2025-03-11 16:46:36System Activation
The steady beep of a heart monitor pulled me from the abyss. My eyelids felt like they were weighed down by concrete, but I forced them open, blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights overhead. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled my lungs, mixing with something metallic—blood. My blood. I was alive. The last thing I remembered was the voice in my head, the surge of energy, the fight, and then—nothing. Now, I was here, lying in a hospital bed, IV tubes snaking from my arm, my body wrapped in bandages. A dull ache pulsed through me, but it wasn’t the unbearable agony I should have felt after what happened. That was the first sign that something was off. The second was the floating screen hovering at the edge of my vision. [Bonding System Online.] I inhaled sharply, my pulse spiking. It wasn’t a dream. It wasn’t a hallucination. The voice, the power—it was real. I turned my head slightly, scanning the small hospital room. The door was closed, the blinds partially drawn, casting faint streaks of light across the floor. Machines hummed softly beside me, and the faint murmur of voices drifted from the hallway. No one else could see what I was seeing. [Status Update: Caden Kelly] [Physical Condition: Stabilized] [Abilities: Pending Activation] [Decision Required: Accept System or Revert to Normalcy] A choice. I clenched my jaw, my fingers curling into the stiff sheets beneath me. Normalcy? I almost laughed at the word. There was nothing normal about what happened. Nothing normal about surviving an attack that should’ve killed me. And there sure as hell wasn’t anything normal about the system waiting for my answer. But still, I hesitated. If I accepted, there was no turning back. A sharp knock at the door cut through my thoughts. I flicked my gaze toward it just as the door pushed open, and a familiar figure stepped inside. Detective Ryan Cole. He was built like a linebacker, with sharp eyes that missed nothing and a permanent air of skepticism. His dark suit was slightly wrinkled, and his tie loosened like he’d been up all night. "Guess I don’t need to ask if you’re awake," he muttered, closing the door behind him. I sat up slowly, wincing as my muscles protested. "Didn’t know I had the pleasure of a personal visit, Detective." "You should’ve died, Kelly." His voice was blunt, carrying the weight of someone who had seen too much. "Three stab wounds. Internal bleeding. But here you are—alive and looking a hell of a lot better than you should." I met his gaze, unreadable. "Lucky, I guess." Ryan snorted, dragging a chair closer before sinking into it. "Yeah. Real lucky." He leaned forward, forearms resting on his knees. "You want to tell me what the hell happened that night?" My fingers twitched. For a second, I considered telling him everything—the ambush, the voice, the surge of power. But the words stuck in my throat. What was I supposed to say? ‘Hey, Detective, so it turns out I’ve got some kind of system in my head that’s giving me a second chance at life.’ Yeah. That would go over great. So instead, I gave him a version of the truth. "I was attacked. Five guys, masked, armed. Didn’t get a good look at them." His expression didn’t change. "And you just happened to survive that?" "Like I said. Lucky." Ryan exhaled through his nose, clearly not buying it, but he didn’t press. Not yet. Instead, he pulled out a small notebook. "Your attackers left no evidence. No fingerprints, no security footage. Whoever they were, they were professionals." He studied me. "Any enemies I should know about?" I hesitated. I had plenty of people who didn’t like me, but someone who wanted me dead? "I don’t know," I admitted. "But I intend to find out." His eyes narrowed. "That better not mean what I think it does." I smirked. "I’m a law-abiding citizen, Detective." "Yeah, sure," he muttered, closing his notebook. "Listen, Kelly. You got a second chance. Don’t waste it doing something stupid." I didn’t reply, and he didn’t wait for one. He stood, giving me one last look before heading for the door. "Stay out of trouble." No promises. The moment he was gone, I let out a slow breath, my gaze flicking back to the screen still floating in my vision. [Decision Required: Accept System or Revert to Normalcy] My hands clenched. Going back to normal meant forgetting what happened, pretending I didn’t feel the raw power coursing through me, pretending I wasn’t just given a lifeline. But embracing it? That meant stepping into the unknown. It meant power, danger, and responsibility. I closed my eyes, letting the memory of that night wash over me—the helplessness, the rage, the moment I almost died. Never again. I opened my eyes, determination hardening in