Night had fully settled over Riverwood. Most of the town had gone quiet. Lanterns flickered softly outside homes and shops, casting long shadows across the empty streets. The lively noise of the marketplace had faded, replaced by distant laughter from the tavern and the occasional footsteps of late travelers.
Alex walked slowly toward the small inn where he had rented a room. His new leather armor vest rested comfortably over his clothes, and the new dagger hung at his side. The weapon felt far more balanced than his old one, and the leather grip fit perfectly in his hand. He still couldn't believe how much money he had earned in a single day. Thirty-five silver coins. Even after buying the dagger and armor, he still had a small amount left.
"Not bad for a beginner," Alex said quietly to himself.
As he walked, the system interface appeared briefly in front of him.
Host: Alex Varyn
Level: 5
Strength: 4
Agility: 4
Intelligence: 1
Mana: 0
Skills:
• Analyze Lv.1
• Vital Recovery Lv.1
Alex studied the glowing text for a moment.
Every time he saw the system screen, it still felt slightly unreal. In this world, people used magic, trained with swords, or studied ancient spells. But Alex had something different. Something unique. A system that guided him, strengthened him, and gave him abilities that no one else seemed to possess.
And according to the mysterious man he met earlier… That system was forbidden.
Alex sighed.
"Yeah… that part still worries me."
If the system was truly dangerous or illegal somehow, then showing its power openly could attract attention. And attention was the last thing he needed. Still, without the system, he would already be dead.
"Guess I'll just have to be careful."
Soon Alex arrived at the small wooden inn near the edge of town. The sign above the door read:
The Silver Leaf Inn
Warm light spilled from the windows, and the smell of soup drifted into the street. Alex stepped inside. The innkeeper, a middle-aged woman with gray-streaked hair, looked up from behind the counter.
"Back again," she said with a friendly smile.
Alex nodded.
"Long day."
"You look like it."
She glanced at his new armor and weapon.
"Looks like business went well."
"Better than expected."
The woman chuckled.
"Adventurers either make money… or they don't come back at all."
Alex laughed slightly.
"Yeah, I'm starting to understand that."
He grabbed the room key she handed him and headed upstairs. The hallway was quiet. When he entered his small room, he immediately collapsed onto the bed. The mattress wasn't luxurious, but after fighting wolves all day, it felt incredible.
"Finally…"
For a few minutes, Alex simply lay there, staring at the wooden ceiling. His body slowly relaxed as the Vital Recovery skill worked quietly in the background. Then suddenly—The system screen flickered. Alex sat up immediately.
"…What?"
The glowing interface appeared again, but something was different this time.
Warning
Unknown Energy Detection
Scanning…
Alex frowned.
"Unknown energy?"
Before he could react, the screen flickered again.
Signal Detected
Source: Unknown
Distance: Extremely Far
Status: Searching…
"What the hell does that mean?"
The system had never displayed anything like this before. The message disappeared a few seconds later. But the uneasy feeling it left behind didn't fade.
Far away from Riverwood… Hundreds of miles beyond the mountains… Deep beneath an ancient stone fortress hidden underground… A massive crystal floated in the center of a dark chamber. The crystal was enormous—nearly three meters tall—and covered in glowing runes that slowly rotated across its surface. Several figures in dark robes stood around it.
Suddenly— The crystal began to glow violently. Energy surged through the runes like lightning. One of the robed figures gasped.
"It's active!"
Another rushed forward, staring at the crystal's surface as symbols rapidly appeared.
"That's impossible… the signal hasn't appeared for centuries."
The largest figure in the room stepped forward slowly.
His robe was darker than the others, marked with golden symbols.
"Report," he commanded.
One of the scholars trembled slightly.
"We've detected it, Lord Arkan."
The man's eyes narrowed.
"…Detected what?"
The scholar swallowed nervously.
"The Forbidden System."
Silence filled the chamber.
For hundreds of years, the system had been nothing more than a myth—an ancient power believed to have disappeared long ago. Yet now the crystal clearly showed a faint signal. Somewhere in the world… It had awakened.
Lord Arkan stared at the glowing crystal.
"Location?"
The scholar shook his head.
"The signal is weak… but it's coming from the western continent."
The man slowly clenched his fist. After centuries of searching… They had finally found a trace.
"Send the hunters," Lord Arkan ordered.
His voice was cold.
"Find the host."
Back in Riverwood… Alex lay back on his bed, staring at the ceiling again. He had no idea that somewhere far away, powerful people had just detected his existence.
And that the moment his system awakened…
A hunt had already begun.