Tokyo’s neon-lit skyline stretched out before Rei as he stepped out of his apartment building. The familiar hum of the city’s life buzzed around him—people rushing to work, street vendors shouting their wares, and the endless sea of cars honking in a chaotic symphony. It was strange, surreal even, to see the world as it was before the Eclipse. Everything looked so… normal.

But normal was a lie. In three years, this vibrant city would be reduced to a graveyard, its streets painted red with blood, its buildings crumbling under the weight of destruction. Rei had seen it all, lived through it. And now, he was back with the power to stop it.

“An artifact, huh?” he muttered to himself, pulling up the Grimoire’s interface in his mind. The screen appeared before him, translucent and filled with a list of options.

[Mission Objective: Locate the Artifact of the First Flame.]

[Location: Shinjuku District.]

[Details: The Artifact of the First Flame is a powerful relic capable of amplifying the host’s abilities. It is hidden within the heart of the Shinjuku District, protected by an ancient guardian. Retrieve it to gain a significant boost in power.]

Shinjuku. Of course, it had to be Shinjuku. The place was a labyrinth of skyscrapers, underground tunnels, and seedy back alleys. Finding anything there would be like searching for a needle in a fucking haystack.

Rei clenched his fists, his determination unwavering. “No time to waste, then.”

As he made his way through the bustling streets, memories of the Eclipse kept flashing in his mind—the screams, the chaos, the monsters that tore through the fabric of reality. But there was something else, too. A memory, faint and fragmented, of a powerful entity that had appeared during the final days of the apocalypse. It had been unstoppable, a force of nature that had brought entire cities to their knees.

Was this entity connected to the Artifact of the First Flame? The Grimoire had been vague, as usual, but Rei couldn’t shake the feeling that retrieving this artifact was more than just a simple power-up. It was the first step in a much larger, darker game.

After what felt like hours, Rei finally arrived in Shinjuku. The district was as chaotic as ever—neon signs blaring advertisements, crowds of people pushing past each other, the constant noise of the city almost deafening. He looked around, trying to pinpoint where the artifact might be hidden.

[Hint: The Artifact is located underground, in a place where the light never touches.]

“Underground, huh?” Rei glanced around, his mind racing. “That narrows it down… a little.”

His eyes fell on an old, decrepit building at the edge of the district. It was out of place among the modern skyscrapers, a relic of a bygone era. The windows were boarded up, and a rusted sign hung above the entrance, barely legible.

“Yamato Hotel,” Rei read aloud, a smirk forming on his lips. “Looks like the perfect place for a cursed artifact.”

He approached the building, pushing open the heavy, creaking doors. The air inside was thick with dust, the smell of decay and neglect overwhelming. It was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of his phone screen as he pulled it out for illumination.

“Alright, Grimoire,” Rei whispered, his voice echoing in the empty lobby. “Where to now?”

[Proceed to the basement. The Artifact is sealed within a chamber at the lowest level.]

“Of course it’s in the basement,” Rei muttered, making his way toward a staircase at the back of the lobby. “Because that’s not fucking cliché at all.”

The stairs groaned under his weight as he descended, the darkness growing thicker with each step. By the time he reached the basement, the light from his phone was barely enough to cut through the gloom.

The basement was vast, much larger than it should have been for a building this size. Old, rusted machinery lay scattered around, and the walls were lined with pipes that dripped with stagnant water. It was a place that hadn’t seen human life in years, maybe decades.

Rei’s heart pounded in his chest as he followed the Grimoire’s guidance. The further he went, the more oppressive the atmosphere became, as if the very air was trying to crush him. But he pushed forward, his resolve unshaken.

Finally, he reached a massive, iron door at the end of a long corridor. It was covered in strange symbols, glowing faintly in the darkness. The Grimoire pulsed in his mind, urging him forward.

[Warning: The Guardian of the First Flame lies beyond this door. Prepare for battle.]

Rei swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the situation settle on his shoulders. This was it—the first real test of his newfound power. If he couldn’t handle this, then there was no way he’d survive the horrors to come.

He took a deep breath and placed his hand on the door. The sigil on his hand glowed in response, and the symbols on the door flared to life. Slowly, with a deep, grinding noise, the door began to open.

