[System]
[Zareth Ashveil, your Strength has increased by one. Keep completing and finishing your tasks, and you will be rewarded with Attribute Points, which you can add to your abilities]
*********************************
Host Status
Name: Zareth Ashveil
Age: 23
Level: 0
Class: Unassigned
Experience: 0 / 100
Strength: 1
Perception: 0
Agility: 0
Speed: 0
Bravery: 0
Intelligence: 0
Charm: 0
*********************************
Zareth stared at the System Interface for a moment longer.
[This can be change and improved, this whole thing you see right now is that your still growing.]
His expression didn't change.
And yet.
The system keep continuing, explaining the system mechanics.
"This is interesting where will this lead, Will I become as strong as the others, or even stronger than all of them."
Zareth's eyes widened.
His body froze as a strange pressure pressed against his mind like something was forcing open a door that was never meant to be touched.
A memory that wasn't his.
A future that hadn't happened yet.
The system arrived.
But this time it did not feel like guidance.
It felt like an eye had opened
somewhere far beyond him.
Waiting.
[System: Forbidden Projection Activated]
Nothing happened at first.
For a moment, everything stayed the same.
Then something changed.
The world didn't go dark.
It just stopped.
Like time itself had frozen.
Zareth couldn't move.
Not because of pain.
But because his body wasn't responding anymore.
His breathing slowed.
His thoughts felt heavy.
And then he was somewhere else.
Zareth stood in a place he didn't recognize.
No walls.
No sky.
No sound.
Just a wide, empty space that didn't seem to end.
"Where am I"
His voice didn't echo.
It just disappeared.
Then he saw them.
Figures.
Far away.
Standing still.
Not moving.
Zareth squinted.
"People?"
But something felt wrong.
Even from that distance, he could feel it.
Pressure.
Like the air itself was pushing down on him.
Not anger.
Not killing intent.
Just something higher.
One of them moved slightly.
Another tilted its head.
Slow.
Like they were finally noticing him.
Zareth's chest tightened.
"They can see me."
At the center, one figure stood still.
Different from the rest.
It didn't move at all.
Zareth tried to focus on it.
But every time he did, his vision blurred.
Like he wasn't supposed to see it clearly.
"What is this."
Then a thought appeared in his mind.
Not spoken.
Just there.
"Not yet."
Zareth frowned.
"Not what?"
No answer.
The figures stayed still.
Just watching.
Then the ground started to crack.
Thin lines spreading like broken glass.
Zareth felt something pulling him back.
Hard.
The figures didn't react.
Didn't move.
Like they already knew this would happen.
Before everything faded.
Zareth saw it.
The center figure moved.
Just one step.
Zareth's eyes widened.
Then.
Everything broke apart.
Zareth suddenly gasped.
Air rushed back into his lungs.
Sound came back.
Pain returned.
He stumbled slightly, back in his body again.
"What… was that…"
A sharp pain hit his head for a moment.
Then it faded.
Just left behind.
That place was still there.
Like a memory that didn't belong to him.
Zareth stood still.
"I saw that before."
But he couldn't explain it.
It stayed with him.
Even after everything returned to normal.
He tried to shake off the feeling, but the eeriness still wrapped around his entire body, seeping into his mind.
*********************************
[Zareth Ashveil]
[New Task Available]
Walk for 5 minutes Reward +1 Attribute Point
Zareth looked at the message but didn't move right away.
"Walking?"
It felt almost stupid.
Still he didn't argue.
After a second, he stepped forward.
step.
Then another.
As he kept walking, things started to feel different.
Not big changes.
He noticed footsteps behind him.
Voices around him didn't blur together anymore.
Even the air brushing past his skin felt clearer somehow.
Zareth frowned a little.
"Was it always like this?"
There was no answer.
Only silence.
A few minutes passed.
He didn't even notice when the time ran out.
[Task Complete]
[+1 Attribute Point]
Zareth stopped.
He looked at his hand, opening and closing it slowly.
Nothing flashy happened.
No sudden power.
Just a slight change.
But it was there.
"So this is it."
His voice was quiet.
He looked ahead again.
And this time, he didn't hesitate to keep moving.
"Alright I've got another point. Now where should I put this"
Zareth thought deeply about where he should place the point.
"What if I put it into Strength no maybe Agility. Or should I go with Speed instead?"
[Attribute Allocation]
Speed +1
Remaining Attribute Points: 0
The moment the selection was made, the panel flickered.
A faint sensation spread through his body.
A light, almost weightless feeling spread through his body as he began to walk. Then, suddenly, someone called his name making Zareth stop in his tracks.
He stopped in front of a tree and glanced to his left.
