When Rian woke the next morning, the system floated before his eyes without waiting for him to sit up. The blue panel shimmered in the quiet room, displaying his progress with calm precision.
[STATUS WINDOW — UPDATED]
Level: 0
XP:40 / 100
(Breakfast +10, Tea +5, Laundry +5, Sweep +5, Budget +15)
Attributes:
- Responsibility: 2.4
- Discipline: 0.10
- Courage: 1.0
- Compassion: 1.0
- Strength: 2
- Agility: 1
- Intellect: 1.1
- Awareness (Hidden): 0.1
Skills:
- Kitchen Handling Lv. 0.1
- Beginner Focus (Passive)
Buffs:
- Beginner Stability
- Minor Confidence Penalty (fading)
Objectives:
- Observe the neighborhood in detail
- Learn world basics
- Prepare for awakening potential
The window faded gently, leaving Rian blinking at the morning light. Seeing his progress laid out like that made something in him settle. Maybe because it was proof he had actually done something these last two days. Proof he was not stuck.
He stretched, rolled his shoulders, and stepped toward the door.
"Time to see what this world really looks like," he murmured.
He closed the apartment door behind him and descended the creaky stairwell. The moment he stepped into the sunlight, the street noise hit him,voices calling out prices, metal carts rolling over stone, faint chimes of rune-lit machinery. Yesterday he had been too stressed to pay attention. Today he focused.
Rune-lit signs hovered above stalls like floating billboards, their glowing letters rearranging every few seconds.
Fresh Apples - 10 copper
Discount for Awakened Applicants
Rian raised a hand toward the sign. His fingers passed through the letters like they were made of mist. Ripples of light spread outward.
The system chimed.
Basic World Tip: Civilian districts use low-grade runes to display prices.
Mana-powered. Low hazard.
Mana-powered.
The thought alone made him swallow.
Two kids passed him waving glowing crystal sticks, leaving trails of light shaped like birds and stars. They giggled as the shapes changed. Magic was entertainment here. Something children used for fun.
A part of him felt wonder.
Another part felt incredibly out of place.
He continued down the street until he reached a busier road. That was when he saw them.
Hunters.
A group of four walked in formation uniforms dark, reinforced with metal plates. Strange instruments hung from their belts, crystals glowing faintly. Civilians moved aside with casual respect.
Rian watched how they carried themselves.
Balanced.
Trained.
Confident.
They looked like people who had purpose.
He wondered what that felt like.
The system pulsed gently.
Hunters: Awakened individuals with combat-oriented classes.
Responsible for suppressing monsters. Ranked F–S.
He followed them from a safe distance until they turned into a cordoned alley. Yellow rune-tape crackled in the air like shimmering ropes. Inside, two hunters examined long slashes carved deep into the concrete.
Rian froze.
The claw marks stretched longer than his arm, jagged and sunken into the pavement. They didn't look like scratches. They looked like something had tried to rip the street open.
A murmur spread through the onlookers.
"Another crawler."
"Third this week."
"Lucky it didn't hit the fruit stands."
Rian's heartbeat stumbled.
Monsters were not rumors.
They were real.
Close.
The system chimed.
Observation logged: Monster evidence detected.
User advised to avoid danger until prepared.
"No worries," he whispered. "I'm not doing anything stupid."
He stepped away, rubbing his palms against his jacket. The world felt bigger now. Stranger. Yesterday he had been counting coins for rice. Today he was staring at claw marks that could have ended him in seconds.
He walked further into the district, letting his feet guide him. A wall plastered with posters caught his attention. Most advertised mana workshops or cheap meals. But one stood out in bold print:
CITY AWAKENING ACADEMY
Entrance Exams - 3 Months
Beginner Candidates Encouraged
Underneath was an illustration of a young person holding a glowing core of light. The poster listed requirements, fees, and the phrase "Potential Over Power."
Rian touched the corner of the paper.
Awakening academy.
Three months.
A chance to become someone who belonged in this world.
But the exam fee listed at the bottom made his stomach twist. He couldn't afford that now. He had two eggs left and barely enough coins to get through the week.
Still… the spark inside him didn't dim.
The system chimed again.
Long-Term Objective: Awakening preparation.
Academy enrollment recommended, not required.
He stepped back from the poster.
"Not yet," he murmured. "But maybe… someday."
He followed the road back toward his building. His mind replayed the glowing signs, hunters, children with magic toys, and those claw marks. His chest tightened but not just from fear.
From possibility.
When he reached the apartment door, the system chimed softly again.
Neighborhood Exploration Complete.
XP +10.
Awareness +0.1.
Rian inhaled deeply.
50 / 100 XP.
Halfway to becoming Level 1.
He stepped into the apartment and looked around.
The place felt the same, but he didn't.
"I'm going to learn this world," he whispered. "Slow, but I'll learn."
The system glowed faintly, as if acknowledging his vow.