The silence was so heavy, Kade could almost hear the faint settling of dust on the floorboards.
The shabby room felt like a cold prison, holding hostage the memories he desperately wanted to bury. All that remained was the sound of his heartbeat – heavy, tight, almost rebellious.
He sat still on the edge of the bed, staring at his pale, untouched hands under the dim lamp. Fifteen years from now… these same hands would drown in blood and guilt.
The flickering, sallow light from the lone bulb cast shadows that twisted across his face, mirroring the tangle of his own fate.
"I... have truly returned," Kade whispered, his voice hoarse with pent-up emotion.
A cold, hollow chuckle escaped his throat. The world's greatest villain, once feared by all humanity, was back at the point of origin—the day he signed the contract with the Superhero Alliance.
That contract had pushed him down the path of sin, transforming him from a rejected genius into a monster.
Kade stood and walked to the work desk. The technical blueprints and formulas, destined to become instruments of destruction, now lay inert on yellowed paper. He picked up the shimmering silver ring – a gift from Elira, the woman he had once loved, and who would later betray him.
This time, Kade clenched the ring tightly. "Everything will be different."
But change didn't come easily. The instincts of a villain still throbbed in his veins. Hunger awakened thoughts of robbery, violence… survival at the cost of others.
He wrestled with himself.
The demon that once made an entire city cower screamed inside his head. It demanded blood. It demanded chaos.
"No," Kade said firmly. "I am no longer a monster."
A weak, tattered light seeped through the cracked window. Kade stood and searched the old room. The broken refrigerator held only a few rusted cans, a loaf of rock-hard bread, and a nearly empty water bottle.
He let out a soft, wry laugh. "At least... I get to live again."
Stepping outside, a wave of cold air hit him like a slap. The scent of smoke, rust, and decay clung to the deserted street. Not long ago, locust-like monsters had ravaged the city.
The street before him was a bleak painting – buildings tilted like tombstones, shattered signs scattered like grave markers. The silence hung thick, like a shroud over a graveyard.
The wind whistled through ruined streets, carrying the faint iron tang of blood mixed with dust and smoke. Kade's legs felt like lead as he walked.
He still couldn't comprehend why he was alive – or why the world had become so deathly quiet.
"Hic… Sob… Daddy… Mommy… hiiic..."
A fragile voice trembled in the wind. Kade froze at an intersection. Amidst the rubble, a little girl crouched, trembling, her face smudged, eyes wide with fear.
Behind her, a monster crawled from the shadows – ashen grey skin, misshapen body, jaws grinding like metal.
The instinct told him to walk away. This wasn't his problem.
But then, the memory of the little girl from his previous life – her eyes burning with hatred – pierced through his mind.
"No," he muttered. "Not again."
It had to be now.
Kade lunged forward. Heart hammering. Steps firm.
The monster leaped toward the girl. Kade's fist shot out, a strike fueled not by malice, but by resolve.
A warm, golden light erupted from him, repelling the creature. Energy coursed through his veins, strange and unfamiliar, nothing like the destructive power he once wielded.
[Power System Activated]
[One Life Saved: Strength +1]
A mechanical voice rang in his head. Kade blinked, stunned. The little girl clung to his leg, tearful but now safe.
"Saving… people… gives more power?" Kade whispered. A strange smile tugged at his lips. Perhaps the universe was offering redemption—not through death, but through life.
He bent down, patting her head gently. "Don't be afraid. I'll take you home."
His gaze hardened. A new path had opened, one not paved with blood.
Inside, darkness still churned – but now mingled with a small spark of light.
After seeing the little girl safely home, Kade stopped by a convenience store, buying some meager food with the last of his coins. Back in his shabby room, he sat quietly, staring at the newly appeared mission window.
Pale blue text shimmered before his eyes:
[HMRS - Humanity Measurement & Redemption System Activated]
[One Life Saved!]
[System Scanning Profile...]
┏ Profile: Kade Fubuster ┛
┏ Age: 21 ┛
┏ Gender: Male
— Strength (STR): 5 [+1]
— Skill: Iron Fist
— Reward: 2 Gold Coins
┏ Hidden Stats:
— Humanity: 1/100 (Level: Low)
— Reputation: Nobody
— First Mission: Save Child from Monster
— Suggested Mission: Help Neighbor Grandma Fix Her Door
— Expected Reward: Humanity +1, Gold +1
Kade gazed at his hands. No longer the hands of a destroyer. A shiver ran down his spine – hope, faint but real.
"Alright," he whispered to the system, "show me how… to become a good person."
DING. DING. DING
[New Mission]
Objective: Help Old Lady Martha fix her broken door
Reward: Humanity +1, Gold +1
Failure: Humanity -1
Time Remaining: 60 minutes
A faint marker pulsed on his mini-map, pointing toward a crumbling house two streets away. The interface glowed softly – a constant reminder of the path he had chosen.
He stood, shadow stretching long under the moonlight. The night was cold, but for the first time in ages, Kade didn't feel entirely alone.
The system was like a compass in darkness. One step at a time, one life saved at a time.
[Quest Complete]
[Rewards Granted]
[+1 Gold Coin]
[+1 Humanity]
Moonlight spilled through the window, illuminating Kade's troubled face – the face of someone stepping onto the road of redemption.
Darkness still churned inside him. But a spark had begun to burn, carrying the promise of a different future.
The system was activated.
A new life had begun.