Game Begin.
Kai leaned against the cold metal railing of the fire escape, his breath still uneven from the fight. The three goblin corpses around him were proof that he had survived his first real battle. But as the adrenaline faded, exhaustion crept in. His arm throbbed where the goblin's claws had slashed him, and his shirt was torn and stained with blood.
He needed a moment to process everything.
With a deep breath, he focused on the glowing system window still hovering before him.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Quest Completed: Survive the Awakening.
Rewards Unlocked:
- Item Acquired: Minor Healing Potion (x1)
New Quest Unlocked: Escape the Infected Zone.
Objective: Leave the city before the next wave begins.
Kai narrowed his eyes at the information. The system wasn't just a hallucination—it was real.It reacted to his actions, recorded his progress, and even rewarded him like a game.
Curious, he muttered, "Status window."
At his command, a translucent screen materialized in front of him.
[STATUS WINDOW]
Name:Kai Jin
Rank: F
Class:???
Health: 87%
Mana:0%
Skills: None
Inventory:
- Goblin's Dagger (Rank F)
- Goblin's Rusted Knife (Rank F)
- Minor Healing Potion (x1)
Kai scanned the information carefully. His Class and skill seemed straightforward None.
Finally, he opened his inventory.
The weapons were basic. Goblin's Dagger and Goblin's Rusted Knife—not ideal, but better than nothing.
Then there was the Minor Healing Potion.
He hesitated for a moment before pulling it out of his inventory. Instantly, a small glass vial appeared in his hand, filled with a faintly glowing red liquid.
"Looks like a health potion from a game," he muttered.
His arm still stung from the goblin's attack. He had 87% health left, so technically, he wasn't in critical danger. But if he wanted to test how the system worked, this was a good opportunity.
Without overthinking, he uncorked the vial and drank.
The effect was immediate. A warm sensation spread through his body, and the stinging pain in his arm faded. The torn skin sealed itself before his eyes.
A notification popped up.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
- Health restored: +20%.
- Current Health: 100%.
Kai stared at his now-healed arm, flexing his fingers. Instant recovery. If potions like this existed, then injuries weren't as permanent as they used to be. That was a huge advantage.
The system wasn't just a way to track progress—it could actively help him survive.
He exhaled, letting his body relax for the first time. His situation was still dangerous, but now, it felt manageable.
Kai looked at the new quest.
Quest: Escape the Infected Zone.
Objective: Leave the city before the next wave begins.
His brows furrowed. The next wave?
That meant more monsters were coming. Maybe stronger ones.
His gaze shifted toward the city. Fires burned in the distance, screams still echoed through the streets, and the monstrous growls of creatures filled the air.
The goblins were just the beginning.
If he wanted to survive, he needed to move.
Kai closed the system window and tightened his grip on his daggers.
Kai stood on the fire escape, staring down at the ruins of his apartment building. The quiet night seemed surreal after the chaos of the battle with the goblins. The weight of his situation pressed on him as he turned to face the city below. The once familiar, bustling streets of Seoul now looked abandoned and desolate, like a ghost town.
Time to leave.
He turned back into his apartment, his footsteps echoing in the silence. He hadn't expected to say goodbye to his home so suddenly. But this wasn't just some random crisis anymore—it was a war, a war that had just begun, and he was no longer just a bystander.
He walked to his closet, taking a long look at his modest clothes. A hoodie, a pair of old jeans, and sneakers—nothing suited for combat.
With a grim resolve, he quickly started changing. He swapped his hoodie for a thicker jacket, one that would provide a bit more protection. His jeans were replaced with sturdier cargo pants, and he tucked a few basic supplies—like water and snacks—into the pockets. He found an old backpack and threw it over his shoulder. His shoes would have to do for now, though he knew they'd wear out quickly in this new world.
Kai grabbed his weapons—the goblin's dagger and the rusted knife. He hesitated for a moment, looking down at the bloodstained floor. He hadn't had a choice, but he had just killed three creatures in his apartment, and while the fight was necessary, it still felt strange. The world had changed, and so had he.
A final glance around the apartment. His life—his old life—felt like a distant memory already. With one last deep breath, Kai turned his back on the apartment. He didn't know if he'd ever return.
The world outside had already changed, and there was no going back.
Kai stepped out into the night, the once bright city of Seoul now quiet, with only the occasional distant scream or explosion breaking the silence. The moonlight filtered through the smoke rising from the destroyed buildings. Something about the emptiness unsettled him. The city was no longer the lively, crowded place it used to be.
