Chapter 1: Awakening of the Heaven-Breaker
The city burned beneath a crimson sunset, the horizon streaked with gold and fire. Skyscrapers cast jagged shadows over the cracked asphalt, a silent reminder of humanity's fragile dominance. On the rooftop of a crumbling building, Jin Ardan stood alone, fists clenched, wind whipping through his hair and clothes. Life had been dull, predictable, ordinary. Until today.
A blinding streak of light tore across the sky, brighter than a thousand suns, trailing sparks that sizzled like molten metal. The ground shook violently, rattling the remnants of abandoned buildings nearby. Jin's chest tightened, not with fear—but anticipation. Something deep inside him stirred, awakening with an almost painful intensity.
His vision blurred as the world seemed to pulse, colors intensifying, sounds sharpening to a razor's edge. Even the wind whispered with energy, brushing against his skin like an invisible current. For the first time, he could feel the flow of life and power in everything around him: the streets, the buildings, the air, even the faint hum of electricity from distant power lines.
"Am I… going insane?" he muttered, watching sparks of energy dance along his trembling hands.
And then, the voice came. Calm. All-knowing. Echoing inside his mind.
"System initializing… Welcome, Heaven-Breaker."
Numbers, icons, and unfamiliar symbols flooded his vision. Stats and measurements scrolled endlessly: Health… Strength… Speed… Combat Skill… Mana… Most were locked, yet glowing faintly, hungry for activation.
Jin staggered back, disbelief and awe warring inside him. "I… I have a system?"
"Affirmative. Your potential is limitless. Grow strong. Break the heavens. Ascend beyond all who stand before you."
He clenched his fists, feeling a current of power hum through his veins. His heart raced with a strange exhilaration. Ordinary life was over.
Movement caught his attention from the edge of the rooftop—a shadow detaching itself from the dying light. A figure, cloaked in darkness, eyes glowing crimson, launched at him with impossible speed. Jin barely had time to react before a fist collided with his chest. Pain erupted, fiery and sharp, but instinct took over. He pushed back with energy flaring from his body, sending a shockwave that cracked concrete and rattled windows across the block.
The figure laughed, a sound like grinding metal on stone. "So, you're the Heaven-Breaker? Pathetic."
Jin's fists flared with an aura, small sparks dancing along his arms. "I… won't lose," he growled, determination roaring inside him.
Time slowed as he dashed forward, every movement guided by instinct and the strange whispers of the system. Each punch he threw left streaks of light in its wake, energy trailing and cracking the rooftop beneath their feet. The enemy blocked, countered, and the two clashed repeatedly, their power shaking the air around them.
Numbers flashed before Jin's eyes: Strength +5… Speed +7… Combat Skill Unlocked. His body moved fluidly, almost as if it anticipated the fight itself. Each strike and dodge flowed perfectly, a symphony of movement that defied his prior human limitations.
The enemy surged back, black energy flaring around him, but Jin roared and focused every ounce of energy into one explosive punch. Time seemed to stretch. The impact erupted in a blinding flash, sending the enemy flying into a crater across the rooftop. Debris rained down like shards of meteorite, the sound of destruction echoing across the city.
Panting, fists still glowing, Jin surveyed the rooftop. Dust, shattered concrete, and the faint hum of residual energy surrounded him. His chest burned—not from exertion, but from exhilaration. He had felt power… real power.
"This… this is only the beginning," he whispered.
Below, in the shadows of alleyways and abandoned streets, eyes glowed with malice and curiosity. Powerful beings, drawn to the surge of energy, watched silently. The trials of the Heaven-Breaker had only begun.
Jin's vision shifted as he felt a subtle pull within the system. Skills, abilities, even combat styles were waiting—locked but ready to be claimed. The voice returned, calm and commanding:
"Your first trial approaches. Grow stronger. Each battle will shape you. Each opponent will test your limits."
A grin spread across Jin's face, eyes blazing with determination. Ordinary life was dead. Power, danger, and a path beyond the heavens awaited him.
"I will surpass them all," he said, more to himself than anyone else. "I will break the heavens."
And somewhere in the distant horizon, the first whispers of destiny began to stir. The city trembled beneath the energy of his awakening, and Jin Ardan—ordinary no longer—had taken his first step toward becoming the Heaven-Breaker.