The ground trembled beneath Destiny's feet.
Standing in the school corridor, he stared at the enormous monster approaching the evacuation zone. Its body was covered in thick, dark armor, and every step it took left deep cracks in the concrete.
The Iron Titan.
A D-Rank monster, level 15.
Even from a distance, Destiny could feel the terrifying pressure radiating from the creature.
Behind him, Daniel struggled to catch his breath. His clothes were torn, and a small cut ran across his forehead.
"Destiny..." Daniel whispered. "How are we supposed to fight that thing?"
Destiny didn't answer immediately.
His eyes were fixed on the monster.
[DING!]
[HOSTILE CREATURE DETECTED.]
[NAME: IRON TITAN]
[RANK: D-RANK]
[LEVEL: 15]
[STRENGTH: 280]
[AGILITY: 95]
[VITALITY: 350]
[DEFENSE: 400]
[THREAT LEVEL: EXTREMELY HIGH]
[WARNING: HOST'S CURRENT ATTRIBUTES ARE INSUFFICIENT.]
Destiny swallowed.
The monster's strength was far beyond his own. Even if he managed to land a few attacks, its thick armor could make them useless.
But he couldn't simply stand there and watch.
Hundreds of civilians were gathered near the school field, waiting for the military evacuation team to move them to safety. If the Iron Titan reached them, the consequences would be disastrous.
"Daniel, get behind me."
"What? Are you crazy?"
"Just do it!"
Daniel hesitated before moving behind him.
Destiny opened his system interface.
[HOST STATUS]
NAME: DESTINY
AGE: 17
RANK: RECRUIT
LEVEL: 2
STRENGTH: 8
AGILITY: 12
VITALITY: 7
INTELLIGENCE: 10
FREE ATTRIBUTE POINTS: 5
MILITARY POINTS: 500
Destiny stared at his available points.
He needed more strength and speed. His current abilities were nowhere near enough to fight a monster like the Iron Titan.
"System, allocate three points to strength and two to agility."
[DING!]
[ATTRIBUTE ENHANCEMENT COMPLETE.]
[STRENGTH: 11]
[AGILITY: 14]
[FREE ATTRIBUTE POINTS: 0]
A surge of energy spread through his body. His muscles tightened, his breathing became steadier, and his vision seemed sharper.
Destiny clenched his fists.
He could feel the difference.
But it still wasn't enough.
"System, is there any way to improve my combat ability?"
[DING!]
[AVAILABLE SKILL DETECTED.]
[SKILL: BASIC MILITARY COMBAT]
[DESCRIPTION: IMPROVES THE HOST'S HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT, WEAPON HANDLING, AND BATTLEFIELD AWARENESS.]
[REQUIRED MILITARY POINTS: 200]
[CONFIRM PURCHASE?]
"Confirm!"
[DING!]
[PURCHASE SUCCESSFUL.]
[BASIC MILITARY COMBAT ACQUIRED.]
[SKILL LEVEL: 1]
Destiny's mind suddenly filled with information about combat stances, movement, striking techniques, and ways to use an opponent's weaknesses against them.
He took a deep breath.
For the first time, he felt that he had a chance.
But before he could move, a terrifying roar echoed across the school field.
ROOOOOAAARRR!
The Iron Titan raised one enormous arm and slammed it into the ground.
BOOOOM!
A wave of force spread across the field. Several abandoned vehicles were thrown aside, while nearby walls cracked under the impact.
People screamed and scattered.
"EVERYONE, GET DOWN!" Captain Marcus shouted from the evacuation line.
The military soldiers immediately opened fire.
Bullets struck the Iron Titan's body, producing sparks and small flashes of light. The monster barely reacted.
"Keep firing!" Marcus ordered.
The soldiers continued shooting, but the creature kept advancing.
Destiny watched carefully.
The monster's armor was thickest around its chest and shoulders. However, every time it moved its head, a small opening appeared beneath its jaw.
His eyes narrowed.
"System, analyze the monster's weaknesses!"
[DING!]
