Kael sat alone in his tiny apartment, the dim glow of the LIFE SYSTEM interface hovering in front of him like a ghostly reminder of his new reality. The room was silent, but his mind was loud, replaying every step of his last mission.
[Daily Quest Completed: Observe a suspect in public without getting caught.]
$150
Stealth skill: +1%
New Trait Unlocked: Urban Ghost (Lv. 1)
He exhaled slowly. The money was adding up, sure—but the missions were getting darker. Yesterday he helped a lost kid find their way home. Today? He had followed a man through alleys and crowded markets just to "observe." No harm done… yet. But Kael could feel the system pushing boundaries.
He got up, pacing his small room, the wooden floor creaking beneath him. The glow of neon lights outside barely lit his cracked window, casting long shadows across the peeling wallpaper.
"This system is grooming me," he muttered. "For what?"
Just then, a new notification popped up.
[Urgent Mission Available: Accept or Decline]
Mission: Interfere with a suspicious meeting in the city outskirts.
Reward: $1000 | Unknown Skill Upgrade | Risk: High]
Time Limit: 60 minutes.
His heart pounded. One thousand dollars. That was months of comfort. But what kind of meeting required interference?
He hesitated… then pressed "Accept."
---
The warehouse loomed like a skeleton of the past at the edge of Granis City. Kael crouched behind a rusting container, eyes narrowed. Through a cracked window, he spotted five men in black jackets. One of them tapped a briefcase. Another checked his watch. Faces shadowed. Movements stiff. Definitely a deal.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind—not his, not the system's.
"You've entered the territory of the Black Veil Organization. Do not interfere unless you are ready to become a ghost."
Kael's fists clenched. The Black Veil… He had heard the name whispered in dark alleys and low-level forums. A shadow organization known for silence, cruelty, and control. If the system was mentioning them, it was serious.
He activated Urban Ghost, his new trait.
[Urban Ghost – Lv. 1: Temporarily blend into urban surroundings. Duration: 5 seconds]
His figure blurred. Like smoke. He slipped past a broken wall and entered unseen.
Inside, he moved like a shadow between crates. The tension was thick. He recorded the faces, the contents on the table—money, tech, sealed files. Then, one of the men looked directly in his direction.
Kael ducked. His heart thumped in his ears.
"Something moved," the man said. Another turned, pulling out a gun.
Kael held his breath.
Then, a loud crash echoed in another part of the warehouse. A rat? A falling box? It didn't matter.
They turned.
He ran.
By the time he got home, drenched in sweat and nerves, the system chimed.
[Mission Complete.]
$1000
Skill Unlocked: Surveillance Lv. 1
Bonus: Recorded evidence of the Black Veil – Future missions unlocked.]
Kael collapsed on the couch. His muscles trembled—not from fear, but adrenaline. He wasn't just playing the system anymore.
He was becoming something else.
Something Granis City would learn to fear.