2025-11-15 16:59:17The rain had stopped by morning, but the cold hadn’t.
Leon woke to the sound of footsteps passing the alley—workers rushing toward their shifts, students on their way to classes, people who had places to be. People with lives. He had none of those things anymore. His clothes were stiff from dried rainwater. His back ached from sleeping against the wall. His stomach growled so loud it startled a stray dog digging through trash a few meters away. Then he remembered it. The voice. The messages. The System. For a moment he wondered if it had been a hallucination born from exhaustion and despair. But then— BEEP. A soft pulse vibrated at the base of his skull. [Good morning, Host. Survival Task still pending.] Leon inhaled sharply. It wasn’t a dream. The world was still cruel, still cold, still willing to crush him— But now, something inside him was awake. “Survive the night,” Leon muttered. “Fine. I did that.” A new tone sounded. [Task 1 Completed.] [Reward: +2 Physical Endurance.] [New Task Assigned: Secure Employment.] Leon blinked. “…Employment?” [Requirement: Must be legally hired. Under-the-table labor not accepted.] So the System wanted structure. Legitimacy. Stability. Which would’ve been easy—if the Hale Corporation hadn’t systematically blacklisted him overnight. He stood, brushed off dirt from his pants, and stepped out of the alley. The city felt different now. Not less hostile, but navigable. The System didn’t change the world—it changed his footing in it. He walked toward the commercial district, the same route he once drove in a luxury sedan. Today his shoes made squishing sounds as he stepped through puddles. --- THE FIRST ATTEMPT His first stop was a security firm. A stern man behind the desk scanned him from head to toe. “You have experience?” “Yes.” “Background check?” “Run it.” The man typed on a computer. Leon waited. The man frowned. Typed harder. His eyes narrowed. He stared at Leon with sudden suspicion. “Are you trying to play games with me?” “No. Why?” “Because your record is flagged. Red flag. Corporate-level restriction.” He leaned back. “Who did you piss off?” “Long story,” Leon said. “Well, whatever it is, we can’t hire you. Our licensing would be revoked.” Leon forced his jaw to unclench. “I understand.” He walked out. --- THE SECOND ATTEMPT At a construction site, he tried again. The supervisor, a bearded man with sunburnt skin, glanced at Leon’s soaked clothes. “You look like you could use the work.” “I can handle it.” “Alright, fill out this form. We’ll run a quick check.” Leon filled his name. Before he even signed the last box, the supervisor’s radio crackled. “Boss, background ping. This guy’s locked.” The supervisor looked uncomfortable. “Kid… whatever trouble you’re in, it’s too big for us.” Leon nodded silently. He didn’t bother trying to argue. --- THE THIRD, FOURTH, FIFTH ATTEMPT The day crawled by in humiliating repetition. Office janitor job? Rejected. Dishwasher at a diner? Rejected. Manual laborer for construction clean-up? Rejected. Every time a background check ran, the interviewer froze. The same words followed: “Corporate flag.” “Severe risk.” “Cannot proceed.” “Sorry, but no.” Leon realized it now. This wasn’t a coincidence. It wasn’t temporary. The Hale Corporation had buried him—not with evidence, but with influence. If Alexander said Leon was dangerous, then the city obeyed. No company wanted to challenge a family worth billions. Leon sat on the curb near the highway overpass. His stomach cramped from hunger. His hands shook from exhaustion. This is what they wanted, he thought. For me to disappear. A familiar beep vibrated in his skull. [Host’s emotional stability decreasing.] [Reminder: Task must be completed.] Leon exhaled a humorless laugh. “I’m trying. But you’ve seen the results.” [The System does not accept excuses. Continue.] He rubbed his face. “You’re really merciless.” [Correct. Survival requires pressure.] Leon stood again. He had no money, no home, no allies—and yet, for the first time since losing everything, he felt a spark of defiance. “If the high-end companies won’t take me, then I’ll aim lower.” --- AT THE WAREHOUSE He headed toward the industrial zone, where companies didn’t care about prestige or reputation—only bodies that could lift heavy crates. After walking until his legs trembled, he found a place called: IRONSPINE LOGISTICS — WAREHOUSE 12. The building was massive, metallic, and ugly—perfect for men who had no other options. Leon stepped inside. Workers hurried past with crates and forklifts. The air smelled of dust, sweat, and machine oil. A tall man with a clipboard blocked his