The concrete wasn't supposed to give way.
Nathan Reeves stared in horror at the cracks snaking up the central pillar, his eyes following their progression like the fuse of a time bomb. Fifteen years of civil engineering experience screamed at him that something was wrong. The calculations were perfect—he'd checked them three times.
"EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!" he shouted into his walkie-talkie, his voice echoing throughout the construction site. "I repeat, EVACUATE!"
The workers on the lower level looked up at him, confused. Nathan stood on the twenty-second floor of the skyscraper under construction, his brown hair plastered to his forehead with sweat despite December's chill. His white chief engineer's helmet reflected the last rays of the setting sun.
Crack.
The sound was barely audible, but Nathan felt it in his bones. A new crack had appeared, wider than the others.
"For God's sake, MOVE!"
This time, the workers understood. Panic spread like wildfire as they rushed toward the emergency exits. Nathan stayed behind, frantically checking that no one was missing. His gaze lingered on the blueprints spread across his work table. How was this possible? The concrete mixture had been tested, the structure calculated down to the millimeter...
A low rumble snapped him out of his thoughts. The floor began to tremble beneath his feet.
"Mr. Reeves!" Carlos's voice, a young worker, made him turn around. "We gotta go!"
Nathan nodded and rushed toward the exit, but another crack, stronger this time, froze him in place. Through the window, he watched in horror as the main pillar began to deform. In seconds, the entire structure would...
"CARLOS, RUN!"
Without thinking, Nathan violently pushed the young man toward the stairwell. The movement threw him off balance, and his foot slipped on the vibrating floor. The last thing he saw was Carlos's horrified face as the world collapsed around him.
Is this really how I die? he thought as gravity pulled him down. Because of a calculation error?
Darkness swallowed him.
The first sensation was cold. A biting cold that seeped into his bones. Nathan slowly opened his eyes, expecting the excruciating pain of multiple fractures.
Nothing.
He sat up abruptly, feeling his body for injuries. His white shirt and jeans were intact, without a trace of blood or dust. His helmet was gone.
"What the..."
His voice died in his throat as he became aware of his surroundings. He was no longer at the construction site. He stood among what looked like the ruins of a medieval city. Collapsed stone walls surrounded him, covered in moss and ivy. In the distance, he could see the remains of what must have been an imposing castle.
The sky above was metallic gray, with no visible sun. The air was heavy, laden with the smell of damp earth and ancient stone.
"I must be dreaming," he whispered. "The shock from the fall, maybe I'm in a coma..."
[Architect System detected.]
[Analyzing subject...]
[Compatibility: 98.7%]
[Activating system...]
The blue words suddenly appeared before him, floating in the air like a hologram. Nathan stepped back, his back hitting a ruined wall.
[Welcome, Architect Nathan Reeves.] [Your mission: Rebuild and protect.] [First objective: Survive the night.] [Warning: Shadows prowl after sunset.]
"The... Shadows?"
A distant howl answered him, a sound that was neither human nor animal. Nathan's blood froze in his veins as he looked at the sky. The metallic gray was rapidly darkening.
Night was approaching.
[Tutorial activated.]
[First skill unlocked: Basic Construction]
[Advice: Build shelter before nightfall.]
"Build... but with what?"
Nathan observed the ruins around him, his engineer's mind quickly assessing the available materials. Scattered stone blocks, some rotting wooden beams, rusty metal debris...
[Materials detected within 20-meter radius:]
Common stone: 47 units Degraded wood: 23 units Oxidized iron: 12 units [Advice: Focus your mind on the materials and imagine the desired structure.]
Another howl echoed, bouncing off the ruined walls. Closer. Much closer.
"Okay, okay..." Nathan closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He visualized a simple structure: four walls, a roof, a door. Basic but solid. It was like drawing blueprints in his head, each detail becoming sharper.
A strange sensation ran through his fingers, like a mild electric current. When he reopened his eyes, a bluish schematic floated before him, representing exactly what he had imagined.
[Construction detected: Basic Shelter]
[Required materials:]
Common stone: 30 units Degraded wood: 15 units Oxidized iron: 5 units [Estimated construction time: 8 minutes] [Do you wish to proceed?]
"Yes!"
A blue glow enveloped the materials around him. The stones began to levitate, the wood creaked as it straightened, the metal groaned as it unfolded. Nathan stood slack-jawed at the spectacle. The materials assembled themselves, as if guided by an invisible force.
[Construction in progress: 12%...]
[25%...]
[41%...]
A guttural growl made him jump. Between the ruins, about fifty meters away, a dark shape moved. The creature seemed made of dense black mist, its contours fluctuating like smoke. Two red points glowed where eyes should have been.
"Faster, faster..." Nathan whispered, his heart pounding.
[67%...]
[83%...]
[Construction complete!]
[New skill unlocked: Structural Analysis]
The shelter stood before him, small but sturdy. The stones fit together perfectly, the wood reinforced the angles, and the metal strengthened the door. It wasn't a masterpiece, but it would do.
Nathan rushed inside just as the sun completely disappeared. Through the small gaps between the stones, he saw other dark shapes emerge from the ruins. The Shadows moved like predators, their misty bodies undulating in the darkness.
[Structural Analysis activated]
[Current structure:]
Physical resistance: 65/100
Magical resistance: 15/100
Durability: 72/100
[Warning: Low magical resistance detected]
"Magical?" Nathan frowned. "These things use ma-"
A violent impact against the wall silenced him. One of the Shadows had thrown itself against the shelter. The stone trembled but held firm. A second impact followed, then a third.
[Minor damage detected]
[Physical resistance: 61/100]
[Suggestion: Improving structures unlocks new technologies]
The attacks continued for what seemed like hours. Nathan sat against the wall farthest from the door, watching the statistics fluctuate with each impact. His mind was racing, analyzing every piece of information.
Magic existed in this world. These creatures were proof of that. And if magic existed...
"The system..." he whispered. "It's not just a construction tool, is it?"
[Analysis correct, Architect]
[Primary function: Fusion of technology and magic]
[Objective: Innovation and evolution]
[New skill available: Basic Magical Reinforcement]
[Unlock requires: Survive until dawn]
Nathan managed a tired smile. At least now he had a concrete goal. Survive, learn, understand. And maybe, one day, discover why he had been chosen for this task.
A new impact shook the shelter.
It was going to be a long night.
[Estimated time until dawn: 6 hours, 42 minutes]
[Physical resistance: 58/100]
[Architect's status: Exhausted but stable]
[Advice: Use this time to plan your next constructions]