Chapter 1: The Awakening
The familiar scent of burnt coffee mingled with the faint tang of ozone in Ren's cramped apartment. His well-worn gaming chair creaked as he leaned back, staring at the screen. Lines of code danced before his tired eyes, a symphony of syntax and logic that had consumed the last fourteen hours. The room was a chaotic reflection of countless sleepless nights: a skyline of empty energy drink cans, abandoned takeout containers scattered like artifacts, and the quiet hum of his self-built server in the corner.
"Version 2.3.7 deployed," Ren muttered, hitting the Enter key with more force than necessary. Another seamless feature that would make millions for his company, and another credit that would go to Tanaka, his ever-smiling manager. A man who couldn't debug his way out of a tutorial, yet somehow always found his name on Ren's work.
Ren sighed, running a hand through his oily black hair. When was the last time I even showered? He glanced at the network diagnostic tool displayed on his triple monitors—a masterpiece of efficiency. The kind of elegant code senior developers dreamed of writing. Yet tomorrow, it would be just another line in Tanaka's presentation.
"One day..." Ren whispered to his reflection in the darkened middle screen, "they'll all see what I can do." The words felt hollow now, a mantra dulled by repetition. He reached for another can of energy drink, its bitter grape tang cutting through his exhaustion.
Then the world froze.
For a moment, everything stopped. The soft hum of his PC, the distant melody of Shinjuku's nightlife, even the rhythmic blinking of his router lights—all silenced. Ren sat bolt upright, his skin prickling. A sudden crack split the air, sharp and metallic, like tempered glass shattering under strain.
Light exploded into the room, searing and unnatural. It wasn't sunlight or the glare of his fluorescent bulbs—it moved like liquid code, cascading in a lattice of symbols and glyphs. Some were familiar: logic trees, recursive loops. Others were alien, yet they whispered to him with a strange, intuitive clarity.
Ren stumbled backward, his chair clattering to the floor. He shielded his eyes, watching as the light coalesced into a panel suspended mid-air. Its translucent surface was sharp and crisp, rendered with impossible precision. His breath hitched as glowing text began to materialize.
System Initialization Complete.
Congratulations, User. Awakening Achieved.
Name: Ren Ueda
Class: Spell Coder (Unique)
Stats:
Level: 1
Experience: 0/100
Health Points (HP): 50/50
Mana Points (MP): 100/100
Attributes:
Strength (STR): 4 - Physical power and carrying capacity
Dexterity (DEX): 6 - Agility and fine motor control
Constitution (CON): 7 - Endurance and vitality
Intelligence (INT): 15 - Mental acuity and magical power
Wisdom (WIS): 12 - Perception and mana regeneration
Luck (LCK): 10 - Critical hit chance and rare item discovery
Class Feature: Spell Coding
? Grants direct access to the spell system's source code
? Enables real-time modification of magical constructs
? Warning: Modifications may cause system instability
"What... the actual hell?" Ren whispered, reaching out. His hand trembled as it passed through the panel's edges, meeting faint resistance, like brushing a membrane of static electricity. The panel shifted with his focus, always staying centered in his vision.
System Alert
Event Triggered: Dungeon Breach
Location: Shinjuku Station (150m SE)
Threat Level: B
Quest Objective: Survive the Initial Wave
Reward: +100 XP, Beginner's Starter Pack
Failure Consequence: Death
The word Death pulsed in crimson, searing into his brain. Ren's analytical mind raced. A game? No—this feels too real. A system, though. A system always has rules.
A woman's scream shattered his thoughts. Ren stumbled to his window, nearly tripping over a stack of programming manuals. His stomach dropped. Across the street, the entrance to Shinjuku Station had become a jagged tear in reality. It pulsed and writhed like corrupted code, spewing darkness into the world. The shapes emerging from it shouldn't have existed—humanoid figures with jagged edges, glowing red eyes, and bodies that shimmered like broken polygons.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Ravager (Level 3)
HP: 80/80
Type: Corrupted Code Construct
Primary Attack: Data Shred
Weakness: Fire-type spells
Threat Assessment: Moderate
The first Ravager struck with mechanical precision, claws tearing through a fleeing man. His body dissolved into a burst of data fragments, scattering like shredded files. Ren's stomach churned.
System Tutorial: Combat Basics
? Spells can be activated via voice command or mental interface
? Mana consumption varies by spell complexity and power
? Enemy defeats grant XP and possible loot drops
? Tip: Analyze your opponents for tactical advantages
This is insane. But as panic bubbled, a spark of focus ignited. If this is a system, I can use it.
Basic Spells Available:
1. Fireball (Tier 1)
- Damage: 15 + (INT × 0.5)
- Mana Cost: 10 MP
- Cooldown: 5 seconds
- Effect: Moderate fire damage, slight knockback
2. Light Orb (Tier 1)
- Duration: 10 minutes
- Mana Cost: 5 MP
- Effect: Illuminates 10m radius, reveals hidden entities
"No time for a tutorial." Ren raised his hand. "Fireball!"
The word carried weight, rippling through his consciousness. A glyph spun into existence in his palm, its fiery lines forming a sphere of crackling energy. Ren hurled it, the movement instinctive. The fireball streaked toward the nearest Ravager, slamming into its chest.
Combat Log:
Critical Hit! (Luck Check Passed)
Base Damage: 15
INT Modifier: +7
Critical Multiplier: ×1.5
Total Damage: 33
Enemy HP: 47/80
The Ravager staggered but didn't fall. Its head snapped toward him, eyes blazing like targeting lasers.
"Oh, crap," Ren muttered, stepping back. The creature moved with terrifying speed. His MP read 90/100. Five seconds until Fireball cooled down. Not enough time.
"Activate Spell Coding!" The words left his mouth unbidden. A new window opened, displaying Fireball's code as glowing syntax.
class FireballSpell { constructor() { this.manaCost = 10; this.cooldown = 5000; this.damage = 15; this.radius = 1; this.scaling = { INT: 0.5 }; } }
Ren's eyes lit up. The damage formula was inefficient, the cooldown bloated. With practiced precision, he rewrote the parameters:
Modified Fireball:
- Mana Cost: 8
- Cooldown: 500ms
- Radius: 2m
- INT Scaling: 0.75
Warning: Stability Reduced by 15%
Proceed? Y/N
"Yes!" Ren shouted. A new fireball flared in his hand, larger and fiercer. He hurled it without hesitation. The Ravager shattered under the impact, breaking apart into streams of corrupted data.
Combat Log:
Enemy Defeated!
XP Gained: 30
Loot Acquired:
- Minor Mana Potion
- Corrupted Data Fragment (Quest Item)
Ren barely had time to catch his breath before two more Ravagers emerged, their forms more refined—sleeker, faster. He clenched his fists, pulling up the Spell Coding interface.
"And here I thought I could quit my day job."
