Chapter 10: Back to the Streets
The sun cast golden rays over Cradle City, washing the cluttered skyline in light. On the surface, it looked like any other day—noisy, restless, full of life. But for Adam, nothing felt normal anymore.
He sat near the edge of a rusted rooftop, legs dangling over the side. Vicky's hideout was just a few blocks away, but he hadn't returned to his own shelter yet. Not after everything.
The voices were gone—for now. That silence was a rare gift. He needed space to think, to breathe. Over the past few days, his life had flipped itself inside out: he'd discovered the GhostCode, nearly died to a ghost, fought off agents, and saw things no one else could explain.
And he was still alive. Somehow.
He leaned back against the metal wall behind him, eyes scanning the city streets below. People bustled about, just like always. Unbothered. Unaware.
He used to watch them like this all the time, especially when picking his next target. Phones, wallets, jewelry—he could spot value from a mile away. But now? He wasn't even sure who he was anymore.
''That last fight…''
He clenched his fists. That ghost nearly tore him in half, and all he could do was run and dodge. He wasn't a fighter. He was a street rat. A survivor. But the explosion—
''That blast of energy when the ghost died…''
He should be dead. There was no way he should've survived.
Adam rubbed his shoulder, remembering the searing pain and the heat washing over him before everything went dark. He wasn't wearing body armor. He had no shield. And yet, here he was.
Was it the GhostCode? Did it protect him? Or was there something else inside him he hadn't figured out yet?
His thoughts spiraled until they landed on something he hadn't thought about in years:
"...The orphanage," he whispered.
The place he came from. The place he swore never to return to.
He grew up there—if you could call that growing up. He didn't know his parents. Never met them. The only hands he ever felt were the cold, overworked ones of the nurses who barely acknowledged his existence.
There were too many kids. Not enough food. He remembered huddling under tables while the others fought over stale snacks. One winter night, he'd been hiding, shaking from hunger, when a nurse walked in, locked eyes with him—and walked away.
No one cared.
He left that place the same way he lived in it: unnoticed. He snuck out during the night. Waited at the gate for someone to come after him. No one did.
That silence stayed with him.
They probably assumed he starved in an alley somewhere. One less mouth to feed. Easier that way.
After that, he made the streets his home. Learned to steal. Learned to lie. Got caught a few times, sure—but he got better. Smarter. He survived.
He shook the memory out of his head. No point digging up old memories. He had new ones to deal with now.
Still, something clawed at the edges of his thoughts.
That place—the black space.
When he passed out, it wasn't just darkness. There was something there.
A shape. Towering. Silent. Watching him from behind the void like a predator behind glass.
He hadn't told Vicky. Hell, he hadn't even let himself think about it until now.
Maybe it was nothing. A hallucination. But in his gut, he knew better. Whatever it was… it noticed him. And it hadn't looked away.
A familiar chime pinged in his vision.
[Quest Complete: Defeat your first ghost in under 48 hours]
[Reward — 43 EXP granted]
[Level 3 Ghost defeated]
[Reward — 50 EXP granted]
He let out a dry laugh ''Damn right I did''
[Quest Complete: Survive]
[Reward — 57 EXP granted]
[Current EXP: 150/100]
The text flickered,brighter this time
[Congratulations. You have leveled up.]
[Current Level: 2]
[Available Stat Points: 5]
[Ghost Senses Improved: Host can now detect nearby spirits and energy signatures more accurately.]
A faint buzz settled behind his eyes. The city suddenly felt louder—like he could feel something brushing at the edge of his awareness.
The interface blinked again.
[Skill Unlocked: Ghostframe]
> Type: Active
Phase out of existence for 1 second. Allows host to dodge attacks or slip through thin obstacles. Cannot attack while in Ghostframe.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
He sat up straighter. That actually sounded useful. A one-second phase shift? He imagined dodging that massive arm from earlier. Could've saved his ribs.
The system continued.
[Skill Unlocked: Adrenaline Rush]
> Type: Passive
When HP drops below 30%, gain 5% boost to all stats. Reaction speed increases and damage taken is reduced by 10% for 5 seconds.
Triggers once per battle.
"Okay," he muttered. "That's promising."
Being level 2 didn't make him feel any different—yet. But the skills were a decent start.
[Current Stat Points: 5]
He stared at the stat screen. Strength, agility, stamina...
Agility was already his strongest. It was what kept him alive during every chase, every escape. But his strength was still terrible. He couldn't land a decent hit if his life depended on it—which, unfortunately, it now did.
He thought about the agents. Their weapons. Their gear. The fact that they thought he was dead gave him time, but eventually they'd come looking.
He sighed. "I don't want to fight anyone."
But he didn't want to die either.
He divided the points: three to agility, two to strength. Better dodging now. Stronger punches later.
[[Current Stats:]
> Strength — 8
> Agility — 15
> Stamina — 10
> HP — 100/100
> EXP — 50/200
He leaned back on his hands and let the wind tousle his hair.
"Alright," he said. "Let's see what this Ghostframe can really do."
He stood, took a breath—and stepped off the rooftop.
For one heart-pounding moment, gravity took over.
Then—
[Ghostframe Activated.]
The world flickered. His body phased, light bending around him. He passed through a rusted fire escape, landing on the next roof like smoke.
Adam stumbled a bit, heart hammering, but his grin spread wide.
"No way…Okay. That was sick."
And just like that, the game had changed.