It didn't happen slowly.
There was no warning. No build-up. No news channel saying "something big is coming."
One normal day, everything just… changed.
Riven still remembered it clearly.
He was in class, half asleep, staring at the board while the teacher was explaining something no one really cared about. Fans were spinning lazily above, the usual noise of students whispering and passing notes filling the room.
Then—
Everything froze.
Not in a dramatic way. Just… quiet.
Too quiet.
Riven frowned a little and looked around. The guy sitting beside him had stopped mid-sentence, mouth slightly open. Even the fan above wasn't moving.
"What…?" he muttered.
Before he could think more—
A blue screen appeared in front of his eyes.
Not on the board.
Not on his phone.
Right in front of him.
[System Initializing…]
[Awakening Process Starting…]
Riven blinked hard.
"…I'm dreaming."
He rubbed his eyes.
The screen didn't go away.
Around him, the same thing started happening. Students began reacting, confused voices filling the room.
"Bro, what is this?"
"Is this some prank?"
"I can see something—"
More screens.
More panic.
The teacher dropped the chalk. "Everyone stay calm—!"
But no one was calm.
Riven's heartbeat slowly started getting faster.
This wasn't normal.
This couldn't be normal.
[Classifying Talent…]
[Assigning Skills…]
One by one, people started reacting.
"I got it! I got a skill!"
"Wait—mine says Fire Control?!"
"No way, mine too—something like speed boost!"
The noise exploded.
Excitement replaced fear in seconds.
People were laughing. Shouting. Comparing.
Like they just won something.
Riven stayed quiet.
His screen hadn't changed.
Still stuck on the same line.
[Classifying Talent…]
"…why is it taking so long?" he whispered.
A bad feeling crept in.
One by one, others finished.
Their screens changed. Their expressions changed.
But his—
Didn't.
[Error…]
Riven's breath stopped for a second.
"…error?"
He stared at it, hoping it would fix itself.
Nothing happened.
[Re-attempting…]
A few seconds passed.
Felt longer.
[Error…]
His fingers clenched slightly.
Around him, people were already talking about ranks, abilities, power levels—
And him?
He was stuck.
Again.
[Final Result: No Talent Detected]
For a moment—
He didn't understand what that meant.
Then it hit.
"No… talent?"
He almost laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because it felt unreal.
Everyone else got something.
Even the quiet kid in the back.
Even the guy who barely showed up to class.
But him?
Nothing.
Just… nothing.
"Oi, Riven," someone called out.
He looked up.
A guy from his class walked over, grinning. "What did you get?"
Riven didn't answer.
The guy leaned closer, trying to peek. "Wait… what is that?"
A pause.
Then—
"…bro got nothing."
Silence.
Then laughter.
Not everyone.
But enough.
"Seriously?"
"That's actually sad…"
"No way, everyone gets something…"
Riven looked away.
Didn't say anything.
Didn't react.
Just… sat there.
Outside, something roared.
A loud, deep sound that shook the windows.
Everyone turned.
Far in the distance, something massive moved between buildings.
Something not human.
Screams followed.
Real ones this time.
The world outside wasn't normal anymore.
And now—
Neither was this one.
But Riven didn't move.
Didn't panic.
Didn't run.
He just stared at the empty space in front of him.
The place where his system screen had been.
"…so that's it, huh…"
He whispered it quietly.
Like accepting something.
Like giving up a little.
Then—
It came back.
Not blue.
Not clean.
Broken.
[ERROR…]
[Unauthorized Access Detected]
[Attempting Recovery…]
Riven's eyes widened slightly.
"…what?"
The screen flickered.
Glitched.
Like it was struggling to exist.
[You were not selected.]
[Correction in progress…]
The text shook.
Letters breaking.
Reforming.
[Hidden Protocol Activated]
Riven didn't breathe.
Didn't blink.
Didn't move.
Because somehow—
He knew.
This wasn't normal.
Not like the others.
Not like the system everyone else got.
This was something else.
Something… wrong.
[Welcome, User.]
[Glitched System Initialized]
The screen went dark.
And for the first time since everything started—
Riven smiled.
Just a little.
"…guess I wasn't left out after all."
Chapter End