Mr. Khanna took a step back, his face pale. He had never seen me like this. The boy who used to stutter and look at the floor was now staring him down with eyes like a predator.
"You... you're threatening me?" Khanna stammered, trying to regain his pride. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to? Boys, take him down!"
The two thugs lunged at me. The one whose wrist I held tried to pull away, but it was like trying to escape a mountain. With a slight flick of my hand, I sent him crashing into the wall. He groaned and slumped to the floor, clutching his shoulder.
The second thug, larger than the first, pulled out a small pocket knife. "You're dead, kid!"
[System Alert: Hostile intent detected. Auto-Counter Mode Activated.]
Suddenly, my body moved on its own. I didn't even have to think. As the knife swung toward my chest, I stepped to the side, grabbed the thug's arm, and used his own momentum to flip him over my shoulder.
CRASH!
The floorboards shook. The hallway fell silent. Two professional thugs were down in seconds, and I hadn't even broken a sweat.
I turned my gaze toward Mr. Khanna. He was shaking so hard his teeth were chattering. "Now," I said, stepping closer. "About that rent."
I pulled out my phone and showed him the bank notification. "I have the ten thousand rupees. In fact, I have more. But here is the deal: you will take this money, you will fix the broken lock on my door, and you will never, ever set foot in this room without my permission again. Do we have an agreement?"
"Yes! Yes, of course! Anything you say!" Khanna scrambled to grab his fallen men. He took the cash I handed him and practically ran down the stairs, his thugs limping behind him.
I closed the door and leaned against it, my heart finally slowing down.
Ding!
[Mission Accomplished!]
[Rewards Distributed: 200 Gold Coins & Level 2 Strength Boost.]
[New Status: Level 1 Awakened.]
A blue screen displayed my stats. I felt a strange tingling sensation in my bones, and my vision became sharper. I felt... invincible.
But then, a new notification appeared, one that made my blood run cold.
[New Main Quest Unlocked: The Secret of the Underground Arena.]
[Description: You are not the only one with a System. To survive, you must find others like you. Location: The abandoned warehouse on 5th Street.]