The One Who Stood When All Ran
The village siren never existed.
There was no warning.
Only a 裂—
The sound of reality tearing apart.
F-RANK GATE – ACTIVE
A black crack opened near the old banyan tree.
Villagers froze.
Then—
The gate burst open.
DEMON WAVE – F-RANK
Creatures crawled out.
Twisted dogs with blade-like teeth.
Long-armed things that dragged themselves forward.
Red-eyed beasts that howled like broken bells.
Children screamed.
Old men fell while running.
Women clutched their families, crying prayers that went unanswered.
PANIC
"RUN—!"
"THE GATE—!"
"SAVE THE CHILDREN!"
The village collapsed into chaos.
KARNA
Karna stood frozen.
His hands shook.
His chest burned.
If only Garud was here…
A demon leaped—
Claws aiming for a child.
Karna moved before he thought.
He grabbed a fallen wooden tool and charged.
"HEY—!"
The blow did nothing.
The demon turned—
And smashed him into the dirt.
A PATHETIC STRUGGLE
Karna stood again.
Punched.
Kicked.
Bit.
He was thrown.
Bones screamed.
Blood filled his mouth.
I'm useless…
Another demon raised its claw.
If Garud was here…
Karna roared.
"STOP HIDING BEHIND HIM!"
He forced himself up.
Barely standing.
SYSTEM RESPONSE
Time slowed.
The demon's claw froze inches from his face.
A voice echoed.
"Unyielding Will Detected."
"Self-Sacrifice Parameter — MAX."
"Compatibility Confirmed."
AWAKENING
Light exploded from Karna's chest.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
Villagers shielded their eyes.
SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT
🎯 AWAKENING COMPLETE 🎯
Name: Karna
Class: Dual-Class Awakening
CLASS 1 – ARCHER
Long-range combat specialist
High precision
Critical damage amplification
CLASS 2 – RUNE MASTER
Rune creation & enhancement
Weapon reinforcement
Area control & support
RARITY: RARE → ASCENDING
THE BOW FORMS
Golden runes burned into the air.
Light bent.
A bow shaped itself from mana—
Carved with ancient symbols.
Weapon: Rune-Bound Bow (Growth-Type)
Rank: Common (Dormant)
Karna's eyes widened.
"A… bow?"
The demon lunged.
FIRST SHOT
Karna pulled the string.
A rune ignited.
The arrow formed from pure energy.
He released.
The arrow pierced the demon's skull—
And exploded into light.
Silence.
Then—
The demons hesitated.
THE VILLAGE SEES A DEFENDER
Karna's breathing steadied.
Pain remained.
Fear remained.
But he stood.
"You're not touching anyone else."
He carved a rune into the air.
Rune: Reinforcement – Minor
The bow glowed brighter.
DEMONS RETREAT
More arrows flew.
Each shot precise.
Each kill earned with blood.
The wave broke.
The gate flickered.
AFTERMATH
Karna collapsed to one knee.
Villagers surrounded him.
Stunned.
Alive.
"He… saved us."
Karna looked toward the mountains.
Garud… hurry back.
SYSTEM UPDATE
Title Earned:
"The One Who Stood"
Bond Skill Pending:
"Heir & Shield" (Locked – Requires Garud)
Far away—
Garud's system pulsed.
"Your ally has awakened."