There, he saw a tall man standing nearby athletic in build, with black hair streaked with a hint of red.
He wore glasses, and his gentle expression, along with his light brown eyes, gave him a calm and kind aura.
He stepped closer and spoke, his voice calm and gentle, carrying a light, friendly tone.
Zareth blinked.
The man in front of him spoke like they already knew each other.
But Zareth felt nothing.
No memory.
No familiarity.
Just an empty gap where something was supposed to be.
"Hey, Zareth Ashveil! How've you been today?"
"Sorry," Zareth said slowly.
"Do we know each other?"
A brief silence followed.
His eyes stayed on the man, calm but distant.
blank.
A faint chime echoed in his mind.
[System Notice]
Neural State: Clean Reset
Memory Access: Limited
External Recognition: Disabled
Zareth paused for a moment.
"Memory access?"
He didn't understand what it meant.
But it didn't feel like something he needed right now.
He looked back at the man.
"Hey, you forgot me already? We're in the same class Section D, remember?"
And he added.
"Do you still remember what Miss Seraphine said about the assessment?"
"I don't know anything about assessment," he said simply. "And I don't remember you."
His voice was steady.
Almost natural.
Like forgetting everything was completely normal.
"I'm Jack Draven don't you recognize me? We're in the same class. I even introduced myself to you yesterday."
Zareth scratched the back of his head, a faint frown forming as he realized he truly couldn't remember anything about Jack.
A pause stretched between them.
Zareth looked at him for a moment longer then slowly shook his head.
"Sorry," he said flatly. "I don't remember."
Jack blinked.
For a second, he looked like he wanted to say more.
But before he could.
A faint chime echoed inside Zareth's mind.
[System Notice]
Social Interaction Limit Reached Neural Load: Unstable Recommendation: Terminate Conversation
Zareth's eyes flickered slightly.
"I have to go."
He didn't wait for a response.
He stepped back once, then turned away without another word.
Not rude.
Not angry.
Just final.
Like the conversation had already been closed somewhere he couldn't see.
Jack stood there for a moment, silent.
Watching him leave.
"What's wrong with him?" he muttered under his breath.
He started walking again, his steps steady but quiet.
The moment he turned away from Jack, the world felt normal again like nothing had happened.
Suddenly a task reminder popped up in his vision.
[System reminder]
[New Task Available]
Run for 2 minutes
Reward: +2 Attribute Points
Exp: 48
Zareth stared at the new task.
Then a faint smile, barely visible, formed on his lips.
"So I can gain EXP too? Nice. This isn't bad."
Zareth stared at the panel for a few seconds.
"I'll run but maybe I should just jog.
That still counts as running anyway, right?"
No hesitation this time.
He stepped forward and started running.
His movements grew lighter with each step, and little by little, something within him began to change.
Lighter.
Faster.
[System]
Task in Progress.
He kept going, pushing farther ahead, continuing his jog until he reached the next street.
The place was eerily quiet, as if no one lived there at all.
As Zareth walked deeper into the street, he noticed a few pet dogs clearly cared for, clearly owned.
And yet not a single person in sight.
His brows slowly furrowed.
"Why was a place like this so quiet?"
Zareth decided to leave the place and not return.
Whatever was there he didn't want to know.
He continued jogging until he reached a place with a fountain.
When Zareth arrived, he finally saw people again though not many.
A few moments passed.
Then it happened.
A translucent screen flickered into view before his eyes.
[Task Completed]
Run for 2 minutes
Reward: +2 Attribute Points
Exp: 48
Zareth didn't even notice that time had already passed.
He also didn't realize that his task had already been completed.
He stared at the notice for a moment before walking to the nearest bench and opening his system.
"Alright I have two points."
Zareth leaned back slightly.
"I think I know where to put them."
"Agility and Charm"
He stopped.
"No. Not Charm."
A faint frown crossed his face.
"Am I really that desperate to put points into Charm?"
He exhaled lightly.
"Intelligence."
His eyes sharpened a little.
"That's better."
A small nod followed.
"I'll need my brain more when it comes to fighting."
[System Point Allocation ]
Agility +1
Intelligence +1
[Experience: 48 / 100
Zareth stared at the system, a faint grin forming on his face.
"How does this experience work is it like levels?"
A few seconds passed.
Then the system responded.
[System]
[Experience (EXP) is accumulated through completed tasks]
[Upon reaching the required threshold, the Host will level up]
[Leveling up grants]
[Attribute Points]
[Stat Growth]
[System Unlocks]
Zareth's grin deepened slightly.
"So it really is like that."
He leaned back against the bench,
eyes still fixed on the screen.
