SWNOVELXO Chapter 2: Am I Hallucinating?
For a moment, silence swallowed the room. The rain hammered against the window in relentless sheets, as if trying to drown out the echo of that impossible voice.
Silas Veil stared into the empty air where golden runes still shimmered like dying embers. His breath came in short, ragged bursts.
What the hell was that…?
He took a trembling step backward, his heel bumping into the coffee table. The knife lay on the floor, glinting wetly in the neon light spilling through the blinds.
Then something else stirred the air—a faint rustle, like fabric brushing against silk.
Silas's heart lurched. He dropped into a half-crouch, snatched up the knife, and gripped it so tightly his knuckles turned white. The blade trembled as he pointed it into the shadows.
"Whoever the fuck you are—come out!" His voice cracked on the last word. "Don't fuck with me!"
Nothing answered.
For a few seconds, the only sound was the relentless drumming of rain and the harsh whistle of Silas's own breathing.
Then—
A pale flicker of blue light stuttered into existence directly in front of his eyes.
He staggered back, nearly tripping over the coffee table. The knife wavered in his grip.
Symbols and letters cascaded across the air, coalescing into a sharp-edged screen of translucent sapphire. Each letter glowed with cold, electric fire.
[Greetings, host.]
Silas blinked rapidly, sweat beading on his forehead.
Host…?
The screen shifted, lines of text unfurling like digital scrolls.
[True Awakening initiated.]
[SSS-Rank Talent: Awakened.]
[Infinite Skills Potential detected.]
[Maximum Level capacity unlocked.]
[Warning: Most skills are currently locked. Complete quests to unlock them.]
[Multi-Dimensional Shop now accessible.]
Silas felt as though his brain had short-circuited. He lowered the knife slowly, jaw slack.
"SSS-rank…? Infinite… skills…?"
He let out a sound that was half a laugh, half a breathless wheeze.
Me…? SSS-rank talent? The best in the entire world…?
His pulse thundered in his ears. A single bead of sweat crawled down the side of his face.
Is this some cruel cosmic joke? Or am I seriously… the strongest now?
A manic giggle bubbled up in his throat.
This has to be a dream.
Abruptly, Silas lifted the knife and slashed a shallow cut across his left forearm.
Pain exploded through his nerves. Blood welled crimson, running in thin rivulets down his arm.
"Fuck—!" He hissed and clutched the wound, wincing as the sting tore through his muscles.
But even as pain throbbed in his arm, he began to laugh—low at first, then louder, sharp and almost feral.
So it's real. The pain's real. This isn't a dream.
A grin split his face, eyes gleaming with feverish light.
"Finally…" he whispered. "Finally… my dream is coming true."
He threw his head back and let out another sharp, choked laugh.
"I can be the best in the world. No more crawling like a rat… no more looking up at bastards like Nathan Cross!"
His voice dropped to a vicious growl.
"System."
The floating screen pulsed gently, almost as though it were breathing.
[Awaiting command.]
"What do I have to do… to become the strongest?"
There was a faint hum, like distant chimes echoing through glass.
[To reach peak power, host must:]
[Complete quests.]
[Clear dungeons.]
[Level up.]
[Increase all stats.]
Silas exhaled, the sound shaky and uneven.
Complete quests… Clear dungeons… Level up…
It all felt unreal—and yet it set his blood on fire.
"I want my first quest," he snarled. "Right fucking now."
The screen pulsed a brighter blue.
[As you command, host.]
[Initializing first quest…]
Lines of code raced across the interface, symbols spinning in intricate spirals. A new screen snapped into place, the letters gleaming white.
[New Quest Generated:]
[Quest Name: Trial of Blood.]
[Objective: Clear an E-Rank Dungeon solo.]
[Rewards: Skill Unlock Ticket x1, Stat Points x10, $5,000 cash bonus.]
[Failure Penalty: None.]
Silas felt his lips peel back in a wolfish grin.
An E-rank dungeon…
He scoffed, wiping a smear of blood from his arm.
"That's nothing. I've been terrified of E-rank dungeons my whole damn life—and now I finally get to rip them apart."
He tilted his head, eyes gleaming.
"It's finally time."
His laughter rang out in the cramped apartment, echoing off cracked walls. Outside, lightning split the sky in a blaze of white fire.
[Host may access the Multi-Dimensional Shop for supplies prior to the quest.]
Silas stared at the flickering words, still smiling like a man who'd glimpsed salvation—or damnation.
So… this is how my story begins.
He clenched his fists, feeling the sting of the cut in his arm.
SSS-rank. Infinite potential. The world's going to remember the name Silas Veil.
He took a single step forward, shoulders squaring, eyes locked on the glowing screen.