Chapter 1 – Rebirth in the Shadows
The first thing was the cold. A damp chill that clung to the skin, mixed with the stench of dried blood and garbage. He opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw were grimy brick walls covered in graffiti, lit only by a flickering streetlight. An alley.
He didn't remember how he had gotten there. He didn't remember anything. Only the echo of a final thought… and then, darkness.
Then, a metallic voice echoed inside his head.
> [Dragon Ball System Activated]
Initial state: Human.
Age: 15 years old.
Battle Power: 2.
Level: 1.
His heart skipped a beat. The information appeared as if it had always been engraved in his mind. Impossible to ignore.
---
📜 The First Mission
> Main Mission #1 – "Survive the Night"
Objective: Stay alive in Gotham City for the next 12 hours.
Conditions: No external help allowed.
Reward:
Basic Martial Arts Manual (Low Rank).
Ki Training Manual: "Breathe, Sense, Awaken."
> Failure Penalty: Immediate Death.
His breathing quickened. None of this made sense. System? Missions? Battle Power 2?
A metallic clatter made him turn his head. At the far end of the alley, two shadows moved. Footsteps. Rough voices.
—There he is… —one muttered, holding a bloodstained knife.
—This time you won't escape, brat —the other growled with a twisted grin.
The boy stepped back, heart pounding in his chest.
—W-who are you? —he managed to ask, voice trembling.
The men exchanged looks, then laughed cruelly.
—Playing dumb now? —one sneered.
—Doesn't matter. We already took care of the rest of your family. You're the last one.
The words froze his blood. Family?
His mind was blank. No memories of the body he now inhabited, no parents, no past. It was as if an entire life had been erased, leaving him stranded in hell.
—What… what family? —he stammered, genuinely confused.
The thugs laughed louder.
—Perfect. You don't even remember. That makes it better. You'll suffer twice as much.
---
⚔️ The Attack
The first thug lunged at him with the knife. He barely dodged, stumbling over a garbage bag. The blade grazed his arm, leaving a shallow cut that burned like fire.
The second kicked him in the stomach, hurling him against a rusted dumpster. Air exploded from his lungs, blood filling his mouth.
The system registered the clash.
> Enemies detected:
Black Mask Gang Thugs (BP 9 and 10).
Potential Reward: +1 PP per victory.
The boy gasped. BP 2 against BP 10. It was like a child fighting armed adults.
One thug grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall. The knife gleamed under the dim light.
—Your father begged for his life. Will you do the same?
He didn't understand. Father? Whose? Whose body was this? The confusion tore him apart as much as the pain.
Instinct. Only instinct moved him. In a desperate act, he kicked the man between the legs with all his strength. The thug groaned and let go, giving him a single second to run.
The other caught up and slashed his side—not deep enough to kill, but enough to remind him how fragile he was.
He stumbled, rolled on the filthy ground, and forced himself to his feet. His heart screamed that if he stopped, even for a moment, he would die.
---
🌑 The Escape
He ran blindly through the alleys, chased by laughter and threats. Every corner of Gotham felt like a maze built to devour him. He heard distant sirens, gunshots from other streets, and somewhere in the city, the echo of Joker's laughter.
This wasn't a world of bright heroes. It was a rotting jungle.
The system urged him on.
> Hint: Survive. Hide. Wait for an opportunity.
He ducked into an abandoned building, gasping, pressing his bleeding side. Outside, footsteps echoed, searching.
—Come out, kid! We'll finish what we started with your damn family!
The words drilled into him. They weren't just enemies. They were executioners of a life he couldn't even remember. And now they hunted him like prey.
Time passed slowly. The darkness grew heavier. His legs trembled. Pain kept him awake. But he kept breathing.
---
🌅 Dawn
At last, after endless hours, the footsteps faded. The men gave up the hunt. The boy remained hidden until the first light of dawn painted Gotham's clouds gray.
The system spoke again.
> Mission Complete: Survive the Night
Rewards Granted:
Basic Martial Arts Manual (Low Rank).
Ki Training Manual: "Breathe, Sense, Awaken."
Two spectral books appeared before him, glowing with a light only he could see. As he touched them, knowledge burned into his mind: basic combat stances, deep breathing exercises, the first spark to awaken Ki.
The system concluded:
> "You have taken the first step. But this story does not belong to you yet. Survive, fight, and the truth of this body will be revealed."
Bleeding, filthy, and with tears in his eyes, he understood: he wasn't a hero. He was prey in a slaughterhouse. And to stop being prey, he would have to become something else