"Then what happens when I level up?"
A brief pause.
Then.
[System]
Current EXP: 48 / 100
Next Level Requirement: 100 EXP
"Oh so it's like a video game."
"Complete tasks, gain EXP then level up."
Zareth's voice carried a hint of excitement as he spoke.
His gaze sharpened.
"If tasks give EXP…"
Then that meant.
"Stronger tasks... give more."
In his current state, Zareth looked weak something clearly reflected in his body.
The moment Zareth heard the chime, excitement flickered in his eyes.
[New Task]
Push ups - 30 Repetitions
Weight Lift - 50 kg
Difficulty: Medium
Recommended Stat: Strength (2+)
Reward: +14 Attribute Points
EXP: 100
A faint smile appeared on his lips as a new task showed up.
But then he paused.
"Wait. Something's not right."
His eyes moved to the requirement.
[Recommended Stat: Strength 2+]
"My Strength is only 1."
[System]
[Yes, you can do it, Zareth... but it will be hard since your Strength is only 1.
Don't worry, I'll give you easier tasks first before the harder ones.]
[Task Changed]
Push ups- 10 Repetitions
Lift - 8 kg 10 repetition
Reward: +8 Attribute Points
EXP: 85
Credits: 65
Zareth looked at the updated task.
"Yeah. That makes more sense."
He crouched down and placed his
hands on the ground.
No overthinking.
"Ten."
He started.
1
2
3
Sshh
Hold
4
5
His movements were steady.
Not too fast.
Not too slow.
6
7
Easy
9
huff
10
"That was easy, thanks for adjusting it. Much better."
[Task Reminder]
Push ups - 10/10
Lift 8 kg 10 repetition
"Hmm"
Zareth paused, thinking about how he would handle the next task.
He didn't have anything he could use to lift.
"I don't have any dumbbells or heavy equipment."
Zareth paused, thinking if there was another way.
He glanced around.
"Heavy things like books, a one-liter bottle of water even a bag could work as a handle."
He quickly left and headed back to his dorm.
When he arrived, he immediately started looking for two empty one-liter plastic bottles.
He opened the cabinet and checked inside quickly.
Empty bottles… nothing.
"Tch."
Then his eyes moved around the room.
On the floor beside the desk, there were a couple of used one-liter water bottles he hadn't thrown away yet.
Zareth picked them up without hesitation.
They were half dented, slightly warm from being left in the room, but still usable.
He filled both bottles with water and placed them inside his school bag, followed by three heavy, thick books that made the bag noticeably heavier.
"This could work."
Then he adjusted the straps and lifted it.
He started slowly, and that's when he felt the effect on his arm.
His muscles began to work.
Zareth continued lifting the bag.
His arm tightened slightly.
1
2
3
Progress: 3 / 10
4
5
6
7
His arm started to feel heavy.
Not too much just enough to notice.
"Okay."
8
His grip tightened a little.
The burn was there now.
9
He paused for a second.
Just to breathe.
"Last one."
10
[Task Complete]
Reward: +8 Attribute Points
EXP: 85
Credits: 65
Zareth lowered the bag.
He let his arm rest.
"Nice 8 attribute points."
Zareth paused, thinking about where to put them.
A few seconds passed.
Then he decided.
"Two in Strength"
"One in Perception"
"One in Bravery"
"And one in Charm."
He nodded slightly.
"That should work."
[System Point Allocation]
Strength +2
Perception +1
Bravery +1
Charm +1
Remaining Points: 3
Zareth watched the points settle into place.
"That should be enough for now."
He exhaled quietly.
Then looked at the remaining points.
"Three left."
"System... show me my status."
[System]
Level Up Successful
[Host Status]
Name: Zareth Ashveil
Age: 23
Level: 1
Class: Unassigned
Experience: 33 / 100
Strength: 3
Perception: 1
Agility: 1
Speed: 1
Bravery: 1
Intelligence: 1
Charm: 1
Credits: 65
Zareth looked at the screen in silence.
"Much better."
Zareth closed the system screen slowly, his expression calm.
For the first time, he felt it small, but real.
"I'm getting stronger."
A quiet knock echoed through the room.
Zareth's eyes shifted toward the door.
Another knock followed.
Louder this time.
And then.
BANG
The door swung open without waiting for permission.
Zareth's eyes widened, as if he felt something strange awaken inside his body.
Energy.
Adrenaline.
The door burst open, torn from its hinges and thrown violently to the right.
Dust scattered into the air.
At the broken doorway, he saw them.
Three boy.
The section B.
Standing.
Silent.
Staring straight at him.
The air suddenly grew heavy.
And for the first time.
He wasn't the same person they used to know.