my chest. "I accept." The screen flared, and a wave of heat rolled through me, sharp and electrifying. My pulse pounded, and for a split second, I felt weightless—like the very air around me was bending, shifting. Then it settled, and the voice returned. [System Activated. Welcome, Caden Kelly.] New text appeared, filling my vision. [Ability Unlocked: Enhanced Reflexes] [Ability Unlocked: Regenerative Healing] [Primary Mission Assigned: Identify Your Attackers] A sharp knock sounded at the door—this one urgent. "Caden!" A voice I knew all too well. My sister. Liz. Before I could react, the door burst open, and she rushed in, her hazel eyes wide with a mixture of relief and fury. "Oh my god, you’re awake!" She didn’t hesitate, crossing the room in three quick strides before throwing her arms around me. Pain lanced through my ribs, but I barely felt it. "Jesus, Liz, easy," I muttered, but I didn’t push her away. She pulled back, eyes scanning me like she was making sure I was real. "I thought you were going to die." Her voice cracked on the last word. I forced a smirk. "You know me. Too stubborn for that." She smacked my arm. "Not funny, Caden!" Her anger was a mask for fear, and I felt a pang of guilt. I’d scared her. "I’m fine," I assured her, softer this time. She swallowed, nodding, but I could see the tension in her shoulders. "Who did this?" I met her gaze, the weight of my new mission settling in my chest. "I don’t know," I admitted. "But I’m going to find out." And this time, I wouldn’t be the one left bleeding. A sudden alert flared across the screen in my vision. [Warning: Hostile Presence Detected.] My breath caught. Then, outside the window, a shadow moved
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THE RISE OF THE SYSTEM OVERLORD CHAPTER 3
First Bond – Stella VasquezThe scent of antiseptic and something faintly floral reached me before I saw her. I was staring at the floating system screen, my mind racing over the warning it had just given me, when the sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor pulled my attention back to the present.Then she walked in.Dr. Stella Vasquez.She was young for a doctor—late twenties, maybe early thirties. Dark hair pulled into a sleek ponytail, sharp hazel eyes that took in everything with a mix of curiosity and calculation. Her white coat fit perfectly over her frame, giving off an air of competence that wasn’t just for show.She paused at the doorway, glancing down at the tablet in her hands. "Caden Kelly?""That’s me," I said, shifting slightly against the stiff hospital bed.Her gaze lifted, meeting mine, and for a split second, something flickered across her face. Confusion.Like she recognized me.I frowned. "Do I know you?"She hesitated before stepping further into the room.
THE RISE OF THE SYSTEM OVERLORD CHAPTER 4
Shadows in MotionI could feel it—something was wrong.It started as a faint unease, a prickle at the back of my neck. But as I glanced around my hospital room, that feeling solidified into certainty. Someone was watching me.The sterile walls, the beeping machines, the scent of antiseptic—it was all the same. But the air felt heavier, charged with an invisible tension I couldn’t explain.Stella had just left to check on a few test results. The moment the door clicked shut behind her, the room felt… different.I sat up slowly, wincing at the lingering ache in my ribs. My body shouldn’t be healing this fast. Not naturally. The system pulsed faintly in my vision, a quiet reminder of what had changed in me.Then, the hospital intercom crackled."Code White. All available security personnel report to the west wing."A security breach.I swung my legs over the bed, muscles stiff but functional. Outside, hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway. Voices murmured in clipped tones. I stepped
THE RISE OF THE SYSTEM OVERLORD CHAPTER 5
Obsidian HeittAdrenaline kicked in.I didn’t think—I acted.My pulse pounded in my ears as I spun away from the door, scanning the dimly lit hospital room for anything I could use as a weapon. My body was still sluggish from whatever they had injected me with, but my instincts screamed at me to move.Who were these guys?The system pulsed in my vision.[Threat Level: HIGH]No kidding.A soft knock on the door. “Mr. Kelly?”Not Stella.My grip tightened around the IV stand beside my bed. My knuckles turned white.I didn’t answer.The doorknob twisted.Shit.The door swung open, revealing a man dressed in a sleek black suit. His expression was unreadable—calm, calculating. Everything about him screamed authority.His eyes locked onto mine. “Caden Kelly,” he said smoothly. “I need you to come with us.”Yeah. That wasn’t happening.I moved.With every ounce of strength I had left, I swung the IV stand at his head. He was fast—faster than I expected—but I still managed to clip his shoulde
