1 A new Beginning?

The day began like any other for Davy was engrossed in his games, devouring food like a glutton. Despite his sedentary lifestyle, his body remained surprisingly fit. His is a 21-year-old shut-in, had dropped out of school, finding everything there pointless and annoying.

His existence was a monotonous cycle of sleeping and gaming, ignoring even his girlfriend, Suzy, the one person who truly loved him for who he was. He was oblivious to the fact that she might grow tired of his indifference. With above-average looks and a well-built physique, he had learned martial arts in the past, but it seemed like a distant memory now, raising doubts about his proficiency.

\[Buzz, buzz\] His phone rang; hesitating at first, he picked it up after seeing it was Suzy calling.

"Hey, Suzy, how are you?" he greeted her.

"I am not good at all, Davy," she replied sadly.

"Why do you sound sad?" he asked, concern lacing his words.

"Um, Davy," she began, her voice faltering. "I called you because I don't think things will work out between us. You always spend your time gaming or sleeping. You never take me out, and when I'm at your place, you don't even pay attention to me. This relationship just isn't going anywhere, i think its time we go out separate way."

She hung up, leaving him staring at his phone in shock. He knew this day would come, and while one might expect him to be devastated, he didn't seem to care much. Though he loved her, he didn't feel a strong attachment.

His gaming mood now ruined, he decided to sleep it off. Crawling into bed, he turned on the AC and soon drifted off.

Hours later, he woke up, yawning as he sat up, feeling like a tired old man. He turned on his computer, opened a game, and glanced at his phone. It was inundated with messages and missed calls. Attempting to call back, no one picked up. Opening the messages, he realized they all shared a common theme: monsters.

He stood up, gazing outside. A colossal tower pierced the sky, capturing his attention. He hastily put on some pants and rushed downstairs, a desire to understand the situation propelling him outside. Upon opening the door, he was met with a terrifying sight—a monstrous mouth, brimming with fang-like teeth, greeted him. Frozen in fear, he was unable to move, staring death in the face.

"Move, dammit, MOVE!" he shouted, his voice laced with desperation and fear.

Summoning extreme willpower, he managed to move, attempting to flee, but it was too late. The monstrous creature ripped off his arm as if it were a flimsy piece of paper. "My... my... my... ARM!" he screamed as he collapsed to the ground.

The beast roared, marking him as its prey. He stumbled to his feet, slamming the door shut, racing upstairs, and locking himself in his room before collapsing again. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he tore apart one of his shirts, using it to staunch the bleeding from his severed limb.

"What the hell was that thing? I thought those texts were just pranks. Dammit, I'm losing too much blood. Will I seriously die like this? A virgin who accomplished nothing in life? Fucking hell," he muttered, despair and pain echoing in his words.

His eyes slowly closed, he was losing consciousness, feeling dizzy, everything around him spinning. He lay down and shut his eyes.

Buzz...buzz...buzz...buzz

"Dammit, can't a guy even die in peace?" he groaned, answering the insistent phone.

"Hello?"

"Help me, Davy," Suzy's voice came through, weak and desperate.

"Suzy, are you there? What happened, Suzy? Can you hear me? Where are you?" His voice cracked in worry. "DAMMIT, what the fuck is going on?!" he roared, frustration and fear fueling his anger.

Despite their recent breakup, he felt a sense of obligation to Suzy for her unwavering love. He forced himself to stand, stumbling downstairs. The front door lay in ruins, evidence of the monster's violent entry. He checked every room, his heart pounding. When he reached the kitchen, he didn't dare to peek inside; the creature's ominous breathing was enough to send chills down his spine. Trembling, he retreated.

That's when a voice appeared in his head, cutting through the chaos and confusion.

"DING, system synchronization complete; activating the blank system." A mechanical voice echoed, followed by a polite greeting. "Hello, master."

"What the... am I hallucinating?" he mumbled, his head spinning from the pain and blood loss. "I guess that's to be expected considering how much blood I lost, not to mention the pain I am feeling."

"DING! Pain nullification has been acquired; healing has been learned." The system announced, and almost miraculously, the pain ebbed away as his wound began to mend.

"Huh, what the? The voice I heard is actually real?" His skepticism was evident as he awkwardly greeted the system. "Ah, hello."

"Yes, hello, master. I am the system, and starting today, I will be your helper as you climb the tower," the system replied.

"Helper? Tower?" his confusion and annoyance were palpable. "You mean that thing outside? Why would I climb that shit? Are you messing with me?" His voice dripped with frustration.

"I am sorry, master, I was out of line. You may choose to climb the tower at your own pace after you learn more about it," the system responded, its tone apologetic.

They continued their conversation, and although he remained unconvinced about climbing the tower, he absorbed valuable information from the system. Towers had emerged all over the world, interconnected in some mysterious way. Monsters and dungeons also appeared, originating from these towers. The creature that had devoured his arm was identified as the lowest-ranked monster, a G-rank reaper wolf. Additionally, a percentage of humans worldwide were awakening special abilities to combat these monsters. However, in his case...

"WHAT? You're telling me I have to earn all my skills from scratch while others are being gifted; how is that fair?" his frustration boiled over. "You're basically useless."

"I am sorry for being useless master," the system replied, its tone tinged with sadness.

Sighing, he realized his mistake. "No, I'm the one in the wrong. You did heal me, after all. I apologize for calling you useless."

"Apology accepted, master," the system said, its tone cheerful.

He peeked into the kitchen and saw the monster sleeping. Anger surged within him, fueled by the loss of his left arm. He recalled how he had acquired his skills: in pain, the system had deemed it necessary to grant him a skill, saving him from the brink of death.

"Hmm, I get it," he whispered as he ascended the stairs.

Entering his parents' room, he located a secret safe beneath their bed. He moved the bed quietly, unlocked the safe, and found a pistol and bullets inside. Armed, he returned downstairs, loaded the gun, and stealthily made his way to the kitchen, aiming the weapon at the monster.

"Ah, master, I'm not sure that's a good idea. That weapon you're holding won't even scratch the reaper wolf," the system warned.

"I figured as much, but my goal is actually to trigger a skill," he replied.

He fired one round, which bounced off the reaper wolf, waking it up. He retreated, shooting two more rounds, but nothing happened. Disappointed, he sprinted upstairs, waiting for the monster to reach the stairs. When it did, he fired his remaining bullets, then rushed into his room, barricading the door.

"DING, weapons expert acquired. You can handle any weapon efficiently, and get a 5% boost on attacks," the system announced.

"Sweet, I knew it! This system is a total cheat. Seems I was wrong; you're amazing system," He exclaimed, a smile spreading across his face.

"Thank you, master. I will do my best," the system replied proudly.

The wolf reached the door, breaking through. He aimed the gun, waiting until the hole was large enough. As the wolf exposed its head, he fired a bullet directly into its skull, followed by another in its throat. His precision was astonishing, reminiscent of a seasoned soldier, even surprising himself.

"Wow, that's so cool," he muttered as he approached the dead monster. "That's for my arm, you piece of shit," he spat, kicking the lifeless creature.

"DING. You have leveled up; you have earned 10 points and a monster core," the system informed him.

"I can feel myself getting stronger, which is nice. It's a shame about my arm though. Alright, let's not waste time; Suzy is waiting," He declared, determination in his voice.

Everywhere, people were either battling monsters, risking their lives, or falling victim to the creatures. Was this the end of the world, or a new beginning? The uncertainty hung in the air, the world now a place of chaos and danger.