Theo jolted awake, sitting upright in an unfamiliar room.
"What the hell happened last night?" he muttered, clutching his head with both hands.
As he tried to recall the events, a sharp pain stabbed through his skull. In an instant, memories flooded back the rain, the beating, Billy's twisted smile, the cold concrete beneath him. His breathing grew shallow as the realization settled in.
Slowly, Theo reached into his clothes, searching desperately for the necklace.
It wasn't there.
Before panic could take hold, a calm male voice echoed inside his head.
"Good morning, Theo Taylor."
Theo froze.
He scanned the room, his heart racing, but there was no one in sight. As he struggled to figure out where the voice came from, the door creaked open and an old woman entered the room.
She had a frail body, slightly hunched, and leaned on a metallic walking stick. Despite her age, her eyes were warm and kind.
"I see you're awake," she said gently. "How are you feeling? Does your body still hurt?"
As she spoke, she poured water into a glass and handed it to him.
Theo hesitated, uncertain whether to take it. Noticing his reluctance, she gave him a reassuring smile. "Relax. I knew your parents, Zack and Feria Taylor, when they were alive. You're sixteen now, right? It's been eleven years already."
Her words puzzled him, but somehow, they eased the knot of tension in his chest.
"Thank you, ma'am," Theo said, accepting it.
"You're welcome."
"When I found you last night," she continued softly, "your whole body was covered in bruises and cuts. What happened to you?"
Theo hesitated before answering. "I was attacked… by a classmate. He wanted to kill me."
Emotion surged through him. He stood up from the bed and knelt on the floor, bowing his head deeply.
"Thank you so much for saving my life," he said earnestly. "I will never forget your kindness. If you ever need my help, I'll do everything in my power to repay you."
The old woman smiled and shook her head. "There's nothing you can do for me, child. I'm already old. I'll die soon anyway. But thank you for your willingness."
Theo clenched his fists. "Then please, let me help you on weekends—cleaning the house or running errands. Your home looks dusty. It's the least I can do."
She sighed, then nodded. "Alright. I'll accept your offer. Just don't overdo it."
Relief washed over Theo's face. He sat back on the bed.
"Ma'am," he asked carefully, "did you see a necklace with a wolf-shaped pendant when you found me?"
She shook her head. "No, I didn't. But we can go back and check where I found you. Maybe I missed it."
Theo helped her to her feet, and together they headed outside.
Ma'am, what's your name? he asked as they were leaving. She replied, "Call me Grandma Elizabeth."
At the scene of the incident, Theo searched repeatedly, scanning every corner. Nothing.
Eventually, he gave up and went to meet the old woman, who was sitting on a bench in front of a nearby coffee shop.
"Did you find it?" she asked.
Theo shook his head. "No."
Is the necklace very important to you?"
"Yes," he replied quietly. "It was the last thing my parents gave me before they went to fight in the war… and died."
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "We can check again if you want."
"It's fine, ma'am," Theo said, forcing a smile. "Thank you for coming with me. I really appreciate it."
He helped her up, and they returned to her house.
By the time Theo left, it was already past noon. He bid her farewell and returned to his apartment.
Once inside, he removed his torn clothes and went to shower. As warm water ran over his body, he noticed something strange.
The cuts and bruises were almost completely healed.
"That's odd," he murmured. "I guess I wasn't as injured as I thought."
Relieved, he dried off and lay on his bed.
Just as he was about to sleep, a voice echoed in his head once more.
"Good afternoon, Theo Taylor."
Theo shot upright and looked around.
"I must've hit my head really hard," he muttered. "Now I'm hearing voices."
"Good afternoon, Theo Taylor.
Congratulations on unlocking the Devouring Werewolf System."
Theo swallowed hard. "Who… who are you?"
"I am your AI assistant, designed to guide and teach you how the system works."
"O-Okay," Theo said shakily. "How can I see you or talk to you properly?"
"You must assign me a name."
Theo thought for a moment. "Hmm… Zero."
"Do you wish to set my name as 'Zero'?"
"Yes."
"Voice recognition confirmed. AI name set: Zero. You may now interact with me freely."
Theo took a deep breath. "Zero… who are you, how are you in my head, and what is the Devouring Werewolf System?"
"Please ask one question at a time, Master Theo. I am an interactive AI embedded within the Werewolf System. Only you can hear me. The Werewolf System is a game-like system designed to help you grow and evolve as a werewolf."
Still confused, Theo decided to play along, assuming it was a hallucination that would eventually fade.
"Would you like to view your status screen?" Zero asked.
"Yes… please."
A white, translucent screen materialised before Theo's eyes. He stiffened but quickly composed himself.
Status Window
Name: Theo Taylor
Race: Werewolf
Rank: Wolf Cub
Level: 1
EXP: 0 / 25
Class: None
Abilities: None
Skill Points: None
HP: 10 / 10
Stamina: 5
Strength: 5
Agility/Speed: 5
Defense: 5
Attack: 5
Theo exhaled slowly. "I'm very weak."
"That is correct," Zero replied. "However, as you level up, your stats will increase."
"How do I level up?"
"By completing quests. Quests are divided into daily, weekly, main, and special quests. You currently need 25 EXP to reach Level 2. Your daily quests are now available."
Daily Quests
Drink 1 litre of water – Reward: 5 EXP
Workout for 1 hour – Reward: 5 EXP
Theo closed the screen. He walked to the fridge, grabbed two bottles of water, and drank them.
Ding!
"Daily quest completed: Drink 1 liter of water. EXP gained: 5. Total EXP: 5 / 25."
"So… it actually worked," Theo muttered.
"Would you like assistance with your next quest?" Zero asked.
Theo nodded.
After an hour of basic exercises guided by Zero, another sound rang out.
Ding!
"Daily quest completed: Workout for 1 hour. EXP gained: 5. Total EXP: 10 / 25."
Exhausted but satisfied, Theo lay back on his bed.
I can change my life with this, he thought. Maybe God hasn't given up on me after all.
With that hope in his heart, Theo drifted into sleep.