Eli's legs shook as he stared at the spot where the man had disappeared. The empty shadows seemed heavier now, like the air itself remembered his warning.
"…Okay," Eli muttered, gripping his blade. "That just happened."
The System chimed.
[Emotional Stimulus Detected]
[Focus Recommended]
Eli rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I know. Heart rate: very high. Calm down."
He glanced around the construction site. Broken beams, half-finished walls, and pools of shadow that seemed to ripple unnaturally. Nothing moved… yet everything felt alive.
[New Objective Detected: Investigate Anomaly]
Eli blinked. Another mission, on top of side quests and school? Fantastic.
He exhaled. "Fine. One thing at a time."
The System buzzed again.
[Skill Suggestion: Shadow Sense – Detect unregistered presence]
Eli focused, concentrating on the new ability. A soft shimmer traced in the air around him, like faint footprints in invisible ink. The shimmer pulsed toward the far end of the site—toward the shadows where the man had stood.
"…That's creepy," Eli muttered.
He took a careful step forward. Then another. The shimmer grew brighter, guiding him.
[Environmental Note: High structural instability]
Great. Concrete, shadows, mystery guy from the shadows, and now potential collapsing walls. Perfect Friday night.
He moved slowly, eyes darting, every sound amplified—the drip of water, the distant groan of metal. Then, a soft voice whispered in his mind.
*"Eli…"*
He froze. That wasn't the System.
[Unknown Voice Detected – Level Unknown]
"…What now?"
A figure emerged. Not a monster. Not quite human. Smaller than the tall man, but emanating a faint shimmer like moonlight. Its eyes were pale silver, almost like Eli's new skill was picking it up.
"I've been waiting for you," the figure said softly. "The System knows. So do I."
Eli's blade twitched in his hand. "Yeah, I… uh… nice to meet you? Are you a ghost? A monster? A student? Because I'm pretty sure I can fight most of those."
The figure tilted its head. "Neither. I'm… a guide. For now."
The System chimed, glowing around Eli's hands.
[Skill Progression Available – Shadow Sense]
[Skill Upgrade: Shadow Sense Level 2 – Detect hostile intent within moderate range]
Eli's eyes widened. "Wait, wait, wait. Level 2 already? That's… insane. Okay, let's test this."
He focused, letting the shimmer of Shadow Sense flow through him. Immediately, he detected a flicker behind a collapsed wall—a small, hunched figure, moving silently. Its intent wasn't hostile… yet.
"Interesting," Eli muttered. "Shadow Sense doesn't lie. But is this thing friendly… or just plotting?"
The small figure stepped into a ray of sunlight, revealing a humanoid form with glowing silver markings along its arms. Its eyes met Eli's, and for the first time, he felt… understood.
"Eli," it said, almost like a warning, "your path has been watched since before you were born. What you think is random is anything but. The System… it chose you for a reason."
Eli swallowed. "Yeah, sure. Chosen. Great. That explains everything… nothing."
The small figure smiled faintly. "You will need allies. And soon. The Rift Hounds were only the beginning."
Before Eli could respond, the System pinged again:
[New Quest Available – Tutorial: Team Combat]
[Objective: Train with Guide]
[Time Limit: 2 Hours]
Eli's jaw dropped. "Wait… tutorial? Training? Now? After the whole almost-death thing? And… that guy? And… I thought today was supposed to be chill?"
The small figure laughed softly. "Life doesn't do chill. Not for the chosen."
Eli groaned, rubbing his eyes. "Yeah, yeah… okay. Let's do this. But if I die… you owe my mom a really good excuse."
The guide extended a hand. "Step forward, Eli. Your real journey begins now."
And for the first time, Eli felt that thrill he'd been chasing—the world wasn't just dangerous… it was alive, waiting for him to leave a mark.
[Level Up Notification]
[Level: 2 → 3]
[Stat Points Gained: 3]
[Skill Points Gained: 1]
Eli grinned. "Level 3. Mom's gonna freak out even more. Let's go, Shadow Sense. Show me what you got."
The guide nodded. "Eyes open. Shadow ready. Step into the unknown."
Eli took a deep breath, and with a Shadow Step, vanished into the shifting shadows of the abandoned site—ready to face whatever the System, the Rift, and destiny itself would throw at him next.