Modern World...
"There's a voice that softly calls my name…"
A hooded figure stood by the roadside, gently cradling a cat in their hands.
Their voice was soft—almost soothing.
"A gentle light, but it feels the same…"
Vehicles rushed past at high speed, their noise clashing against the calmness of the song.
"Like a dream I've somehow lost my grip…"
The figure loosened their hold—
—and let the cat drop onto the road.
The cat panicked, darting between cars and trucks.
Horns blared.
Drivers swerved.
Chaos unfolded—
—and then—
A truck slammed into a man.
"The tether's broken… it starts to slip…"
The figure didn't even glance at the accident.
People screamed.
Some rushed forward.
Others called for an ambulance.
But the song continued.
"I don't know you… who are you?"
A grin spread beneath the hood.
"You say my name like it still rings true…"
"Your face—a mirror I cannot trace…"
"In this void… I see no familiar face."
The figure laughed softly—
and their body began to crumble.
Turning into dust…
before disappearing completely.
Scene Change....
"…Ray, don't you think the system is a bit cruel?"
"Cruel? How so?"
"The shop… why is everything so damn expensive? And the only currency is system points—pt."
"Skills are rare," Ray replied. "You don't just get them normally. Of course they're expensive."
"…Still."
Two system tabs appeared before me.
---
Shop
Skill: Mana Sensing
Cost: 50 pt
---
---
Shop
Skill: Mana Manipulation
Cost: 75 pt
--
I stared at the numbers.
"…Fifty… and seventy-five?"
"The quest only gives one point. Where am I supposed to get the rest?!"
"Relax," Ray said lazily. "Rewards scale with difficulty. Harder quests give more points."
"…Tch."
I shifted my gaze toward the moon outside the window.
Silent.
Distant.
"What are you thinking about?" Ray asked.
"…I was wondering about the main character's past life."
"I know he had a bad life… extremely unlucky."
"…and he died after being hit by a truck."
"…Ugh. Whatever."
I pulled the curtains shut and lay down.
I hope tomorrow isn't as chaotic as I think it'll be…
I have to make sure everything follows the novel…
What a pain…
"…Such a tedious job," I muttered under my breath.