Chapter 1: The Zero-Credit Ghost
The rain in Oakhaven didn't fall; it descended like a heavy, suffocating curtain of lead. It was the kind of cold that seeped past the skin, past the muscle, and settled deep into the marrow of the bones.
Ren stood on the rusted railing of the Blackwood Bridge, his fingers numb as they gripped the wet iron. Below him, the river was a churning abyss of black water and jagged rocks, screaming a siren song of finality. In the distance, the neon spires of the High District pierced the clouds, glowing with a vibrant, mocking gold. Up there, the "Decimals"—the elites with Social Credit scores of 9.0 and above—lived in eternal spring.
Down here, Ren was just a "Ghost."
"One step," Ren whispered to himself. His voice was raw, shredded by a week of sleeping in alleyways and eating nothing but "Recycled Paste."
An hour ago, Julian Vane had stood in the Academy courtyard and systematically destroyed the last shred of Ren's dignity. It wasn't enough that Julian's family had orchestrated the downfall of Ren's father; Julian had to savor the carcass. He had used his high-tier "Influence" skill to force Ren to his knees in the mud, broadcasting the humiliation to every screen in the school.
"Look at it," Julian had laughed, his foot pressing Ren's face into the dirt. "A 1.2. My father's literal garbage has more value than this boy. Why are you even breathing our oxygen, Ren? It's a waste of resources."
The memory burned hotter than the freezing rain. Ren leaned forward, the gravity of the abyss pulling at his chest.
[CRITICAL ALERT: Biometric Failure Imminent.] [Will to Live: 0.01%]
The text didn't appear on a screen. It burned directly onto his retinas in a searing, blood-red font. Ren flinched, nearly losing his balance.
"What...?"
[System Selection Criteria Met: The Despised. The Broken. The Unbound.] [Initializing 'The Arbitrator of Greed' Protocol...]
A sudden, violent surge of electricity shot through Ren's spine. He let out a strangled cry as his muscles locked tight. It felt as if his very soul were being rewritten, the code of his existence stripped down and recompiled. Images flashed before his eyes: ancient kings on thrones of skulls, modern CEOs signing death warrants with golden pens, and a dark, hungry void that promised everything in exchange for the truth.
[Initialization 100% Complete.] [Host: Ren Thorne] [Social Credit: 1.2 (Warning: Status 'Discarded')] [Unique Path: The Sovereign of Sin.]
The red text faded, replaced by a deep, pulsing violet interface that felt heavy with ancient, forbidden power.
[The world is a ledger, Ren Thorne. The elites have spent centuries writing you into the margins. Do you wish to remain a footnote... or do you wish to own the ink?]
Ren's breath hitched. He looked at the water, then back at the floating text. The despair that had been dragging him down didn't vanish—it transformed. It sharpened into a jagged, lethal edge of pure spite.
"I want them to crawl," Ren rasped, his eyes snapping open. They were no longer the dull brown of a beaten dog; a faint, violet ring now circled his pupils. "I want to see the 'Decimals' beg for the oxygen Julian said I was wasting."
[Objective Confirmed.] [First Gift Granted: The Eye of Avarice (Rank F - Evolution Possible).] Effect: See the hidden 'Debts' and 'Desires' of all sentient beings. Knowledge is the ultimate currency.
[Second Gift Granted: The Aura of the Forbidden (Passive).] Effect: Your presence now induces instinctive 'Submission' or 'Fear' in those with lower Mental Fortitude.
Ren stepped back from the railing. His legs were no longer shaking. He looked down at his tattered school blazer—the emblem of Saint Jude's Academy was torn and covered in filth. He didn't care.
[New Quest: The First Collection]
Target: Seraphina Thorne (The Ice Queen/Cousin-in-law).
Mission: Infiltrate the Student Council Wing and secure a 'Debt Bond'.
Reward: Artificial Credit Injection (+5.0) and 'The Contractor's Mark'.
Penalty for Failure: The System will harvest your remaining life force.
Ren turned away from the bridge, walking back toward the glowing spires of the city. He didn't look like a boy who had just been on the verge of suicide. He looked like a debt collector coming to call in a century's worth of interest.
"Wait for me, Julian," Ren murmured, a dark, cold smile spreading across his face. "I'm coming to collect everything you think you own."