path. His vest read: Shift Supervisor — Mason Briggs. Leon didn’t recognize him. But Mason recognized him. “Well, well, look who decided to descend from the heavens.” Mason’s smirk was slow and cruel. “Leon Hale. The fallen prince.” Leon froze. Mason continued, “I knew you looked familiar from the news yesterday. Can’t believe someone like you ended up here. What happened? Daddy finally got tired of cleaning up your mess?” Leon kept his voice calm. “I’m here to work.” Mason laughed. Other workers glanced over, curiosity turning into amusement. “You? Work? Do you even know what real work is?” Mason tapped the clipboard. “Says here you applied five minutes ago.” “Yes.” Mason held the clipboard up theatrically. “Well, lucky you. We’re desperate enough to need warm bodies.” Leon tensed. “But,” Mason continued, “we do background checks for official hires. Yours came back… interesting.” Leon said nothing. Mason leaned in. “Says you’re flagged for fraud. Corporate fraud. That’s serious.” “It’s a lie.” Mason shrugged. “Not my problem.” Leon clenched his fists. “If you’re not hiring, just say it.” “Oh, I’m hiring you.” Mason smiled. “But not because you’re qualified. Because humiliating you will be the highlight of my month.” Leon’s jaw tightened. Mason slapped a form into his chest. “Sign it. Temporary laborer. Zero benefits. Minimum wage. And I will treat you like a dog. You still want the job?” Leon hesitated only a moment. He needed this. The System needed this. His survival depended on it. He took the pen. “I’ll take it.” Mason’s grin widened. “Excellent. Welcome to hell.” --- THE FIRST HOURS Leon was thrown into the most grueling tasks immediately. Lifting crates heavier than they looked. Stacking boxes faster than the speed Mason barked orders. Dragging pallets across uneven floors. Dodging forklifts that sped past without warning. Every muscle burned. He slipped once, catching himself on the edge of a metal rack. Mason’s mocking voice echoed from across the warehouse: “Careful, Prince. Wouldn’t want you to break a nail.” Workers snickered. Leon ignored them. He worked through the pain, through the humiliation, through the lingering sting of his father’s final words. Hours passed. By nightfall he was shaking from exhaustion. His shirt was soaked—this time with sweat instead of rain. His hands were scraped and raw. His legs ached with every step. But he was still standing. Just as he loaded another crate, the System chimed: [Task 2 Completed: Secure Employment.] [Reward: +3 Strength, +1 Stamina.] [New Feature Unlocked: Status Panel.] Leon froze mid-motion. A translucent panel flashed before his eyes. --- STATUS PANEL — HOST: LEON HALE Level: 1 Strength: 7 (+3) Endurance: 6 (+2) Stamina: 5 (+1) Mental Fortitude: 4 Luck: 1 Skills: None Quests: Pending… System Mode: Survival Tier (Locked) --- Leon exhaled slowly. It wasn’t much. But it was a beginning. A real beginning. He closed the panel, lifted the crate with new strength, and kept going. Mason watched from across the warehouse, frowning. “…Why isn’t he breaking yet?”
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Chapter 55 — Warehouse Eyes
Leon felt it before he heard it. In the warehouse this time isn't the System.Is the looks.The warehouse had always been loud—forklifts whining, crates slamming, men shouting over the noise—but that morning, something else hummed beneath it all. A current of attention, subtle but persistent, brushing against Leon’s skin like static.Eyes followed him.Not openly. Not yet.But when he passed between aisles, conversations dipped. When he bent to lift a crate, someone paused just a second too long before looking away. Even Mason’s usual barking orders came later than expected, as if he were watching first, reassessing.Leon didn’t react.He kept his head down. His movements were economical now—no wasted energy, no unnecessary strain. Lift. Turn. Stack. Breathe. The System pulsed faintly, monitoring but silent.Low profile, Leon reminded himself. Grow quietly.That was the rule.Whispers on ConcreteDuring the first break, Leon sat alone near the loading bay, sipping water slowly. He cou
Chapter 54 — Pain Is Mandatory
