I woke up in an unusually amazing mood today.
Yes, my body ached.
Yes, the dried blood on my arm itched and my bruised ribs throbbed.
But none of that mattered.
Cat was doing better.
The little furball had curled up next to me last night, eyes half-closed, breathing slow and steady. I couldn't help but smile at the tiny rise and fall of its chest. Somehow, that fragile, living thing had made the chaos of yesterday feel a little less suffocating. A little more manageable.
I jumped out of bed, ignoring the lingering soreness, and rushed toward the bodega near my apartment. I grabbed more cans of cat food than seemed reasonable, then practically ran back, my mind buzzing with excitement.
Finally, I had a pet. Something to care for. Something to protect. Something to make the emptiness I'd carried since my sister's death feel slightly smaller.
Hope.
That was what I felt. The system, strange and untrustworthy as it sometimes seemed, hadn't lied yet. If I did this right… maybe she could come back. Maybe the impossible could feel just a little possible.
I dropped the cans by the kitchen counter and checked my bank account. My eyes widened. I was rich—or at least, for now, I felt rich. After paying my bills, I still had $230 left. Enough, just enough to keep Cat in style for a while.
I stared at the screen for a moment, wondering. My day job—my long, exhausting grind in the kitchen—suddenly felt… pointless.
I already had two contracts lined up. Two opportunities to make more in a single night than I usually did in a week.
The first contract was simple, almost laughable compared to yesterday's dungeon: a wraith in a nearby alley. By yesterday's standards, this was practically a walk in the park. I could handle it later that day, no sweat.
The second contract… now that was different.
[Destroy Fury
Location: Unknown
Partner: Aria Louka
Rewards:
10,000$
2,000 XP
Aegis Shield]
Aria Louka.
I paused. Another person using the system. Someone else like me, someone I could relate to. Someone I could potentially team up with. Colleagues in this ridiculous game-like death royale.
The thought made my chest tighten in a way I couldn't quite explain. For the first time in a long time, I wasn't completely alone in this. That feeling, small and fleeting as it was, made the morning glow just a little brighter.
I looked down at Cat. The little thing was already on its feet, eagerly devouring the best-quality cat food I could buy with my remaining cash. I laughed softly.
"Haha, glad you're happy, Cat," I said.
Cat meowed. At least, it sounded like a "thank you."
When it finished, it trotted over and curled onto my lap, purring contentedly. Its tiny body pressed against mine, and for a moment, everything else disappeared—the fights, the blood, the pain, the dungeons. Just Cat, alive and safe, and me, still human enough to appreciate it.
My phone buzzed, interrupting the peaceful morning. I reached for it, and a new contact had been added without my knowledge:
Aria Louka:
"Meet me. Tonight. 1 a.m. City Hall Park."
Straight to the point. No greeting, no explanation, no small talk. Just a time and a place.
I stared at the screen, slightly amused. I guess my new partner wasn't one for chatting.
"How will I know who you are?" I typed back.
Less than five seconds later, a picture appeared.
She looked… athletic, impossibly so. Mid-twenties, wearing trainers, baggy shorts, and a tank top. Her platinum-blonde hair was tied in a high ponytail. She looked ready to run, fight, or do whatever the system demanded.
I nodded to myself. That would work. I confirmed our meetup spot.
Then I called my boss at the restaurant.
I didn't want to go back there. I didn't have to anymore. In one night, I'd made more than I did in a week of day work.
I quit.
I tried to be respectful, explained quickly that it wasn't personal, that the opportunity was… well, insane, but the chef just smiled. Said the door was always open.
I felt guilty for a moment—leaving like that—but it faded quickly. I couldn't work a regular job while monsters and contracts existed.
Life had changed overnight.
"Gosh… this gotta be some kind of badly written novel," I muttered, shaking my head with a grin.
After that, I let the day unfold gently. I slept, I spent time with Cat, I cleaned up the apartment a little, and I even finished a paper on AI nodes for school. I wouldn't quit school—not yet. A job, even if it seemed pointless now, might still be useful when all of this… whatever this was… was over.
Night came faster than I realized. I arrived at City Hall Park well before the meeting, standing under the moonlight. The air was calm, almost serene. Trees rustled softly above, shadows stretching long over the benches.
I had sent a ping with my location, so she could find me easily. But apparently, Aria wasn't much for punctuality.
"I should have done the wraith contract first," I muttered, tugging at the collar of my hoodie.
It was 1:35 a.m. now—more than half an hour past our meeting time.
I sighed, shifting my weight from one foot to the other. The park was quiet, but not empty. Joggers occasionally passed in the distance, and the city's hum never fully disappeared. The juxtaposition of normal life continuing while the system dragged me into something extraordinary was… strange.
Then I saw her.
A blur at first, moving fast, almost gliding. Athletic. Confident. Beautiful.
She slowed as she approached, eyes sharp and aware. Even under the dim moonlight, it was clear she was ready for anything. Her presence radiated control and power, the kind of energy that made you aware of your own limitations immediately.
My heart thumped harder than I expected. Not fear exactly—more… anticipation.
The sight of her standing there, ponytail swaying with each step, brought an odd mix of relief and tension. My mind ran through a dozen scenarios in a fraction of a second. Was she judging me? Testing me? Would this partnership be smooth, or a battle from the start?
Cat, sitting in the backpack I had brought along just in case, chirped softly. I glanced down at it. At least one living creature here trusted me completely.
"Alex?" she called, voice clear, commanding, but not unkind.
I cleared my throat, trying not to sound too nervous. "Yeah. I'm… I'm Alex."
She nodded once, quickly, then studied me like she was already planning our approach to the mission. It was intimidating, but I noticed the smallest flicker of amusement in her eyes—as if she could tell I was analyzing her the same way.
"Well," she said, stretching her arms briefly before lowering them, "let's see if you're worth the partnership."
I blinked. I gulped. She was too confident. Arrogant even. But maybe that's a good thing in this kind of business.
The park felt suddenly smaller, the moonlight sharper, the trees whispering secrets only monsters and system users could hear. I adjusted the backpack, felt the weight of Cat and my own anticipation pressing down.
"This is it," I told myself quietly. "First real partner mission. No turning back now."