Clark Walker came home early from the office that night, excited to celebrate his 7th wedding anniversary with Elena, his wife, and their daughter, Lily. Outside, it was drizzling, and the night air felt cold against his face as he made his way toward the house. Clark carried a neatly wrapped gift box and a bouquet of fresh flowers—a small present to mark the special occasion.
As he arrived at the front door, he was shocked to see it slightly ajar. His heart began to race as he stepped inside, hoping to surprise Elena and Lily with his early arrival. However, the atmosphere inside the house was vastly different from what he had imagined. The home, usually filled with laughter and joy, was eerily silent. Clark called out anxiously for his wife and daughter, "Elena? Lily? Where are you?" His voice echoed in the unsettling quiet. His footsteps reverberated in the hallway, and he felt that something was terribly wrong. When Clark opened the bedroom door, he was stunned by the sight he never expected. Elena and Lily lay lifeless on the bedroom floor. They looked so peaceful, but the blood surrounding them shattered Clark’s heart into pieces. The only thing left was a birthday cake that looked out of place on the table. Without hesitation, Clark approached the cake. On it was a small card that read, "Happy 7th wedding anniversary. May you die in peace." Filled with rage and pain, Clark took a closer look and realized that the cake concealed something foreign. A strange noise came from within it. Before Clark could inspect the cake further, an explosion occurred suddenly. Clark was thrown through the air, his body battered by the shockwave that destroyed everything around him. Excruciating pain engulfed his entire body, and time seemed to slow down. In his final moments, Clark felt a burning fury and vowed to avenge his family, even if he had to become a ghost. *** In a narrow alley, a teenage boy lay unconscious. He had been there for hours, with the rain falling and night closing in. Slowly regaining consciousness in the cold, damp street, the boy began to stir. At the same time, Clark felt as though he had reached heaven—but his senses were still functioning. He could smell the stench of garbage, hear the cacophony of the city, and feel the cold droplets of water soaking his body. Yet, something felt profoundly wrong. Clark opened his eyes and saw the night sky. "What’s happening?" Clark thought. Besides the night sky, he was startled to find himself in a narrow, dirty alley. His body had become thin and frail, a stark contrast to his previously strong and healthy frame. Quickly, he realized he was no longer the Clark Walker he once was. “How did this happen?” Clark realized he had woken up in the body of a young, street-dwelling teenager with no identity. As he tried to understand his situation, a mechanical voice emerged in his head, cold and emotionless, "Welcome, Clark Walker. You have been granted a second chance with the Gaia System. You are now in a new body and have access to powers you previously did not possess. Use these powers to exact revenge and uncover the truth behind your family’s death." Clark was startled and confused. "What is this? Where am I? Why am I here?" he asked, trying to seek further explanation. “For every mission successfully completed, you will receive rewards and additional power. You must complete these missions to achieve your ultimate goal.” Clark was indifferent to the voice in his head and the screen that appeared before him. He clutched his head, as memories of his wife and daughter lying on the floor flooded his mind, causing tears to stream down his face. He clenched his jaw and swore, venting his anger by smashing everything in the alley. After calming down, Clark began to steady his heart and mind. Moreover, the voice and screen in front of him piqued his curiosity. It was like playing a game. Despite the confusion and disbelief, the anger and pain from his family's death fueled Clark’s determination to accept his new condition. He began to experiment with the abilities he now possessed. Simple commands like open screen and close screen worked effectively. There were also stats of his strength displayed on the screen. It was exactly like a game, but it was happening in real life. “Can I evolve like a character in a game?” Clark wondered to himself. Realizing his new abilities, he also understood that there was much he could do, and he would use this system to grow and seek revenge. Clark then stepped out of the dark alley and looked at the brightly lit city. He would find out whether he was still in the same city or not. And once he could control this confusion, he would begin pursuing those who dared to disrupt his life. ***Clark sat on a bench in the quiet city park. The park was illuminated by soft lights, yet the rain still made him shiver with cold. Clark didn’t know where to go as the day grew darker. The serene park contrasted sharply with the chaos that had recently engulfed his life. Clark then opened the system and tried to understand it better. What was he supposed to do now? The system should have given him something, like a quest or food, as Clark was beginning to feel hunger. As Clark pondered his new life, the system’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind, "Welcome to the Gaia System. Your initial power is minimal but will increase as you complete missions. Use your abilities wisely to achieve your goals." Clark was confused. He had been given a second chance with mysterious powers, but so far, there had been no significant changes. He felt neither stronger nor more capable—just bewildered and cautious. He scrolled through the holographic interface, trying to understand how to use this p
Clark and Alex sat in the school sports field bleachers, enjoying the calm atmosphere of the afternoon. They chatted about everyday happenings when Clark's attention was suddenly drawn to a girl practicing on the field. The girl moved with incredible speed, as if she was flying across the field. Every movement was agile and graceful, making Clark unable to suppress his curiosity. "Alex, look at that girl. Does she always train like this?" Clark asked, pointing towards the girl. Alex followed Clark's gaze. "She's known for her incredible speed. She's even the star of the school's athletics team." Clark nodded, observing closely. The girl indeed had an almost unbelievable speed. However, while they were watching, the atmosphere suddenly became tense. A man dressed in black appeared from the corner of the field, followed by several others, also dressed in black. They moved with quick, tense steps, as if they had a clear purpose. Clark sensed something was wrong and immediately he
