Kai's vision swam. Pain throbbed like molten iron in his chest, but the voice—the System—still lingered in his mind.
"Host detected. Level 1. First Quest available."
He coughed. Blood coated his fingers. Every instinct screamed run, but the System's voice cut through like ice.
"Select target: Survivor or Predator?"
Kai's stomach turned. There was a figure staggering across the ruins—a young girl, maybe twelve, clutching a small knife like it was a lifeline. Behind her, a massive shadow loomed. Its limbs snapped unnaturally, teeth glinting.
A decision flashed in his mind:
Option A: Save the girl. Option B: Eliminate her to survive.
Kai froze. His body was screaming, but the System prompted again:
"Decision required. Time: 10 seconds."
He clenched his fists, vision narrowing. He couldn't leave her. But if he saved her…
The creature lunged.
Kai acted without thinking. He hurled the shard he still clutched, aiming for its grotesque eye. The crystal sang through the air, hitting true. The monster shrieked, staggering back—but it wasn't enough.
The girl screamed and ran. Kai bolted after her. Every step tore at his ribs.
System notification:"Host performance: 57%. Partial reward unlocked."
Kai felt energy surging through him. Muscles burning, lungs aching—he realized he could move faster than before.
The girl glanced at him. "Who… are you?"
"I… don't know," he wheezed.
The shadow fell silent, replaced by another, deeper growl—closer.
Kai's heart froze. He glanced at the System's prompt, blinking urgently on his arm:
"New Threat detected. Incoming."
And then… a second shard erupted from the rubble, spinning toward him like it had a mind of its own.
Kai caught it, but the System whispered: "Not yours… yet."
His hands shook. The girl's eyes widened. The shadow loomed taller, darker…
And that's when the System added, cold and clinical:
"Host, this is your first true choice. Fail, and everything dies."