Kael had always been the good guy. A skinny boy, shorter than most of his peers, and with a pair of glasses that seemed to mark him out as prey. That combination alone made him a walking target.
The bullies never needed much of a reason, and for as long as Kael could remember, he had been theirs. It had gone on for so long that he barely recognized it as bullying anymore. The pain dulled over time, but what never grew old—what never stopped stinging—were those eyes. Eyes filled with a disgusting mix of excitement and disdain. The laughter that erupted every time they toyed with him haunted his nights, echoing whenever he tried to sleep.
A sharp kick slammed into Kael's chest, knocking him backward into the wall with a bone-jarring thud.
A boy spat on the floor beside Kael's trembling hand, his face twisted with both rage and contempt.
"I heard you were following my girl," the boy sneered, punctuating the accusation with another vicious kick. Kael felt the air rush out of his lungs and tasted iron in his mouth.
Behind the boy stood his gang of followers, smirking and jeering. Among them, a girl stood with folded arms and a smirk that said more than words ever could—she was enjoying every second of this.
Kael tried to steady himself, pressing his back against the wall as he stammered, "I… I didn't do anything. I was just trying to return—"
SLAP.
The sound cracked across the hallway like a whip. A cold, stinging pain shot through his face, his cheek split on the inside as blood welled in his mouth.
Yes, it hurt—but what hurt more was why he was enduring this. All of this… just because he tried to return the pen she had dropped.
Hahaha, there it goes again. I try to be good, and this is what I get, Kael thought bitterly, wiping the blood from his lips.
That calmness—the refusal to lash out—only seemed to enrage his tormentor further. Soon, they were all kicking him, one after another, as though each blow was a competition.
The crowd's laughter blurred and faded, becoming distant, replaced by the sound of his own ragged breathing. It was so loud, so desperate, as if his very soul was clinging to life.
Kael didn't want to die. He couldn't. Not yet. He had too many promises to keep—promises to his family, promises to himself, dreams of a future.
The last thing he remembered before the darkness swallowed him whole was the faces of the ones who beat him down.
---
Time passed.
When Kael's eyes flickered open again, it was already late. The room was dim, the fading glow of sunset bleeding red into the sky, while pale moonlight filtered through a small, high window.
The world outside was too silent as if it's dead. But Kael didn't notice it.
Rather he recognized the place immediately—his nightmare, the old storage room. Dust choked the air, cobwebs clung to corners, and the stench of mold made it hard to breathe.
He tried to stand, but a jolt of pain wracked his body, telling him it was impossible. With effort, he dragged himself to the door, only to find it locked. He wasn't surprised.
Sighing, Kael leaned against the door, shutting his eyes and covering his ears as he whispered the mantra he always repeated to himself:
"Be kind to the world. Even if they hurt you, always be kind. One day… one day they'll realize they were wrong."
It was the only thing keeping him alive. His mother's words, etched into his heart. Whether it was hope or just a habit at this point, he didn't know. Maybe it still had power. Maybe not.
But Kael knew he'd be spending another night here. So, as always, he curled up against the cold floor, closed his eyes, and drifted into uneasy sleep.
Kael's body shivered in the cold silence of the storage room. He thought he had slipped into sleep, but suddenly—
[User detected.]
[Analyzing body compatibility… 100%.]
[Initiating system integration.]
A cold, mechanical voice echoed directly inside his head. Kael's breath hitched. His eyes darted around the room, but no one was there. The words weren't spoken aloud—they were inside him.
[System installation in progress.]
[Installation complete.]
[Welcome, Kael Draven. You have been chosen as the host of the Survivor System.]
A screen of pale light flickered into existence before his eyes, so real and sharp that it drowned out the darkness of the room. His body froze, every nerve screaming at him to run, but he couldn't move.
[Accept binding? Y/N]
His thoughts scrambled. What is this? A dream? A hallucination?
But Kael didn't answer. His eyelids were heavy, his body still broken and battered.
After a pause, the voice returned, colder, sharper.
[No response detected. Forcing compliance protocols.]
A searing jolt ripped through his body, every muscle spasming violently. Kael's scream caught in his throat as he writhed on the floor, his limbs thrashing uncontrollably. Instinctively, his hand shot out and brushed against the glowing "Yes."
The pain stopped instantly.
[Binding confirmed.]
[Congratulations, Kael Draven. You are now the host of the Survivor System.]
His chest heaved, sweat rolling down his temple as the words etched themselves into his vision.
[Quest Initiated.]
[Objective: Survive the one who comes to kill you.]
[Reward: +2 Strength. System Inventory unlocked.]
[Failure: Immediate execution of one family member.]
Kael's eyes widened. What?! His hands trembled as he stared at the glowing text, bile rising in his throat. This wasn't a game. This wasn't some fun "hero's adventure" from the books he used to read.
Before he could think further, another line of text burned into the air.
[Warning: Target will breach entry in 00:10.]
[You have 10 minutes to eliminate it. Failure to comply will activate punishment.]
The numbers began to tick down, second by second.
Kael's heart hammered. His legs trembled. His brain screamed denial. But the glow of the countdown didn't stop.
This wasn't a dream.
It was happening.
Kael's chest tightened. Ten seconds? It had to be a nightmare. He wished it was. But if it wasn't… if this was real, then he had to fight. Fight something waiting behind that door, even though he could barely stand.
Adrenaline surged through his veins like fire, giving him just enough strength to get to his feet. His trembling hands grabbed the only thing he could find—a rusted, broken steel rod. He pressed himself behind an overturned sofa, whispering through clenched teeth:
"What the hell is happening to me…?"
The door burst off its hinges with a deafening crash. A guttural growl filled the air, vibrating through the floor.
Kael's blood ran cold.
Something stepped into the room.
At first glance, it looked human. But the longer he stared, the more wrong it became. Its skin hung in tatters, muscle tearing through as though its body had swollen far beyond what flesh could hold.
Kael clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle his gasp. His heart pounded so hard it hurt.
The creature sniffed the air, its head twitching unnaturally. Then it crouched, pressing its ruined face to the floor. Its tongue slithered out, dragging across the dried blood that Kael had left behind.
Realization struck him like lightning.
The thing was blind—its ears useless. But it could smell blood with terrifying precision.
And Kael had plenty of that.