Lord Celestial

Dawn Bringer: Phōtarch

The Hunters fought bravely, dealing heavy damage to the monster, until they lost yet another comrade. Still, the creature had visibly weakened, its movements sluggish and erratic.

"Just a little more, and we can get out of this freakish hellhole," they all thought.

As Hal went in for another strike, the monster suddenly raised its already damaged wings and swung at him. He twisted backward just in time, but not enough — one of the jagged claws stabbed him just beneath the heart.

If it had been any bit higher, I’d be dead, Hal thought, blood spewing from his mouth.

The monster flung him away, his body slamming beside a chair made of metallic scraps.

“Hal! Hal!”

The urgent voice pierced through the pain. He looked up to see Freya running toward him, her face riddled with worry.

“Freya? What are you doing here? I told you to run…”

She knelt beside him, hastily trying to heal his wound.

“I couldn’t — I just couldn’t.”

Hal gave her a weak smile. Freya, ever so kind… even now, trying to heal me… That’s exactly why he couldn’t let her die here.

Turning his head, he caught sight of Mister Heights and another Hunter battling the monster. It looked like they had the upper hand now — the creature was swaying like a drunk.

Then, in a last-ditch effort, the monster fired five of its claws from its arm before collapsing. Mister Heights dodged quickly, but the other Hunter wasn’t so lucky. One of the claws pierced his stomach, dropping him with a cry of agony.

Hal’s eyes widened. Three of the claws were flying toward him and Freya.

“Get down, Freya!” he shouted.

But she was too slow.

She mustn’t die.

With every ounce of strength left in his battered body, Hal threw himself in front of her.

Puchi! Puchi!

Two claws pierced his stomach. The third lodged directly into his heart.

Thud.

“No!” Freya’s scream echoed in his ears.

“So this is how I die, huh? Hal thought. A weak, pathetic life as an E-Rank Hunter. No revenge. No glory. Just... death."

“F**k"! he cursed in his mind. If only I had another chance…"

At least, he consoled himself, he’d protected someone when it mattered.

As he closed his eyes, a strange blue screen suddenly appeared before him. White words hovered in the air.

What in the name of the blights is this?

[Potential Host found]

[Do you wish to accept? If you do so, you will get an opportunity]

[Yes] [No]

[You have 10 seconds]

A timer ticked down.

“Host? Opportunity?” Hal didn’t understand.

“Wait. Where the heck is that voice coming from?"

[You have 5 seconds]

[Your heart will stop working in 2 seconds]

“Well, I’ll be damned,” he thought. “Might as well take the shot. I’m already dead.”

He didn’t need to speak. Just thinking it was enough.

[Congratulations, Hal Rodgraim. You have been chosen by the system. With the help of the system, you can realize your dream. Complete quests to level up. The more you level up, the higher your rank becomes.]

[To the chosen, Phōtarch, the path of the Celestial is one filled with terrifying truths, untold danger, and unknown madness.

But holdfast, may Renatus guide your path.

For every rebirth, there must be a death.

For every light, a dark.]

With that, the ancient message was delivered, and then…

A blinding light burst into his vision. Then, darkness.

But Hal never heard the whole message.

****

Hal opened his eyes to a white ceiling. The sharp scent of disinfectant filled his nose, and the firm feel of a mattress met his back.

A hospital?

He blinked, confused. Wasn’t I dead? Or was this some prelude to the afterlife?

He pulled back the blanket and unbuttoned the hospital shirt. No bandages. Not even a scratch. His chest — intact. He placed a hand over it.

His heart was beating.

“I… survived?”

Even stranger, his body felt light, energized. No fatigue, no headache. Usually, he’d feel like crap after waking up in a hospital bed.

“What’s going on?"

This shouldn’t have been possible — not after taking a claw through the heart. Unless…

“Was I really dead?"

Or was his assumption about being in the Afterlife true after all, and was this just some kind of weird joke Charon was playing?

“Hal? You’re awake!”

Surprised, he wasn't alone, Hal jerked to the side, turning to see Bethany, his younger sister. Her eyes were swollen — clearly from crying.

“Bethany? I didn’t know you were here. And yeah… I’m fine. I think.”

She stared at him, as if trying to confirm his words. Then, her breathing grew shaky. Hal instantly knew what was coming.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was!?” she screamed, punching him repeatedly.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Do you want to die and make me twice an orphan?!”

“…sorry.”

Her punches softened. Then she collapsed into his chest, hugging him tightly as she sobbed.

I was really about to leave this kid behind, huh… Hal thought.

He was grateful — grateful to still be alive. Grateful to see her again.

Eventually, she stopped crying. Unfortunately, the nagging didn’t.

“Promise me you won’t ever join a dangerous raid again!”

“Okay, okay,” Hal said, raising his hands.

Only after extracting several promises from him did she sit in the corner, eyes still fixed on him.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Hal asked.

“No. I’m staying here all day if I have to.”

He laughed. “I ain’t going nowhere, okay? You can go out and have fun.”

“No!”

“I’ll babysit you if I have to.”

He grinned. “You have nothing to worry about, kid.”

Eventually, she agreed to leave, though not without more scolding.

“Whew! That was intense,” Hal said, smiling at the ceiling, all of a sudden a blue screen appeared in his view, with ‘words’ floating in the air.

[You have several unread messages.]

“…What the heck?”

Hal pulled the blanket over his head, re-opened his eyes, but the words still remained.

[You have several unread messages.]

Still there.

Am I seeing things now?

He rubbed his head, trying to recall. That voice… before I blacked out… is it connected?

Maybe it all was linked.

Determined to investigate, he reached toward the screen — but his hand passed right through it.

“Not touch-operated?”

“Hmm, let's see…”

He tried speaking to it.

“Confirm.”

“Read messages.”

“I want to read.”

“Grant permission?”

But the screen just kept showing the same thing, as if in silent cold mockery of him.

“Just show me already, will ya!?”

Still nothing.

“Okay, let's be more rational here, aiit?”

“Think of this like a video game. What would I do in a game?” Hal tapped his left cheek in thoughts.

He quickly got something, after a little bit of thinking.

“Okay, let's try this.”

“Open mailbox.”

As soon as Hal said the words 'open’, a clear beep entered his head and the hidden messages revealed themselves

Tti-ring!

[There are two unread messages.]

Congratulations on becoming the Host of the "Celestial System"

[Daily Quest: Preparations to Become Strong] is now available.

The first one felt familiar. Hal focused on it.

Tti-ring

[This system will support the growth of the Host and help him achieve great strength.]

[The system will issue quests to assist the Host's growth.]

[Attic: Good and Bad. Two sides of a coin.]

[Failure to complete quests may result in penalties.]

[Your rewards have been delivered.]

Quests. Rewards. Penalties. This really was like a game…

And he was the main character.

Next, he opened the second message.

Tti-ring

Daily Quest: Preparations to Become Strong

Run 10km: Incomplete (0/10)

Sit-ups, 100 reps: Incomplete (0/100)

Push-ups, 100 reps: Incomplete (0/100)

Squats, 100 reps: Incomplete (0/100)

Warning: Failure to complete daily quests will result in appropriate punishment.

“…Punishment?”

Hal stared at the floating list of tasks, that was suspectedly meant to make him stronger, then the corners of his lips curled up, and then he began to laugh.

A hearty, pained, weird laugh.

“Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!”