I had made my choice.
No turning back.
The moment those words left my mouth—"I'll stay"—the world responded like it had been waiting for me. The ground beneath me pulsed with energy, and the forest around us dissolved, pixel by pixel, like glass shattering in reverse. It wasn't magic.
It was the System.
[SYSTEM INITIALIZING…]
A flash of blue light swallowed everything.
When I opened my eyes, I wasn't in the forest anymore. I stood on a massive, floating platform suspended in an endless sky. Wind howled from every direction, yet I didn't feel cold. Lightning arced across the horizon like angry serpents. Far above me, rings of floating runes rotated slowly, humming like an ancient engine powering reality itself.
Was this... a tutorial?
The thought was ridiculous—but also terrifyingly accurate.
User: Aiden KuroStatus: Incomplete SyncMark of Ascension: ConfirmedRace: Human (Unranked)Potential Grade: ???Processing Class Selection…
Everything floated in front of me in a semi-transparent window, pulsing with a faint light. I reached out, and the interface shifted instantly. It responded to touch, thought, and even intention. Like it was part of me.
And then I heard the voice again.
Not the robed figure—but the System itself.
Welcome, Aiden Kuro. You have been chosen by the Ascension Protocol.
Your body has been reforged. Your mind has been aligned. Your fate has been rewritten.
Prepare for your first trial.
Without warning, the platform trembled.
A chime echoed through the clouds as a new message appeared:
[TRIAL ONE: THE FORGOTTEN ARENA]Objective: SurviveDuration: 3 minutesConditions: No weapons. No armor. No escape.Death is real.
The edges of the arena glowed with red light. Suddenly, shapes began crawling out from shadowy portals—misshapen beasts with gray, matted skin, sharp fangs, and glowing red eyes. Their bodies twitched unnaturally as if they were puppets made from nightmares.
There were dozens.
"No weapons?" I whispered, panic rising.
As if mocking me, the System confirmed:
[Combat Module Locked][Weapon Access: Denied][Survival Protocol: Active]
The first creature charged.
I barely moved in time, throwing my weight to the side. It lunged past me, but another followed. My instincts kicked in. I ducked under a swipe and delivered a wild punch to its jaw. To my surprise—it stumbled back.
[+10 XP][New Skill Unlocked: Improvised Strike Lv.1]
"You're giving me skills while I fight?"
It made no sense. But I couldn't stop to question it.
Another beast lunged. I caught it mid-air, using its momentum to flip it over the edge of the platform. It screamed as it fell into the clouds below.
[+15 XP][Strength Stat Increased +1]
I'm learning in real-time. My body is adapting.
Blood pounded in my ears. Pain bloomed across my ribs where a claw grazed me. I gritted my teeth and kept moving. Every moment I survived, the System rewarded me. I was evolving mid-battle.
But I was still human.
My breath grew heavier. My limbs ached. I slipped on the blood-slick platform, and three beasts closed in.
This is it, I thought. I'm going to die here. In a tutorial.
Then—
[MARK OF ASCENSION: ACTIVATED]Temporary Boost:+50% Strength+50% Speed+Endurance Resistance
Power erupted from within.
My body exploded with motion. I could feel the world in slow motion—like I had jumped three seconds into the future. I dodged, spun, struck with inhuman force.
The air around me crackled.
My hand clenched, and something sparked along my palm. Lightning coiled around my wrist like a whip.
[New Ability Acquired: Shock Pulse Lv.1]
I didn't wait for permission.
I launched the power outward in a thunderous wave. The creatures were lifted off their feet, disintegrated by the force.
[+100 XP][LEVEL UP: Level 2 Achieved]
My vision blurred.
I fell to one knee. The power faded. The Mark had a cost—I felt drained, like I'd sprinted through a hurricane.
But the timer hovered above.
00:15... 00:10... 00:05...
The last creature hesitated. I met its eyes—then lunged, tackling it off the edge with a roar.
[Trial Complete]Survivor Bonus: +25 XPRewards: +5 Attribute Points | +1 Skill Slot | Inventory Unlocked | Status Access Granted
Everything went white again.
When the light faded, I stood on a small stone island, floating in calm space. A waterfall poured upward behind me. Strange stars glittered in the sky. A voice—not the System's—whispered through the air.
"You survived... impressive."
The robed figure reappeared, hovering above the water like a phantom. His hood was still drawn, but this time I could see a faint smile beneath it.
"You're beginning to understand now. This world doesn't hand out power. It demands growth, suffering, sacrifice. Only those who survive evolve."
I didn't answer. I was exhausted, breathing heavily, covered in bruises—but I stood tall.
"You passed the first gate," he said, "But there are countless more. This world will eat you alive if you're weak. So tell me, Aiden Kuro…"
His tone changed—cold, final.
"Are you ready to become something more than human?"
I didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
And in that moment, something deep within me clicked. Not just survival.
Purpose.
This world didn't just choose me.
I chose it.