SSS: I awakened a ghost system

Void

Where… where am I?" Max whispered, slowly opening his eyes.

Everything was dark. The air felt dense and cold, sending a chill crawling through Max's spine.

He blinked a few times, trying to focus his vision. The darkness didn't fade, It felt endless, but while scanning the area, a familiar notification popped up in front of him

[B-Rank ghost has been defeated]

[Reward: 70 exp]

[Exp: 70/50]

[Level up!]

[Curent level: 2]

The messages just kept coming, but Max was just excited he had finally managed to level up

[2 stat points have been received]

[Exp: 20/100]

As much as Max would love to explore the system more at the moment, there were more pressing matters he needed to deal with

He sat upright, feeling a slight headache. His mind was foggy, his stomach a bit empty, but that wasn't his concern right now.

What really worried him was where he was.

Looking on his left, Max could see an endless black void, and on his right, the same emptiness stretched on forever.

"What…what is this place?" he muttered. "Hello? Anybody here?"

His voice echoed through the emptiness, but there was no reply.

He looked down, trying to see what he was standing on, but there was nothing, just darkness, yet somehow, his feet rested on something solid.

Everything made no sense.

"Am I… dead?" he whispered.

Panic started to fill his mind as he thought of this. He tried to recall the moments before he lost consciousness, but everything was blank, almost like his memories had been wiped clean.

Still, he couldn't just stand there.

Max started walking aimlessly through the void. "Wait… is this heaven or something?" he thought. "Nah, this can't be heaven. Heaven's supposed to be bright, right? I should be seeing hot girls, food, maybe a throne or something. Wait…don't tell me this is hell?"

The space around him was silent, endless, and cold. Then suddenly, a small green light flickered in the distance.

It snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Wait, maybe that's the exit!" he shouted and began sprinting toward it.

The closer he got, the clearer it became. Floating slightly above the ground was a small, green flame. It wasn't too bright, but not dim either.

Strangely, Max couldn't feel any heat coming from it.

"What is this thing?" he whispered, inching closer. He felt slightly hesitant at first. I mean what if he touched it and got disintegrated on the spot or something

Either way, his curiosity got the better of him and he finally touched it. At this point curiousity has gotten the better of him so many times it was concerning

Vwoosh!

A sudden chill ran troughout his his body the moment he reached out toward it, and Instinctively, pulled his hand back.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

It wasn't the kind of pain you'd feel from something hot.This was different , It was sharp, cold, and piercing, like his hand had been stabbed from the inside

Then, suddenly, Max started hearing voices.

He looked around, eyes darting left and right, but there was no one there. The whispers started faint… but gradually, they then grew louder.

And louder.

And louder.

"GAAH!" Max yelled, clutching his ears. "What is this?!"

"Help me…"

"Please…"

"I'm sorry…"

"Save me…"

The cries echoed in his head, overlapping, and relentless. It was so unbearable that Max dropped to one knee, gasping for air.

Then they suddenly stopped….and there was silence.

Max stayed down for a moment, huffing like he had just run a marathon.

"I've… had enough of this place," he muttered, forcing himself to his feet. "Please, just end me already…"

When he finally opened his eyes again, the green flame was gone.

In its place stood a massive black stone, nearly seven feet tall. Jagged spikes jutted from its sides, and thick smoke was seeping from its base.

It didn't feel ordinary, and something about it… called to him.

Curiosity got the better of him, and he took a few hesitant steps forward. With each step, the smoke parted, almost as if it was clearing a path for him.

Up close, he could feel the strange energy radiating from the stone, and without even thinking, Max reached out and touched it.

The surface was cold, but as soon as his fingers brushed against it, a jolt of warning surged through his body.

He flinched, but his curiosity only grew.

He rubbed the surface slowly, squinting as he leaned closer. Something… was moving inside.

A shadowy mass swirled within the stone, like smoke trapped under glass.

And then…

Two cold, green, monstrous eyes snapped open from within.

Max stumbled back, his heart pounding like a drum in his chest. For a second, he thought it might explode right then and there.

"Wait… wait a second…" Max whispered, staring at the glowing eyes. "Isn't that—"

CRAAACK!!!

The sound of shattering glass echoed around him. Max instinctively looked down, and he could cracks were spreading fast beneath his feet, glowing faintly white.

He looked upward, and the ceiling of darkness was splintering too, shards breaking off and revealing blinding light.

The entire space was collapsing.

Max scrambled to his feet and started running in the opposite direction, desperate to escape.

But with every step, the cracks spread faster.

CRACK! CRACK!

The ground gave way beneath him.

"NO—!"

He fell.

Black shards sliced across his arms and face as he plummeted through the endless void below.

His scream echoed through the collapsing darkness — but no one heard him.

*****

*****

"WAAAHHH!"

Max shot upright in bed, gasping for air.

His hair was a mess, his forehead drenched in sweat, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

He clutched his shirt over his pounding heart, eyes darting around in confusion.

"Am I… alive?" he whispered.

The room around him came into focus — furniture, curtains, the hum of an air conditioner…

"Wait… am I in a hospital?"

Everything felt off — too bright, too still — and Max couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

"Oh my gosh, he's finally awake!"

A tall woman sitting on a nearby couch stood up, relief flooding her face.

"Thank heavens," said the man beside her, rising to his feet. "We thought we lost him there."

"Wait—what the hell is going on?" Max said, panic lacing his voice.

"Don't worry, young man," the man said gently. "We can explain everything."

For a moment, as Max payed close attention to the man in front of him, be noticed something

"Wait, you look familiar"

He turned to the lady and also sensed something familiar about them

"Should we tell him" the lady whispered to her companion

"Alright then. Max, my name is Kein" the man said

"This here is Amy, and we are both B-class reapers"

The room was silent for a moment as Max couldn't believe what he had just heard. He was overwhelmed with shock that he had completely frozen

"Wait, what?"