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
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