2026-09-24 15:45:55Kelvin ran through the dark streets as fast as his legs could carry him.
The System’s warning kept repeating in his head.
Host’s mother is currently in danger.
He did not slow down. He did not stop to catch his breath. When he finally reached the old bridge, his blood turned cold.
The middle of the bridge had collapsed. Broken concrete and twisted iron lay everywhere. Dust still hung in the air. A small crowd stood at a distance, talking in low voices.
Kelvin pushed past them.
“Mom!” he shouted. “Mom, answer me!”
He climbed over the rubble, cutting his hands on sharp edges. Then he saw her.
His mother lay under a heavy piece of concrete. Her body was still. Blood had dried on her clothes. Her eyes were closed.
Kelvin dropped to his knees and pushed the concrete away. He pulled her into his arms. Her skin was already cold.
“Mom… please. Open your eyes. I’m here. I came back.” His voice broke. Tears fell onto her face. He shook her gently, but she did not move.
“System,” he whispered, “bring her back. You saved me. Save her too.”
The blue screen appeared.
[Sorry, Host. Your mother died before the System bound to you. Revival is impossible.]
Kelvin held her tighter. For a long moment he only cried, his face buried against her shoulder. The noise of the crowd faded away. All he could feel was the empty weight in his arms.
After some time, the System spoke again.
[Host. Staying here will not change anything.]
[New Mission: Clean your mother’s body. Wrap her in clean cloth. Bury her in the nearest public cemetery.]
[Time Limit: 3 hours]
[Reward: $450]
[Failure Penalty: Current balance will be reset to zero]
Kelvin wiped his face with his sleeve. His eyes were red, but his voice was steady.
“I’ll do it myself.”
He lifted his mother’s body and carried her away from the ruins. Some people offered help. He shook his head and kept walking.
At the small public mortuary, the workers looked at him with pity. When they realized he had no money, they still gave him a simple white cloth. Kelvin thanked them quietly.
Alone in a back room, he washed his mother’s body with clean water. His hands trembled, but he did not stop. He cleaned every wound and closed her eyes gently. Then he wrapped her carefully in the white cloth.
After that, he carried her to the public cemetery on the edge of town. The sun was already low. He borrowed a shovel and dug the grave himself. Sweat and tears mixed on his face. When the hole was deep enough, he placed her body inside and covered it with earth.
He stood there in silence for a long time.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you,” he said softly. “But I swear I won’t stay weak anymore.”
The blue screen appeared.
[Mission Complete]
[Host has leveled up]
[Reward: $450 received]
[Bonus for completing the mission alone: +$300]
[Total Balance: $700]
Kelvin stared at the numbers. The money did not make him happy. It only reminded him that his mother was gone.
He spoke in his mind.
“I need one hundred and sixty dollars now. For school clothes and a place to sleep.”
[Withdrawal complete.]
His pocket grew heavier. He took out the cash, stopped a taxi, and told the driver to go to Kertek Market.
During the ride, Kelvin sat quietly by the window. His mind kept showing him his mother’s cold face and Zico’s laughing face from the alley.
When he arrived at the market, he paid the driver and walked toward Ajisaka Store. He needed new clothes and basic school supplies. Everything he owned had been lost or burned.
He stepped inside the store.
And stopped cold.
Standing in the middle of the aisle, laughing with his two friends, was Zico.
Kelvin’s hands slowly curled into fists. The memory of the fire, the gasoline, and his mother’s broken body hit him at the same time.
Zico had not only tried to kill him.
He had taken away the only family Kelvin had left.
Kelvin took a deep breath and walked deeper into the store, his eyes locked on the three boys.
The System’s voice spoke quietly.
[Host. High emotional spike detected. New mission available. Do you accept?]
Kelvin did not answer yet.
He just kept walking forward, his jaw tight, his heart burning with quiet anger.