THE RISE OF THE SYSTEM OVERLORD CHAPTER 6
First AttackI woke up restrained.Metal cuffs dug into my wrists, unyielding and cold. A faint hum vibrated through the air—machinery, unseen but ever-present. My head pounded, a dull ache behind my eyes, but I forced myself to focus.Where the hell was I?The room was dimly lit and sterile. No windows. Just sleek metal walls, a single table, and a man sitting across from me.His suit was immaculate, tailored to perfection. His posture was relaxed, yet his presence filled the space with quiet authority. His dark eyes studied me, sharp and knowing.I didn’t need an introduction to know he was dangerous."You were supposed to be dead, Mr. Kelly."His voice was smooth and measured. Like he already knew every answer, he just wanted to hear me say it.I flexed against the restraints, testing them. They didn’t budge."Sorry to disappoint."The man smirked. "On the contrary, you've intrigued us."A screen flickered on the wall behind him. My hospital records flashed across it—scans, vitals,
THE RISE OF THE SYSTEM OVERLORD CHAPTER 7
Trial by FireChaos.The explosion sent a shockwave through the facility, the floor trembling beneath me. The man in the suit cursed, his sharp composure cracking for the first time as he stood swiftly.I took my chance.I yanked against the cuffs, every muscle in my arms straining. Something inside me shifted—hot and electric. My vision pulsed, the edges flickering like static.[Strength Stat Boost Activated]Metal groaned—then snapped.I was free.The man turned just as I drove my fist into his jaw. His head snapped sideways, his smirk erased by the impact. He staggered, blinking through the pain. A drop of blood trailed from his split lip.“Impressive,” he muttered, running his thumb over the wound like it fascinated him.I didn’t stick around for compliments.I ran.Alarms screamed, red emergency lights casting jagged shadows along the walls. The corridor ahead flickered in and out of darkness, smoke curling from cracks in the ceiling. The air was thick with the acrid bite of burn
THE RISE OF THE SYSTEM OVERLORD CHAPTER 8
Unlocking PotentialThe air in the corridor felt thick, charged with something unnatural. The figure barely made a sound as he moved, but the second he did, it was like reality itself glitched.One blink—he was standing still.The next—his hand was around my throat.I choked; the pressure was immediate and unyielding. His grip was like steel, crushing, unrelenting. I clawed at his wrist, but it didn’t budge. My feet barely touched the ground.A system alert flared in my vision.[Obsidian Heitt Operative: Rank ???]No level. No stats. Just a massive question mark.Bad news.He studied me, tilting his head slightly as if examining something beneath my skin. His face was expressionless, but his eyes—dark, deep, calculated—held a quiet amusement.“You’re not ready for this.” His voice was calm, almost disappointed.Then he threw me like I was nothing.The world spun. I barely had time to brace before I slammed into the wall, the impact rattling through my ribs like a hammer striking glass
THE RISE OF THE SYSTEM OVERLORD CHAPTER 9
Power and CostThe moment my fist connected, I felt it.Something shifted.The impact wasn’t just physical—it carried weight, a raw force beyond my own. The air around us crackled as if the world itself had registered what just happened.The operative staggered—not much, but enough. His expression, once amused and condescending, flickered with something new.Surprise.He touched his jaw where I had struck him. His fingers brushed over his skin, testing."Interesting," he muttered.Then he moved.Faster than before.I barely dodged. His fist sliced through the space where my head had been a second before. The wind of his strike was sharp enough to sting my skin. Too close.The system pulsed in my vision.[Energy Consumption: 70%]I pushed the warning aside. Didn’t have time for it.I lunged, fists aiming for his ribs, but he twisted at the last second. My knuckles met empty air.Damn it, he was adapting.Before I could register my miss, his knee shot toward my gut.I blocked, but the i
THE RISE OF THE SYSTEM OVERLORD CHAPTER 10
Bond MechanicsPain shot through me as I hit the ground. My body felt like it had been through a grinder—every nerve raw, every muscle screaming.I was losing.The system flared warnings in my vision, flashing urgent red alerts across my interface.[Critical Condition. Energy Reserves: 10%]Not good. Not good at all.The operative loomed over me, his expression unreadable. He didn’t look angry. Didn’t even look smug. Just… disappointed.“Is that it?” he murmured, tilting his head. “Is this all your power amounts to?”I clenched my fists, trying to force my body to move, but my limbs felt like lead. Every breath came in ragged, painful gasps, my ribs aching with each inhale.I couldn’t lose here.Not now.Not after coming this far.Then—Stella.A sudden blur of motion.She lunged forward, faster than I’d ever seen her move. Something flashed in her hand.The next second, the operative jerked back, his eyes widening for the first time.A syringe was buried in his side.His fingers gripp
