Kalyan's hands ached, raw from the day's construction work. Another long shift at the convenience store had barely covered his sister's tuition. Outside, the city buzzed with ordinary life, blind to the horrors slowly creeping into their world.
Ever since the Rafts appeared—glowing, mysterious portals from another dimension—he had memorized monster tiers, studied their weaknesses, and mapped their patterns. He wasn't a hunter; he didn't have a license. But knowledge, he reminded himself, could be a weapon.
The warning came too late.
A thunderous crack split the sky above the half-finished building where he worked. The air shimmered and twisted. A massive portal, black and violet, yawned open. From it poured creatures straight from nightmares—wolf-like, skeletal beasts with skin stretched tight over jagged bones, eyes glowing with hunger.
Kalyan's mind raced. C-Tier Wolves. Fast, deadly, and far beyond what a normal man could face. Only one option remained: run.
He spun to descend, but the scaffolding groaned under his weight. A beam collapsed, pinning his leg. The nearest wolf lunged, jaws snapping mere inches from his face.
And then… light.
White text floated before his eyes, glowing softly in the air:
"Congratulations. You have awakened. Welcome to the All-Skill Summoning System."
The world stilled. Pain, fear, panic—they all drained into a void of clarity. Kalyan felt a presence stir inside him, humming and alive. A cascade of weapons, mystical runes, and legendary skills flashed before him. Every technique he had ever studied, every martial or mythical power ever imagined, now waited at his fingertips.
Instinct guided him. He focused on the nearest wolf. In his hand, a radiant blade of pure energy formed, humming with his aura. Reflexes sharpened, and he slashed with precision he had never known. The wolf froze, hesitating, as if sensing something unnatural.
"Skill Summoning Complete. Temporary Activation: 5 minutes."
Pain throbbed in his leg, but the system's energy surged through him. Survival was no longer just instinct—it was strategy. And for the first time, Kalyan realized that knowledge alone could only take him so far. Now, he had power.
He clenched his teeth, feeling the weight and thrill of the system settle into him. Monsters closed in, the portal pulsing behind them, and a single thought burned in his mind: I will survive. No matter what.