Black

A series of classes appeared on the new page. Though most were locked, a faint lock icon was displayed on each one, except for the very first class Kaiza was staring at. He scrolled down to check if others were unlocked, but none were available aside from the first one he'd seen when he opened the tab.

It didn't strike him as odd. The system reminded him of the games he used to play, where each stage is unlocked only after completing the previous one.

Without hesitation, Kaiza clicked on the class.

Everything around him began to shift. The familiar comfort of his room faded, and he found himself standing in a blue-lit space. The room bore a striking resemblance to the one he'd entered when playing the hero game—a game that had granted him a system instead of the usual rewards or power-ups.

However, this room was different. There was no grand chandelier lighting up the space. Instead, floor-to-ceiling screens surrounded him, their glowing hues casting an ambient light that illuminated the entire room.

Kaiza quickly noticed faceless figures on the screens, frozen in fighting poses. Their fluid movements looped in short sequences, catching his eye. He nodded in admiration, captivated.

'This is what I've been waiting for all day,' his mind echoed, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Just then, the largest screen lit up, and a message scrolled across. Unlike during the game, the text wasn't silent. A deep, masculine voice accompanied it, pulling Kaiza out of his wonder.

[Welcome, Hero-Kai.]

[I am your tutor for your first class: Introduction to Hero-X 101.]

[Now, I will go over today's lesson.]

[Please take your seat.]

Kaiza blinked, scanning the room, his eyes darting from side to side. There wasn't a single chair in sight.

"Is this some kind of joke?" he muttered under his breath, unsure whether to laugh or frown.

Before he could voice his frustration, a metallic chime echoed through the room. A section of the floor slid open, and from it emerged a sleek desk and chair, both shining with the same metallic blue hue as the room.

"Just like the keypad," Kaiza mumbled to himself, his voice barely audible as his thoughts drifted back to the day he'd first entered the game room. He hesitated for a moment but then made his way toward the chair and sat down.

The lesson began.

As the tutor spoke, Kaiza couldn't help but notice the familiarity of the content. It closely resembled the first two chapters he'd read in the Hero System X book.

Interestingly, the man explained everything with such precision and depth that Kaiza found himself completely captivated. His attention didn't waver for a second; the voice held him in place like a spell, drawing him deeper into the lesson.

In just five minutes, the first section of the class—Introduction—was over.

As the section concluded, another began seamlessly.

[Training classes will begin in 5.]

The voice echoed through the room, and the environment began to shift. The faceless figures, once static and frozen on the screens, sprang to life, now resembling assassins in motion. Their poses were no longer idle but fluid and dynamic, as though preparing for battle.

The countdown ticked to zero, and Kaiza's system interface opened abruptly, messages rolling in before his eyes.

[Congratulations]

[You've completed introduction to Hero-X 101 +10]

[Outfits unlocked.]

[Weapons unlocked.]

A smile curved Kaiza's lips as he stared at the messages. Excitement bubbled within him. This was just the beginning—he was finally going to gain the powers the system had promised.

Then, unexpectedly, a new instruction appeared—not from the voice, but directly from his system.

[H-Kai, choose your outfit.]

A new tab appeared, overlapping the previous one. Kaiza's eyes scanned the page, and it felt familiar—a selection menu, just like before. However, only two options were unlocked, with the rest grayed out and marked with faint lock icons.

"I have to choose between these two," Kaiza thought, staring at the options on the screen.

The first was a sleek black suit, modern and sharp. The second was a simple white martial arts training outfit, identical to the ones he'd worn during his martial arts classes back in school.

Kaiza initially leaned toward the white training gear, but he couldn't ignore the allure of the black suit. It wasn't just about the design—it was the color. Black emanated power and mystery, and Kaiza believed that aura mattered.

He accessed his system interface, hoping to find a way to customize the color of the training gear. Yet, after a frustrating few minutes of navigating in circles, he sighed in defeat.

"Black it is," he muttered to himself, clicking on the sleek suit.

As he stared at the selection, a figure popped into his mind—Gwan. Kaiza couldn't help but think of the man whose flawless moves had left an indelible mark on him. If he was to emulate that level of dominance, the black suit seemed like the perfect choice.

[Are you sure about your choice?]

[Outfit cannot be changed.]

[Selected outfit will be used for all activities.]

Kaiza's eyes lingered on the warnings, but he felt no hesitation. If this outfit would accompany him on missions, as he imagined, it had to be the right one. Confidently, he clicked the acceptance option.

The screen transitioned to a new page, and a detailed breakdown of his outfit's features rolled in:

[Suit combination:]

[Suit]

[Pants]

[Shoes]

[Gloves]

[Mask]

[Clothing features:]

[Protection - Level 1]

[Auto Repair - Level 1]

[Defensive Mode - Level 1]

[Temperature Control - Level 1]

[Ability Shield - Level 1]

[Level Up]

The list went on, exceeding Kaiza's expectations. Each feature was meticulously detailed, far more advanced than he'd hoped for.