People had abandoned the streets. Or... maybe they were gone.
Kai's footsteps echoed down the empty street as he moved quickly, staying alert. His sharp eyes scanned every corner, every shadow, expecting the worst. The world had become a wasteland in just a matter of hours. It was overwhelming.
As he walked further down the street, the devastation became more apparent. Abandoned vehicles littered the roads, some burned out and others overturned. But it was the bodies that caught his attention.
People, torn apart. Their remains scattered on the pavement. Blood pooled around them in the gutters. Their faces frozen in expressions of terror. It was a nightmare come to life.
Kai's stomach twisted. The humanity he had known was slipping away, replaced by a brutal new reality.
He looked away, unwilling to let the despair settle in. He had to stay focused. Survive.
His footsteps slowed as he approached the center of the city. It was eerily silent. No traffic, no people. Only the faint sounds of destruction far off. Kai continued walking, his eyes scanning the distance. The road ahead was a wasteland—broken buildings, empty streets, and the occasional shriek of something monstrous.
And then he saw it.
A massive, dark shape at the far end of the street. It was large, its body rippling with muscle, its fur matted with blood and gore. The creature was hunched over, devouring a body, its sharp teeth tearing into the flesh like a wild animal. The beast seemed oblivious to everything around it.
Kai's heart skipped a beat.
A beast Wolf.
It was a rank E creature, much stronger than anything he'd fought so far. Its massive frame, gleaming red eyes, and sharp claws told him that this would be a fight he couldn't win through brute force alone.
But before Kai could react, the Wolf paused. Its head snapped up.
The beast's eyes locked onto him, and for a brief moment, time seemed to stand still. Then, in a blur of motion, it let out a blood-curdling howl and charged toward him.
Kai's instincts kicked in.
[System Warning: Beast Wolf (Rank E) detected. Hostile approach. Prepare for combat.]
The system's voice seemed to echo in his mind, but Kai didn't need a warning. He already knew. The wolf was coming at him with terrifying speed.
Kai's heart raced as he quickly surveyed his options. The distance between him and the creature was closing fast.
He focused, breathing deeply.
Weapon was his only hope.
He grab the dagger just as the wolf lunged at him, its claws outstretched and aimed for his chest. His body moved faster than he thought possible, his feet barely touching the ground as he darted sideways. The wolf's claws scraped against the air where he had been just a split second before.
Kai stumbled but quickly regained his balance. He could feel the power surging through him. It was like moving in fast-forward.
The beast growled, circling around him. Kai stayed low, carefully watching its movements. Its attack patterns were brutal, but predictable. Every time it lunged, it overextended, leaving itself open for a counterattack.
Kai's mind was sharp. He analyzed the wolf's movements, the way it shifted its weight before attacking, the way it relied on its claws and teeth to overwhelm its prey.
Then, Kai smirked.
He'd found its weakness.
With a though, Kai closed the gap between him and the wolf. He sidestepped just as the creature's claws slashed through the air and, with a swift motion, drove his dagger deep into the beast's skull.
The wolf howled in pain, thrashing violently as Kai twisted the blade. Blood sprayed out, and the wolf's body went limp. Kai quickly pulled the dagger free, but the blade snapped in half from the force of the strike.
[System Notification]
- Beast Wolf (Rank E) defeated.
- 300 XP gained.
- New Weapon: Beast's Fang (Rank E).
Kai stepped back, breathing heavily as he wiped the sweat from his brow. The adrenaline was still rushing through him. He couldn't believe he'd won.
And the Beast's Fang—the new weapon that appeared in his hand—was now his.
Kai examined the new weapon. It was a large, jagged fang, at least a foot long, sharp as a razor. He could feel its power coursing through him. It was different from the goblin's knives. This was stronger. And it felt right in his grip.
With a sigh of relief, Kai surveyed the wreckage around him.
Kai's feet hit the cracked pavement with a dull thud as he walked down the silent street, the weight of the world pressing down on him. He had to leave. Seoul, his home—what little of it remained—was no longer a place for survival. The first wave had brought monsters; the second would be humanity's collapse.
He needed to get out.
The tension in his shoulders didn't ease as he walked further into the city, past the rubble and debris. The streets were eerily empty, save for the occasional flicker of movement in the shadows. He could hear the distant echoes of explosions and screaming, but there was nothing immediate.
But the silence was suffocating. Every corner felt like it could be the last. His instincts screamed for him to leave the city as fast as possible, but he knew it wasn't going to be that simple.