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CHAPTER 40
The War BeginsThe chamber was built of dark stone, towering with an arched ceiling where cold artificial lights cast deep shadows. The air felt heavy with authority—absolute and unshakable. Obsidian Heitt stood at the center, his black robes as still as the void, his silver eyes unreadable. Around him, the supreme council of the system had gathered, their holographic forms flickering as they joined from across the galaxy.Beyond these walls, millions of people were watching.The broadcast had already begun, spreading across every major world, every sector, every station. A single decree that would change history.Obsidian lifted his gaze, and when he spoke, his voice was calm but carried the weight of an executioner’s verdict.“The anomaly has chosen defiance.” His words echoed through the chamber and across the stars. “We will respond with extinction.”A murmur rippled through the council—some shifting uneasily. Even among the system’s highest ranks, some hesitated. They understood
CHAPTER 39
The ChaseThe ground shuddered beneath me, a deep, violent tremor that sent jagged cracks racing through the canyon floor. The system wasn’t just attacking—I could feel it erasing this place, wiping every trace of the Forbidden Archive from existence.I ran.The collapsing tunnels groaned as the walls caved inward, choking the air with dust and heat. Sparks rained down like falling stars, flames licking at the shadows, turning them to molten gold. My lungs burned, every breath ragged with smoke and adrenaline.Move. Don’t think. Just move.The exit was still ahead—if I could reach the surface, I had a chance. If I hesitated, I’d be buried along with the truth. My legs screamed, muscles tearing with the effort, but I pushed harder. The corridor split ahead—left or right? I barely had time to decide before a surge of energy slammed into the wall beside me.The explosion sent me flying.I hit the ground hard, rolling until I came to a stop against a broken column. Everything spun. The he
CHAPTER 38
The System’s LiesThe chamber flickered to life around me. The walls pulsed, and golden data streams wove through the air, forming images—no, memories—so vivid they felt real.A battlefield stretched before me. The ground was scorched, littered with bodies. Smoke coiled into the sky, thick and suffocating. And in the middle of it all stood them.The anomalies.They weren’t the monsters the system had made them out to be. They weren’t destroyers, weren’t threats to civilization. They were people. People with abilities that defied the system’s design. And for that, they had been hunted.A line of towering figures loomed in the distance—cold, mechanical, ruthless. The system’s enforcers. Their armor gleamed under a crimson sky, their weapons humming with barely restrained energy. No mercy. No hesitation.Then, the slaughter began.I watched as the anomalies fought back, their abilities twisting reality itself. Fire and lightning danced at their fingertips, the ground cracked beneath thei
CHAPTER 37
The Forbidden ArchiveThe canyon stretched before me, a jagged scar in the earth carved by time and secrets. The air was dry, thick with the taste of dust, but beneath it, something else pulsed. Something old. Something waiting.The Forbidden Archive.It wasn’t supposed to exist. Every record of it had been erased, every trace buried beneath centuries of silence. And yet, here it stood—a colossal structure wedged between the towering cliffs, its dark stone shimmering with unseen energy.Two obelisks flanked the entrance, each covered in shifting runes that pulsed like living veins. The symbols twisted and re-formed as I approached as if they recognized me. Or worse, expected me.A whisper of movement.I stopped, my muscles tensing. A shadow peeled away from the entrance, stepping into view. The figure was tall, draped in a crimson cloak that billowed despite the still air. The hood obscured their face, but I could feel their gaze piercing through the fabric, measuring me, weighing my
CHAPTER 36