[ANALYZING HOSTILE TARGET...]
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE.]
[WEAKNESS DETECTED: LOWER JAW JOINT.]
[SECONDARY WEAKNESS: ENERGY CORE LOCATED INSIDE THE CHEST.]
[WARNING: ENERGY CORE IS HEAVILY PROTECTED.]
Destiny's heart began beating faster.
The lower jaw.
That was his opportunity.
But he needed to get close enough to attack it.
"Daniel!"
"Yeah?"
"I need you to distract that monster for a few seconds."
Daniel stared at him as if he had lost his mind.
"Destiny, that thing could crush us with one hand!"
"I know. Just trust me."
Daniel swallowed and nodded.
Destiny looked toward the nearby evacuation vehicles. A large metal support beam had fallen beside one of them during the earlier attack.
An idea formed in his mind.
"Daniel, when I give you the signal, throw something toward its head. Anything heavy enough to get its attention."
Daniel glanced around and spotted a broken piece of concrete.
"Got it."
Destiny moved toward the fallen support beam.
Meanwhile, the Iron Titan continued advancing toward the military line.
Its enormous foot crushed an abandoned car, flattening the metal with a horrible screech.
A group of civilians became trapped behind a damaged vehicle.
One little girl cried as she struggled to pull her injured mother away from the wreckage.
Destiny saw them.
He immediately changed direction.
"Daniel, cover me!"
He sprinted toward the civilians.
A smaller monster suddenly emerged from behind the wrecked vehicle. It had long claws, glowing red eyes, and a mouth filled with sharp teeth.
[DING!]
[HOSTILE CREATURE DETECTED.]
[NAME: BLOODFANG]
[RANK: E-RANK]
[LEVEL: 8]
[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH]
The Bloodfang lunged.
Destiny twisted sideways, narrowly avoiding its claws. He felt the wind of its attack brush against his cheek.
The monster landed and immediately turned toward him.
Destiny raised his combat knife.
The Bloodfang roared and charged again.
This time, Destiny didn't retreat.
He remembered the combat information the system had given him. Instead of meeting the creature's strength directly, he needed to use its momentum.
At the last moment, he stepped aside and drove his knife toward the monster's neck.
The blade struck its tough skin but failed to penetrate deeply.
"Too hard!"
The Bloodfang swung its claws.
Destiny ducked, but one claw caught his shoulder, tearing through his shirt and cutting his skin.
Pain shot through his arm.
He stumbled backward.
[WARNING! HOST HAS SUSTAINED DAMAGE.]
[VITALITY REDUCED.]
The Bloodfang prepared to attack again.
Destiny gritted his teeth.
He couldn't afford to lose.
He watched the monster's movements carefully, waiting for an opening.
Its mouth opened as it roared.
Beneath its lower jaw, he noticed a small patch of unprotected flesh.
There!
Destiny stepped forward and thrust his knife upward.
The blade pierced the weak point.
The Bloodfang shrieked and staggered backward.
Destiny pulled the knife free and struck again.
This time, the monster collapsed.
[DING!]
[HOSTILE CREATURE ELIMINATED.]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 150 XP.]
[MILITARY POINTS AWARDED: 100.]
[LEVEL UP!]
[HOST LEVEL: 3]
[FREE ATTRIBUTE POINTS AWARDED: 5.]
Destiny breathed heavily.
He had defeated an E-Rank monster.
But the battle was far from over.
The little girl stared at him with wide eyes.
"Thank you..."
Destiny knelt beside her injured mother.
"Can you stand?"
The woman nodded weakly.
He helped her move away from the wreckage and guided them toward the military evacuation line.
"Go with the soldiers. They'll take care of you."
The woman thanked him repeatedly before leaving with her daughter.
Destiny turned back toward the Iron Titan.
The creature was now dangerously close to the evacuation zone.
Daniel was still standing near the broken concrete, trying to attract its attention.
"DESTINY!" Daniel shouted. "I THINK IT'S NOTICING ME!"
The Iron Titan suddenly turned its enormous head toward him.