Then, through the haze of smoke and dust, he saw it—an old convenience store, its neon lights still flickering weakly. The windows were cracked, but it looked intact. He approached cautiously, his hand on the hilt of the Beast's Fang. His senses were alert, ready for whatever threat might emerge.
The door creaked as he pushed it open, the dim light inside revealing a scene of horror. Blood. Everywhere. It splattered across the counter, pooled on the floor. There were signs of a struggle, overturned shelves, and broken glass.
And then he saw it—the thing that made his stomach churn. A severed head, its eyes wide open in death, perched atop the counter like some grotesque trophy. The rest of the body was nowhere to be found.
Kai didn't flinch. He walked past the bloodied counter, ignoring the horror around him, and grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the shelves. Then he found some canned goods. The sound of his breath was the only thing breaking the stillness.
He left money on the counter—a small act of normality in this broken world. There was no one left to care, but the thought that he had at least tried to hold on to some semblance of humanity lingered with him.
As he stepped back outside, the world felt a little heavier. His pack was now slightly more full, but there was no time to rest. He had to keep moving.
Kai's eyes scanned the broken streets as he continued to walk. His feet carried him past ruined buildings and wrecked cars, but his mind was elsewhere. He needed to figure out how to get out of Seoul.
The roads had changed. Where there had once been clear paths, there were now collapsed buildings, craters, and wreckage scattered everywhere. The destruction had altered the landscape, making any attempt to follow his old route impossible.
But he couldn't afford to be picky.
Just go straight.
That's all he could do.
He took a deep breath, focusing on the path ahead. The System was unusually quiet—no new notifications, no sudden dangers. For the moment, at least, it seemed like there was some peace. He didn't trust it, but for now, he needed to keep moving forward.
Suddenly, his eyes caught something. A glint of sunlight bounced off a rock just to the left, near a broken sidewalk. He paused. It wasn't much, but something about the rock seemed... out of place.
Before he could analyze the situation further, a group of men appeared from behind the debris, emerging from the corner of a destroyed building.
They were rough-looking, armed with a variety of makeshift weapons. Some had bats, others had knives, but one held a rifle. They looked at Kai with hungry, calculating eyes.
A smile curled across the leader's face.
"Looks like you've packed up, kid," he said, his voice low and menacing. "How about sharing some of that gear with us?"
Kai didn't say a word. His hand subtly gripped the Beast's Fang. The situation was already escalating, and he didn't need to waste time.
The man with the rifle aimed it at Kai, and Kai instinctively took a step back, his mind working quickly.
"What if?" Kai replied, voice steady.
The leader sneered. "Then you should die."
The man fired.
The bullet whizzed by Kai, narrowly missing him. He immediately Move, his body moving, sidestepping the shot with ease.
As he darted to the side, he took note of their movements. The men were disorganized—focusing too much on their weapons, not enough on their surroundings. Kai analyzed their numbers: five men. But the rifle had to be dealt with first.
With a fluid motion, he pulled the Beast's Fang from its sheath, aiming at the nearest attacker. He moved forward, dodging the next bullet as it zipped past his shoulder, and closed the distance in seconds.
With one swift, precise strike, Kai drove the dagger deep into the chest of the man with the rifle. He collapsed instantly, blood spurting from the wound.
The others were shocked. They hadn't expected the kid to be so fast, so lethal.
"What the hell?!" one of them shouted.
Kai was already on the move again, slashing his weapon through the air in a deadly arc. He took down another man in a blur of motion. The remaining three were stumbling, clearly rattled.
He didn't give them a chance to regroup. His next strike was precise, his body moving with the grace of a predator. One more man fell, then another.
The last one, a lanky, terrified figure, stumbled backward, his hands shaking as he dropped his knife. "Please, let me go! I'll give you everything I have!" he begged, his voice breaking.
Kai's eyes narrowed, his grip on the Beast's Fang tightening. He stepped forward, the air heavy with the scent of blood. His resolve was clear. He was about to end it.
But as he lifted the dagger, a loud whistle echoed from above, and before he could react, something sharp whizzed through the air—a stone arrow.
Kai's instincts kicked in just in time. He leaped backward, dodging the arrow as it embedded itself in the ground where his head had been moments before. His heart raced as his eyes scanned the surroundings.
The system voice cut through the tension.
[System Warning: Awakened Rank E detected. Hostile approach.]
Kai's eyes widened in shock.Another awakened?
