Light flashed around Kael as he stepped through the glowing portal. His body felt weightless for a moment. Then, like before, the world twisted — and suddenly, he was back in the slums.
The rain had stopped. The sky was gray. The streets were quiet.
Kael stood in the same dirty alley where it had all started. The broken crates were still there. Blood stains marked the spot where Jarek and his gang had beaten him. But now, Kael was different.
He wasn't broken anymore.
He was level 5. He had fought monsters. He had survived a dungeon. And most of all… he had hope.
[QUEST COMPLETE: SURVIVE THE SEWER MAW NEST]
[REWARDS CLAIMED]
– +2 Skill Points
– +100 EXP
– +1 Mystery Reward
[LEVEL UP: Kael – Level 6]
Kael's body warmed. He could feel energy flowing through him. His muscles felt stronger, his thoughts clearer. The pain in his ribs was gone.
A new screen opened in front of him.
[REWARD UNLOCKED: MYSTERY CHEST – RANK F]
[Open now? Y/N]
Kael nodded. "Yes."
The air shimmered. A small glowing box appeared, floating in front of him. It opened slowly, revealing its contents.
[You received: Skill – "Shadow Step (Lv.1)"]
Kael's eyes widened.
[Shadow Step (Lv.1): A fast movement skill. Dash forward or sideways in a blur. Usable once every 10 seconds.]
He clenched his fists. A movement skill could save his life in battle. He smiled slightly.
"Now we're talking."
Kael walked through the alley, pipe still in his hand. His clothes were torn, and he still looked like a poor street rat. But inside, he felt like someone new.
He reached a quiet spot near the market square, where a few street vendors were packing up. One of them, Old Danno, looked up and frowned.
"Kael?" the man said. "You're still alive?"
Kael gave a small smile. "Barely."
Old Danno noticed the bruises and nodded. "Jarek again?"
Kael didn't answer.
The old man sighed. "You should leave this place before he kills you. You're not strong enough for this world, boy."
Kael looked at his hands, then at the glowing system screen only he could see.
"Maybe I am now."
He found an empty shack at the edge of the slums. Half the roof was gone, and the walls were falling apart, but it was shelter. He sat down on a crate and opened the system again.
Kael – Level 6
Strength: 10
Agility: 9
Vitality: 7
Intelligence: 6
Willpower: 7
Soul: ?
[Skill Points: 2]
He thought for a moment, then placed both points into Agility. He had power, but he needed to be faster—especially if he wanted to fight people instead of just rats.
His skill list now showed:
Street Fighter (Lv.1) – Bonus damage with makeshift weapons
Endure Pain (Lv.1) – Minor resistance to pain during battle
Shadow Step (Lv.1) – Short-distance dash
He tested Shadow Step in the shack.
He focused and thought the words: Shadow Step.
In a blink, he moved two meters forward, faster than his own eyes could follow. He bumped into the wall, surprised.
"Whoa…"
His heart raced. This was real power.
Kael knew what he had to do next.
He needed gear.
Real weapons, armor, food—anything to help him survive. Dungeons would get harder. Enemies would be stronger. And if Jarek and his gang came for him again, he had to be ready.
But Kael had no money. No home. No family.
So he turned to the only thing he had now: the system.
He opened the quest tab.
[AVAILABLE QUESTS:]
1. Slum Patrol (Daily) – Eliminate 3 threats in the slums
– Reward: 50 EXP + 5 Copper
2. Clean the Water Well (Side Quest) – Clear rats from the slum well
– Reward: Skill Fragment (Common) + 30 EXP
3. ?? (Locked) – Requires Level 7+
Kael accepted the first two.
"I need gear. Let's earn it."
He left the shack and made his way through the back alleys. The slums were dangerous at night, full of thugs, drunk fighters, and beasts that fed on the weak.
He didn't care.
Kael found his first target near the broken bridge — a slum thug trying to rob an old woman. He moved in quickly, silent as a shadow. With one clean strike from his pipe, the thug fell.
> [Target Defeated – EXP +15]
Two more came at him later—low-level gang members. Kael used Shadow Step to dodge one's blade, then cracked the other's jaw with a swing. He moved fast, fought smart, and didn't stop moving.
> [Daily Quest Complete: Slum Patrol]
[Reward: +50 EXP, +5 Copper Coins]
For the first time, Kael had money.
Not much, but it was a start.
Next, he headed for the well. It was covered in slime and surrounded by broken stones. He heard hissing from below.
He climbed into the well carefully.
Inside, it was dark. He used a glowing crystal he found in the dungeon to light the space. The bottom of the well was full of sludge—and rats.
Six of them. Bigger than normal. Diseased and angry.
Kael gritted his teeth.
"Let's go."
He fought hard, using everything he had. His pipe swung like a real weapon now, faster and sharper. He ducked, dashed, and dodged with Shadow Step, landing hits when it counted.
When it was over, he stood in silence, blood dripping from his arms.
[Quest Complete: Clean the Water Well]
[Reward: +30 EXP, Skill Fragment (Common)]
A new item dropped into his inventory.
[Skill Fragment – Common: Combine 3 to unlock a random skill.]
Kael nodded. He needed two more to get something new.
He climbed out of the well just as the sun started to rise. His body was tired, his hands bruised, but he was smiling.
He had done real work. Earned real rewards. Not by stealing, not by begging, but by fighting and surviving.
He looked at the slums around him. Same broken homes. Same hungry eyes. But now he saw it differently.
He wasn't just trash anymore.
He was growing stronger.
And the world would notice soon.
End of Chapter 3