with his eyes on the landscape before him, but this time more intently and further into the Rift. He felt every step heavier, yet it wasn't from fear, but the weight of the power he was going to unlock in order to allow him to carve his path forward.
As time went by, Kael's determination only strengthened. The world outside had forgotten about him, but here in the Rift, he finally had the chance to make his own future.
And he was certainly not going to waste it.