"I'm Mara," The voice thundered in Kabir's skull. "And from this moment you are no longer a failure you will become the hero who frees Elydras." The voice said in a sharp tone like it was commanding.
Kabir said. "But why me? I'm just a normal man. I don't have any powers."
Mara replied. "Why you? Because you are not afraid to die– and i need some who isn't."
"So now what," Kabir muttured slowly. And suddenly A crimson interface flickered in his vision, black threads crawling through the letters like veins of decay.
"Whoa… where the hell did this come from?" Kabir snaped.
Mara replied calmly. "This is your status panel you can check your progress here."
"System panel? Kabir said, raising an eyebrow. "Like in those LitRPG novels."
"Yas something like that," Mara replied
"But where did it came from in first place." Kabir asked.
"It doesn't matter, so move. You won't get stronger just lying here on the bed." Mara said, it's tone edged with irritation.
"So you want me to go there again... and die?" Kabir said, fear clear in his voice.
"Don't worry, you won't die there now that you have this system." Mara said, it's tone almost mocking.
Kabir took a deep breath and glanced once more at the screen hovering in front of his eyes.
There were words written across it—clear, glowing lines of crimson light.
User: Kabir Singh
Race: Human
Class: None
Title: None
Level: 1
Strength: 1
Speed: 1
Agility: 1
Stamina: 1
Intelligence: 0.5
Charm: 0
Fatigue: 0
Stat Points: 0
Main Quest: Save Elydras
Daily Task: Run 10 km
Side Quest: Kill a Lesser Devil
"Hey, why is my intelligence so low?" Kabir asked.
"Well, haven't you noticed it yet?" Mara replied.
"What do you mean? Are you mocking me?" Kabir said, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh, how could I, my hero?" Mara teased, it voice dripping with amusement.
"So you are," Kabir muttered.
"Anyway, I can run ten kilometers," he said, glancing at the glowing text, "but this side quest—'Kill a Lesser Devil'? How the hell am I supposed to do that?"
"You'll know soon enough," Mara said.
"Okay then… here I go," Kabir muttered, walking toward the fridge once more.
He opened the door and stepped inside, descending the stairs again.
But this time, it wasn't the same place as before — there was no stone pillar, no familiar structure.
Instead, he found himself standing in an empty plain of crimson dust and bubbling pools of lava. The air shimmered with heat; the ground cracked beneath his feet.
"So I have to run ten kilometers, huh?" Kabir said, glancing around. "And what if I don't?"
"You will receive a penalty," Mara replied flatly.
"Penalty? What kind of penalty?" Kabir asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
"Not sure," Mara replied. "But it's definitely something you don't want to experience."
"Alright then, I'll run," Kabir said, stretching his legs and back.
He took a deep breath—then started to run.
The moment his foot hit the ground, heat surged through his soles. The air burned his lungs with every breath, thick and metallic. Each step sank slightly, like the crimson dust wanted to swallow him whole.
[Distance: 0.4 km]
The numbers flickered in his vision as his legs pounded against the cracked ground. Sweat dripped into his eyes, mixing with the ash.
"You're slowing down," Mara noted.
"No kidding!" he shouted between ragged breaths.
His lungs screamed. Every muscle in his legs trembled. The horizon never seemed to get closer.
Then the panel blinked again—
[Fatigue: +20%]
[Warning: stamina critical]
He kept running until thought itself turned into noise—heat, dust, the hammer of his own pulse. The horizon never moved, yet somehow he did.
Five more steps.
Three.
One.
A sharp chime split through the haze.
[Task Complete]
Distance: 10.0 km
Reward: +5 Stat Points
The words flickered across his vision, crimson against the glare. He wanted to laugh, to shout that he'd done it—but the sound caught in his throat.
Another notification pulsed, half-formed:
[New …]
Then his knees buckled. The screen blurred, symbols twisting into streaks of red light.
He hit the ground hard, dust exploding around him, the world shrinking to the ragged rhythm of his breathing.
"Kabir—" Mara's voice cut out, fractured by static.
Then everything went dark.
3 Hours Later...
Kabir slowly opened his eyes. The air was still hot, the sky still bleeding red. He was still in Hell.
"So it wasn't a dream after all," he muttered.
He thought of his status panel, and it appeared before him once again. The crimson letters flickered into focus, followed by a new notification.
You have completed the daily task.
You have leveled up.
Level: 2
Stat Points: 5
"So I have five stat points… where do I even put them?" he said under his breath.
After a moment of hesitation, he started assigning them.
1 point into Strength.
1 into Stamina.
1 into Speed.
1 into Agility.
And 1 into Intelligence.
You have completed your first task.
You have received a gift.
Suddenly, something materialized in Kabir's hands.
"A key?" he asked, staring at the object.
The Key of the Gate of Hell.
"Using this, you can enter Hell from anywhere, anytime," Mara explained. "You don't need your fridge anymore."
Kabir blinked. "Wow… so I can use it to go back too, I guess?"
But then The lava pool nearby began to stir.
Kabir's system blinked red, flashing warnings across his vision.
[Alert: Something dangerous is approaching. Prepare for combat.]
Kabir stepped back, eyes fixed on the bubbling surface. The heat intensified, the air vibrating with a low rumble.
Then something rose from the molten pool.
It was roughly Kabir's size, its arms long and jagged, its body a blend of molten rock and hardened stone. Lava oozed through cracks in its chest like veins of fire.
"H-Hai, Mara… what is that?" Kabir gasped, his heart pounding like war drums.
"It's a Lavacarion," Mara explained calmly. "A lesser devil. It can sense fear—so whatever you do, don't be scared. If you are, it will attack."
"B-but how can I not be scared?" Kabir said, his voice trembling.
"Kabir, you've seen far scarier things than this," Mara said, her tone sharp and precise.
"Okay… I won't," Kabir said, trying to calm himself.
The devil stared at him for a long moment, its molten eyes flickering. Then it let out a deafening roar. Kabir stumbled back instinctively.
"Kabir, I suggest you run," Mara said.
"Run? What do you mean run? You said it wouldn't attack if I wasn't afraid!"
"Yes, it won't," Mara replied. "But you're human — and it's curious. It wants to test something new."
The Lavacarion lunged forward, molten claws slicing through the air. Kabir sprinted backward, heart hammering as he turned and ran across the scorched ground.
"So what now?" he shouted while running. "I can't fight this thing — I don't even have a weapon!"
"You can purchase one from the shop," Mara said calmly.
"Really? I can?" Kabir asked, panting.
He opened the Shop on his system screen. Among the flickering icons, a pair of daggers caught his eye. He didn't bother reading the description — he just hit Purchase.
A pair of daggers materialized in Kabir's hands. He skidded to a stop and turned around.
The Lavacarion was charging straight at him, molten arms swinging.
"Oh, shoot," he muttered, panic rising in his chest.
"Now what?" Mara asked, her tone dripping with irritation.
"I've never even held a weapon before—let alone used one!" Kabir shouted.
"Kabir, just fight it like a brute," Mara snapped. "This is about your life."