/* "This story draws inspiration from the 'system' in Solo Leveling while taking place in the Fate/Extella Link universe. The narrative follows the structure of Fate/Grand Order's Singularities as its setting." */

Happy Reading!

The air in the wasteland was eerily still. A vast stretch of broken earth and crumbling structures surrounded them, remnants of a city lost to war. The only sounds were the distant crackling of fires and the hushed murmurs of the gathered resistance members. All eyes were on the two figures standing at the center.

Ren stood motionless, rolling his shoulders as he adjusted to the new weight of his body. The changes from his attribute allocation were subtle but noticeable—his footing felt more precise, his breathing steadier. His instincts, already honed from years of navigating Tokyo's underbelly, now felt sharper, more refined. But whether it would be enough to survive this duel was another question entirely.

Across from him, the gunslinger adjusted the brim of his hat, his usual smirk in place. He radiated an easy confidence, his posture relaxed but never careless. His fingers hovered near his revolvers—a gunslinger's tell, a silent promise that the fight could start at any moment.

Ren exhaled slowly. Thirty seconds. That was all he had to last. No weapons, no backup, no second chances. If he made a single mistake, if even one bullet found its mark—he was dead.

A system notification flickered in his vision.

[New Quest Activated: Duel in the Wasteland]

[Objective: Survive for 30 seconds against the Gunslinger.]

[Failure Condition: Get hit and die.]

[Rewards: 150 XP, 5 Soul Coins.]

The weight of those words settled on his shoulders. This wasn't a test. It was an execution waiting to happen.

The gunslinger tilted his head slightly, studying him. "You look ready."

Ren didn't answer. Talking wouldn't save him.

The man let out a short chuckle, his fingers flexing. "Alright, kid. Let's see if you can dance."

Then—

His hand moved.

Ren barely registered the motion before a deafening gunshot rang through the air.

Instinct screamed at him. Move.

He threw himself sideways just as the bullet tore through the space where he had been standing. Dust kicked up from the ground, the sheer force of the shot cracking the stone beneath it.

His heart pounded. That wasn't a warning shot.

Another movement. Another flash of steel.

Ren twisted his body, barely avoiding a second shot. The bullet sliced past his shirt, close enough that he felt the displaced air against his skin. He hit the ground in a roll, coming up just in time to see his opponent already repositioning, his revolvers spinning effortlessly in his hands.

He's too fast.

Ren grit his teeth. The gunslinger wasn't aiming randomly—he was predicting him.

Every time he dodged, the next shot was already lined up. It wasn't just about being quick—it was about breaking the enemy's rhythm.

I need to move unpredictably.

Ren took a deep breath, his body remembering old instincts. Phantom Thieves didn't fight fair.

He feinted to the right. Another shot rang out—but this time, he didn't complete the movement. Instead, he dropped low, pivoting mid-step. The bullet whizzed past his shoulder.

The resistance members murmured, watching the spectacle unfold.

The gunslinger's smirk widened slightly. "Not bad."

But Ren didn't have time to feel accomplished. He could already see the next shot coming.

Another flash. Another impossible reaction.

His mind raced. Ten seconds. He had to keep going.

The world slowed. His breathing evened. His body felt lighter, his movements sharper. Was this because of the Agility points he allocated? Whatever it was, it was keeping him alive.

Another shot. He twisted, using the ruined terrain to his advantage.

Fifteen seconds.

He could hear Charlemagne whistle from the crowd. "He's got some moves, I'll give him that."

Rin, however, remained unreadable.

The gunslinger didn't stop. His movements were smooth, relentless, every shot designed to corner Ren, to force him into a dead end.

Twenty seconds.

Ren's lungs burned, but his body was adapting. His dodges were faster now, his reactions sharper. But he knew—he couldn't keep this up forever.

Then, a bullet struck a broken pipe behind him.

The sharp ping made his eyes widen. The shot wasn't aimed directly at him—The gunslinger had deliberately fired at the environment, letting the bullet ricochet.

Ren twisted at the last second. The bullet grazed past his cheek, barely missing its mark.

Damn it, he's using the battlefield against me!

The gunslinger's smirk widened. "Luck's a funny thing, huh?"

Ren clenched his jaw. gunslinger wasn't just fast—he was adjusting. His shots were getting harder to dodge, more unpredictable. Ren had no control over where the bullets would end up.

Twenty-five seconds.

The gunslinger adjusted his stance. This time, when he fired, the bullet bounced off the remnants of a steel beam, changing trajectory midair.

Ren ducked just in time, rolling forward to break away from the kill zone.

But thegunslinger was already moving. He lined up his next shot—

Twenty-eight seconds.

Ren was out of options.

A final shot fired.

Ren saw the bullet coming straight for him. Too fast. Too perfect.

His mind screamed for a way out.

And in that instant—

The world blurred.

A rush of sensation flooded his body, like stepping into the Metaverse for the first time. The space around him distorted—and suddenly, he wasn't where he had been.

He landed several feet away, his breath caught in his throat.

