The echoes of the landlord's retreating footsteps faded into the heavy silence of the hallway. Ariyan Ahmed stood in the center of his small room, his chest heaving. The golden glow from the system window had dimmed, but the clarity in his mind remained as sharp as a razor.
[ Notification: First Passive Skill 'Sabr' (Patience) is stabilizing your neural pathways. ]
[ Current Mission: The Hidden Charity ]
Description: A true Wayfarer does not just seek power; he seeks the elevation of his character. In the alleyway outside your mess, an old soul is suffering in silence.
Objective: Share half of your remaining resources with the one in need without seeking recognition.
Reward: +15 XP, Skill Evolution: 'Insightful Eyes'.
Failure Penalty: Immediate Level Reset.
Ariyan looked at the single ten-taka coin on his desk. Half of his resources? That was only five takas. It seemed insignificant, almost insulting. But the system didn't care about the amount; it cared about the intent.
He stepped out of his room. The hallway was dark and smelled of damp concrete. As he walked down the stairs, he felt different. His steps were lighter, and his senses were heightened. He could hear the distant murmur of televisions and the clinking of plates from other rooms.
In the narrow, trash-strewn alley behind the building, he saw her. An elderly woman, wrapped in a thin, tattered shawl, was shivering against the cold brick wall. She wasn't begging; she was just... waiting.
Ariyan approached her. His old self would have felt pity but walked away, thinking he was too poor to help. But the 'Sabr' skill pulsed in his mind, cooling his selfishness. He realized that poverty of the pocket is nothing compared to the poverty of the heart.
He took the ten-taka coin, went to a nearby tea stall, bought two warm buns, and handed one to the woman. He didn't say a word. He didn't wait for a "thank you." He simply placed it in her trembling hands and walked away.
[ Mission Success! ]
[ XP Gained: 15 ]
[ Skill 'Sabr' leveled up to 2! ]
[ New Skill Unlocked: 'Insightful Eyes' (Level 1) ]
As he walked back, the world suddenly changed. Small icons appeared over people's heads.
A passerby: [Status: Greedy, Level 1]
A street cat: [Status: Hungry, Level 0]
But then, he saw something that made his blood run cold. Two men in dark leather jackets were standing at the entrance of his mess. Over their heads, the system flared a violent red.
Stranger 1: [Status: Hostile, Level 3 - Dark Path Disciple]
Stranger 2: [Status: Hostile, Level 4 - Dark Path Disciple]
"That's him," one of them whispered, pointing at Ariyan. "The one Shahriyar told us about. The fluke who awakened in the dirt."
Ariyan's heart raced, but the 'Sabr' skill kicked in instantly. The panic that usually would have paralyzed him was replaced by a cold, analytical stillness. He could see their muscles tensing; he could predict their first move.
"Who is Shahriyar?" Ariyan asked, his voice steady.
The taller man laughed, a dry, raspy sound. "Someone who doesn't like competition. Especially not from a brat who smells of prayer and cheap buns. Grab him!"
The Level 4 disciple lunged forward. To everyone else, he was a blur of speed. But to Ariyan, with 'Insightful Eyes' and 'Sabr' active, the man's movement was flawed. He saw the gap in the man's stance.
Ariyan didn't strike back with a fist. He simply pivoted. The man's momentum carried him forward, crashing into a stack of empty crates.
[ Combat Log: Evasive Maneuver Success! ]
[ Warning: Dark Energy detected. Your 'Radiance' is under threat. ]
"You... how did you dodge that?" the man growled, getting up. His hands began to smoke with a faint, black mist. This was the Dark Path—the antithesis of everything Ariyan was beginning to represent.
Ariyan stood his ground. He realized this wasn't just a fight for survival; it was the beginning of a war between Light and Shadow.
"I don't know who sent you," Ariyan said, his aura beginning to emit a soft, white glow. "But tell Shahriyar this: The sun doesn't ask for permission to rise. And neither will I."
The two men looked at each other, a flicker of genuine fear in their eyes. The boy standing before them wasn't a Level 1 weakling. He was something... ancient.
Before they could attack again, a siren wailed in the distance. "Next time, kid," the taller one hissed. They vanished into the shadows of the alley as quickly as they had appeared.
Ariyan stood alone in the dark, but he wasn't afraid. He looked up at the leaden sky. The clouds were still there, but he knew that behind them, the sun was waiting.
[ Level Up: Level 2 ]
[ New Mission: The Path to the Academy ]
[ Quest: Find the hidden scroll in the City Library. ]
The journey had truly begun.