I watched as the monster slaughtered the civilians. I could have saved them, of course—but doing so would have cost my life, and my life… my potential… was far more valuable. I chose not to.
Then, a bright light blazed before me, searing my vision.
My eyes widened as a red, pulsating interface appeared, hovering in the air like a heartbeat. The symbols shimmered, alive, and the world around me slowed to a crawl.
I didn't realize it then, but I wasn't the only one. A majority of humanity had received the same message. A new age had begun.
I ran toward a nearby shop. Through the shattered glass and smoke, I saw people huddled inside, terrified, refusing to open the door.
Anger bubbled inside me—it wasn't fear, not exactly, just… frustration. Frustration at being powerless in a world where survival required ruthlessness. Pathetic humans, clinging to morality while the world burns.
Then I noticed them: a small group of green-skinned humans—or whatever they were—moving cautiously through the street. One of them held a knife, and three more lurked behind him. They hadn't noticed me yet.
I pressed myself into the corner, my mind racing. Almost reflexively, I grabbed a loose rock and hurled it at the shop window where the frightened humans hid.
The glass shattered. The people screamed.
The green figures froze for a split second—and then charged, drawn to the noise. Their eyes locked on the huddled humans, weapons raised. Perfect. Chaos, distraction, opportunity.
And I… just watched.
Another flash of light burst before me, sharper and brighter than the first. A notification floated in midair, pulsing ominously:
I froze. Wrath… so it begins.
Instinctively, I bolted into another building. The chaos outside continued—the screams, the crashing glass—but inside, I finally had a moment to think. Everyone else scrambled, clinging to heroics and fear. Pathetic. Power doesn't wait for morality.
As I considered that, an interface appeared before me, hovering like a living map of my potential:
Name: Leon
Level: 1 (EXP 0/100)
Race: Human (Blocked)
HP: 100 / 100
MP: 150 / 150
SP: 0
STR: 10
DEX: 10
CON: 10
INT: 15
Average: 10 per stat for a base human
Contracts: 0
I stared in awe, a thrill coiling in my chest. This… this is freedom. Not rules, not morality, not meaningless heroics. Only power. Only choice.
Some things didn't make sense. SP… what was that? I tapped it.
Sin Points… so that's what they meant. My fingers itched. Everything I could take, everything I could gain—it was mine. And the world… the world would bend if I was clever enough.
I glanced at the building across the street, at the monsters rampaging through the city, at the helpless humans screaming. And why should I care? My life is mine. My potential… my power… is far more important than their lives.
A slow, dangerous smile curved on my lips. This is only the beginning. Let the weak scramble. Let the heroes struggle. I have the system, and it has chosen me. And I will become more than any hero, more than any god.
My gaze returned to the interface. That little word next to Race caught my eye: Blocked. Curiosity gnawed at me, and I clicked it.
Another interface appeared, cold and indifferent:
I stared at it. So that's the real challenge… a level cap. A limitation. A goal. Good. The higher the barrier, the greater the power when I surpass it. Let everyone else cling to their pathetic heroics while I ascend…
Then, golden letters appeared before me:
I clicked Yes. A bright red glow enveloped me, and before me materialized a basic iron sword.
Another notification flashed immediately:
<+100 SP>
I grinned. My start had begun. I tapped on my stats. Each now had a little plus sign beside it:
Name: Leon
Level: 1 (EXP 0/100)
Race: Human (Blocked)
HP: 100 / 100
MP: 150 / 150
SP: 100
STR: 10+
DEX: 10+
CON: 10+
INT: 15+
Contracts: 0
I clicked the plus next to INT. Instantly, my mind sharpened, and my MP rose by 10. So this is how growth feels… A thrill ran through me, a dangerous hunger for more.
I tightened my grip around the iron sword. The weight of it felt real—solid. Reassuring. Slowly, I stepped out of the shop I'd been hiding in and made my way toward my apartment complex.
The streets were a nightmare.
People were being slaughtered like animals. Screams echoed between buildings, blood smeared across asphalt, bodies torn apart and left behind. I saw a woman dragged down an alley, a man crushed beneath a monster's claws, a child crying beside a corpse.
And I did nothing.
Why should I? Getting involved meant risk. Risk meant death. And death meant the end of my potential. This world rewards survival, not heroics. I walked past the carnage with cold eyes, committing every detail to memory—not out of guilt, but understanding. This was the new reality.
Eventually, I reached the apartment complex I lived in.
At the entrance stood a single green-skinned creature, hunched and alert, clutching a crude knife. Up close, everything clicked. Green skin. Sharp ears. Filthy armor.
A goblin… just like in those fantasy novels.
It hadn't noticed me. Its back was turned.
My heart pounded—not with fear, but anticipation. This wasn't rage. This was calculation. Slowly, carefully, I crept forward, controlling my breathing, the iron sword raised just enough.
When I was close enough, I struck.
The blade slid into its neck with disturbing ease. Warm blood sprayed across my hand as the goblin let out a wet, gurgling sound, its body twitching violently. I twisted the sword once and pulled it free.
The goblin collapsed.
Just like that, it was dead.
I stood there for a moment, staring at the corpse. No triumph. No regret. Just a strange sense of calm.
So this is how it starts, I thought. My first kill.