Phantom Step.

He had activated it without thinking.

The gunslinger's eyes widened slightly. That was new.

For the first time, he hesitated—just a fraction of a second.

Thirty seconds.

A single breath of silence hung between them.

Then, the gunslinger let out a low chuckle, twirling his revolver before holstering it. "Well, I'll be damned."

[SYSTEM ALERT]

[Quest Completed: Duel in the Wasteland]

[150 XP, 5 Soul Coins Earned.]

[Level Up! You have gained 1 Level.]

[Status Updated! You are now Level 4.]

[3 Attribute Points Earned. Use them to enhance your stats.]

[You have 3 allocated attribute points ready to be used.]

Ren let out a slow breath. His heart was still racing, but he had done it. He had survived.

Rin, arms still crossed, watched him carefully. "...That was something."

Charlemagne grinned. "Gotta admit, I was half-expecting him to be riddled with bullets by now."

The gunslinger smirked, tipping his hat slightly. "Kid's got some reflexes. That, or one hell of a guardian angel."

Ren exhaled, straightening his posture. The system's message lingered at the edge of his vision, confirming his progress. He had leveled up again. He had more points to spend.

But for now, he had proven himself.

The murmurs in the crowd quieted. The resistance had been watching, waiting to see if he was worth their time. And now, they had their answer.

He wasn't sure if it was skill, luck, or the system that had kept him alive. But one thing was certain—

He wasn't going down that easily.

The tension from the duel lingered in the air, pressing down on Ren's shoulders like a heavy weight. He was still catching his breath, muscles aching from the relentless effort of dodging bullets that had come far too close. Across from him, the gunslinger holstered his weapons with a smirk, but his sharp gaze remained locked onto Ren, still measuring him.

Rin stepped forward, arms crossed. Her stare was sharp and calculating, making it clear she had already made her decision. "Not bad. You survived. Barely. But don't think that means you've earned my trust."

Ren wiped the sweat from his brow, meeting her gaze. "Figured as much. So, what now?"

Rin didn't hesitate. "You have two choices. Join us, or walk away."

[Quest Updated: Choose Your Path.]

Silence fell over the gathered resistance fighters. Some watched him with curiosity, others with skepticism. He could feel their unspoken judgments weighing on him. But Rin wasn't finished.

"If you walk away, you're on your own. No shelter. No support. And if you get caught in the crossfire, that's your problem. Karl's forces are everywhere—you won't last long." Her voice was cold, pragmatic, hammering in the brutal reality. "But if you stay and fight, then maybe—just maybe—we'll have a chance to push Karl's army out of Fuyuki and save what's left of this city."

[Warning: Remaining unaffiliated will make survival significantly more difficult.]

Ren's fists clenched. He didn't like being backed into a corner, but he couldn't ignore what she was saying. He had seen the devastation firsthand—the senseless destruction, the suffering. He couldn't pretend he didn't care. Even now, the ruined city, the lingering scent of smoke and battle, weighed on him.

But diving in blindly was dangerous. He still didn't fully understand this world, why he was here, or what he needed to do. If he rushed into this, he could lose the chance to uncover the bigger picture.

"Tch. You're hesitating," Rin noted, unimpressed. "If you need me to spell it out, fine—this isn't just about you. It's about everyone still fighting to survive. If you care about that even a little, then make your choice."

Ren exhaled slowly. He hated being forced into decisions like this.

But the truth was, there was only one real option.

He met Rin's eyes, his voice steady. "Alright. I'll join. But don't expect me to follow orders blindly—I still have things I need to figure out."

Rin gave a small, satisfied smirk. "That's fine. As long as you pull your weight, I don't care what your reasons are."

The gunslinger chuckled, adjusting his hat. "Guess that makes you one of us now, partner. Try not to get yourself killed too soon."

The tension in the air eased—slightly. Ren could still feel the skepticism from some of the resistance members. That was fine. Trust wasn't earned overnight. For now, he had a direction. A goal.

This was exactly the kind of world he had fought against before. A world where the strong trampled the weak, where people suffered under forces beyond their control. He had seen it in Shido's corruption, in Maruki's illusion of happiness, in every twisted Palace he had torn down.

But this wasn't just another distorted heart. This was war.

He let out a slow breath. He needed more information—about Karl, about SERAPH, about the forces at play—but more than anything, he needed to act. Standing on the sidelines had never been an option.

Charlemagne grinned, clapping a hand on Ren's shoulder. "Glad to have you, partner. Something tells me you're going to make things a lot more interesting around here."

The gunslinger tilted his hat up, giving Ren a final once-over. "Don't get cocky, kid. Surviving thirty seconds doesn't mean you're ready for what's coming."

"I know." Ren adjusted his gloves, rolling his shoulders. System notifications lingered at the edge of his vision, reminding him of his recent level-up. He wasn't strong enough yet—not by a long shot—but he was getting there.

Rin studied him for a long moment before nodding. "Then welcome to the Vanguard. Try not to get yourself killed."