The last thing Ariyan remembered was the screeching of tires and the blinding glare of high beams. Then, total darkness.
When he opened his eyes again, the world was no longer made of concrete and steel. Above him, a crimson moon hung low in a violet sky. The air tasted of ash and ancient magic.
"Where... am I?" Ariyan groaned, pushing himself up from the cold, stone floor.
Suddenly, a semi-transparent blue screen flickered in front of his eyes.
[System Initializing...]
Host Identified: Ariyan (Civil Engineer)
Current Location: The Forsaken Temple of Eon
Status: Weak / Mana Level: 0
Inheritance: The Shadow Architect System
Ariyan stared at the screen in disbelief. "A System? Like those webnovels I used to read?"
Before he could process the thought, a loud roar echoed outside the temple. The ground shook. He looked at the temple's entrance—it was a crumbling archway, barely holding up the massive ceiling.
[Emergency Quest: Survive the Night]
Objective: Repair the entrance using your surroundings.
Time Limit: 30 Minutes.
Reward: 100 Mana Points & Beginner's Toolset.
Ariyan's professional instincts kicked in. He didn't have bricks or cement, but he saw piles of glowing blue stones and thick, vine-like moss. Using his engineering knowledge, he began calculating the stress points. He didn't just pile stones; he locked them together in a self-supporting arch that distributed the weight perfectly.
As the last stone clicked into place, the blue screen flashed:
[Quest Completed! Grade: S - Structural Perfection.]🫢