The clock ticked in the silence of the apartment.
Tick.
Tock.
Kael sat on the edge of his bed, his gaze fixed on his own arms. Black tattoos, shaped like coiling dragons, crawled across his skin, wrapping his muscles like chains. To most, they were nothing but ink. To him, they were reminders—of strength that never had a place in the world he lived in.
The city outside hummed with neon signs and car horns. Colors that pretended to be alive, yet felt as empty as the faces he saw every day.
Work. Bills. Meaningless conversations. A loop without an end.
Kael clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.
"This world… was never meant for me."
He leaned back, lying flat on the mattress. For the first time in years, a smile curved his lips—not warm, but sharp, bitter, and yet free.
— If this world has nothing to offer me… then let another one come.
The air rippled.
A sound, low and thunderous, erupted in the room. The lights flickered, then burst into sparks. The glass of the window shattered as if consumed by the darkness that now swallowed everything whole.
Kael's eyes snapped open.
He was no longer in his apartment.
A vast forest stretched around him. The trees were tall and black, their leaves glowing faintly blue. Strange creatures with crystal-like horns watched him from the shadows, their eyes gleaming like distant stars. The air itself vibrated, filled with particles of raw magic.
And then—something appeared in front of him.
A translucent screen of runes and shifting light, forming words he could understand.
---
[SYSTEM INITIALIZED]
Welcome to the Realm of Shadows.
You asked for a new life. Now fight to deserve it.
---
Kael's brows furrowed, but his lips curved upward.
— A system? Interesting…
Another panel appeared instantly:
---
[PLAYER STATUS]
Name: Kael
Level: 1
Class: Undefined
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 10
Available Attribute Points: 10
---
Kael chuckled softly.
— A game, then. But only I can see it.
He reached out, and the interface responded to his intent. It felt natural, like flexing a muscle he never knew he had.
— Let's test this.
Without hesitation, he distributed five points to Agility and five to Strength. The screen flashed, updating immediately:
---
[PLAYER STATUS]
Name: Kael
Level: 1
Strength: 15
Agility: 15
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 10
Remaining Points: 0
---
His entire body shivered. A surge of heat coursed through his veins, awakening his muscles. His vision sharpened; even the flutter of glowing leaves above seemed slower, clearer. The whispers of the forest grew louder, more precise.
Kael raised his tattooed arms. The dragons etched into his skin pulsed faintly, as though answering his newfound strength.
— Now this… feels real.
A sudden crack echoed through the trees. Kael turned sharply.
From the mist, a beast emerged. It resembled a wolf, yet its eyes glowed crimson, and its teeth were far too long, protruding like daggers.
The system reacted immediately:
---
[ENEMY DETECTED]
Name: Shadow Wolf
Level: 3
HP: 180/180
Threat: Moderate
---
Kael's grin widened.
— So I can read them too. Perfect.
The wolf snarled and lunged, claws flashing in the dark. Kael stood still until the last second, then sidestepped effortlessly. The world moved slower now; the beast's movements were clear, predictable.
Kael's fist drove into the wolf's snout with brutal precision. The sound cracked like thunder. The monster tumbled across the ground, whimpering.
Blood spattered across Kael's knuckles. He looked at it with satisfaction.
— Much better than that pathetic life back on Earth. Here… every strike matters.
The system chimed again:
---
[EXP GAINED]
+50 Experience.
Level Up!
Level 1 → 2.
Attribute Points Gained: +5
---
Kael's smirk deepened. The rules were simple, clear, and built for someone like him. He summoned his status once more:
---
[PLAYER STATUS]
Name: Kael
Level: 2
Strength: 15
Agility: 15
Endurance: 10
Intelligence: 10
Available Attribute Points: 5
---
He clenched his fists, feeling the raw energy coursing through his veins.
— A world full of monsters, powers, and systems only I can see… And me, at the center of it all.
For the first time, Kael's eyes burned with hunger. Not for food, not for survival, but for purpose. For challenge. For conquest.
He lifted his gaze into the endless mist of the forest, where heavy footsteps echoed closer, shaking the earth beneath him.
— Realm of Shadows… show me what you've got.
---
✨ End of Chapter 1
Kael embraces the new world, already adapting to the system, already seeking more. The Realm of Shadows has given him what Earth never could: meaning.