It Begins.

Chapter One: The Awakening

Ash Wren awoke to the sound of a loud, mechanical beeping. His eyes shot open, the dull blue light of the early morning flooding the small, cluttered room he called home. It was nothing more than a converted storage unit on the edge of the city, a place where the buildings seemed to lean in close, suffocating the space with their towering steel bodies. He stretched, his muscles stiff from sleeping on the hard metal floor, and wiped a thin layer of sweat from his brow. Another night spent in the grip of restless dreams.

He rolled off the makeshift bed, his fingers brushing the worn edges of his tattered clothes. It wasn't much—just a few scraps stitched together in a rush, but it was all he could afford with what little he had. The dim light from the overhead bulb flickered, casting long shadows that danced across the room as the beeping continued.

The source of the sound was a small, sleek device that sat on a metal table in the corner, its black screen pulsing in time with the alarm. It was a basic interface, the kind most people used for communication, transactions, and the occasional bit of entertainment. But it was more than that to Ash. It had been his only connection to the outside world for years.

He approached the device, rubbing his eyes as he tapped the screen, silencing the alarm. The moment he did, a soft chime filled the room, followed by a voice—mechanical but familiar.

"Good morning, Ash Wren. Ready for your daily update?"

Ash grimaced. Another day. He had heard those words every morning for as long as he could remember, a monotonous greeting from the system that governed every aspect of his life. It was a gift from his parents—something they had left behind for him when they disappeared. The device was connected to something far more advanced than anything the city's citizens could comprehend. At least, that's what he had been told.

"Yeah, sure. Hit me with it," Ash muttered, rubbing his forehead.

The screen flickered briefly, then a series of text lines appeared, scrolling like an endless ticker tape. Ash didn't bother reading the whole thing anymore. It was always the same.

"Daily status: Low power reserves. Suggested action: Recharge your energy reserves through system enhancements. Current upgrade points: 12. Do you wish to use them now?"

The last sentence caught his attention. Twelve upgrade points. His fingers hovered over the device, and for a moment, he considered it. He had been accumulating these points for months now—small rewards granted by the system for performing menial tasks, for surviving another day in the city, for completing assignments that barely paid for a meal. It was all so meaningless, yet here he was, having to choose how to spend them.

The upgrading system was a strange, often incomprehensible entity. No one knew exactly how it worked, but it was a constant presence in people's lives. Some used it to improve their physical strength, others for mental enhancement, or even to augment their senses. Ash had always been hesitant. He didn't fully understand it, and honestly, he didn't care to. It was just another cog in the system that kept people like him locked in a never-ending cycle of survival.

He took a deep breath, knowing that without an upgrade, the day ahead would be just as difficult as all the others. The city wasn't kind to those who didn't improve themselves—either you kept up, or you were left behind. The system rewarded those who could adapt, who could evolve. And Ash? Well, he had been trying for years, but it always felt like he was missing something.

"Upgrade to—what exactly?" Ash asked aloud, half to himself.

A moment passed before the device responded. "Suggested upgrades: Physical Enhancement, Reflex Boost, or Energy Regeneration. Each upgrade will consume five points. Would you like to proceed?"

He was tempted by the Physical Enhancement option. It would make his body stronger, faster, more resilient to the physical demands of the city. But that came with a cost—more energy required to maintain it, more risk of pushing his body beyond its limits. Reflex Boost was appealing as well. It would improve his reaction time, a useful asset when navigating the dangerous streets and avoiding the occasional skirmish. But was it worth it? Would it really make a difference in the grand scheme of things?

The Energy Regeneration upgrade caught his eye. He was always running low on energy—something the system had drilled into him over the years. His energy reserves were always depleting faster than he could recharge them. This upgrade would allow him to recover faster, to keep going without having to rely on constant rest. In a place like this, where time was money, and every moment of downtime could mean disaster, that sounded like the best option.

He tapped the screen and selected Energy Regeneration.

"Upgrade selected: Energy Regeneration. Consuming 5 points. Proceeding…"

There was a brief moment of static, then a rush of warmth spread through his chest. His muscles relaxed, and the constant gnawing exhaustion that had been plaguing him for weeks seemed to fade. For the first time in a long while, he felt a flicker of vitality. He flexed his fingers, feeling the change.

"Upgrade complete. Energy regeneration rate increased by 20%. Current energy reserve: 48%."

The numbers flashed in the corner of the screen, and Ash nodded, feeling a little more prepared for the day ahead. At least he wouldn't be completely drained by the time he reached the market. He glanced at the remaining points. Seven left. He could save them for later, maybe put them toward something more substantial when the time came.

With the upgrade completed, he moved toward the small kitchenette in the corner of the room, rummaging through a stack of old, crumpled wrappers and empty food containers. He pulled out a packet of nutrient paste—low-quality, but it would suffice. He'd be lucky to find anything better on his way out, especially with the city's food shortages becoming worse every week.

As he ate, his thoughts drifted back to the system, the constant hum of its presence in his life. It was always watching, always monitoring. The upgrades were like the breadcrumbs it offered to keep people moving forward, always chasing something, always working to improve, to evolve, to become more. But at what cost?

Ash didn't know the answer to that question, and he wasn't sure he wanted to.

He finished his breakfast and grabbed his bag from the floor, slinging it over his shoulder. It was time to get moving. Another day, another set of tasks to complete. He had a delivery to make—one of the few jobs he could count on to make ends meet. The client was waiting, and if he didn't get there on time, they'd dock his pay. That was the way things worked in the city now. No slack, no mercy.

The streets were cold, the early morning fog clinging to the buildings like a shroud. Ash pulled his jacket tighter around him and stepped out into the narrow alleyways. He passed the same faces he always saw—people hunched over, their heads down, staring into their devices as if they were the only thing keeping them grounded. The city was a living, breathing machine, and the people in it were nothing more than gears turning in an endless cycle.

Ash kept his eyes forward, trying to ignore the gnawing feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was the same every day. He was just a cog in the system, nothing more. But that didn't mean he couldn't change that.

His footfalls echoed through the empty streets as he made his way toward the market. It was still early, and the vendors hadn't fully set up yet, but the crowd was already beginning to gather, the usual mix of scavengers, traders, and workers hoping to make a quick deal. The city's energy was alive, even in the early hours, the buzz of activity filling the air.

As Ash moved through the crowd, his device buzzed again. He glanced at it, expecting another routine message, but this time, something was different. A new notification blinked on the screen, red and urgent.

"Warning: Unauthorized system breach detected. Upgrade point reward increased by 50%. Do you wish to accept the challenge?"

Ash's heart skipped a beat. Unauthorized breach? That wasn't something that happened often, at least not to him. The system didn't make mistakes, and it certainly didn't offer extra rewards for random challenges.

He hesitated, his thumb hovering over the screen. What kind of challenge could this be? He wasn't prepared for anything out of the ordinary today. He glanced around nervously, as if expecting someone to be watching him. But no one seemed to notice. The world kept turning, indifferent to his sudden anxiety.

He tapped the screen.

"Challenge accepted."

The moment he did, the device flashed once, then went dark. Ash stopped in his tracks, staring at it in confusion. Had he just made a mistake? Was this some kind of trap?

Before he could answer his own question, the world around him shifted. The noise of the market seemed to dull, and a low hum filled the air. He looked up, his heart pounding in his chest.

Something had changed.

And for the first time in years, Ash felt a sense of anticipation.