Its eyes glowed brighter.
Daniel froze.
The monster raised its arm.
"RUN!" Destiny screamed.
Daniel threw the concrete block and sprinted away.
The block struck the Iron Titan's shoulder, barely causing it to react.
However, the distraction gave Destiny a few precious seconds.
He rushed toward the fallen support beam.
Using all his strength, he pushed it into position beside a damaged section of the evacuation vehicle.
"Daniel! NOW!"
Daniel understood immediately.
He ran toward the Iron Titan, shouting and waving his arms.
The monster turned toward him and charged.
Its enormous body moved with surprising speed.
At the last moment, Daniel dived behind the damaged vehicle.
The Iron Titan's leg struck the fallen support beam.
CRAAAAACK!
The beam shifted violently and caught against the monster's knee.
The Iron Titan stumbled.
Destiny seized the opportunity.
He sprinted forward, jumped onto the damaged vehicle, and launched himself toward the creature's lower jaw.
His knife flashed.
The blade struck the exposed joint beneath the monster's jaw.
The Iron Titan roared in pain.
Destiny landed hard on the ground and rolled away as the creature swung its arm.
BOOOOM!
The impact destroyed the vehicle he had been standing on moments earlier.
Destiny scrambled to his feet.
He had damaged the monster, but it was still alive.
The Iron Titan turned toward him.
Its eyes burned with fury.
Then it raised both arms.
[DING!]
[WARNING! POWERFUL ATTACK DETECTED.]
[HOSTILE SKILL: EARTHQUAKE STRIKE.]
[IMMEDIATE EVASION RECOMMENDED.]
Destiny's instincts screamed at him to move.
He threw himself sideways just as the monster slammed its fists into the ground.
BOOOOOOM!
The earth shook violently.
Cracks spread across the concrete. Several nearby soldiers lost their balance, while the force threw Destiny into a damaged wall.
Pain exploded through his back.
For a few seconds, he couldn't breathe.
"DESTINY!"
Daniel's voice sounded distant.
Destiny tried to stand, but his legs trembled.
The Iron Titan slowly approached.
Its enormous shadow covered him.
He was running out of time.
[WARNING! HOST VITALITY CRITICALLY LOW.]
[RECOMMENDATION: RETREAT.]
Destiny stared at the monster.
He could retreat and leave the evacuation zone exposed.
Or he could keep fighting and risk dying.
He remembered the civilians behind him.
The injured soldiers.
The little girl he had rescued.
And Daniel, who had trusted him despite being terrified.
Destiny clenched his fists.
"No..."
A strange warmth spread through his chest.
[DING!]
[HIDDEN PASSIVE SKILL ACTIVATED.]
[SKILL: SOLDIER'S WILL.]
[DESCRIPTION: WHEN THE HOST FIGHTS TO PROTECT ALLIED PERSONNEL, ALL ATTRIBUTES ARE TEMPORARILY INCREASED BY 100%.]
[DURATION: 30 SECONDS.]
[WARNING: EXCESSIVE STRAIN MAY CAUSE SEVERE INJURY.]
Destiny's eyes widened.
His body suddenly felt lighter.
His muscles surged with strength, and his vision sharpened.
He pushed himself to his feet.
The Iron Titan roared and swung its arm.
Destiny moved.
For the first time, he was fast enough to evade the monster's attack without stumbling.
He sprinted toward its left leg.
The creature tried to stomp on him, but Destiny slipped between its movements and climbed onto a damaged section of armor.
He drove his knife into the exposed joint beneath the monster's jaw once more.
The Iron Titan staggered backward.
"NOW, DANIEL!"
Daniel grabbed a loose metal cable attached to the damaged evacuation vehicle.
With every bit of strength he possessed, he pulled it toward the monster's leg.
The cable tightened around the Iron Titan's ankle.
Destiny jumped down and struck the cable's metal fastening point with his knife.
The fastening snapped.
The cable tightened suddenly, pulling the monster's leg against the damaged support beam.
The Iron Titan lost its balance.
