CHAPTER FOUR: THE DOORWAY OF FATES
The battlefield was quiet now. The clash between Kairo and Raz had come to a brutal end. Smoke curled from the broken earth, and a silence hung heavy in the air—a silence only broken by the wind whispering through the torn banners of the dead.
Kairo stood, his chest heaving, blood soaking the sleeves of his torn jacket. The final blow had taken its toll on both of them. Raz lay unconscious, his armor fractured, but breathing. Not dead. Not yet.
A strange pulse throbbed in Kairo's hand. The God Key had awakened. It wasn't a literal key—it was embedded in his soul, a mysterious symbol now etched on the back of his palm. It glowed faintly, like burning silver, and whispered in a voice that wasn't entirely human.
"You have touched the brink of death... and earned access to the First Tier."
He staggered back as a sudden wave of light surged from the symbol, sweeping into the air above him like a celestial screen. A golden interface, unseen by the ordinary eye, now floated before him:
---
[SYSTEM INITIALIZING...]
Welcome, Awakened One.
TALENT: SSS-RANK [Undefined Potential] LEVEL: 1 TITLE: Bearer of the God Key
WARNING: To unlock higher tiers of the God Key, you must offer something... precious.
First Cost: Memory Loss - Accepted.
You have forgotten: The Name of Your Childhood Friend.
---
Kairo fell to his knees. His vision blurred. He tried to recall something—a laugh, a girl's smile. Nothing. It was gone.
"Who... was she?" he whispered to himself, tears mixing with the dirt on his face. The system had taken it. Without mercy.
From the skies above, a thunderclap cracked like a drum. A second screen formed across the entire sky, visible to every person in the world.
---
[GLOBAL ANNOUNCEMENT]
The World Has Changed.
TALENT RANKS HAVE AWAKENED FOR ALL HUMANS. FROM F TO SSS. LEVEL SYSTEM ENGAGED.
DUNGEONS AND RIFTS WILL NOW BEGIN TO APPEAR. FIGHT, SURVIVE, LEVEL UP.
WELCOME TO THE NEW ERA.
---
In homes, cities, and across distant lands, humans stared into the sky as blue screens appeared before them, showing their ranks, talents, and attributes.
Chaos followed. Some screamed in joy, others in terror. But amidst the noise, one thing was clear:
The world had changed forever.
Back on the field, Veyra came running, bruised but alive, her hair flowing behind her like fire. Her violet eyes met Kairo's, full of worry.
"Kairo! What happened to you? Your eyes... they look empty."
Kairo didn't answer. He was still staring at the system screen, now fading.
Veyra helped him up, her fingers brushing his arm, but as soon as she touched him—a surge of energy raced through his body. Another screen blinked to life.
---
[ABSORPTION SYSTEM - TIER 1 ACTIVE] TARGET: VEYRA EXTRACTION: BLOCKED (Subject Alive) Note: Absorption of Talent/Skill/Attribute can only occur from Fallen or Dead Subjects. Touch Required.
Special Note: Unique bond detected. Future synchronization may be possible.
Kairo's fingers trembled.
"This... this isn't a gift. It's a curse."
He clenched his fists, heart burning. The path ahead was filled with power—yes. But also with a price. Every step forward could cost him everything he once was.
And somewhere within the God Key's whispers...
He heard something else.
"To reach Tier 2, another memory must fall. Choose wisely..."