The chamber beyond was unlike anything Rei had ever seen. The walls were lined with ancient stone, covered in intricate carvings that seemed to shift and move in the flickering light of a massive brazier in the center of the room. The flames burned a deep blue, casting eerie shadows that danced around the chamber.

And there, at the far end of the room, stood the Guardian.

It was massive, easily twice the size of any human, with a body made of molten rock and a face twisted into a permanent snarl. Its eyes burned with the same blue flame as the brazier, and its hands crackled with raw energy.

“Fuck,” Rei muttered, taking a step back as the Guardian’s gaze locked onto him. “This is gonna be a pain in the ass.”

The Grimoire’s voice echoed in his mind, calm and composed. [Defeat the Guardian to claim the Artifact. Be prepared—its strength is beyond that of any ordinary foe.]

“No shit,” Rei grumbled, his heart pounding in his chest. But there was no turning back now. He had to do this. For Hikari. For everyone.

The Guardian let out a low, rumbling growl, the sound vibrating through the chamber as it began to move toward him, each step shaking the ground. Rei’s mind raced, trying to figure out a strategy. He was still low level, with barely any skills or abilities. But he had the Grimoire, and that had to count for something.

“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got,” Rei muttered, raising his hands as the sigil on his hand glowed brighter. He focused on the Grimoire, willing it to provide him with the power he needed.

[New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Step.]

The words appeared before him, and Rei felt a sudden rush of energy. He didn’t have time to think, only act. As the Guardian swung its massive fist toward him, Rei instinctively activated the skill.

In an instant, he felt his body dissolve into shadow, slipping through the Guardian’s attack like smoke. He reappeared behind it, heart pounding with adrenaline.

“Holy shit,” Rei breathed, barely believing what had just happened. He’d moved faster than he ever thought possible, like a fucking ninja out of a movie.

But there was no time to celebrate. The Guardian roared in fury, spinning around to face him again. It raised its hands, and the flames in the brazier flared up, shooting toward Rei in a blazing torrent.

“Shadow Step!” Rei shouted, his body once again dissolving into shadow as he dodged the attack. He reappeared on the other side of the chamber, panting heavily. The skill was powerful, but it drained him fast. He couldn’t keep this up for long.

The Guardian was relentless, charging at him with a fury that seemed unstoppable. But Rei wasn’t about to back down. He dodged and weaved, using Shadow Step to avoid the Guardian’s attacks, but each time he reappeared, he felt a little weaker, a little slower.

“Fuck… gotta end this… quick,” Rei muttered, his vision starting to blur from exhaustion. The Guardian was too strong—he couldn’t keep running forever. He needed to find a way to turn the tide, and fast.

His eyes darted to the brazier in the center of the room. The flames… they were connected to the Guardian somehow. If he could just—

An idea sparked in his mind. It was risky as hell, but it was the only shot he had. Gritting his teeth, Rei activated Shadow Step one last time, appearing directly in front of the brazier.

The heat was unbearable, but he pushed through it, reaching out with his hands and plunging them into the flames. Pain shot through him like a thousand knives, but he didn’t let go. He could feel the energy of the flames surging through him, wild and untamed.

“Take… this… you… bastard!” Rei roared, turning and directing the energy toward the Guardian.

The flames shot out of his hands in a blazing inferno, crashing into the Guardian with the force of a freight train. The creature let out a deafening roar as the flames consumed it, the blue fire scorching its molten body.

For a moment, everything was bathed in blinding light. Rei felt the last of his strength draining away, but he held on, pouring every ounce of power into the attack.

Then, with a final, agonized scream, the Guardian crumbled to the ground, its body dissolving into ash.

Rei collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. The chamber was silent, the only sound the crackling of the dying flames. He’d done it. He’d actually fucking done it.

[Mission Complete. The Artifact of the First Flame is now yours.]

The Grimoire’s voice echoed in his mind, calm and collected as always. But Rei barely heard it, his vision swimming as exhaustion finally took its toll.

Before he lost consciousness, he saw a small, glowing object floating above the brazier—the Artifact. It was beautiful, shimmering with an otherworldly light, and as it floated toward him, he felt its power seep into his very soul.

“Worth it…” Rei muttered before the darkness claimed him.