My Pheonix System

Chapter 3 – Homecoming

A few  days passed in a blur. Lucian dropped to the floor, completing the final set of push-ups. His arms trembled, sweat rolling down his forehead, but his breathing was steady now. The [ding] of the system echoed in his mind, as familiar as the beat of his heart.

[Daily Quest Complete]

+3 stat points 

+10 EXP

Lucian sat up, wiping his brow. The glowing panel flickered before him, and he couldn’t help but smile at his stats.

[Status]

Name: Lucian

Race: Human

Level: 1

Class: Warrior

HP: 50/50

MP: 10/10

Strength: 17

Agility: 14

Stamina: 11

Perception: 10

 (EXP 40/100)

“Not bad…” he muttered with a smile, flexing his fingers. His hands still looked the same thin, pale, calloused in places. His reflection in the window displayed the same face, the same auburn hair falling over his eyes. But inside? He could feel the difference. His legs felt coiled, like springs ready to burst. His lungs filled with air more easily, his heart thudded with steady rhythm.

The daily quests that once left him collapsed in exhaustion now felt like a morning stretch. He remembered how weak he had been, how the fear of being useless had choked him. But now, for the first time, he could almost taste his dream.

“My days of being weak are over. I’ll use the system to grow, so I can protect those I love and one day stand as the number one hunter in the world.”

“jeez ….  that's it for today” he said, raising his arms over his head in a long stretch.

Excitement stirred in his chest as he got up to shower, knowing today was important. Today the doctor had finally cleared him to be discharged.

When he stepped out of the bathroom, Harry was already waiting inside the room. His best friend wore his usual cocky grin, though the relief in his eyes was hard to miss.

“You’re alive, huh? Took you long enough.”

Lucian smirked. “You sound disappointed.”

“Not at all.” Harry clasped him in a rough hug, thumping his back. “I was starting to think you’d get lazy and stay here just for the free meals.”

Lucian chuckled, the tension easing from his chest. Side by side, they left the sterile hospital halls and stepped into the open streets.

By the time they reached the orphanage, the sun was sinking low, painting the sky in hues of orange and violet. The building stood at the end of a quiet lane—a modest two-story home of faded brick and wood. The garden was alittle wild, but bright flowers stubbornly bloomed in the corners, a reflection of the warmth inside.

The moment Lucian stepped through the gate, the door burst open. Velma, the matron of the orphanage, rushed out. Her graying hair was tied back neatly, but her apron was still dusted with flour. Behind her, several children crowded, their small faces alight with joy.

“Lucian!” Velma’s voice cracked with relief as she wrapped him in a tight embrace. “Oh, thank the stars you’re safe!”

Lucian stiffened at first, then melted into the hug. His throat tightened. “I’m home, Velma!”.

The kids swarmed him next, tugging at his sleeves, chattering over one another.

“Lucian! We heard you fought a real rogue hunter!” the kids bombarded him with questions curious about their epic battle 

“Lucian… is it true you pushed Harry out of the way? You could’ve died.” Velma asked gently, her voice trembling with worry, her brows knitted together as she looked at him.” 

“And they’re saying Harry saved you again. My child, what were you thinking?”  

Harry laughed from the side. “Don’t listen to their gossip—Lucian fought bravely. Though… yeah, I had to step in.”

Lucian rolled his eyes but didn’t argue.

Velma finally ushered them all inside, scolding the children to give Lucian room. The dining table was already set, laden with steaming dishes. Fresh bread, roasted meat glazed with herbs, bowls of soup that carried a savory aroma. It was a feast compared to their usual simple meals.

“I made this for you,” Velma said, smiling warmly as she set an extra portion before him. “Eat, and regain your strength, you've lost some weight.”

Lucian sat among them, the chatter of the children filling the air, Harry cracking jokes, Velma’s gentle smile watching over them all.

For the first time in a long while, Lucian felt something stir inside his heart. The feeling  warmth an emotion different from the thrill of the system and his growing strength. He wished every day could be like this moment. He swore in his heart he’d  do anything to protect this family. This was the reason why he had to get stronger.

Just as Lucian lifted his spoon, the faint hum of the old television in the corner grew louder. One of the boys had fiddled with the remote until the news channel flickered on.

The host's voice was grave, words cutting through the warmth of the dining hall:

“Breaking news…. The National Hunter Alliance has announced an Entrance Examination for Entrance examination for enrollment into  a Hunter Academy. All prospective candidates are urged to preparethe examination. Officials suggest this impromptu measure comes in anticipation of a looming great conflict and the next generation must be prepared to fight for humanity’s survival.”

The screen shifted from the anchor to shaky battlefield footage of collapsed buildings, black smoke rising over ruined streets, and the blurred silhouette of a beast larger than any skyscraper. A flash of claws swiped at the screen. The screen transitioned to a glimpse of hunters retreating, others in pools of blood and missing body parts, some carried on stretchers. The children gasped. Velma’s hands clenched her napkin until her knuckles whitened.

Lucian’s spoon froze halfway to his lips. His heart pounded as the words echoed in his head.

“Hunter Academy?… great conflict?…”

“Look! Look what blogs are posting!” a boy exclaimed, shoving a phone towards the table.

On screen, a shaky video played. The camera bounced as someone ran, screams echoing in the background. A towering silhouette loomed in the distance, its outline jagged and monstrous against the smoke-filled sky. For a split second, a claw the size of a house tore through a building, sending rubble crashing. The video ended abruptly with static.

The boy scrolled to the comments. People were crashing out, some were in disbelief, others straight-up panicking.

“It’s all AI-generated, one of those deepfake videos that are popping lately can’t believe y’all are fooled by this.“

“I thought beasts crossing  over to our realm is extremely rare ”

“Take a look at the shadows that's definitely real, I swear a hunter friend of mine said it actually happened “

“Haven’t y’all heard of the entrance  announcement on the tv lately”

“Yea but they weren’t clear on what’s coming they  just dropped some blurry video of a beast attack”

“Something wrong is definitely going on and the government isn’t telling us anything. Why are they hiding the death toll?”

”where did this happen my god what the hell is going on ?”

“It’s all actors and CGI… y’all need to wake up.”

Netizens flooded the comment section so quickly the page had to turn the comment section off.

Harry scoffed, snatching the tablet. “Don’t waste your time on this junk. It’s probably fake anyway. You know how thirsty these bloggers are for views.”

Velma snapped at the kids to put it away, her voice trembling. “Don’t watch that nonsense…. give me that phone what did I say about phones at the dining”

But deepdown his heart, Lucian knew it was real. Until A faint shimmer pulsed across his vision.

[Special Quest Unlocked]

pass the Hunter Academy Entrance Exam.

Reward: ???

Failure: stat reduction.