Watchers in the dark

Kael stepped out of the bar, pockets heavier but heart still racing. The night air felt colder now, like something unseen was closing in. The glowing screen of the Life System app was still active, showing a countdown:

Next Quest: Pending...

Processing... Please Wait.

He shoved his phone into his pocket, trying to calm the adrenaline rushing through his veins. I beat him, he thought. Victor, the city’s shark. And I walked out with 200 bucks and a new ability.

His mind circled back to the notification: Enhanced Perception. It was subtle, but Kael could already feel the difference. People's expressions, posture, even their voices—it was like he could read them more clearly. Like their masks were thinner now.

He turned into a quieter street, cutting through a shortcut on his way home. That’s when he felt it again—eyes on him. Not the normal city vibe of being watched. This was focused. Intense. Like a predator sizing up prey.

He stopped walking and turned sharply.

A man stood under the glow of a flickering streetlamp. He wore a long dark coat, a cigarette hanging from his lips. His posture was casual, but his eyes weren’t. They were locked onto Kael.

“You did well in there,” the man said, exhaling a stream of smoke. “Beating Victor isn’t easy.”

Kael’s body tensed. “Who are you?”

The man stepped closer, boots tapping the concrete. “Just a messenger. You’ve caught the interest of certain… people. The app, the missions—it’s not just a game, kid. It’s a system built to find potential. And you? You’re the newest candidate.”

Kael frowned. “Candidate for what?”

The man didn’t answer directly. Instead, he reached into his coat and tossed something. Kael caught it instinctively. It was a card—black, with silver writing.

> Welcome to Phase Two.

Survive. Learn. Rise.

On the back was a logo—a geometric eye encased in a triangle.

“What the hell is this?” Kael asked, flipping it over.

“An invitation,” the man said. “And a warning.”

Before Kael could respond, the man was gone—vanished into the shadows as if he was never there.

Kael’s phone buzzed violently in his pocket. He pulled it out to see a new screen:

Main Quest Unlocked: Rise Through the Ranks

You’ve entered Phase Two. Missions will now affect your world more directly.

New Function: Danger Rating – High

Kael stared at the screen. The background had changed. Instead of the clean blue it used to show, it was now a dark red—like a warning. A silent scream.

He slowly walked back to his apartment. He needed time to think, to breathe. But rest wouldn’t come easily tonight.

As he stepped inside and locked the door, another notification blinked:

> Side Quest Available:

Find out who the Watchers are.

Reward: Information. Risk: Unknown.

Kael dropped onto his bed, the city noise barely reaching his ears. The money was real. The power was real. And now the danger was real too.

He was in. Whether he wanted to be or not.

---

End of Chapter 3

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