A grin spread across his face. Choosing the training gear wouldn't have given him these features. He was certain he'd made the right decision.

Things were happening fast, and Kaiza was starting to believe in the system. It was clear now: the system was methodically preparing him for the power he would soon wield.

Kaiza began to see the purpose behind everything he'd experienced so far. It all followed a systematic flow, each step building on the last. He realized that reading those pages earlier hadn't been a waste of time. In fact, it was part of his training—a foundation to understand what this world once was, how war and human evolution had contributed to its downfall, and the role he was now destined to play.

Without this knowledge, he would be as clueless as anyone else. And a clueless hero wasn't a hero at all—not if he didn't even know what he was fighting for or against.

When the list of features finally ended, Kaiza's eyes settled on an activation button at the bottom of the screen.

Without hesitation, and brimming with excitement, Kaiza pressed his finger against the screen. A soft chime echoed through the room.

What happened next was beyond anything he'd expected.

Kaiza's clothes began to shift, vanishing in an instant. In their place appeared the sleek black suit he had admired so much. It wasn't just something he saw anymore—it was his, molded perfectly to his frame. A surge of excitement coursed through him as he took in the sight.

The suit was more than Kaiza could have ever imagined. It reminded him of Gwan's attire. Though Kaiza had never gotten a close look at Gwan's outfit, he could now see the resemblance. Yet, there was something different—Gwan's suit was more advanced, teeming with features that hinted at its superiority.

"Am I truly one of WOI now… or what?" Kaiza wondered, but the thought didn't linger long.

He glanced down at his hands and noticed the fabric covering them. His palms were cloaked in gloves—but not just ordinary gloves. These were unique, exposing his fingers while covering the lower part of his hands, up to just below his knuckles.

The practicality and design of the gloves hinted at their purpose, their role in the battles yet to come. Kaiza flexed his fingers, feeling the sleek material move with him, like a second skin.

When Kaiza turned his palm over to inspect it, he noticed something he hadn't caught earlier. He had been too focused on the back of his hand to realize what had changed on his palm.

The once-faded WOI symbol now glowed faintly, etched into his skin. The glove's design seemed to carve around the symbol, making it radiate a subtle energy. The glow brightened for a moment before gradually fading, leaving the mark darker and more defined than before.

Kaiza's moment of awe was abruptly interrupted as his system interface flickered into view, drawing his attention.

[Weapon]

The page changed, and unlike the outfit selection, Kaiza wasn't presented with multiple options. Instead, there was only one weapon available, though it seemed tied to a leveling system. It wasn't clear if new weapons would unlock as he progressed, but for now, this singular weapon was all he had to work with.

Curious, Kaiza stretched out his hand and began navigating the weapon page, searching to see if there were hidden options or alternatives he hadn't noticed. After a minute of blind exploration that yielded nothing, he finally focused on the weapon displayed—a sleek pair of daggers.

With a sigh of resolve, Kaiza selected the daggers.

Just as with the outfit, the system began loading the weapon's features on a new page:

[Weapon - Daggers]

[Family - Sword]

[Level - 1]

[Ability - Tap into user's bloodline ability]

[Own Ability - Increases strength per usage; daggers are divisible]

Below the details, a few usage notes appeared, providing basic instructions. At the bottom of the page was a large button:

[Activate Weapon]

Kaiza didn't hesitate. With a single tap, he activated the weapon.

A moment later, he felt the weight of cold metal drop into his hands. Startled, he instinctively tightened his grip to keep it from falling, though he wasn't entirely sure it was the weapon yet.

The metallic surface felt smooth and deadly, humming with energy that seemed to flow through him as he held it. Kaiza's heart raced as he lifted the daggers, their gleaming edges reflecting the faint light of the room.

Kaiza swiped his interface to the side, clearing his view to fully behold what was in his hand. Slowly, he raised the metal, inspecting it closely.

The dagger in his grip was an exact replica of the one displayed on his interface. Sleek, razor-sharp, and radiating a faint, otherworldly energy, it felt both foreign and familiar in his hands.

A surge of excitement coursed through Kaiza as he tightened his grip, marveling at the craftsmanship. This wasn't just a weapon; it was a part of him now, tied to his bloodline in ways he didn't yet fully understand.

Just then, the voice returned, breaking the silence and pulling Kaiza back to the moment.

[Let's begin.]

The words echoed through the room, and Kaiza instinctively readied himself. The weight of the dagger, the system's guidance, and the promise of power all pointed to one thing—his training was about to begin.