The world changed overnight. Not with earthquakes, not with wars, not with warnings. It changed with towers massive, black spires erupting from the ground like teeth of some ancient predator. No nation claimed them. No scientist could explain them. They pulsed faintly at night, sending vibrations through the earth, and with their appearance came the awakenings.
Some people gained powers rivaling myths. The SSS grade, the "Gods" among men, could destroy mountains, summon storms, and bend reality itself. Others less fortunate awakened weak skills. F grade people could barely move objects a few inches. E grade fighters could create small flames or shields. Hunter ranks became universal, and the world tilted on its axis.
Hunter Ranks:
F – Civilian/Novice
E – Fighter
D – Hunter
C – Elite
B – Commander
A – Disaster
S – Calamity
SS – Catastrophe
SSS – Apocalypse
??? – World Ender
Half of the world's population now wielded power. Governments scrambled. Guilds of hunters rose to claim territory, contract, and prestige. Monsters, creatures previously unknown, emerged from shadows near the towers. Chaos became law.
Amid it all walked Rem Kuro.
He was nineteen. Unremarkable. Black hair fell across pale features; grey eyes were sharp but empty. The world owed him nothing, and he returned the favor. No powers. No awakening. No one noticed him. He worked nights at a small repair shop in the Hunter district. That was his life quiet, lonely, invisible.
"Gods above… half the city's gone crazy," he muttered under his breath, weaving past a group of novice hunters practicing in the alley. Sparks flickered from their palms, and one screamed as a small fire licked his fingers. The others laughed.
"Careful, idiots! You'll burn the whole block!" Rem called, but his voice carried no authority. They ignored him.
He sighed. "Figures. Pathetic."
Half the world had powers now. He had nothing. And in a world full of monsters and hunters, being powerless was death waiting to happen.
It was past midnight. The streets were quiet. Rem was heading home, eyes tired, hands in pockets, when his phone vibrated violently. He hadn't touched it. The screen flickered black, then bled red letters.
[THE WORLD ENDING SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
Rem froze. "What the hell…?"
Searching for a suitable host…
Host Found: Rem Kuro
Welcome, Candidate.
He blinked. "Okay… prank. Someone's messing with me." He waved his hands at the device. "Very funny."
Your task is simple. End this world.
He laughed, bitterly. "End… the world? Yeah, right. Good one."
[SYSTEM RULES]
Rule 1: Complete all quests issued.
Rule 2: Refusal reduces lifespan.
Rule 3: Completing quests grants stats, skills, and special points.
Rule 4: Cannot be removed.
Rule 5: Hidden quests may appear at any time.
Rule 6: Punishments increase with disobedience.
Rule 7: Final quest unknown.
Rule 8: System grows stronger as host grows stronger.
Rule 9: Host cannot reveal system existence.
Rule 10: System feeds on chaos, fear, destruction, and sin.
He frowned. "This is… definitely not normal."
[ACCEPT SYSTEM? YES / NO]
Rem stared at the screen. "Nope. Not gonna touch it. Definitely fake."
[WARNING: REFUSAL DETECTED. LIFESPAN REDUCTION INITIATED.]
A chill raced down his spine. His chest tightened. His vision blurred. He fell to one knee, gripping the cold pavement. "What… the ?
A low growl echoed from the shadows near the towering monolith in the city center. Rem's pulse raced. He struggled to his feet. "What the hell is that…?
[FIRST QUEST ISSUED]
Break the street light in front of you.
Reward: Strength +1
Punishment: -30 Days Lifespan
Time Limit: 10 Minutes
Rem glanced at the lamppost. "…You've got to be kidding me." He shook his head. "Break a streetlight? That's the first quest?"
The growl grew closer, something moving in the darkness. Rem's hand itched, not for the streetlight, but for something heavier, sharper.
[WARNING: TIME IS RUNNING OUT.]
He muttered, almost to himself: "Fine. If it wants me to… I'll play your game."
He picked up a brick from a trash pile and hurled it at the lamppost. Glass shattered. Sparks rained down. The hum of electricity coursed through the metal.
[QUEST COMPLETE]
Stats Acquired: Strength +1, Chaos +1, Fear +1
Special Points: Destruction +1
"Wait… what?" Rem stared at his hands. They felt… lighter. Sharper. The air around him seemed thicker, almost charged.
[NEXT QUEST WILL APPEAR IN 24 HOURS]
A twisted, hunched figure emerged from the shadows. Its limbs were long, jagged; claws scraping against the asphalt. Its eyes glowed faintly red, its mouth opening in a grotesque grin.
Rem's first instinct: run. His second: laugh. "Seriously? That's… cute. You think you scare me?"
The monster hissed, a wet, gurgling sound. It leaped. Rem barely dodged, tripping over a piece of debris.
[DAMAGE DETECTED: ATTACK SUCCESSFUL]
Strength +2, Chaos +2, Fear +1, Destruction +2
Rem wiped blood from a scraped cheek, grinning despite himself. "Okay… this is fun." He could feel the system pulsing inside his mind, whispering, guiding. Not telling him what to do commanding him, tempting him.
[REM KURO: CANDIDATE STATUS APPROVED]
[SYSTEM GOAL: WORLD TERMINATION IN PROGRESS]
He hefted a heavier piece of concrete. "Alright… let's see if you're as tough as you look."
The monster lunged. Rem swung, the concrete connecting with a sickening crunch. Sparks of red and black flared in his vision. The creature shrieked, staggering, then recovered, circling him.
"Not bad… for a first fight," Rem muttered. "You're gonna die, though. Don't take it personally."
Every move he made, the system flared. His reflexes sharpened. His hands tingled. Every strike, every dodge, every slight increase in chaos filled him with power.
[SYSTEM STATUS]
Strength: 6
Speed: 5
Endurance: 5
Intelligence: 5
Luck: 5
Aura: 0
Fear: 1
Chaos: 1
Special Points:
Destruction: 1
Fear: 1
Sin: 0
Chaos: 1
He looked up at the towers, black monoliths looming over the city like sentinels of doom. He whispered to himself: "Half the world got powers. Monsters are everywhere. And me? I just got… this?"
[SYSTEM MESSAGE: HOST – REM KURO]
[YOUR POWER IS ONLY BEGINNING TO AWAKEN.]
A shiver ran down his spine, but it wasn't fear. It was anticipation. Hunger. A dark, intoxicating thrill.
The monster roared and charged again. Rem ducked, spun, and slammed his elbow into its jaw. It shrieked and retreated, leaving a streak of black ichor on the pavement.
Rem laughed, wiping sweat from his brow. "Okay… this is real. This is all real. And it's mine."
He looked around at the empty streets, the flickering lamppost, the towering monolith above. The system pulsed in his mind, insistent, demanding, promising power beyond measure.
The world was changing. Rem Kuro had nothing until now. And the system, alive, ancient, and malevolent, had chosen him to end it all.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the new strength coursing through him.
[SYSTEM ALERT: FIRST MONSTER DEFEATED NEW ABILITIES UNLOCKED]
A grin spread across his face. "Well… guess the fun's just beginning."
And somewhere deep inside, he heard it, the faint, whispered echo that would haunt him for the rest of his life:
"End the world… or die trying."