In the past few days, Alex hadn't been going to school. Clark had been worried since Alex had been staying with him after Clark saved him from the bullies weeks ago. They had moved in together, and Clark felt a strong sense of responsibility to protect his friend. That day, Clark came home early from his training and entered the house. Alex was sitting in the living room, looking dejected and anxious. Clark could sense the heavy atmosphere around him. "Alex, what's wrong? Why haven't you been going to school?" Clark asked with concern. He felt it was time to get involved. Alex sighed heavily, staring at the floor. "I'm scared, Clark. The bullies... they keep finding ways to make my life miserable. I don't know what to do." Clark felt a deep sympathy for his friend. Although he had tried to protect Alex, the threat seemed far from over. Clark decided that he needed to help Alex. In recent weeks, Clark had also been studying a new power he gained after rescuing Elena. This pow
The evening sky began to fade as the school bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. The noisy chatter of students hurrying home echoed down the school halls, but for Alex, these were the most terrifying moments. On his way home, he tried to avoid people's gazes, hiding his pale and anxious face under the hood of his jacket. However, as usual, bad luck always found him. "Hey, look who we have here!" the rough voice broke the silence, making Alex tremble. Five large figures emerged from the shadows, with sinister smiles plastered on their faces. They were the bullies who had relentlessly made Alex's life a living hell. "Looks like he's trying to avoid us," one of them, a tall teenager with messy blonde hair, grabbed Alex's shoulder firmly, causing him to flinch. Alex swallowed hard, trying to stay calm, but his trembling body betrayed him. "Clark? Are you just going to stand there?" Alex knew he was a coward, but he hoped this time Clark would come to his aid again. "So, th
A loud thud echoed in the dark room filled with the stench of cigarette smoke and alcohol. The gang members who had lost the fight against Clark now knelt on the floor, their bodies trembling with fear. Standing before them, the gang leader, a large teenager with a gaze filled with rage, stood with clenched fists. His face was flushed with anger, and he didn't hesitate to rain down punches and kicks on his subordinates. "You're all cowards!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the room. "Five against one, and you still lost? Do you have any idea how humiliating this is?!" Each word that left his mouth was accompanied by a kick to one of them, who could only groan in pain, too afraid to fight back. The shame and anger he felt were unbearable. All this time, he had been the ruler of the school, bullying whoever he wanted without anyone daring to oppose him. But a scrawny kid like Clark, whom he never even considered a threat, had made him look like a fool in front of everyone. It
After school, Clark and Alex made their way to the basketball court with steady steps. There, they were greeted by an unusual sight—a crowd of people already waiting. Their numbers were so overwhelming that Alex and Clark found it difficult to count how many had gathered. Alex felt nervous, fearful of what might happen. "Clark, what should we do? This isn't like usual," Alex whispered, his voice trembling. Clark turned to him, his face calm. "Don't worry, Alex. I'm here. No one will touch you. If they try anything, I'll handle it." In the middle of the crowd, a tall man with prominent muscles under his basketball uniform stepped forward. His eyes were sharp, filled with determination. The man was Vincent Hayes, the school basketball team captain and leader of the Black Vipers gang. "So, this is our new hero," Vincent said sarcastically, his gaze locking onto Clark. "Do you think just because you took down some of my guys, you can take on all of us?" Clark didn't flinch. He stared
In a skyscraper, a 40-year-old man stands behind a large glass window. His gaze is directed downward, but he is not enjoying the city view; instead, he is focused on the system interface he has been observing for years. As he lights a cigarette with a flame created by his fingers, memories of his first murder resurface. The memory is vivid and disturbing. He recalls the cold sweat on his palms and the rapid heartbeat as he prepared for his first kill. The target was a man living alone in a small apartment. The task seemed simple but felt like stepping into an unknown darkness. He felt waves of anxiety, his hands trembling as he approached the man’s residence. The apartment door creaked ominously as he opened it, revealing a completely unsuspecting target. The fear was palpable, yet there was also a strange, indescribable thrill. Each step closer brought a rush of adrenaline, heightening his senses and pushing aside his fear. When the job was done and he saw the life fading from his
The next morning, Alex decided not to go to school. His fear of facing the zombie-like people was too great. Clark followed Alex's decision and stayed home to rest. They sat in the living room, watching the news on television with confused expressions. "Clark, look at this news," Alex said, pointing to the TV screen. "It’s similar to what we faced yesterday. What exactly is happening with those people?" Clark frowned. "I don’t know either, Alex. They seem to be experiencing something that makes them not feel pain or injury. It’s very suspicious." The news showed CCTV footage of several young people doing crazy things—some throwing themselves into traffic, others jumping off buildings. Strangely, they got up and ran as if nothing had happened. Several witnesses corroborated the reports, adding details about how the people did not show any signs of pain. Alex looked at Clark with worried eyes. "Is there some kind of zombie outbreak hitting our city?" Clark squinted. "Do you believe