The first thing Liam noticed was the shadow.
It covered the entire courtyard.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Nobody screamed.
Nobody ran.
The human brain had a strange way of protecting itself from things it couldn't understand.
It simply refused to accept them.
Because standing above them was something that should not exist.
A monster.
Its body fell through the crimson crack in the sky.
Closer.
Closer.
Until Liam could finally see it clearly.
It looked like a wolf.
But that description was wrong.
A wolf was an animal.
This thing was a weapon.
Its body was covered in black armor-like scales that resembled cracked stone. Red lines flowed between the gaps like veins of fire.
Its eyes burned gold.
Every breath released a cloud of crimson mist.
Four meters tall.
Heavy enough that the air seemed to bend around it.
Then it landed.
BOOM!
The courtyard exploded.
The ground cracked beneath its feet.
Windows shattered across nearby buildings.
Students were thrown off balance.
Some fell.
Some screamed.
The impact alone had injured people.
And the monster hadn't even attacked yet.
For several seconds...
Silence returned.
Then someone shouted:
"RUN!"
The illusion broke.
The campus became chaos.
Students who had been celebrating their new powers seconds ago were now running for their lives.
The newly awakened.
The ordinary.
Everyone.
Nobody cared about classes anymore.
Nobody cared about talents.
Survival was the only thing that mattered.
Liam wanted to run too.
Every instinct inside him was screaming.
But his body wouldn't move.
Because he had never seen something like this.
Because this was no longer a strange game.
This was reality.
"Liam!"
A familiar voice pulled him back.
He turned.
Daniel was running toward him.
His face was pale.
His breathing was heavy.
But unlike everyone else...
There was something else in his eyes.
Determination.
"Liam!"
Daniel raised his hand.
A sword appeared.
The same golden light that had surrounded the others.
Except this time...
It was his.
"I got Warrior."
For a moment, Daniel looked almost happy.
A few hours ago, he was just another university student.
Now he had a sword.
A weapon.
A chance.
"Maybe..."
Daniel looked at the monster.
"Maybe we can actually fight."
Liam stared at him.
Then at the creature.
His instincts immediately rejected that idea.
Fight?
Against that?
The monster hadn't moved.
It didn't need to.
It was simply watching.
Studying the humans running around it.
Like a predator choosing its first meal.
"Daniel..."
Liam's voice was quiet.
"Don't."
Daniel looked confused.
"What?"
"Just run."
Before Daniel could answer—
The monster moved.
Liam didn't see it happen.
That was the terrifying part.
There was no warning.
No preparation.
No attack motion.
One second, the creature was standing in the courtyard.
The next...
It was gone.
A violent sound exploded.
BOOM!
The air itself cracked.
Liam's eyes widened.
Daniel disappeared.
Not thrown.
Not pushed away.
Just...
Gone.
A moment later—
Something fell.
The sword.
It hit the ground.
Clang.
The sound was small.
Almost meaningless.
But Liam heard it.
He heard everything.
The world became silent.
Blood stained the pavement.
Daniel's body landed several meters away.
Liam stopped breathing.
His mind refused to process what he was seeing.
"No..."
His voice barely came out.
A few seconds ago...
Daniel was standing beside him.
Talking.
Holding a sword.
Now he was dead.
The first person Liam had ever watched die.
The monster lowered its head.
It looked at the blood on its claws.
Curious.
Almost confused.
Then it smiled.
That was the moment Liam understood.
This wasn't just a beast.
Stolen novel; please report.
It knew.
It understood fear.
It understood death.
And it enjoyed it.
Run.
His body finally moved.
Liam turned and ran.
Not because he was brave.
Not because he had a plan.
Because he didn't want to die.
The campus had become a nightmare.
Explosions echoed everywhere.
Awakened students fought back.
A Mage launched fire toward the monster.
A Warrior charged with a glowing sword.
For a moment...
Humanity fought back.
Then reality answered.
The flames disappeared.
The monster stood there.
Untouched.
The Warrior attacked.
The creature moved its claw.
One hit.
The Warrior flew across the courtyard.
The Mage froze.
The others froze.
They finally understood.
The System had given them power.
But power did not mean they were ready.
They were still humans.
And the monsters...
Were already hunters.
Liam kept running.
He didn't look back.
He couldn't.
Every step felt heavier.
Every breath burned.
His mind kept replaying the same moment.
Daniel disappearing.
The sword falling.
The blood.
Why him?
Why did he survive?
That question hurt more than the fear.
A scream echoed above.
Liam looked up.
A flying creature was diving toward him.
Its wings blocked the sunlight.
Its claws were aimed directly at his back.
"Too late..."
He couldn't dodge.
Then his body moved.
Instinct.
He threw himself sideways.
The creature crashed into a parked bus.
CRASH!
The metal folded.
Liam didn't wait.
He ran toward the nearest building.
A maintenance room.
He forced the door open.
Entered.
Locked it.
Then collapsed against the wall.
Silence.
Real silence.
For the first time since everything began...
There was no screaming.
No explosions.
No monsters.
Only his breathing.
Liam looked at his hands.
They were shaking.
Blood covered his sleeves.
He didn't know if it was his.
Or someone else's.
He slowly sat down.
Daniel's face appeared again.
The memory hurt.
"He died..."
Liam whispered.
"He actually died."
He covered his face.
For a moment...
He wanted to stop.
He wanted to give up.
But a simple thought appeared.
If he gave up here...
Daniel's death meant nothing.
Liam forced himself to stand.
"No."
His voice was weak.
But he heard it.
"If I stop..."
He looked at the emergency equipment on the wall.
"...I die too."
He searched the room.
Tools.
First-aid kit.
Flashlight.
Nothing special.
Nothing like the weapons the Awakened received.
Then he saw it.
A fire axe.
He picked it up.
Heavy.
Awkward.
But real.
And right now...
Real was enough.
Then—
Grrrrrr...
Liam froze.
A growl came from outside.
Slowly...
He turned toward the door.
Something was there.
The metal shook.
Once.
Twice.
A claw mark appeared.
The door bent inward.
Liam tightened his grip.
The third impact came.
BANG!
The door broke.
Sunlight entered the room.
A creature stood there.
Smaller than the wolf.
But still terrifying.
A black, muscular hound-like monster.
Sharp teeth.
Empty eyes.
Above its head...
A blue screen appeared.
Shadow Hound
Level: 3
Rank: Common
Liam stared.
Even monsters had the System.
The Shadow Hound growled.
It stepped forward.
Liam prepared to swing.
Then...
The creature stopped.
Its head tilted.
Confusion appeared in its eyes.
It sniffed the air.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Like it was searching for something.
Then it looked directly at Liam.
For several seconds...
Neither moved.
Finally...
The Shadow Hound stepped back.
It turned around.
And left.
Liam remained frozen.
The fire axe slowly lowered.
A monster had found him.
A monster that should have killed him.
But it didn't.
The question appeared again.
Stronger than before.
More terrifying.
"Why didn't it attack me?"