The burger tasted like cardboard.
Not because the food was bad—Jake had dragged us to this trendy place downtown that supposedly had the best burgers in the city—but because every time I tried to swallow, I felt the weight of the System interface hovering at the edge of my vision.
[Quest Timer: 29 days, 21 hours, 54 minutes remaining]
"Earth to Marcus!" Sarah Kim waved a hand in front of my face. She'd awakened as an Enchanter, which apparently meant she could imbue objects with minor magical properties. Already she was planning her future. "You've been staring at that burger for like five minutes. Is the Rogue Class making you weird?"
"Just thinking," I said, finally taking a bite.
The table had grown since lunch started. What began as just me, Jake, and Sarah had expanded to include half a dozen other newly Awakened classmates. Everyone wanted to talk about their Classes, their stats, their skills. It was like Christmas morning, except the presents were superpowers.
"My Strength is already at 15," bragged Tyler Moss, who'd gotten Brawler. "The orientation guy said that's high for Level 1. I could probably punch through a car door."
"Yeah, but my Intelligence is 18," countered Lisa Park, the new Healer who'd been crying earlier. She'd apparently gotten over her disappointment. "That means my healing spells will be 20% more effective than the average Healer."
Jake just kept grinning at everyone, occasionally making small flames dance between his fingers. Show-off.
I stayed quiet, picking at my fries, trying not to look at the people around us. Every time I made eye contact with someone, Predator's Eye activated automatically.
[Sarah Kim - Level 1 Enchanter]
[Threat Assessment: None]
[Weakness: Poor peripheral vision, distracted by phone notifications]
[Tyler Moss - Level 1 Brawler]
[Threat Assessment: Moderate in close combat]
[Weakness: Overconfident, leaves right side exposed when throwing punches]
Stop. Stop analyzing everyone like they're prey.
But the skill was passive. I couldn't turn it off any more than I could stop seeing color.
"What about you, Marcus?" Lisa leaned across the table, genuinely curious. "What skills did you get with Rogue?"
Everyone turned to look at me.
I'd prepared for this question during the walk from the Awakening Center. Rogues were common enough that I could bullshit my way through it.
"Um, basic stealth enhancement. Some kind of critical hit boost for surprise attacks. Nothing fancy." I shrugged, trying to look disappointed. "Probably going to focus on utility skills rather than combat."
"That's still useful," Sarah said encouragingly. "My brother's friend is a Rogue and he makes good money doing corporate espionage. Like, legal stuff—checking security systems for vulnerabilities and whatnot."
"Yeah, maybe." I forced a smile.
My phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.
Don't forget—no telling anyone. Not even hints. The moment the wrong person finds out what you really are, your life is over. - Han
I deleted the message and pocketed my phone.
The conversation moved on without me. Tyler started arm-wrestling Jake to see if Brawler's Strength boost could overcome Flame Mage's agility. Sarah livestreamed the whole thing to her followers. Lisa provided color commentary.
Normal teenager stuff. Normal Awakened stuff.
Meanwhile, in the corner of my vision, the quest timer kept counting down.
I excused myself to use the bathroom, needing to get away from the noise and the automatic threat assessments. The restaurant's single-stall bathroom was blessedly empty. I locked the door, turned on the faucet to mask any sound, and finally let myself look at my full Status window.
[SERIAL KILLER - Level 1]
[Experience: 0/100]
[Primary Stats:]
Strength: 8
Agility: 12
Endurance: 9
Intelligence: 14
Charisma: 11
Killing Intent: 1
[Class Skills:]
[Predator's Eye (Passive) - Level 1]
[Clean Kill (Active) - Level 1]
[Hunter's Patience (Passive) - Level 1]
[Active Quests:]
[First Blood]: Claim your first kill within 29 days, 21 hours, 31 minutes
[Current Kill Count: 0]
I studied the stats, looking for any loophole, any way out. The System had to have some flexibility, right? Maybe I could... I don't know, kill a really aggressive dungeon monster? Those counted as kills in other Classes.
As if reading my thoughts, a new window popped up.
[FAQ: Kill Requirements]
[Q: Do monster kills count toward Class progression?]
[A: No. The SERIAL KILLER Class requires human kills. Sapient beings with souls. Monsters, animals, and constructs provide zero experience.]
[Q: Do justified kills count?]
[A: All human kills count. However, kills of genuinely evil targets provide reduced experience compared to morally ambiguous or innocent targets. The System rewards the transgressive nature of murder, not mere violence.]
[Q: Can I resist the Class requirements?]
[A: You can delay, but not indefinitely. Penalties for non-compliance increase exponentially. First quest failure will result in: -5 to all stats, constant pain, bleeding from sensory organs, and intrusive homicidal thoughts. Further resistance may result in permanent mental degradation.]
I read that last part three times, my hands gripping the sink so hard my knuckles went white.
The System was basically telling me that killing good people gave more experience than killing bad people. It wanted me to transgress. To cross moral lines. To become the thing every sane person feared.
And if I refused, it would drive me insane and make me kill indiscriminately anyway.
"Fuck," I whispered to my reflection.
The guy staring back at me looked the same as this morning. Same shaggy black hair that mom kept saying I needed to cut. Same dark eyes that dad said I got from his side of the family. Same slightly crooked nose from that skateboarding accident in eighth grade.
