The sky was broken.
There was no other word for it.
Red cracks scarred the atmosphere as if someone had struck reality with a hammer. Through the fractures, thousands of portals pulsed, each vomiting a bloody light.
The entire city froze.
People looked up.
Then the monsters started falling.
Kael watched the scene from the school parking lot.
— I'd like to clarify, he said calmly, that I didn't ask for any of this.
A three-meter lizard crashed onto a car.
BOOM.
Alarm.
Explosion.
— Not a single thing, Kael insisted.
Riven was shaking.
— The world is ending.
— Yes.
— Right after your awakening.
— Yes.
— Coincidence?
Kael stared at him.
— If you finish that sentence, I'm leaving you with the lizard.
Lysara studied the portals with professional focus.
— This isn't a normal invasion… she murmured.
— You're saying that because the sky is literally open? Kael asked.
— I'm saying it because portals aren't supposed to obey intelligence.
Silence.
A message appeared in front of Kael.
> Correct observation.
The entity is watching you.
— Great, Kael muttered. I'm being stalked by a god.
The ground trembled.
Professional hunters arrived.
Lightning.
Flames.
Armed squads.
The school had officially become a war zone.
A man in a long coat landed in front of them. Black mask. Golden insignia.
Lysara stiffened.
— Captain Valen…
He scanned the area.
His eyes stopped on Kael.
— That's him?
— Yes, Lysara replied.
— Great, said Valen. We're dead.
Kael raised a hand.
— Hello. Student. I'd like to go home.
Valen ignored him.
— Quick report.
Lysara spoke fast.
Catastrophe dungeon. Guardian eliminated. King banished. Collapse. Survivors: two.
Valen looked at Kael the way one looks at a misunderstood bomb.
— Rank?
— Officially? Kael asked. F.
Silence.
Valen nodded slowly.
— Of course.
A monster fell behind them.
Valen drew his weapon.
Lysara did too.
Kael… stepped back.
— I'll support you morally.
The monster charged.
Valen launched an energy blade.
Missed.
The monster swept everything aside.
Kael tripped.
— Oh no—
> Critical failure detected
Divine Misfortune activated
SSS — Narrative Priority
The monster slipped.
On nothing.
It smashed into a wall.
Dead.
Valen stared at Kael.
— …
Kael raised his hands.
— I'm not touching anything!
The system added:
> Important events now involve you by default.
— I refuse.
> Refusal refused.
— That's illegal!
A wave crossed the sky.
All portals stopped.
The monsters froze.
The world held its breath.
Then the voice returned.
Closer.
Clearer.
> "Anomaly confirmed."
"Correction in progress."
Valen whispered:
— We've never heard an entity speak…
Kael pointed at the sky.
— It hates me personally.
The sky opened wider.
Something was coming through.
Not a monster.
Not a king.
Something older.
Gravity twisted.
Buildings groaned.
Windows exploded.
Riven started crying.
— I just wanted a muscle power…
Kael put a hand on his shoulder.
— I just wanted sleep.
A message flickered.
> Existential failure detected
Divine Misfortune overload
— Oh no.
> SSS — System Crash
The world lagged.
Literally.
Everything stopped.
Frozen frame.
Absolute silence.
Then—
resume.
The entity in the sky… was gone.
The portals were closing.
The monsters collapsed like puppets with cut strings.
Valen looked around.
— What did you do?
Kael was sitting on the ground.
Exhausted.
— I crashed the world.
The final message appeared.
> Correction postponed.
The anomaly persists.
Permanent surveillance activated.
Kael sighed.
— Great. I have a fan.
Sirens echoed.
The city survived.
Barely.
Valen crouched in front of him.
— From now on, you're under government protection.
— That sounds like prison with polite wording.
— Exactly.
Lysara extended her hand to Kael.
— Welcome to the hunters.
Kael looked at her.
Looked at the ruined city.
Looked at the repaired sky.
— I want a refund.
The system replied:
> No.