Chapter 2: The First New Rules
Kaelen wasn't running with the crowds that surged towards any possible exit. He realized that panic was the first enemy in this new world. His body, which had felt strange pulses since the morning, now seemed more alert, as if every muscle was taut and ready in a way he hadn't known before. Thick dust filled his lungs, but his gaze remained focused, observing the chaos around him and the entities slowly but steadily flowing from the sky fissures.
These entities were akin to materialized nightmares. Some possessed slender, twisted limbs ending in sharp claws, while others were vague, glowing masses of distorted energy that emitted harsh, metal-scraping sounds. They had no clear objective yet beyond mere existence, but their presence was enough to instill terror and despair.
Suddenly, a faint blue glow emanated from the largest fissure in the sky once more, but this time it wasn't random. The light settled on several students in the plaza, including Kaelen. He felt a stronger prick, like a cold electric current flowing through his veins. And at that very moment, directly before his eyes, with incredible clarity, a translucent information box glowed with neon blue light.
It wasn't a physical box; it floated in his field of vision, unobstructed by anything. Text written in a strange yet somehow comprehensible language began to appear within it:
[System Activation Initiating...][Host Compatibility Analysis...][Host: Kaelen. Affinity: Cosmic (High)][Awakening Detected: Dimensional Vision, Mana Manipulation (Dormant)][World Transformation Protocol Initiating: Level 1]
Kaelen was the only one who seemed to see this box. The others affected by the blue glow either froze in place for a moment, then collapsed unconscious, or began to tremble violently as if electrocuted.
"What the hell is this?" Kaelen muttered, his eyes narrowing as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. The word "System" echoed in his mind, but it was unlike any computer system he knew. It was like a video game, yet painfully real.
The box vibrated again, and new text appeared:
[Objective: Survive. Reward: Basic System Access]
This was the first rule: survive. At that moment, he didn't know how he would do it, but the promise of "basic System access" was enough to pique his curiosity. He glanced quickly at his fellow students, who were still screaming and running, but his gaze stopped at the void left by the massive collapsed pillar at the university entrance. That might be an exit, or at least, a place to hide.
As the chaos escalated, and the terrified screams of humans were no longer the only dominant sound—now mixed with unearthly shrieks from the torn sky—Kaelen decided to move. He didn't run towards the main gate, which resembled a bottleneck for the panicked crowds, but instead headed towards the adjacent buildings, specifically the back corridors leading to the old underground laboratories. That area was partially deserted, often used by diligent students seeking quiet study away from the noise.
He saw some students trying to hide in nearby classrooms, but Kaelen realized that glass walls and large windows would offer little protection against the incoming entities. These entities were growing denser, and some began to descend to the ground, making faint but terrifying thudding sounds.
With calculated steps amidst the falling debris, Kaelen made his way. Suddenly, his foot slipped on a wet piece of concrete, and he fell. At that moment, he saw the first entity with absolute clarity. It resembled a "Lurker"; a slender being, the height of an adult man, but its body was composed of faintly glowing green fibers, and its eyes were mere dark holes in its featureless face. It moved slowly, but every movement hinted at latent power.
As the Lurker approached, another blue flicker appeared in Kaelen's field of vision, but this time it wasn't an information box. It was a power gauge above the Lurker's head:
[Threat: Mutated Humanoid (First Wave)][Health Points: 100/100][Strength: Low][Speed: Medium]
"The System?!" Kaelen muttered in astonishment, slowly realizing this was no illusion. "Is this real?"
He rose with difficulty, using a cracked wall for support. The Lurker was now only a few meters away, its slender limbs slowly swaying in the air. Kaelen was unarmed, possessing no apparent powers. But the System's promises still echoed in his mind. This event, and this creature, should not have existed. Yet, they did. And now, he either had to escape or confront it.
Kaelen didn't allow himself the option of escape. There was something in the Lurker's slow gaze, and its strange body movements, that triggered an instinctive feeling in Kaelen that he could handle this threat. It wasn't foolish bravery, but a sudden realization that his body was responding differently. As the Lurker took another step, swinging its arm towards Kaelen, the latter did not retreat. Instead, Kaelen leaped aside with unexpected agility, narrowly dodging the blow that would have been enough to inflict a serious injury. It was a swift movement, as if time had slowed for a moment, allowing him to see the trajectory of the blow and easily avoid it.
Kaelen seized the momentum, pushing himself forward, targeting a faint glowing spot in the center of the translucent Lurker's body. He delivered a powerful punch, using all his might, towards that spot. At that moment, he felt as if latent energy had gathered in his fist. It was an ordinary punch, but what happened next was not. As soon as his fist touched the creature, a faint blue glow emanated from his hand, visible only to Kaelen, and the glow pierced the Lurker's body.
A sharp, painful shriek emanated from the creature, like the sound of shattering glass. The Lurker vibrated violently, its glowing fibers disintegrating, then it collapsed to the ground, slowly turning into glowing green ash that faded into the air.
[Threat Eliminated: Mutated Humanoid (First Wave)][Experience Points Gained: 50]
Another notification appeared, and then immediately afterward, a new, larger window:
[Achievement Unlocked: First Blood!][Reward: Basic Mana Control skill unlocked. Attribute Points: +2]
Kaelen felt a sudden surge of energy in his body. He didn't know what "Mana" was, but he realized this wasn't just an ordinary punch. This was the first step on his new path. He looked at the fading ash, then at the fissures in the sky. This was just the beginning.
Kaelen clearly realized that what was happening transcended natural disasters or any familiar human conflict. This was something coming from a place humanity had never imagined existed. And at that moment, amidst the collective terror surrounding him, his feeling was not merely a survival instinct, but a cold certainty that his family was in danger. This certainty was the fuel that ignited an unyielding resolve within him. If he wanted to find his family and protect them from this new world, he had to possess power, to transform himself into an unchallengeable force, no matter the cost.