Rain pelted the shattered rooftops of District 9 like bullets from the sky. Kael tightened his cloak and followed Rin through a narrow alley, stepping over broken glass, discarded tech scraps, and the occasional graffiti message: "WATCH THE SKIES" in bold crimson paint.
"Why do I feel like we're walking into a trap?" Kael asked, his voice barely audible over the storm.
"Because we are," Rin replied coolly. "District 9's a dead zone for a reason. Even the city's surveillance doesn't bother watching here anymore. Perfect place to hide something no one wants found."
They stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned train station. Overgrown vines crept up cracked concrete walls, and rusted gates barely hung on their hinges. Kael's Life System flickered with static the moment they stepped closer.
[Warning: Signal Interference Detected]
[Connection to Network Unstable]
"Great," Kael muttered. "We're blind down here."
"Exactly," Rin said, pulling out a device that looked like a high-tech crowbar. With a hiss of energy, she pried open the steel doors, revealing a staircase that spiraled deep into the earth.
As they descended, the temperature dropped, and the walls became lined with black, pulsing cables. Some looked organic. Others… alien.
Kael's system suddenly pinged.
[New Environment Detected: ORIGIN VAULT]
[System Adapting…]
[Skill Restriction: 30% Reduction in Active Ability Efficiency]
"They're suppressing my skills," Kael said, glancing at Rin.
"They don't want intruders walking out stronger than when they came in," Rin replied. "Keep your mind sharp. This place tests more than muscle."
---
At the bottom of the stairs, a massive steel door blocked their path. Strange runes glowed around its frame.
"Touch nothing until I scan," Rin warned, activating a wrist device.
Kael stared at the door, feeling a strange pull. It was as if something—or someone—on the other side was calling to him. Not in words, but in memories. He saw flashes of his parents, his childhood, even his first quest. All twisted. Wrong.
The scan beeped. Rin cursed. "It's using psychological baiting. The door is alive. It learns your fears."
Kael stepped forward, placing his hand on the surface.
A shock rippled through his body.
[Mental Barrier Breach Detected]
[Initiating Defense Protocols…]
His mind was thrown into chaos. Suddenly, Kael was standing in his old apartment, fire spreading across the walls, smoke choking the air. His mother screamed. His hands were covered in blood. He dropped to his knees.
"Stop… it's not real…"
"You let them die," a voice whispered.
"SHUT UP!"
Kael punched the floor—and shattered the illusion.
He gasped and stumbled back into reality. Rin grabbed his shoulder. "You okay?"
"Yeah," he panted. "That thing almost broke me."
"Then it means you passed."
The runes faded, and the door slowly creaked open.
---
Inside the vault was a wide chamber lined with floating crystals, each humming with ancient code. In the center stood a pedestal, and atop it hovered a black cube wrapped in energy chains.
"That's the Origin Core," Rin whispered. "It holds fragments of the first Life System, created before the Order corrupted it."
Kael stepped forward.
"Wait," Rin warned. "It will test you. If you're not chosen—"
Kael placed his hand on the cube.
The world turned white.
---
He stood in a vast field under a golden sky. A figure stood before him—faceless, glowing, its voice echoing like thunder and wind.
"You seek power beyond balance. Purpose beyond reason."
Kael stood firm. "I seek freedom. I seek control of my own life."
"And what will you sacrifice?"
He hesitated. "Everything I must. But not who I am."
Silence. Then the figure extended a hand.
"Then rise, Kael Riven. Your path begins anew."
---
Kael woke up, standing over the now-silent cube. The energy chains had shattered. His System screamed with notifications.
[Origin Fragment Acquired]
[New Skill Unlocked: Chrono Edge] (Allows user to briefly slow time within a limited field. 15-second window. 1-minute cooldown.)
[System Rank Increased: B-Class Initiate → A-Class Operator]
Rin stared at him. "You actually did it."
Kael turned, eyes glowing faintly. "I think we just made a declaration of war."