Lucius sat hunched on the floor of his dim apartment, the door locked behind him, his chest still heaving. The glow from the system screen bathed the walls in flickering red and orange, casting dancing shadows that almost resembled the flames he'd just conjured. His hand trembled as he set the Hellfire Blade against the wall. Even at rest, it radiated warmth—like a piece of hell itself had followed him home.
His heart hadn't slowed down. His legs were weak. And for the first time in years, he felt like a child again. Powerless. Confused. Alone.
He pulled his knees to his chest and stared at the holographic interface still hovering before him.
[Welcome, Lucius.][System Status: Active.][You have slain 3x Lesser Hellhounds. +30 XP.][New Feature Unlocked: Attributes Panel.]
A quiet ping followed. Another menu opened.
Name: LuciusLevel: 1Experience: 30/100Weapon: Hellfire Blade [Tier D]Health: 100/100Strength: 12Agility: 9Endurance: 10Willpower: 15Aura: ?? (Locked)
Lucius stared at the numbers, trying to make sense of it all. A part of him wanted to scream—to throw something, to cry, to demand answers from the glowing system that just dropped into his life like a divine curse. Another part of him, a darker part, was… intrigued.
He thought about the hellhounds—how real they were. How close he'd come to death. And how it felt… swinging that sword.
It wasn't just about fighting. In that moment, as the fire coursed through his arm and burst outward from the blade, he felt alive. Not like the empty, going-through-the-motions Lucius who trudged to school, came home, and repeated it like clockwork.
No. In that instant—he was something more.
He stood up shakily, brushing the dust from his worn jeans, and walked to the small sink in his kitchenette. The apartment was silent, save for the soft hum of the sword in the corner. He splashed water on his face, stared into the cracked mirror, and studied his reflection.
Unkempt white hair. Deep, tired eyes. A scar above his left eyebrow he didn't remember getting. And beneath all of it… something changing.
"Who the hell am I becoming?" he whispered.
[Would you like to spend your 5 Attribute Points?]
He didn't know the best answer. But the system didn't wait for experts. It chose him. So he made a choice.
+2 Strength. +1 Agility. +2 Endurance.[Stats Updated.]
The change wasn't immediate, but subtle. His posture straightened. The ache in his muscles faded slightly. His breath came easier.
A knock came at the door.
Lucius froze. He turned, eyes widening. No one knocked on his door. He didn't have friends. The landlord usually just screamed through the wood.
The knock came again. Slower. Heavier.
He grabbed the sword instinctively.
"Who's there?" he asked.
Silence.
Then a voice, calm but low—like gravel sliding down a slope.
"You've awakened it. The system. Haven't you?"
Lucius gripped the hilt tighter. "Who are you?"
"A messenger," the voice replied. "A warning."
Lucius peeked through the peephole, but saw nothing. No shadows, no figure. Just empty hallway.
"Don't open the door," the voice said, now behind him.
Lucius spun around in terror. The room was empty. The sword burst into flame again.
"I'm not here to fight you, boy," the voice continued. "Not yet. But you need to understand—this system is not a gift. It's a curse. You opened a gate, and the first hounds were only a whisper."
Lucius's mouth was dry. "Why me? I didn't choose this!"
"No one chooses Hell," the voice said softly. "It chooses you."
The flame on the sword flickered violently, then dimmed. The system pulsed once more.
[New Quest Received: Survive the Next Trial.][Difficulty: Unknown][Time Remaining: 12 hours]
Lucius felt a weight settle in his chest. A pressure. He didn't know what the next trial would be, but the voice was gone now—leaving only silence and a cold sense of dread.
He collapsed onto the bed, sword still in his hand. Sleep was a distant hope.
But as he drifted off into an uneasy rest, the system pulsed softly.
[Lucius Grave – Hellbound Initiate.][Fate cannot be undone. You are the son of fire now.]
Son of fire ? he thought he was an orphan with the charity giving him some money to live
he doesn't remember about his parents ...
DING .. A NOTIFICATIION POPPED
[New Quest: Defeat the Hell Prisoner]Location: Brooklyn – Zone DEstimated Threat Level: B-Reward: 150 XP | Weapon Upgrade | Mystery Relic CrateTime Remaining: 3 Hours"The fires grow restless. One has escaped the chains."
Lucius sat up slowly. His limbs still ached, but the fog had cleared. He stared at the mission panel, then down at the Hellfire Blade resting beside him. The apartment around him suddenly felt too small, too quiet. The city beyond the walls moved like a heartbeat—steady, alive… and completely unaware that a hellspawn was now loose in Brooklyn.