Leon stopped waiting for his body to feel ready.That was the first lesson.The second came immediately after—the System didn’t care how he felt.The warehouse was still half-asleep when Leon stepped into an empty corner near the loading docks. The concrete was cold beneath his boots, the air sharp with morning chill. Every muscle protested as he rolled his shoulders, joints stiff, nerves screaming.His body wanted rest.The System wanted movement.Leon inhaled slowly and dropped to the ground.One push-up.His arms shook violently before he even lowered himself halfway.“Again,” he muttered.He forced himself down, teeth clenched, chest hovering inches above the concrete. His elbows burned like fire as he pushed back up.Two.By the fifth rep, sweat dripped from his brow. By the tenth, his vision blurred.[EP: 78% → 74%]The drain was steady, controlled—but visible.Leon paused on his knees, gasping.His instinct screamed to stop.He didn’t.He shifted immediately into squats, slow a
Chapter 53 — The Penalty Clock
Leon didn’t wake up late.He woke up empty.Not the familiar ache of overworked muscles or the controlled fatigue that came after a proper system session. This was different—deeper, heavier. His limbs felt distant, like they belonged to someone else. Even breathing required effort.The warehouse storage room was quiet, dim light filtering through a cracked panel overhead. Leon lay still on the thin mattress, staring at the ceiling, mind blank.I can’t train today.The thought came without guilt. Only exhaustion.Mission 6 had drained him to the edge. Controlled growth demanded restraint, awareness, patience—things harder than brute force. His body felt like it needed rest more than food.The System remained silent.That silence felt wrong.Leon shifted, intending to sit up—And a sudden chill spread through his chest.Not pain.Loss.As if warmth, strength, life itself was being quietly siphoned away.Leon froze.Blue text ignited in his vision.[IDLE STATE DETECTED][HOST ACTIVITY: B
Chapter 52 — Mission #6: Controlled Growth
Leon woke before dawn, not because of hunger or pain—but because his body wouldn’t let him sleep anymore.His eyes snapped open in the dim storage room. The air was cold, the concrete unforgiving beneath him, yet his mind was sharp. Too sharp. It felt like a tightly wound wire, buzzing with restrained energy.For a brief, dangerous moment, Leon considered pushing himself—running, lifting, testing the limits of the strength that still hummed faintly through his muscles.Then the warning from the night before surfaced.Overuse = collapse.Leon exhaled slowly and sat up, rubbing his temples.A translucent blue interface unfolded in his vision.[MISSION #6 GENERATED][TYPE: FOUNDATIONAL][OBJECTIVE: CONTROLLED GROWTH]— Improve physical strength— Maintain Energy Points above critical threshold— Avoid emotional spikes[CONDITION: Brute-force exertion will result in EP drain amplification][REWARD: +1 Strength | +1 Endurance | Discipline Recognition][FAILURE PENALTY: Temporary Stat Lock
Chapter 51 — Dawn of a New Rule
Leon didn’t sleep.He lay on his back atop the cold concrete floor near the warehouse entrance, eyes open, chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm that felt unfamiliar. Not because it was calm—but because it was controlled.His body no longer trembled from hunger.His muscles no longer screamed in protest.Even the bruises that should have burned with every movement had faded into dull shadows beneath his skin.Adaptive Evolution.The words echoed in his mind like a promise and a warning intertwined.Leon slowly sat up. The movement was smooth—too smooth. He paused, frowning slightly, then rolled his shoulders. There was strength there. Real strength. Not the desperate, adrenaline-fueled bursts he’d relied on before, but something deeper. Integrated. As if his body had been quietly rewritten overnight.Outside, dawn crept over Neo Avalon.The city looked the same—steel towers, neon signs flickering out as morning claimed the streets—but Leon felt different standing at its edge. Fo
Ch. 50 — The Other Host Watches
Neo Avalon never slept.Even at two in the morning, the city pulsed with light—towering glass spires glowing like veins of fire, elevated rails humming above empty streets, surveillance drones drifting silently between buildings. Power lived here. Money lived here.And now…something else did too.---High above the city, on the top floor of a private residential tower, a man stood before a floor-to-ceiling window. He was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a tailored black coat that looked more like tactical armor than fashion. His hands were clasped behind his back, posture relaxed—yet predatory.A translucent interface hovered in front of him.Unlike Leon’s, this one was crimson.---[HOST MONITORING SYSTEM — ACTIVE][ALERT: NEW ADAPTIVE EVOLUTION SIGNATURE DETECTED][LOCATION: SECTOR D-17][THREAT LEVEL: GROWING]---The man’s lips curved slightly.“So it finally happened,” he murmured.His name was Darius Vale.In Neo Avalon, he was known as a corporate enforcer—a man hired to cle
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