High above the ruined city, a man stood on the edge of a skyscraper.
Wind tugged at his black suit, the fabric perfectly tailored to his average but well-defined frame. His posture was relaxed, almost elegant, as if the chaos below was nothing more than scenery. In front of him hovered a translucent system window, its glow reflected in his eyes.
"…So someone already has it," he said quietly.
His voice was calm, carrying a little jealousy and both have interest and curiosity of who's the person who get it.
Title Unavailable: The First Unique Achiever
A faint smile curved his lips.
The man's face was striking in an unusual way—handsome yet pretty, sharp lines softened by an androgynous beauty that made it hard to tell whether he appeared more gentle or more dangerous. His eyes narrowed slightly, gleaming with curiosity.
"So, another variable has been added," he murmured.
Then the scene shifted.
---
James stood in the middle of a cracked street, smoke drifting past him.
"Dismiss Summon."
The air stirred once, and Sampon vanished without a sound.
"…So it really does what it says," James muttered.
He let out a small sigh of relief. As helpful as Sampon might be, the endless questions and strange enthusiasm were exhausting. 'I'll summon him later', James decided. 'When I actually need him'.
He moved forward cautiously, senses stretched wide.
The city felt different now, not just broken, but alive in a hostile way. Every shadow seemed capable of moving. Every sound carried intent.
That was when he spotted it.
A convenience store, its glass cracked, doors hanging open.
James entered carefully, scanning the aisles. No movement. No breathing. Just silence.
"Jackpot."
He wasted no time.
Snacks. Bottled water. Canned food. Instant noodles. Everything he could grab vanished into his subspace inventory in seconds. His heart raced, not from fear, but from efficiency.
Then-
Scrape.
James turned sharply.
A goblin stood near the entrance, dagger raised, eyes gleaming.
James tensed, but didn't freeze.
This time, he moved first.
One step forward. One clean stab.
The blade pierced the goblin's throat.
It collapsed without even a sound.
James stood there, staring at the corpse.
"…That was it?"
No struggle. No panic. No near-death moment.
Just… over.
The realization made him feel oddly awkward, like he'd skipped steps in a process he'd barely begun to understand.
He shook his head and left the store, staying alert as he continued down the street.
Then-
"Help…"
So faint it almost blended into the wind.
James stopped.
He frowned.
'Did I imagine that?'
"…Help…"
There it was again.
His eyes widened slightly.
Sense stat, he realized.
James focused and moved.
His body responded instantly. Muscles propelled him forward with speed that would've been impossible before, like a trained athlete at full sprint. He cut through alleys and debris until he spotted movement.
A boy.
Probably college-aged.
He was pressed against a broken wall, shaking, clutching a knife with white-knuckled desperation.
James approached carefully.
The boy suddenly jumped up, eyes wide with terror, and pointed the knife at him.
"D-Don't come closer!"
James immediately raised his hands.
"Hey—relax," he said calmly. "I'm human."
The boy blinked, breathing hard.
"…S-Sorry," he stammered. "I thought you were a monster."
James lowered his hands slowly. "You okay?"
The boy nodded shakily, then shook his head. "No… not really."
James studied him. "Why are you out here? You should be hiding."
The boy swallowed.
"My sister," he said quietly. "She's still in school. When everything happened, she was there. I-I have to get to her."
He spoke quickly now, words tumbling out, how they'd been separated when the world changed, how the school was several blocks away, how monsters were everywhere, how he didn't know if she was still alive.
James listened without interrupting.
When the boy finished, James felt something tighten in his chest.
Family.
Something he never had.
"…I'll help you," James said after a moment.
The boy looked up sharply. "R-Really?"
James nodded. "You won't make it alone."
The city burned around them.
And just like that, their paths crossed.