He stood and approached the window. Rain streaked the glass, the streets bathed in wet amber light. Cars drove by, horns honked, someone shouted across the road.
And somewhere out there, Lucius thought, something not human is waiting for me.
He turned back to the system screen.
[Would you like to track the quest location?][Yes] — [No]
He didn't hesitate.
"Yeah," he whispered. "Show me."
The screen shimmered, shrinking into a red-tinted minimap, a glowing marker pulsing just a few blocks away. Lucius stared at it, swallowing the fear that coiled in his gut.
He changed out of his torn shirt, slipped on a hoodie, and tied his worn sneakers. The Hellfire Blade vanished into his inventory with a whisper of smoke. The apartment lights flickered as he grabbed the door handle.
Before stepping out, he glanced one last time at the dark room—the place that had been his shelter, his prison, and now… his war room.
Then he left, shutting the door behind him.
The streets of Brooklyn were quiet this late. Rain dripped from fire escapes. Steam rose from grates. Lucius moved like a shadow, following the system's marker as it pulsed brighter, pulling him closer to the disturbance.
He found himself near a rundown subway entrance, gated off and surrounded by caution tape. An old sign above read "Zone D – Out of Service". A few homeless folks lingered nearby, eyes glazed from the cold. None of them paid him any mind.
[Warning: You are nearing the quest zone.]
Lucius stepped through the broken fence and descended the damp steps.
The scent hit him first—burnt metal, sulfur, and blood.
The lights flickered, the tunnels echoing with distant, raspy breathing.
Then he heard it.
Chains dragging across concrete.
He stepped into the shadows, heart hammering again. The system interface hovered before him.
[Enemy Detected: Hell Prisoner – Grade B-][Caution: High aggression. Fire resistance. Close-combat specialist.]
From the far end of the station, something moved. A man—no, a beast in human form—emerged from the shadows. His skin was scorched black, like burned clay. Rusted chains were wrapped around his arms and chest, still smoldering at the ends. His face was mostly hidden behind a cracked, iron mask… but his eyes burned like coals.
"Another one," the Hell Prisoner growled, voice dry and brittle. "Another spark of fire sent to stop me."
Lucius summoned the Hellfire Blade with a snap. Flames roared to life along its edge.
"You're not just escaping," Lucius muttered. "You're hunting."
The Prisoner laughed, stepping forward.
"I was forged in the pits. I burned for centuries. And now that I've tasted freedom, I'll rip this world apart."
Lucius didn't wait. He lunged forward, blade slicing through the air. The two collided in a burst of sparks and heat.
The battle was brutal. Lucius had power—but it was raw, unrefined. The Hell Prisoner swung chains with unnatural speed, one lashing across Lucius's side and throwing him into a crumbling pillar.
Blood filled his mouth. The system pinged.
[Health: 61/100][Hellfire Charge: 64%][Skill Ready: Hellbrand Slash]
He gritted his teeth, rolled to the side, and dodged another chain whip. Fire burned in his lungs, in his veins. With a roar, he surged forward and activated the skill.
"HELLBRAND SLASH!"
The sword ignited with explosive flame. Lucius swung upward, the arc cutting through the chain and biting deep into the prisoner's chest. The creature shrieked, staggering back—but didn't fall.
"More," it hissed. "More pain. More fire!"
Lucius's legs wobbled. His breath came in gasps. He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up.
[New Notification: Unlock Skill — Infernal Pulse (Passive)][Every successful kill empowers your fire.][Temporary boost granted: Strength +3, Endurance +3]
Lucius felt a jolt through his limbs. His legs steadied. His grip tightened.
"This ends now," he growled.
With everything he had left, Lucius charged again—blade burning white-hot. The Hell Prisoner raised his chains for a final strike.
They clashed one last time—flame against fury. And when the smoke cleared, Lucius stood tall.
The prisoner fell, chains clattering to the ground like broken promises.
[Quest Complete: Hell Prisoner Defeated.][+150 XP][Level Up – Level 2][Reward Claimed: Hellfire Blade Upgrade – Tier C][Mystery Relic Crate Obtained.]
Lucius collapsed to his knees, breathing hard. The fire in the blade dimmed, and the system faded into the background.
The subway was silent.
He wiped blood from his mouth and looked at his shaking hands.
What am I becoming?
And in the distance, in the shadows beyond the tunnel…
...something else stirred.