system?

A rush of energy surged into William's body, and a translucent screen appeared before him, floating in mid-air.

*

'system function unlocked'

'586th person to unlock system function in your city'

'Green goblin crystal absorbed'

*

The words lingered until he read the entire message, then the screen shifted.

*

- name = William Crawford

- class = N/A

- level = 1

- strength = 8

- speed = 7

- endurance =7

- magic = 0

- Crystals = 1/10

*

William's mind raced with confusion and curiosity. Was he the only one who could see this? He turned to Mark, his voice barely steady. "Do you see this?"

Mark looked baffled. "See what?"

"It's like one of those screens in video games," William explained, his heart pounding.

Mark shook his head, more confused than ever. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not sure what it is," William admitted, wondering if he was hallucinating. "But it feels real."

"What do you think these green things are? And what's causing all of this?" Mark asked, fear lacing his words. "Do you think something's going to happen to us?"

William took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I don't think we should worry about the why right now. We need to find out what's going on and if we're safe. We should look for Mr. Thomson."

Mark nodded, though his face was still pale. "Okay, I'll go with you. You take the knife, and I'll grab a textbook to defend us if we run into more goblins."

"What if we get attacked again?" a classmate whispered, their voice trembling.

"Yeah, I don't want to die. Those things are dangerous," another added, their fear palpable.

William stood tall, his voice steady. "You can stay here if you want, but you're sitting ducks if more goblins come. It's safer to move and find a secure location."

Reluctantly, most of the class decided to stay behind, huddling together and listening to Mr. Thomson. Three brave students, Ethan, Aiden, and Lucas, joined William and Mark, armed with textbooks.

They cautiously opened the classroom door, a heavy scent of blood hitting them immediately. The school's L-shaped layout felt like a labyrinth of horror. Bodies littered the hallways, and two goblins banged on a door across from them, trying to break in.

"We need better weapons," William whispered. "Let's take out those goblins and use their knives."

The group split up, moving silently and quickly. William and Mark approached the goblin on the left, while Ethan, Aiden, and Lucas took the one on the right. With his heart in his throat, William gripped the knife tightly and plunged it into the goblin's head. It screamed, but it was too late. The students attacked ferociously, knowing their lives depended on it.

After the goblins lay still, Mark picked up a glowing crystal from one goblin's chest. As it fused into his palm, his eyes widened in shock as the blue screen William described appeared before him. Ethan followed suit, also seeing the screen after picking up a crystal.

They armed themselves with the goblins' knives and made their way down the hall towards the stairs. The building was eerily silent, the air thick with the smell of blood and fear. Each step felt heavy, their makeshift weapons clutched tightly.

"We need a safe space to plan our next move," William whispered, his voice tense.

The school, once a familiar place, now felt like a maze filled with danger. At the bottom of the stairs, they encountered another goblin, this one drenched in blood, stabbing their teacher with a spear. It seemed to be guarding the exit, waiting for survivors.

The goblin spotted them and let out a screech. "Get ready!" William shouted, raising his knife.

The goblin charged, its spear aimed directly at William. He dodged, narrowly avoiding the thrust but losing his balance. Mark and the others attacked, trying to overwhelm the goblin, but it was stronger. It threw Aiden and Mark to the ground, but not before Ethan and Lucas managed to land hits.

William got back up, the goblin's back facing him. He stabbed it in the throat. The goblin, realizing its fate, swung its spear wildly, hitting William in the ribs. The pain was intense, but William held on, stabbing the goblin in the mouth, driving the blade upwards into its brain.

The goblin fell, and William collapsed next to it, panting heavily. Another crystal glowed from its chest, and he absorbed it, feeling a surge of power.

*

- name = William Crawford

- class = N/A

- level = 1

- strength = 8

- speed = 7

- endurance =7

- magic = 0

- Crystals = 6/10

*

William took a moment to catch his breath, his ribs aching from the impact of the goblin's spear. The screen lingered in front of him, reminding him of the strange new reality he was part of. He couldn't afford to think too deeply about it now; survival was their immediate priority.

"We should head to the library," William said, his voice steady despite the chaos. "We can take a short break before trying to leave the school."

"Agreed," the others echoed, their faces resolute. Together, they moved towards the library, ready to face whatever came next.