I awoke to a strange chill, one that crept into my bones like icy fingers. My eyes fluttered open, but the world I saw was not my room, not the ceiling I had stared at countless times before. Instead, soft golden light filtered through enormous stained-glass windows, and a faint hum of magic—yes, magic—buzzed in the air like electricity before a storm.
"What… where am I?" I murmured, my voice barely a whisper. It felt foreign in my throat. I tried to sit up, only to find chains around my wrists. Not iron chains, no—they were made of a strange glowing energy, pulsating gently as if alive. Panic threatened to rise, but I forced it down.
"Calm yourself." A voice echoed, rich and sultry, from somewhere above. I looked around and saw no one. "You have been chosen."
"Chosen? For what? Who are you?!" I demanded, but my voice sounded weak, trembling.
"You will know soon enough," the voice replied, fading into the golden light. A figure appeared—not quite fully visible, like a projection. But I could make out flowing robes and glowing eyes. "You have been reborn, gifted with a system unlike any mortal has ever known. Use it well, or all shall be lost."
The word system struck me oddly. I remembered stories I had read in novels online, stories about people summoned into other worlds with strange powers and mysterious guides. I had scoffed at them. And now, here I was… standing—or rather chained—inside what felt like a cathedral of power.
Then it happened. A sharp sting erupted in my chest, and my vision blurred. Numbers, symbols, and words flickered before me. Level: 1. System: Sinful. Attribute: Unknown. Objective: Survive and Ascend.
"What the hell is this?!" I shouted. I tried to focus on the glowing text, but as soon as I tried, the energy around my wrists pulsed and tugged at me gently, almost like it was testing me.
A menu appeared in front of me. Hovering. Transparent but readable:
Skills: None
Inventory: Empty
Quests: Initialization Pending
Points: 0
My heart thudded. This is not a dream. This can't be a dream…
Before I could think further, a new figure appeared. She was terrifyingly beautiful, with long silver hair that seemed to float in the golden light, and pointed ears that screamed she was not human. Her eyes glowed faintly, and she smiled—a cruel smile.
"You've awakened," she said, voice smooth like velvet but sharp like a dagger. "Finally. I've been waiting for this day."
I swallowed hard. "Who… who are you?"
She laughed, soft and musical, but the sound made my skin crawl. "A guide, if you must call me that. You, human, have been chosen to carry the Sinful System. Only those who survive the temptations, the trials… and their own sins… can ascend.
"I don't understand. Sinful System?" I stammered, backing against the glowing chains. "What are you talking about?"
Her smile widened, and suddenly, the golden light around us dimmed. Shadows moved like living things across the cathedral floor. "You will learn," she said. "And you will either grow stronger, or die in agony."
I felt a sudden surge of heat. My chest glowed, and the words Sinful Points: 10 appeared above my heart. Sinful Points? I thought. What does that even mean?
Before I could ask, the figure faded, leaving me alone in the cathedral. My fingers flexed, trying to feel the energy of the chains. Surprisingly, they responded—not just to force, but to intent. I clenched my fists, and the energy obeyed. A small spark jumped from my hand to the wall.
"This… is insane," I whispered. My mind raced. I was just a normal guy. Life sucked, yes, but normal… safe. And now? Now I'm… this?
The chains around my wrists broke suddenly, like they had never existed, and I stumbled forward. I took a step—and another—and felt a strange power humming beneath my skin. The cathedral stretched endlessly, with tall pillars that seemed to pierce the sky. The floor was polished marble, reflecting the golden light, and far ahead, a massive throne waited.
A thought struck me: I have to survive. I have to understand this system. And I have to get out… or I'll die.
Suddenly, the ground trembled. Dust fell from the stained-glass windows, and I turned to see what looked like shadows crawling along the walls. Not human, not beast… something in between.
Tentacles of darkness slithered toward me, and a voice in my mind—no, the system's voice—spoke:
Begin Combat Training.
Test 1: Survive the Shadows.
I swallowed, fear and adrenaline clashing in my chest. My hands glowed, and instinctively, I struck the nearest shadow. It hissed, recoiling from the strange energy that erupted from me. Another attack, another recoil. The system's words floated in my mind: Sinful Points gained: 5.
I stumbled back, barely dodging a lash of shadow that could have severed my arm. My thoughts raced, and yet… this power. This is real. I can feel it in my veins. I… I can fight.
Hours—maybe minutes—passed. I fought relentlessly, dodging and striking, my body moving with a precision I had never known. Every shadow defeated gave me strength. Every strike, every dodge, added points to my Sinful System.
Finally, the shadows retreated, dissolving into smoke. I fell to my knees, panting, covered in sweat. The cathedral was quiet again, almost peaceful. The golden light bathed me, and the words appeared:
Level Up! You are now Level 2. Sinful Points: 20.
I raised my trembling hands, staring at the text. "This… this is real," I whispered. "I can't go back. Nothing will ever be the same."
Somewhere in the cathedral, the silver-haired guide's voice echoed faintly, almost like a whisper carried on the wind:
"Good. Now the real trials begin."
I gritted my teeth, determination surging. "Bring it on."