Its enormous body crashed onto the concrete.
BOOOOOOM!
A cloud of dust covered the evacuation zone.
Destiny landed several meters away, his body trembling as Soldier's Will began to fade.
[DING!]
[HIDDEN PASSIVE SKILL: SOLDIER'S WILL HAS ENDED.]
[WARNING! HOST HAS EXCEEDED SAFE PHYSICAL LIMITS.]
[EMERGENCY RECOVERY REQUIRED.]
Destiny struggled to remain standing.
The Iron Titan was still moving.
Its armor was cracked, and the exposed energy core inside its chest glowed through a narrow opening.
Destiny stared at it.
That was his final chance.
He gathered the last of his strength and charged.
The Iron Titan tried to raise its arm, but its damaged body moved too slowly.
Destiny leaped onto its chest and drove his knife into the glowing energy core.
CRACK!
A bright flash erupted from the monster's body.
The Iron Titan released a deafening roar.
Its enormous arms thrashed violently, throwing Destiny into the air.
He crashed onto the ground and rolled several meters.
The monster's core flickered.
[WARNING! HOSTILE TARGET ENERGY CORE DAMAGED.]
[ESTIMATED REMAINING VITALITY: 20%.]
Destiny coughed and struggled to breathe.
He had weakened it, but the creature was not dead.
Daniel rushed toward him.
"Destiny! Get up! It's still alive!"
Destiny looked at the Iron Titan.
The monster slowly pushed itself upward.
He tried to stand, but his body refused to cooperate.
Then Daniel stepped in front of him.
"Stay down. I'll distract it."
Destiny grabbed his arm.
"Don't be stupid! You'll die!"
Daniel gave him a nervous smile.
"Then you better make sure I don't."
Before Destiny could stop him, Daniel ran toward the monster and threw his remaining weapon at its damaged chest.
The Iron Titan turned toward him.
Destiny's eyes widened.
"NO!"
A new notification appeared.
[DING!]
[ALLY UNDER IMMEDIATE THREAT.]
[TACTICAL OPPORTUNITY DETECTED.]
[RECOMMENDATION: TARGET THE EXPOSED ENERGY CORE.]
Destiny forced himself to stand.
His entire body screamed in pain.
But he moved forward.
One step.
Then another.
He picked up a broken piece of metal from the ground and charged toward the Iron Titan.
The monster raised its arm to crush Daniel.
Destiny leaped onto its damaged chest and drove the metal shard directly into the cracked energy core.
CRAAAAACK!
A brilliant burst of blue light exploded from the monster's body.
The Iron Titan froze.
Its glowing eyes dimmed.
Then its enormous body collapsed onto the ground.
BOOOOOOM!
Silence fell over the evacuation zone.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then the system spoke.
[DING!]
[CONGRATULATIONS! D-RANK MONSTER ELIMINATED.]
[MONSTER NAME: IRON TITAN.]
[EXPERIENCE GAINED: 2,000 XP.]
[MILITARY POINTS AWARDED: 1,500.]
[MONSTER CORE ACQUIRED.]
[LEVEL UP!]
[HOST LEVEL: 5.]
[FREE ATTRIBUTE POINTS AWARDED: 10.]
[ADVANCED MILITARY TRAINING UNLOCKED.]
Destiny stared at the notifications.
He had done it.
He had defeated a D-Rank monster.
But before he could celebrate, his knees gave way.
He collapsed onto the ground.
"DESTINY!"
Daniel rushed toward him and dropped beside him.
"Stay with me, bro! Don't you dare die on me!"
Destiny tried to smile.
"I'm... not... dying..."
His vision blurred.
The last thing he saw was Captain Marcus and several soldiers rushing toward them.
Then everything went dark.
***
When Destiny opened his eyes again, he was lying on a medical bed.
A bright light shone above him.
For a moment, he couldn't remember where he was.
Then the events of the battle returned to his mind.
He immediately tried to sit up.
"Easy, young man!"
A medical officer placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You've sustained serious injuries. You need to rest."
Destiny looked around.