Understanding the PowerDarkness clung to the chamber like a second skin, thick and suffocating. I sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, my hands resting on my knees, palms up, trying—desperately—to still the storm raging inside me. My power wasn’t just something I wielded. It was something that wanted to wield me.The flickering torches cast distorted shadows against the walls, as if they, too, were uncertain of what they were becoming. The energy inside me coiled, alive, eager. It burned beneath my skin, pulsed through my veins, whispered in my mind.Control it, I told myself.But it laughed.Not aloud—no, that would be easy to fight. The real battle was more insidious, more intimate. It was the whisper that slithered through my thoughts, the weight pressing against my ribs, the hunger lurking beneath my every breath."You crave it," the voice inside me murmured. "You always have."I shut my eyes tighter. My pulse hammered in my ears."No," I breathed. "That’s not me.""But it i
CHAPTER 35
The Hunter Becomes the HuntedThe neon lights flicker above me, casting long, distorted shadows against the rain-slicked pavement. The undercity breathes in short, sharp bursts—the hum of generators, the distant shouts of drunken gamblers, the occasional echo of a gunshot deeper in the slums. I keep my hood low, my face hidden beneath the dim glow of passing advertisements.Every step I take feels measured, deliberate. The bounty on my head has tripled overnight, and now the city itself is hunting me. Every set of eyes lingering too long could belong to a mercenary weighing their chances. Every whispered conversation could be about me.I pass a group of thugs loitering near a broken-down hovercraft, their voices dropping as I move past. One of them, a brute with cybernetic arms and an ego too large for his own good, sneers.“Dead man walking.”I don’t break stride. I don’t react. That’s exactly what they want—a sign of weakness, a flicker of fear. But fear has no place here. Not anymo
CHAPTER 34
Unintended ConsequencesThe battlefield was silent, but not with peace—only with death.Smoke curled from the wreckage, twisting in the cold wind. The ground was littered with bodies, some still twitching, others unnervingly still. Sparks spat from broken ships, their engines gutted, the metal carcasses groaning under their own weight. The acrid scent of burning wires and blood coated the air, thick enough to taste.I stood in the center of it all, my hands slick with something warm. My breath came steady, controlled. Too controlled. I should have felt something—guilt, regret, even relief—but instead, there was just… nothing.My fingers curled into fists, but the emptiness didn’t go away. I looked down at the nearest body, a man barely older than me, his helmet cracked open, his chest rising in weak, ragged jerks. His mouth twisted as if trying to form words, but all that came out was a broken cough.I knelt beside him, my face unreadable even to myself. "You’re dying."His bloodstain
CHAPTER 33
The Battle EscalatesThe sky darkened, thick clouds rolling in like an omen.From above, the air rippled as ships descended in eerie silence. Their hulls reflected the ruined cityscape, bending light like a mirage, making them appear almost invisible. Not the usual loud, flashing entrances of military dropships—no, these were hunters. They didn’t announce their arrival. They didn’t need to.I wiped the blood from my mouth with the back of my hand, the metallic taste grounding me. My muscles burned, my ribs ached, but the real problem wasn’t pain. It was numbers.Too many. More than before.They moved with precision, forming a tight, deliberate circle around me, closing off every possible escape route. No wasted motion. No hesitation. They had done this before.One way in. No way out.A familiar figure stepped forward—the bounty hunter I had fought earlier. His mask was cracked from our last encounter, revealing part of his face. A jagged scar ran down his cheek, an old wound, but the
CHAPTER 32
First BloodThe city was dead.Ruins stretched as far as I could see, the skeletal remains of skyscrapers jutting into the sky like broken ribs. Shadows pooled in the cracks of shattered streets, their silence heavier than the wind howling through the wreckage. Everything smelled of rust and decay—of something old, abandoned, forgotten.I moved carefully, every step deliberate. The air was too still, too watchful. My skin prickled with unease, a familiar warning curling in my gut. Something was wrong.I wasn’t alone.The feeling slithered down my spine like ice. I’d learned to trust my instincts, and right now, they were screaming. The city was supposed to be empty, but I could feel the presence lingering just beyond sight.A vibration rippled through the ground beneath my boots. Subtle, but there. A footstep? A shift in weight? My pulse quickened as I scanned the ruins.Nothing.But I knew better.A voice cut through the silence, smooth and taunting. “You don’t know what you are, do
