The sun hung low, casting long shadows over the dirt path as Josh and Kaen trudged forward. Their stomachs growled like beasts, echoing in the silence between them.
"Are we... dying?" Josh groaned, clutching his stomach.
Kaen let out a dry laugh. "I think we're becoming soup ingredients."
Up ahead, they saw it: a small walled town, its rusted gate creaking open as traders passed in and out.
Josh's eyes lit up. "Please tell me they sell food."
"I'll handle it," Kaen said.
Inside the town's modest diner, they collapsed at a wooden table like exhausted hunters. Kaen ordered for both of them—two bowls of spicy noodles, fresh fruit, and enough dried supplies and junk food for the road ahead.
Josh reached eagerly for a bright packet of chips—but just as he touched it, the system pulsed.
>
---
ALERT
Junk food disallowed.
Objective Obstruction Detected
⚠️ Potential performance degradation risk.
Josh froze, mid-snack. His expression sank into pure defeat.
"Really?" he muttered, staring at the blinking message. "So this is my life now…"
Across the table, Kaen took a loud, satisfying crunch from his snack and gave Josh a thumbs up, mouth full of chips.
Josh sighed deeply and pushed the junk food away. He picked at his noodles and fruit while glaring at his system window like it was an annoying parent.
The moment was calm. Normal. Briefly… human.
Then the door slammed open.
A sharp gust of air hit the room, along with silence that dropped like a stone. A group of men in dark cloaks stepped in, their presence shifting the entire mood.
People in the diner froze. The air grew heavy. Oppression clung to their skin.
At the front of the group stood a tall sorcerer, cloaked in dark emerald, his eyes scanning the room like a predator. He approached the counter, boots thudding against the wooden floor.
Just then, a small girl ran across his path—barefoot and smiling.
Without hesitation, the man swung his leg and kicked her like trash in the road.
Gasps echoed. The girl shrieked mid-air.
Josh stood instantly.
Time slowed.
>
---
System Update
New Stimulus Detected: Compassion Surge
▶ Speed increased by 1.25%
Condition: Temporary Boost
Josh felt it. Lightness. Energy. His body surged with motion—natural, yet unfamiliar.
Before he could think, he moved.
A blur of limbs and instinct.
And then—his arms caught the girl mid-fall.
He landed in a crouch, the child trembling in his arms.
Silence swept the diner.
The sorcerers stared.
Josh blinked.
So did Kaen.
"...What the hell did I just do?"
---Mouths opened wide.
Fear struck the room like a curse.
The sorcerer who had kicked the girl slowly turned around. His eyes—icy and violent—scanned the diner.
People looked away. Some trembled. A mother pulled her child closer. Even the air felt afraid.
Kaen's voice cracked under the pressure as he stepped forward, placing himself between Josh and the approaching menace.
"U-uh… that was just a mistake," Kaen stammered, trembling. "We—we were just leaving…"
The sorcerer didn't blink.
He simply moved.
A single punch.
Kaen's body flew like a ragdoll, smashing into a table and crashing to the floor, groaning in pain.
The sorcerer walked forward, each footstep heavier than the last. His men followed close behind, their cloaks dragging on the wooden floor like whispers of death.
"So," the leader growled, "you think you can play hero?"
From under his cloak, he unsheathed a curved blade—its steel humming with dark energy.
Josh stood frozen.
Then the blade came down—fast, deadly, final.
>
---
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Your obedience has paid off.
▶ Speed increased by 2%
Condition: Passive Buff Activated
In that instant, Josh's body moved on its own.
He dodged. A perfect sidestep—sharp, clean, fluid.
The blade missed by inches.
The sorcerer's eyes narrowed.
"You dare dodge me?"
He launched forward, slashing, striking, stabbing—again and again—but Josh bent, rolled, ducked, twisted, dodged every strike, his body reacting faster than his mind could follow.
Kaen watched from the ground, dazed.
"What… is happening?" he whispered.
Josh leapt backward, landing in a crouch—and then sprang into the air.
One clean rotation.
A punch.
His fist collided with the sorcerer's jaw.
The man staggered back, stunned.
Silence.
Josh blinked, staring at his own hand like it didn't belong to him.
"I… did that?"
Kaen, eyes wide, nodded slowly. "Yeah… you did."
The sorcerer's eyes flared with rage as blood trickled from his lip.
"You little... monster."
Josh exhaled, his heartbeat pounding like thunder.
And for the first time—he felt something inside him shift.
Something… awake.
SYSTEM UPDATE
▶ Combat Protocol: Unlocked
First Strike Registered
Across from him, the sorcerer wiped blood from his mouth and snarled.
"Enough of this."
He pointed at Josh. "Kill him."
His men surged forward—six cloaked sorcerers with blades and spells at the ready.
Josh barely had time to react. His body moved again—faster than he thought possible.
He ducked under a blade. Twisted past a bolt of fire. Slammed a punch into a man's ribs—CRACK.
Another attacker leapt at him from behind—Josh spun and dropped him with a sharp elbow.
>
---
SYSTEM UPDATE
▶ Combat Protocol: Level 1 Unlocked
Strike Efficiency Enhanced
Reflex Boost: Active
Josh's movements became sharper. His punches hit harder. His dodges tighter.
One by one, he dropped the sorcerers.
The last one fell with a heavy thud. Silence again.
Only the leader remained—now truly furious.
"You little freak!"
The sorcerer raised both arms and ignited a blazing fire spell, roaring with rage. The flames twisted into a massive blast aimed straight at Josh.
Josh tried to dodge—
Too slow.
But instead of fear, something inside him snapped.
>
---
SYSTEM TRIGGERED
▶ Survival Instinct: Activated
▶ Power Surge Detected
▶ Boosting... Boosting... Boosting...
Josh clenched his fist—a weak purple glow pulsed from it.
He stepped into the fire.
And punched through it.
Like it was made of smoke.
The flames parted like bursting balloons. Josh charged forward, fist glowing brighter—and drove it straight into the sorcerer's chest.
The man flew across the diner, crashing through the far wall and collapsing into silence.
Josh fell to one knee, panting, drenched in sweat.
>
---
WARNING
▶ Energy Depleted
Source Required for System Continuation:
1. Use Magic Stone
2. Extract Sorcerer Core
---
Josh stared at the options.
"...I don't have a magic stone."
He hovered his hand over the second option.
> ▶ Extract Core – Confirm?
Yes.
Josh reached out.
His hand hovered above the fallen sorcerer.
Dark particles rose from the man's body, glowing crimson and violet—floating into Josh's palm like mist drawn by gravity.
>
---
EXTRACTION COMPLETE
▶ System Upgrading...
▪️ Level Up!
▪️ Level Up!
▶ Speed: +3%
▶ Combat Efficiency: +3%
▶ Flame Power Activated: 2%
Josh slowly stood up, his fists still faintly glowing.
His breath was heavy.
His eyes locked on his hand.
"...What the hell am I becoming?"