Daniel was sitting on a chair beside the bed, sleeping with his arms folded.
A bandage covered his forehead.
Destiny smiled faintly.
"Daniel..."
Daniel's eyes snapped open.
"DESTINY!"
He jumped out of the chair.
"You're awake!"
Destiny chuckled weakly.
"Why are you shouting?"
"Because you nearly gave me a heart attack!"
Daniel grabbed his shoulder carefully.
"Don't ever do that again, you hear me?"
Destiny smiled.
"I'll try."
The medical officer shook his head.
"You two are lucky to be alive. The Iron Titan could have destroyed the entire evacuation zone."
Destiny looked toward Daniel.
"We did it together."
Daniel smiled.
"Yeah. We did."
[DING!]
[NEW MISSION COMPLETE.]
[MISSION: DEFEND THE EVACUATION ZONE.]
[REWARD CLAIMED.]
[NEW MILITARY RANK UNLOCKED.]
[HOST RANK: SECOND LIEUTENANT.]
[COMMAND CAPACITY INCREASED: 50 SOLDIERS.]
[NEW FUNCTIONS UNLOCKED:]
[1. MILITARY BASE CONSTRUCTION.]
[2. SOLDIER TRAINING FACILITY.]
[3. MILITARY INVENTORY.]
Destiny opened the new interface.
[MAIN MISSION: ESTABLISH YOUR FIRST MILITARY BASE.]
[OBJECTIVES:]
[1. RECRUIT 10 SOLDIERS.]
[2. SECURE A SAFE LOCATION.]
[3. CONSTRUCT A BASIC TRAINING FACILITY.]
[REWARD: 3,000 MILITARY POINTS, ADVANCED WEAPON CRATE, AND ONE RANDOM SKILL.]
Destiny smiled.
His journey was only beginning.
Suddenly, a global announcement appeared.
[GLOBAL ANNOUNCEMENT!]
[THE FIRST D-RANK MONSTER HAS BEEN ELIMINATED.]
[CONTRIBUTOR: DESTINY.]
[GLOBAL MILITARY RANKING HAS BEEN ACTIVATED.]
[CURRENT GLOBAL RANK: 9,847.]
Destiny stared at the message.
"Global ranking?"
Daniel leaned forward.
"What is it?"
Destiny turned the screen toward him.
Daniel's mouth fell open.
"Bro! You're ranked among the strongest people in the world already?"
Destiny shook his head.
"Not necessarily. It only means the system has recorded what I did."
He looked at the ranking again.
There were thousands of people ahead of him.
And perhaps millions who had yet to be ranked.
He needed to become stronger.
Much stronger.
Then a final notification appeared.
[DING!]
[WARNING!]
[UNKNOWN ENTITY HAS DETECTED THE HOST'S MILITARY SYSTEM.]
[THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN.]
[THE ENTITY IS CURRENTLY OBSERVING THE HOST.]
Destiny's smile disappeared.
He stared at the message.
"System... what entity?"
No response came.
Outside the medical facility, the sky suddenly darkened.
A massive shadow appeared high above the clouds.
Two enormous red eyes opened within it.
A deep voice echoed across the city.
"INTERESTING..."
The clouds twisted around the shadow.
"A HUMAN HAS AWAKENED A MILITARY SYSTEM."
The red eyes focused on the medical facility.
"LET US SEE HOW FAR YOU CAN GO, LITTLE COMMANDER."
Destiny felt a chill run down his spine.
For the first time since awakening the system, he felt something close to genuine fear.
The Iron Titan had been powerful.
But whatever was watching him now was on an entirely different level.
[DING!]
[EMERGENCY ALERT.]
[HOST IS BEING OBSERVED BY AN UNKNOWN HIGH-RANK ENTITY.]
[RECOMMENDATION: INCREASE MILITARY STRENGTH IMMEDIATELY.]
Destiny slowly clenched his fists.
He had survived the first battle.
He had gained his first rank.
And he had defeated a monster that could destroy an entire evacuation zone.
But the real war had only just begun.