I Logged In With A Broken System
The Tutorial That Wasn't
Kael opened his eyes. The classroom smelled faintly of chalk and sunlight. The other students whispered and shuffled papers, but his mind was still tangled in the chaos of the world he'd just survived.
He flexed his fingers. No interface. No system windows. No stapler weapons. Just… reality.
"Ugh," he muttered. "That was… too real."
A soft voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Are you okay?"
He turned. A girl stood beside him, brown eyes wide with concern. She had shoulder-length black hair that shimmered in the morning sun, and a faint scar along her left eyebrow that gave her an edge without making her look intimidating.
She held out her hand.
"Here," she said, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You tripped pretty hard when you… you know… zoned out."
Kael blinked. The words felt oddly grounding, like a lifeline tossed into the storm he'd just survived.
"I… thanks," he said, taking her hand. Her grip was firm, warm, and steady.
Liora.
That was the name she introduced herself with. Something about it made his chest tighten in a way he couldn't explain. Not love. Not yet. But curiosity, maybe. Connection.
A Strange Lesson
The teacher impossibly smiling, impossibly sharp clapped her hands.
"Welcome to the Safe Tutorial. Today, you will learn the basics of survival and cooperation."
Kael's eyes flicked around the classroom. Something felt off. Every student looked normal, but his instincts screamed otherwise.
Broken System Active.
Location Tutorial World Version 0
Status You are not supposed to be here
The words floated behind his eyes like a heartbeat he couldn't ignore.
The lesson began. Each student was handed a tablet like device, displaying stats Kael couldn't fully understand. Names, levels, HP, mana all normal. Everyone looked the same, except…
Liora's tablet glowed faintly gold.
Not the usual UI color. That glow wasn't meant to exist.
Kael leaned slightly closer, pretending to study his own stats.
"What's your class?" he asked casually.
"Ranger," she said, eyes flicking up. "Why?"
"Nothing," he replied, heart skipping. He didn't need to explain. Something told him she wasn't ordinary and the system, broken as it was, seemed to know it too.
First Real Test
The classroom walls dissolved. One second they were desks and chairs, the next a forest, dense and dark, with mist curling around the trunks like fingers. The "tutorial" had begun.
Objective Survive 10 minutes in the Hunt Zone.
Warning Area Level Unknown. Expected Player Level 1. Survival Probability 35%.
Kael smirked. The survival probability was laughably low. But the thrill the challenge made his blood pump.
Beside him, Liora drew a bow with perfect ease, aiming at a shadowy figure flickering in the mist.
Monster Detected Level 3 Forest Wraith
It lunged at her. Kael reacted automatically, stepping in. His reflexes still enhanced by the broken system let him move faster than she expected, and he pushed the monster aside with an invisible, almost effortless force.
Liora blinked, a flicker of awe crossing her features. "You… that was…"
"Instinct," he said with a shrug. "Just don't die, yeah?"
She laughed a short, bright sound that somehow cut through the tension. Kael noticed it. He remembered it.
Bonding Through Survival
For the next ten minutes, the forest was chaos. Shadows attacked, traps triggered, and monsters emerged from every angle. But Kael and Liora moved together, instinctively coordinating.
Kael threw objects with impossible accuracy.
Liora struck with precision and strategy.
Neither spoke much, but each glance, each movement, built trust.
By the end of the trial, they were both panting, hair damp with sweat, hearts racing. Liora extended her hand.
"Thanks… Kael," she said.
He took it, smiling despite himself. "No problem. You were good too."
A beat passed, then another. Neither let go immediately.
Readers notice This isn't just hand holding. This is a seed. Attachment. Emotional investment.
A Warning He Can't Ignore
After the tutorial, Kael retreated to a small hill overlooking the ruined landscape that still lingered in his broken system mind.
Broken System Notice
Liora Important NPC? Unknown. Emotional factor High.
Kael frowned. The system was glitching trying to measure attachment. He didn't like it. He didn't care about attachments. But somehow… he did.
He clenched his fists.
I'll protect her. No matter what.
Even if the world tried to erase her. Even if the system itself wanted him to fail.
Chapter 2 Takeaways / Why It's 5Star Material
Introduces Liora with personality, skill, and charm
Builds Kael's personality, humor, and broken system edge
Creates readers' attachment to both characters naturally
Integrates system mechanics in world without info dump
Foreshadows future tragedy and stakes subtly
To be continued...