The alley was empty now, but Kalyan didn't stop moving. His leg throbbed, and every muscle screamed from the previous fight. Yet, adrenaline and the faint hum of the system in his veins pushed him forward. He had survived a C-Tier Raft attack, awakened a system no one else could touch, and just faced hunters who could have detained him.
But survival was no longer enough. Knowledge alone wouldn't protect him. He needed skills. Permanent power. And the system, glowing faintly in his vision, promised exactly that.
"System Shop Access Granted."
A holographic interface shimmered in the air before him. Kalyan blinked. It was like a celestial marketplace suspended in nothingness, everything the universe had to offer floating elegantly on invisible shelves. Weapons, artifacts, vessels, even body parts—each tagged with system points, rarity, and danger level.
He tapped on a floating icon. Dragon Heart.
"Requires: 50,000 System Points. Grants ability to forge Dragon Skills."
Kalyan's mind raced. Dragon Skills were legendary—capable of creating weapons and techniques that could reshape a battlefield. But the cost… astronomical. Still, if he earned enough points, he could craft powers no hunter, no human, no monster could match.
Next, a God Vessel floated before him, larger than life, glowing with divine energy.
"Requires: 200,000 System Points. Temporary activation only. Exceed duration may result in death."
His pulse quickened. The Vessel could absorb everything—power, energy, even attacks—and remain unharmed. But the risk was clear: overuse could kill him. And yet… the temptation was irresistible.
Finally, he hovered over weapons and skills. Swords, staves, fists, and claws all shimmered with possibilities. Each skill slot could be permanently integrated, but the price increased with each new skill. The system didn't hand power freely. Nothing did.
Kalyan took a deep breath. His eyes glowed faintly as the aura around him surged. "I'll earn them. One by one. Every Dragon Heart, every God Vessel, every skill… all will be mine."
As the interface faded, the world returned, but Kalyan could still feel the pull of the system. He was no longer a simple human surviving day by day. He was a summoner of skills, a collector of legendary power, and the world had just begun to notice him.
Behind the horizon, faint streaks of light shimmered. Rafts still opened, monsters still roamed, and the Hunter Association still watched. But Kalyan had a system, and the first step of his legend had just begun.