Rebirth Of The Sealed Core: The Rise Of Billy Howell

Chapter 5 – The System’s First Mission

Billy stood rooted to the spot long after the silver screen of texts disappeared into the air. His heartbeat felt too loud, thumping against his ribs like it wanted to break free. The world around him—cars rushing past, wind brushing his face, faint noises from the street—felt unreal.

He leaned against the cold wall, steadying himself.

“Okay… okay. Calm down. One step at a time,” he muttered.

A system.

A real system.

Other people got smartwatches and phone apps—he got something ancient, strange, and terrifyingly powerful.

Billy inhaled deeply and mentally summoned the interface.

“System… open.”

A soft chime answered, and a transparent screen appeared before his eyes like a floating tablet only he could see.

---

【 BILLY HOWELL – STATUS 】

Level: 1

Energy Awakening: Locked

Aether Vein Count: Unknown

System Functions:

Reward Hall – Active

Task Center – Active

Exchange Pavilion – Locked

Legacy Archives – Locked

Rebirth Memories Sync: 3% Completed

---

Billy blinked. “Rebirth memories? Sync? What does that mean?”

Before he could ask, another screen appeared.

【 SYSTEM REMINDER 】

Your memories from your previous life are still stabilizing. Full synchronization will enhance your skills, talents, and instincts. Please be patient.

Billy stared.

“Previous life? I had a previous life?”

He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or panic. A tiny part of him whispered that maybe he really had lived before, maybe that voice he heard wasn’t an illusion after all.

Another notification popped up.

【 NEW TASK UNLOCKED 】

Task Name: First Step Into the Unknown

Description: Danger approaches. You are not ready. Strength is needed.

Objective: Help someone in immediate danger within the next 3 hours.

Reward: +15 System Points, Basic Energy Unlock (1%)

Penalty: System Lock for 48 hours

Billy’s face drained of color.

“Danger is approaching? Who? Where? How am I supposed to—”

He clenched his jaw. The system wasn’t joking around. A penalty like a 48-hour lock sounded terrible, especially when he barely understood how this thing worked.

“Alright… help someone in danger. That shouldn’t be too hard. But who?”

As if responding, the system displayed a glowing arrow in front of him, pointing toward a busy road.

Billy followed it, walking fast, weaving through pedestrians. The arrow moved with him, shifting direction like a GPS only he could see.

He reached a crowded intersection just as the lights were turning red. People waited at the sidewalk, some checking phones, others talking.

Then Billy saw him—a little boy, no older than five, wobbling near the edge of the road. His balloon slipped from his hand and floated forward. The boy instinctively ran after it—

Straight into the incoming traffic.

Billy didn’t think.

His body moved before his brain caught up.

He sprinted.

Horns blared.

A car swerved.

People screamed.

Billy lunged forward, grabbed the boy’s shirt, and rolled back onto the sidewalk just as a motorcycle zipped past where the child had been half a second earlier.

The boy burst into tears. A woman—his mother—bolted toward them, hugging the child tightly.

“Oh my God! Thank you! Thank you so much!” she cried shakily.

Billy let out a long breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. His heart hammered so wildly, he wondered if the system could hear it too.

Then—ding.

---

【 TASK COMPLETE 】

Reward Granted:

+15 System Points

Basic Energy Unlock (1%)

Congratulations! Your energy is no longer fully suppressed. Your body will begin adjusting. Mild symptoms may occur: heat, dizziness, heightened senses.

---

Heat flashed through Billy’s chest like a spark catching dry leaves. It spread through his veins—warm, tingling, slightly painful but exhilarating.

Billy sucked in a breath.

“What the—”

His vision sharpened instantly. The colors of the world grew brighter, footsteps around him became clearer, and even the cold wind brushing his skin felt more defined.

It was like someone had switched him from low-resolution to ultra-high definition.

He stepped back, trying not to look shocked in front of strangers.

The system chimed again.

【 TIP 】

Your energy suppression is ancient in origin. This is only the beginning.

Unlock more tasks to awaken further.

Billy swallowed hard.

“This… this is real. All of it.”

As the woman thanked him again before leaving with her son, Billy walked toward a quiet alley. He needed a moment to breathe.

He leaned on the wall, letting everything sink in.

He had a system.

He had memories waiting to sync.

His suppressed energy was awakening.

He had saved a life.

But the thing bothering him most wasn’t excitement—

It was the system warning:

“Danger approaches.”

He opened the interface again.

【 UPCOMING THREAT WARNING 】

Threat Level: Low

Time Until Encounter: Unknown

Advice: Stay alert. Your awakening will attract attention.

Billy let out a shaky laugh.

“Stay alert? That’s your advice? Great.”

He closed the screen and headed back home, but every shadow suddenly felt deeper, every noise sharper. Something in him whispered that his life would never be peaceful again.

And he wasn’t wrong.

Just two blocks before reaching his apartment, he felt something—

A presence.

His heart tightened. Someone was watching him.

He turned around slowly.

Down the street, an old man stood beneath a flickering streetlamp. His eyes weren’t normal—they glowed faintly blue, staring directly at Billy as if he could see through his skin.

The man smiled.

And vanished.

Not walked away. Not hid.

Vanished like smoke blown by the wind.

Billy froze, breath caught in his throat.

His system chimed loudly in his mind.

---

【 WARNING 】

An ability user has noticed your awakening.

Future contact is highly likely. Prepare yourself.

---

Billy stood there in silence, the night breeze brushing past him.

Everything had changed.

Everything.

And this was only the beginning.