But I wasn't the same person anymore.
Someone knocked on the bathroom door. "Occupied!" I called out.
I splashed cold water on my face, dismissed all the System windows, and headed back to the table. The group had grown even larger—some kids from other tables had migrated over, drawn by Jake's flame tricks.
A girl I vaguely recognized from AP Bio was showing off her Class. "Watch this," she said, concentrating. A small plant in a decorative pot on the windowsill suddenly sprouted new leaves. "I'm a Botanist! I can accelerate plant growth."
Everyone oohed appreciatively.
"That's going to be huge for agriculture," Lisa said. "You could probably get a government contract."
The Botanist beamed. "That's what the orientation counselor said! They're already talking about scholarships to State University's agricultural program."
I sat back down next to Jake, who was arguing with Tyler about whether fire beat raw strength in a fight.
"Obviously fire wins," Jake insisted. "I just set you on fire from twenty feet away. What are you going to do, punch the flames?"
"I run at you and tackle you before you can cast," Tyler countered. "Brawlers get a charge ability at Level 5. You'll be on the ground before you finish your second spell."
"You're both wrong," Sarah interjected. "I enchant Jake's shoes to be fireproof and make him faster. Then he just kites you forever."
They kept debating, drawing little diagrams on napkins, completely absorbed in theorycrafting their future abilities.
This was what Awakening Day was supposed to be like. Planning your future. Excited about your potential. Looking forward to leveling up and unlocking new skills.
Not counting down the days until you had to commit murder.
My phone buzzed again. This time it was mom.
How did it go?? What Class did you get? Your father and I are so excited! We're making your favorite for dinner - come home soon!
I typed out a response: Got Rogue. Pretty cool. Will explain more at dinner. Love you.
The lie came easier the second time. I wondered how many more times I'd have to tell it before it felt like the truth.
"Hey Marcus," Jake said, pulling me from my thoughts. "You've been super quiet. You feeling okay?"
"Yeah, just tired. The Awakening took more out of me than I expected."
"Want to head out? We were thinking of checking out that new dungeon that opened up on Fifth Street. It's rated for Level 1-3, perfect for newbies."
A dungeon. Right. Those had started appearing five years ago when the System first integrated with Earth. Pocket dimensions filled with monsters, traps, and rewards. Most newly Awakened people hit up a low-level dungeon within their first week to get some easy experience and loot.
"Maybe tomorrow," I said. "I should probably get home. Family dinner."
"Fair enough. Text me later?"
"Yeah, for sure."
I gathered my stuff and headed for the exit. As I passed the table of celebrating Awakened, I caught fragments of conversation.
"...my skill tree has three branches..."
"...the orientation guy said I have elite potential..."
"...already applied to join a guild..."
The door chimed as I stepped outside. The late afternoon sun felt too bright after the dim restaurant. I blinked away the spots in my vision and started walking.
The city looked different now. Not physically—same streets, same buildings, same people hurrying past—but my perception had changed. Predator's Eye painted threat assessments over everyone I saw.
[Businessman - Threat: None - Weakness: Distracted by phone call]
[Teenage girl - Threat: None - Weakness: Headphones blocking ambient sound awareness]
[Elderly man - Threat: None - Weakness: Slow movement speed, requires cane]
Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.
But I couldn't.
I tried focusing on the ground, but then the skill started analyzing environmental features instead. That alley would provide good cover for an ambush. That fire escape offered multiple exit routes. That security camera had a blind spot near the dumpster.
By the time I made it to the bus stop, my head was pounding.
The bus ride home took twenty minutes. I spent them staring out the window, trying to ignore the System's constant calculations. Trying not to think about the timer ticking down. Trying not to wonder who my first victim would be.
Because I was going to have to kill someone. Director Han had made that clear. The only question was who.
A criminal? That seemed like the obvious choice. Someone who deserved it. A murderer, rapist, someone genuinely evil. At least then I could tell myself it was justice.
But the System had been explicit: evil targets gave reduced experience. And something told me that if I only barely met the quota, the penalties for future failures would be even worse.
The bus stopped three blocks from my house. I walked the rest of the way on autopilot, my mind churning.
Our house looked exactly as I'd left it this morning. Small two-story suburban home with the garden mom was so proud of. Dad's car was in the driveway—he must have left work early to celebrate my Awakening.
I stood on the sidewalk for a long moment, looking at the warm light in the windows. At the home I'd grown up in. At the life I'd had just this morning.
Then I plastered on a smile and walked inside.
"Marcus!" Mom appeared immediately, pulling me into a hug. "Let me see you! Do you feel different? You look different. Doesn't he look different, James?"
Dad came out of the kitchen, grinning. "Our son, the Awakened. I knew this day would come. So what's the verdict? What Class did the System give you?"
They both looked at me with such hope and pride that I almost broke down right there.
Instead, I smiled and lied to the two people I loved most in the world.
"Rogue," I said. "I awakened as a Rogue."
And as mom squealed with excitement and dad clapped me on the shoulder, I felt the first real weight of what I'd become settle onto my shoulders.
This was my life now.
Lying to everyone I cared about.
Hiding what I really was.
And in twenty-nine days, becoming a murderer.
The System chimed softly in my head, almost like it was laughing.
[Quest Timer: 29 days, 19 hours, 12 minutes remaining]
To be continued...