The sun was setting, painting Sunrain's streets in a reddish hue mixed with the smoke of factory chimneys and the soot from the occasional car. Vlad sat on the hotel roof, holding his notebook, habitually recording his observations of the city, his sensations, and inner reflections.
The city never slept. Even when the streets seemed empty, somewhere in the distance there were footsteps, barking dogs, or the metallic clang of containers falling to the ground. Sunrain was full of dangers: crime grew with each month, gangs controlled the streets, survivors were ready to do anything for food or safety. Monsters, emerging from ruined districts and the sewers, roamed alongside people, hiding in the shadows, and attacked without warning.
"Every day I see that people here live in constant fear. No one trusts anyone. Any mistake can cost a life. I, too, could die at any moment if I'm not careful."
Vlad scanned the streets with his gaze, noticing a group of teenagers struggling to cross a wasteland, glancing at each other. He saw their attention focused on their surroundings, how they kept their hands on improvised sticks and bottles, ready for any unexpected confrontation. He understood their fear, but knew their experience wasn't as long as his year of survival.
He opened his notebook and began writing again:
"The city is dangerous. Crime is everywhere. Monsters appear suddenly. Even the shortest walk can end in bloodshed. But I live here. I am learning. And I understand this is just preparation. I must become stronger, or I will be destroyed."
At that moment, Vlad felt a strange movement inside himself. The cold, living shadow that had inhabited him since that tragic day stirred again. It shifted, as if testing his readiness. He closed his eyes and focused, and an interface he had never seen before appeared before his mind's eye.
Name, title, race, statistics—it all emerged before his mental gaze:
Name: Vlad Abyss
Alias: Unknown
Title: The Lost One
Race / Entity: Human, Void Bearer
Age: 17
Status: Alive / Conscious Existence
Core Statistics:
Statistic Current Value Note
Strength +2 from baseline human Slightly stronger, but not yet a noticeable threat to an experienced opponent
Agility +1 Movements have become lighter, daggers are easier to wield
Endurance +2 Body handles fatigue better, minor pain doesn't hinder
Reaction +3 Senses danger a little faster, reacts quicker
Intellect +1 Organization of observations and notes in the notebook
Magical Sensitivity +1 The Void sometimes responds to threats
Psychological Fortitude +2 Pain and loneliness have strengthened willpower
Traits:
· The Void is partially awakened, manifests reflexively.
· Vlad senses "Soul Statistics" — the lost part of his humanity amounts to approximately 10%.
· The interface shows potential but does not explain the nature of the power.
Vlad struggled to return to reality. His gaze fell back on the streets. In the library, he often searched for answers, but now he understood that no book would tell him about what lived inside him. The Void was unique, and no magic or science in the city could explain it.
"I've become a little stronger, but it's not enough. I'm still too weak. If someone attacks... I can defend myself, but I can't take complete risks. I must develop. The Academy is my only chance."
He remembered watching people, how they behaved on the streets, and realized his new power was not something to show others. Here, you couldn't trust. Every wrong step meant death. The Void inside responded to anxiety, to fear, and he felt it as an extension of his instincts.
An hour later, Vlad headed to the nearest library, old and semi-abandoned. There, he could at least take shelter for a few hours, read, and systematize his observations. He passed by garbage heaps, through empty alleys, listening to every sound. Suddenly, in a dark corner, he heard a rustle.
A monster. Small but agile, a creature ordinary people wouldn't notice. It scurried between containers, ready to attack. Vlad froze. His body moved on its own. The Void inside responded instantly, coldly and precisely. The daggers in his hands almost moved by themselves. He managed to push the monster away; it hit the wall and vanished into the shadows.
"Damn. That was just a weak attack, but... I see I can react faster. Not perfectly, but I'm alive."
He sat down on the library steps, breathing heavily. The system showed a reaction: +1 to Survival, +1 to Reaction. Vlad noted this in his notebook. Every encounter was a lesson, every mistake was a minus to experience.
Inside the library, he settled by the window. It smelled of dust, ink, and old paper. He opened his notebook and began analyzing:
· When the Void responded on its own — Reaction +1.
· When he used daggers — Agility +1.
· Each day of survival — Psychological Fortitude +1.
Vlad understood this was only the beginning of the path. He wasn't strong, not powerful, but he already understood that with each day he was growing. Small steps, precise movements, observations of the city, analysis of statistics—all of this was shaping his path.
"Sunrain is dangerous. Here, any day could be the last. People can attack, monsters can leap from the shadows. But I survived a year. I can survive longer. And if I train, if I go to the Academy, I can understand this... understand what is happening to me."
He looked at the streets through the library window. The moon illuminated the wasteland, streetlambs cast long shadows, and somewhere in the distance, the sound of running footsteps could be heard. Vlad gripped his daggers, feeling the Void inside tremble with readiness.
"A year has passed. I am alive. And this is just the beginning."
The system hung motionless in his consciousness, quietly recording the statistics, as if the Void itself was waiting for him to take the next step. Vlad sank into a chair, closed his eyes, and for the first time in a long while, felt a slight confidence. He knew the path would be long, dangerous, full of pain. But now he saw his goal: to survive, to understand the power, to master it, and to go where his knowledge would become real—to the Academy.