Previous Chapter
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Chapter 14
Kelvin left the house at first light. He checked the wooden board on the window one more time, then rode toward the old bridge.Three days left. He needed something stronger than paper and photos.Near the closed part of the bridge he found a woman hanging clothes outside a small house. She looked tired. Kelvin stopped a few steps away and spoke quietly.“I am looking for anyone who saw the fire near the barrel months ago. Or the night the bridge was damaged.”The woman glanced at him, then at the street. “People do not talk about that night.”“I was the one in the barrel,” Kelvin said. “I only want the truth.”She was silent for a long moment. Then she pointed toward a narrow path behind the houses.“There is a boy who collects scrap there every morning. He was out that night. He saw more than he should have. But he is afraid.”Kelvin thanked her and followed the path. After a few minutes he found a thin boy about his age pulling a metal cart. The boy stopped when he saw Kelvin.“I d
Chapter 13
Kelvin did not sleep much. Every time a motorbike passed outside he opened his eyes. When morning came he got up, checked the wooden board on the window, and left the house early.He rode straight to the alley near the river. The old man who had spoken to him before was sitting in the same place, fixing another broken chair.Kelvin stopped in front of him.“I need your help,” he said. “Not to fight. Just to write down what you saw that night. Even a few lines.”The old man looked at him for a long time. “I already told you I do not want trouble.”“I know,” Kelvin said. “But if no one writes anything, the people who did it will keep walking free. I will not put your name on any paper if you do not want it. I only need the words.”The old man rubbed his hands together. Finally he nodded once. He took a small piece of paper from his pocket and wrote slowly with a short pencil. When he finished he gave it to Kelvin.The writing was simple:Three boys. One of them called Zico. They poured
Chapter 12
Kelvin left the house before sunrise. He did not tell anyone where he was going. He only took his phone, his notebook, and enough money for fuel.He rode slowly through the quieter streets near the river and the old market. Xenovia had said Raka was coming today. Kelvin did not know the exact place, so he watched and listened. He stopped at small shops and asked careful questions. Most people said nothing. One man who sold cigarettes finally spoke in a low voice.“If you are looking for the man named Raka, try the empty lot behind the old warehouse. People meet there when they do not want to be seen.”Kelvin thanked him and rode that way.The warehouse stood near the edge of the industrial area. The lot behind it was full of weeds and broken concrete. Kelvin parked his motorcycle two streets away and walked the rest of the distance. He stayed behind a low wall and watched.After almost an hour, a black car stopped. Two men got out. One was Zico. The other was older, maybe in his late
Chapter 11
Kelvin woke up with the same pain in his ribs, but he did not stay in bed. Five days left. He needed answers about the name Xenovia had given him.Raka.He rode to school early and asked carefully. Most students shook their heads. One older boy from another class finally spoke in a low voice near the back gate.“Raka is not a student,” the boy said. “He is older. People say he fixes problems for money. Broken legs. Lost papers. Sometimes worse. Stay away from that name.”That was all Kelvin got before the boy walked off fast.At school the whispers had changed again. Some students looked at Kelvin with open dislike. During the first break a teacher called him aside.“There is a report,” the teacher said. “Someone says you started the fight in the parking lot and also the one in the alley. The school is looking into it. Be careful.”Kelvin knew who had made the report. Zico was not only hiring people now. He was using words and lies.After class Kelvin did not go home. He rode back to
Chapter 10
Kelvin left the house early the next morning. His ribs still ached, but he ignored the pain. He had six days left. Sitting at home would not help.He rode straight to the old alley near the river. The burnt barrel was still there, black and twisted. A few older people sat on plastic chairs outside the small houses along the street. Most of them looked away when they saw him.Kelvin stopped in front of an old man who was repairing a broken chair. The man’s hands were slow and careful.“Excuse me,” Kelvin said. “Were you here the night of the fire a few months ago?”The old man looked up. His eyes were careful. “Why do you ask?”“I was the one they threw in the barrel,” Kelvin answered. “I need to know if anyone saw who did it.”The old man put down his tools. He looked at the barrel for a long time, then at Kelvin’s face.“I saw three boys,” he said in a low voice. “One of them was laughing. He had a school bag. The others poured something on the barrel and lit it. I stayed inside. I a
Chapter 09
Kelvin woke up before the sun rose. His ribs still hurt every time he took a deep breath. The cut on his lip had dried, but his left arm felt heavy and stiff. He sat up slowly and checked the System screen.Strength: 7 Intelligence: 1 System Points: 18 Balance: $35,750 Mission Progress: 5% Time left: 6 days, 6 hoursHe put the silver button on the table next to his bed. One small piece. Not enough. He needed more.He washed, put on a clean uniform, and went downstairs. The house was quiet. It was his now. He still had not gotten used to that. He made simple food, ate a little even though his side hurt, and left early.At school the whispers were louder. People stared at the bruises on his face and the way he walked carefully. Zico was back. He sat in class with a bandage across his nose and dark marks under his eyes. When Kelvin walked past, Zico looked at him with pure hate, but he did not speak. Not yet.During the morning break Xenovia found him near the old tree by the s
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