Imaginitation system

The night hung heavy over the ruined city. Lu Fang lays on his bed, staring at the cracked ceiling. His body ached from the earlier fight, and exhaustion pulled at him, but his mind refused to settle.

The reality of his ability—his imagination turning into reality—was still sinking in. He had survived today, but he knew this fragile peace wouldn't last.

Finally, sleep overtook him.

But the calm shattered.

A piercing scream ripped through the air, startling him awake. He sat up, heart pounding, as another scream followed, louder and filled with terror.

Lu Fang scrambled to the window, his pulse quickening. Two small figures stumbled through the broken street below, their cries echoing in the stillness.

"Li Mei… Li Lan," he whispered, recognizing the twin sisters.

The girls, no older than seven, clung to each other as they ran. Their tiny legs barely carried them forward, their faces pale with fear.

Behind them, an enormous shadow moved—a Tiger Monster. Its glowing yellow eyes locked onto the girls, and its growls rumbled like thunder.

Lu Fang froze.

"An E-rank monster?" he muttered, disbelief tightening his chest.

The creature was far too strong for him. Even with a weapon, fighting it would be suicide.

But the twins…

His jaw clenched. In his past life, Li Mei and Li Lan had saved him. When he had been at his lowest, they had shared their tiny apartment, giving him a place to rest and recover. Without their kindness, he wouldn't have survived.

Now, they needed him.

He turned away from the window, his thoughts racing.

"I can't fight that thing as I am," he muttered. "I need to be stronger. I need to rank up."

He glanced at the glowing interface in front of him.

[Points: 4]

His heart sank. He needed more.

"I imagine raising my rank to F-rank," he said, willing the system to respond.

The familiar voice echoed in his mind.

[Imagination confirmed. Rank upgrade requires 5 points.]

Lu Fang's chest tightened.

"Five points," he whispered, frustration boiling inside him. He was one point short.

Outside, the monster's growls grew louder. He ran back to the window. The twins had tripped, their small bodies crumpling to the ground. Li Mei tried to pull Li Lan to her feet, but the tiger was closing in.

"No!" Lu Fang shouted, his voice breaking the silence.

He couldn't let this happen. Even if he wasn't strong enough, even if he didn't have the points, he had to act.

Without another thought, he bolted out of his apartment, his feet pounding against the stairs. His breath came in sharp bursts as he rushed toward the street.

But in his haste, his foot slammed into something soft. He glanced down—he had stepped on a rat.

Without pausing, he continued to run, not noticing the small notification that flashed in front of him.

[One point earned for defeating a small creature.]

Lu Fang, As he reached the street, his eyes instinctively went to the glowing interface.

[Points: 5]

A rush of realization hit him. He had the points now.

"I… I have enough," he whispered, his voice filled with disbelief and relief.

Without wasting a second, he spoke to the system again.

"I imagine raising my rank to F-rank," he said, his voice urgent.

The system responded immediately.

[Rank upgrade confirmed. You are now F-rank.]

A surge of energy coursed through his body. His muscles tightened, and his senses sharpened. The transformation was immediate—he felt faster, stronger, and more capable than before.

The tiger monster turned its glowing eyes toward him, sensing the change in the air. Lu Fang's grip tightened around the rusted pipe he had picked up. His body was ready, and his mind was focused.

He took a deep breath, preparing himself.

"I'm not running anymore," he muttered, stepping forward.

The tiger growled, its claws scraping the pavement, but Lu Fang was no longer afraid. He had the strength to fight now.

"But that was far from the reality he was about to face."