Mathew the tall boy stood at the front, his toned body radiating quiet strength. His white hair caught the light, giving him an almost unnatural presence. From the way the others stood behind him, it was clear he was the leader.
Beside him stood Logan.
His green hair, streaked with hints of yellow, moved like flickering flames in the air. He wore the academy uniform, but there was nothing disciplined about him. His face was twisted in anger, his eyes filled with pure hatred.
And lastly, there was Rax.
He had a large, solid build not overly bulky, but powerful in a grounded, steady way. Compared to the others, he didn't show much emotion.But his presence alone was enough to tell.
He was not someone to take lightly.
Mathew stepped forward, the flames in his hand crackling a little louder.
"Someone like you" he said, voice low and sharp, "you don't belong in Veyrith Academy."
His eyes stayed locked on Zareth.
"Do you even know what happens to people like you?"
A short pause.
Then.
"They get taken to Alean West Yard."
His tone turned colder.
"And they don't come back."
Rax stepped forward and spoke, his deep voice calm but heavy with judgment.
"Someone like you doesn't belong here. You're not strong."
He paused, eyes fixed on Zareth.
"You can't even enter the Bloodstone Arena not with that low level of yours."
Before the silence could settle.
Logan moved.
He slipped to the side, then walked behind Zareth, slow and deliberate.
A grin spread across his face.
Not friendly.
But hungry.
Like he wanted the fight for himself.
Like he wanted to be the one to break him.
Then he laughed.
"Seriously, Zareth"
His voice dripped with mockery.
"Why don't you just give up and leave Veyrith Academy?"
Another step closer.
"So you don't make things harder for yourself."
Zareth took a slow breath, trying to steady himself.
"I won't give up and I won't leave," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "I know I can do something."
His hands clenched at his sides, betraying the fear running through his body but his eyes stayed locked on them.
Even if this was his first fight he had already made his decision.
But this wasn't a normal fight.
Zareth could feel it something about the situation was wrong.
His instincts screamed quietly inside him, warning of something far more dangerous than a simple confrontation.
In an instant, his entire body went on high alert.
And then it began.
Rax moved first.
He dashed forward with sudden speed, his heavy frame breaking into motion far faster than expected.
His fist clenched tightly.
A faint blue trail of energy ignited along his arm, cutting through the air as he drove it straight toward Zareth's face.
The punch connected to his face, and Zareth was pushed back.
His nose started bleeding and looked slightly crooked.
Broken?
No.
Almost.
BAM
One hit his chest, forcing the air out of his lungs.
UGH
Another struck near his neck, jolting his entire body and breaking his balance completely.
Next to attack was Mathew.
His fist ignited in red light, flames flickering wildly as he aimed straight for Zareth's face.
He intended to break him.
To snap his arm.
To bring him down completely.
In the next instant, Mathew surged forward at overwhelming speed, so fast that Zareth couldn't even follow his movements.
And
Zareth was thrown backward, his body crashing hard as he was cornered against the wall.
The force of the blow was overwhelming.
His face swelled badly from the impact, pain spreading across his entire head.
Before he could recover mathew delivered one final, powerful strike.
BAM
It slammed straight into Zareth's chest.
A sharp crack echoed.
His ribs broken.
Zareth's body gave out.
Zareth remained on his knees, his body trembling as he tried to endure the overwhelming pain.
Every breath burned.
Every movement hurt.
Something inside him refused to break.
A surge of adrenaline rushed through his veins.
His heart pounded.
Loud.
Heavy.
Alive.
"Not yet."
He forced his hand against the ground.
His muscles screamed in protest.
He pushed.
Slowly.
Unsteadily.
Zareth rose to his feet.
Blood dripping.
Body shaking.
But standing.
Silence.
The three of them stopped.
For the first time.
They hesitated.
"He stood up?" Logan muttered, disbelief in his voice.
Even Mathew's eyes narrowed slightly.
Rax didn't move.
They all saw it.
Despite the damage.
Despite the pain.
Zareth was still standing.
"Impossible how are you still standing?"
The three of them couldn't believe it.
Mathew was shocked at what he was seeing.
Zareth took a deep breath and tightened his fists.
His gray eyes darkened into a deeper shade, something unusual now reflecting in them.
Zareth prepared himself and dashed toward Mathew.
His target was the chest.
And when Zareth got close to Mathew, that's when he threw a punch with great force.
Mathew was thrown against the wall Zareth's punch was extremely strong.
His back was broken.
Zareth dashed again toward Mathew, who was slumped against the wall.
Zareth attacked using his knee,
aiming to crush Mathew's head.
His movements became faster. Stronger.