The system's warning echoed in Charles's head long after he lay in bed staring at the ceiling.
[Emergency Quest Activated]
"First Rift Event Approaching."
Time Until Event: 48 Hours
Charles squeezed his eyes shut.
"A rift… here? Near the apartment? Or near the school?"
Midnight growled low, tail puffed up.
Charles sat up, rubbing his face. "Well… I guess my peaceful life is already over."
He checked the quest details.
[Emergency Quest: Survive or Stop the Rift Event]
Rewards:
• +20 System Points
• Unlock Skill: "Divine Pulse"
Failure:
• Serious injury
• Potential exposure of true class
• Danger to family
Charles swallowed hard.
"This isn't optional."
Midnight leapt onto his shoulder, gentle but firm.
"You're right," Charles whispered. "I have to get stronger before it happens."
The system blinked.
[Daily Quest Completed]
+1 Point
"One point… this is going to take forever," he groaned.
---
Morning Tension
The next day, Charles walked to school with puffy eyes.
He barely slept.
Midnight wasn't allowed to follow, so the cat sat by the window and watched him leave—golden eyes glowing faintly.
When Charles arrived at Starlight Academy, everything felt heavier. Students whispered as he walked by.
"That's him… the one who shattered the crystal."
"Maybe he awakened a cursed class."
"I heard the Awakening Bureau wants to retest him."
Charles lowered his head.
He didn't want attention.
He didn't want trouble.
He just wanted to stay hidden.
But then—
"CHARLES!"
Lance slapped him on the back.
"You look like a zombie, bro. Did you sleep last night?"
Charles forced a smile. "Not really."
Arianna approached beside Lance, her piercing eyes scanning him.
"You're pale. Did something happen after we left?"
"No," Charles lied quickly. "I just… stayed up too late."
Arianna didn't believe a word, but she didn't push it.
"You need rest," she said firmly. "Whatever your awakening was, your body must still be adjusting."
Charles opened his mouth to reply—
"That's him!"
A mocking voice cut through the hallway.
---
The Bullies Make a Move
Three rich boys approached.
Damian Crowe, the arrogant son of a guild official
Tomas Gale, heir to a tech corporation
Reed Voss, who always followed behind them
Damian smirked.
"Well, well. The food stall boy is suddenly popular."
Tomas laughed. "Maybe the crystal shattered from the smell."
Reed added, "He probably awakened Dishwashing Skill."
Charles clenched his fist.
Not because of the insults.
But because of something else—
The system reacted.
[Threat Detected]
[Enemies: 3]
[Recommended Action: Avoid conflict to maintain low profile]
Charles took a deep breath.
He turned calmly.
"I don't want trouble today."
Damian stepped closer, eyes narrowing.
"Then stop pretending you awakened something special."
Charles stiffened.
He hadn't said anything.
He hadn't told anyone more than "F-Rank Bishop."
So why—
"You're hiding something," Damian whispered. "The Bureau is already talking. And I don't like secrets."
Before Charles could respond, Arianna stepped forward sharply.
"Damian Crowe," she said coldly, "step back. Now."
Even Damian hesitated.
The Velhart family wasn't someone anyone wanted to cross.
Lance added, "Unless you want Arianna to crush your entire family with one phone call, walk away."
Damian clicked his tongue.
"This isn't over, Reyes."
The trio walked off.
Charles exhaled shakily.
Arianna looked at him with concern. "Charles… what exactly happened to you yesterday?"
Charles opened his mouth—
The system chimed.
[Warning: Do Not Reveal Class.]
[Concealment Protocol Active.]
Charles swallowed his words.
"I don't know," he whispered. "I just awakened wrong."
Arianna wanted to argue, but something in his eyes stopped her.
Lance sighed. "Fine. But if anything happens, we've got your back."
Charles nodded gratefully.
He hoped it wouldn't come to that.
He hoped the rift wouldn't appear near them.
But hope was fragile.
---
The Rift Appears
After school, Charles walked home alone, hands in his pockets.
The sky darkened earlier than usual.
Clouds swirled above the old playground near his apartment.
The system beeped frantically.
[Emergency Quest Update]
Rift Emergence Detected: 1 km Ahead
Type: Micro-Demon Rift
Danger Level: Low
Status: Forming
Charles stood frozen.
"Oh no…"
A swirling crack of purple light tore open in the middle of the playground. Children screamed and ran away.
Shadows poured out.
Dark tendrils crawled along the ground.
Monsters—small, twisted creatures—began to emerge.
Demons.
Charles's heart pounded.
"If I run away… someone will die."
He looked around.
No Bureau officers.
No guild members.
No awakened fighters.
Just him.
He closed his eyes.
"…Fine. Just this once."
He raised his hand.
A faint, golden glow formed around his palm.
Barely one percent of his real power.
He whispered:
"Divine Sanctuary."
---
A Miracle in the Playground
A shimmering dome of light erupted around the playground—silent, invisible to most, but real.
The demonic shadows recoiled, screeching.
The air trembled.
The rift flickered.
Charles stepped forward, voice low.
"Holy Reversal."
Light pulsed.
The shadows lunged—
And all their force bounced back at them, shredding the weaker demons instantly.
More emerged.
Charles gritted his teeth.
Midnight wasn't here.
Astrid wasn't summoned yet.
He had only himself.
He pushed his hand forward.
"Lightforge Burst!"
A wave of radiant energy blasted the demons, turning them into dust.
The rift trembled violently.
[System Notification]
Micro Rift Stability: 15% → 0%
With a crackle of light, the rift collapsed in on itself—vanishing completely.
Charles exhaled hard.
He fell to one knee, exhausted.
"That… was harder than I thought."
He'd used only a fraction of his power.
But for someone pretending to be an F-Rank…
This was already too much.
---
Someone Saw Everything
As the light faded, Charles stood and wiped sweat from his forehead.
He turned to leave—
But stopped.
Someone was standing at the edge of the playground.
A young man.
A stranger.
A figure in a black coat with the Awakening Bureau insignia.
His eyes stared directly at Charles.
He had seen everything.
Charles's blood turned cold.
The man spoke:
"…You. We need to talk."
---