The world had changed.
Not overnight—but close.
After the second Rift Gate appeared, strange things started to happen all over Earth.
And they weren't random.
They followed a pattern.
A quiet one.
Like something invisible waiting to be noticed.
In the mountains of Peru, a man woke up glowing.
In the streets of Cairo, a boy walked through fire unharmed.
In a cave in Siberia, a woman touched a stone—and heard a voice.
A voice that said:
[SYSTEM ONLINE: USER RECOGNIZED]
Across the world, a new law was being written.
One that didn't care about borders, science, or belief.
It whispered to those who had awakened their inner flame.
To those who carried the Spark.
In a classroom in Japan, a girl sneezed and shattered the windows.
In Nigeria, a farmer's touch made seeds grow instantly.
In New York, a blind man saw the world in threads of light.
And in all of them, the same message appeared, burned into the air before their eyes:
[SYSTEM INITIALIZED][AWAKENING LEVEL: BASIC][CLASS UNKNOWN – CANDIDATE PENDING][DUNGEON ACCESS GRANTED]
And in the Philippines, in a city not far from where the first Rift Gate fell…
Rin was standing in front of her second dungeon.
She wasn't alone this time.
Three others stood beside her.
Eon watched from a distance, hidden in the trees.
This was her test.
Teamwork.
Control.
Leadership.
"Alright," Rin said, adjusting her gloves. "Everyone ready?"
A boy with spiky green hair nodded. His name was Kai.
He had awakened a week ago. Could shape wind like it was a sword.
Beside him stood Mila, quiet, sharp-eyed. She could turn her body into smoke.
And last was Theo, tall and serious. He hadn't awakened a power yet, but he had a strong body and old military training.
"I've read dungeon reports," Theo said. "Stick close. Don't stray. Watch corners."
Kai grinned. "Relax, soldier man. I've got enough wind to blow back a dragon."
Rin sighed. "Let's focus. This one's listed as a 'Deep Root' dungeon. Ground type. That means tight spaces and plant monsters."
"Copy," Mila said.
They stepped into the gate.
The air inside was warm and wet.
Roots lined the walls.
Green light glowed from fungi on the ceilings.
It smelled like dirt, moss… and something wrong.
They moved slowly.
Theo led.
Rin stayed close to the center.
She could feel the flame inside her buzzing.
Something was nearby.
A vine shot from the wall.
Theo blocked it with his arm. "Hostile!"
More vines came, writhing like snakes.
Kai slashed them apart with spinning wind blades.
Mila vanished into smoke and reformed behind an attacking root, slicing it with a dagger.
Rin sent a wave of flame forward, clearing the path.
The ground shook.
A huge creature burst from the floor—a plant golem, covered in thorns.
It roared.
Kai attacked first.
Wind tore at its legs.
Mila wrapped it in smoke.
Theo slammed into its chest.
Then Rin jumped—her flames spinning around her like a drill.
She struck its head.
The golem exploded into ash and leaves.
They stood in silence, catching their breath.
"That was… fun," Kai said.
"I'm bleeding," Theo replied flatly.
"Hold still," Mila said, bandaging his arm quickly.
Rin looked ahead.
There was a chest glowing in the next room.
They approached.
Inside was a small green orb pulsing softly.
[SYSTEM RECOGNITION: PARTY LEADER - RIN][YOU HAVE OBTAINED: NATURE CORE (DUNGEON RANK D)][APPLY TO SYSTEM INTEGRATION?]
Rin blinked.
"What is this?"
Kai gasped. "You're seeing the System too?"
"You are?"
"Yeah!" he laughed. "First appeared yesterday. I thought I was going crazy."
Mila nodded. "I saw it this morning. Words in the air."
Theo raised a brow. "I still don't see anything."
"You will," Rin said.
She touched the orb.
The green light merged with her flame.
And a new message appeared.
[TALENT TREE BRANCH UNLOCKED: VERDANT BLAZE][+1 TO NATURE ATTUNEMENT]
She didn't know what it meant fully.
But something inside her felt… clearer.
More alive.
They exited the dungeon and returned to the forest clearing.
Eon stepped from the shadows.
"You did well," he said.
Kai blinked. "Whoa. Is that him? The Flame Guy?"
"His name is Eon," Rin said.
Eon nodded to them. "You've all been marked by the System. It's only beginning."
"What is it?" Theo asked.
"A living law," Eon replied. "A pattern that responds to the Spark inside humanity. It was once hidden… now it's awake again."
"Is it helping us?" Mila asked.
"Not always," Eon said. "It gives strength. But also draws attention."
"From what?" Rin asked.
Eon looked at her.
His face was calm.
But his eyes were sharp.
"From the Conquerors."
That night, Rin sat on her rooftop.
The stars above were clearer than usual.
She opened her palm.
Flame and green light danced together.
She could feel her path forming.
Like a tree of skills she hadn't learned yet.
Branches.
Roots.
Choices.
[SYSTEM UPDATE: RIN – TALENT TREE OPENED][CORE TALENT: ORIGIN FLAME][SECONDARY BRANCH: VERDANT BLAZE][NEW TALENT SLOTS AVAILABLE]
She smiled.
She was changing.
Growing.
And she wasn't alone.
But while she watched the stars…
Something watched her.
Across the city, in the shadows of a rooftop antenna, a dark figure crouched.
Its limbs were too long.
Its mouth too wide.
Its eyes didn't blink.
A Whisper.
It watched Rin quietly.
Then whispered into the air.
Its words were not sound.
But intent.
"She is ready."
"Send the Blade."
Then it melted into the wind.
Far away, in the Rift, Nyxara smiled.
She licked a blade made of shadow.
"She has spirit," she said. "Let's see how she handles death."