When a blinding fissure tears open the sky above the quiet village of Thornwick, reality itself begins to rewrite. A long‑dormant System awakens, overlaying the world with quests, levels, and deadly consequences. Every man, woman, and child is forced into a 24‑hour trial: survive, or be erased forever.
Arlen Thorn, an unremarkable tavern cook with no combat training, receives a mysterious Class Fragment—a half‑formed path that grants him the ability to analyze threats and uncover hidden weaknesses. It’s a gift… or a warning. Because the creatures emerging from the cracks are stronger, smarter, and far more dangerous than anything his world has ever known.
With the help of Mira, a blacksmith’s daughter who unlocks her own unexpected combat skills, Arlen must navigate a village collapsing into chaos, decipher the rules of the System, and stay alive long enough to earn his true Class. But as the countdown ticks away, it becomes clear that the Awakening is not random.
Someone — or something — reactivated the System.
And Arlen’s incomplete Class may be the key to understanding why.
Survival is only the first quest.
What comes after may decide the fate of the entire realm.

Fracture Event Survived: The Splintering Horizon


Party has endured exposure to Realm resonance.


HP: 160 → 175 Strength: +2 Willpower: +3 New Skill:Anchor — Allies within 10m gain +15% resistance to fear effects. Trait Evolution:Steadfast Resolve → Unyielding Resolve (fear resistance increased to 20%).


HP: 140 → 150 Intelligence: +3 Insight: +2 New Skill:Echo Sense — Detects emotional resonance within fractures; reveals hidden Echo triggers. Passive Bonus: +10% clarity when interpreting Realm phenomena.


HP: 155 → 165 Agility: +2 Adaptability: +2 New Skill:Adaptive Reflex — First encounter with unknown threat grants +20% dodge chance for 30s. Trait:Survivor's Instinct unlocked.


HP: 130 → 145 Willpower: +4 Echo Affinity: +3 New Skill:Shadow Bind — Temporarily restrains Echo manifestations, but increases corruption meter by +5%. Corruption Meter: 27% → 35% (Warning: Threshold approaching).


Chapter 23 - System Interlude: Level-Up Event