From the shadows, a figure emerged—tall, with dark, hardened eyes. His hands glowed, and with a flick of his wrist, another stone arrow materialized in the air. He aimed it directly at Kai.
Kai was cornered, and the man's eyes gleamed with confidence.
"You're dead now," he sneered, his voice filled with malice.
The next stone arrow flew toward Kai at breakneck speed. He dodged again, but there was no escape now. He was surrounded.
The awakened Rank E was closing in. His power was palpable.
Kai gritted his teeth. He couldn't back down now.
"How he can do that.., was that thing, a magic power?!".
The final arrow flew toward him.
Kai's body jerked sideways as the stone arrow whizzed through the air. He was too slow, too distracted by the strange power this awakened man was wielding. The sharp tip of the arrow sliced across his shoulder, tearing through his jacket and cutting into his flesh.
[System Warning: Health at 85%]
The pain shot through his body like fire, but it wasn't enough to stop him. His heart hammered in his chest as he quickly spun away from the impact zone, gritting his teeth. The stone arrow had barely missed a critical spot, but it was still a deep wound. Blood began to seep through his fingers as he held his shoulder, but he didn't let it slow him down.
The man in front of him grinned, clearly amused by the turn of events. His hands crackled with energy, more stone arrows forming in the air with a flick of his wrist.
"Whats up with you body kid.... how can you move like that...were you awakened?,"
Kai grip tight.
Sudden.
the man said with a smile. "How about joining me? We could use this power make this world ours."
Kai narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening on the Beast's Fang. His blood boiled, the pain from his shoulder still there but no longer an obstacle. He could feel the heat in his veins, the surge of adrenaline flooding his system.
Kai's lips curled into a cold, detached smile as he responded.
"Just save that offer for later, when you're head off."
The man's smile faltered for a moment, his expression hardening as he sized Kai up. The arrogance in his gaze was evident, but there was something else, too—a quiet menace.
"What a no-mercy attitude you have," the man said, his voice low. "Then... if you disturb my path, I'll have no choice but to kill you."
Without warning, the awakened raised his hands again, and massive boulders rose from the ground, forming a wall of rock that sealed off any potential escape. Kai's heart raced as the stone barrier loomed large before him.
"You should've kept your mouth shut, kid," the man taunted, his eyes gleaming with malice. "I'll make your death quick."
With a simple gesture, the awakened summoned a huge stone arrow, its tip glinting in the air as it was aimed directly at Kai's chest. The rock projectile blasted toward him with a deafening roar.
"Die!" the man yelled.
The arrow flew at blinding speed, and before Kai could react, the blast of force struck him in the chest. He was thrown backward, his body crashing against the stone wall of the makeshift barrier. Dust and debris exploded into the air, shrouding the area in a thick fog.
"Well, well. What a waste," the man muttered, sounding almost disappointed. He turned, clearly ready to walk away and leader Kai behind.
But Kai wasn't finished.
As the man walked away, his back turned in arrogant indifference, Kai's vision locked onto him. With every ounce of willpower, Kai dashed forward, a blur of movement fueled by pure instinct.
Before the man could even react, Kai closed the distance between them in an instant, moving with a speed that left no time for hesitation. The Beast's Fang was already in his hand, and in one fluid motion, he thrust the dagger forward.
The sound of bone splitting filled the air as the blade drove deep into the man's neck. His eyes went wide in surprise as his body spasmed, but there was nothing he could do to stop the inevitable.
The man crumpled to the ground, his neck a bloody mess, and his life extinguished in a heartbeat. The stone arrows that had once hovered around him fell to the ground with a dull thud.
Kai stood there, breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling as the adrenaline rushed through his veins. His hands trembled, but it wasn't from fear. It was from something else—something darker, something that made him question who he had just become.
[System Notification: Host has defeated an Awakened Rank E. Reward Unlocked.]
Kai's gaze flickered to the system window that appeared before him. But his mind was elsewhere, focusing on the weight of what he had just done. He had killed the man. Coldly. Without hesitation.
Was this who he had to be now?
His hand, still gripping the Beast's Fang, felt foreign to him. It had never been about fighting, never been about killing. But now, in this world, survival meant doing whatever it took.
The system chimed again, offering its cold, calculating rewards. But Kai didn't immediately look at them. The last words the man had spoken echoed in his mind: "If you disturb my path...".
Kai had disturbed it, and the price had been paid.
With a deep breath, Kai stepped over the body, the damp feeling of blood still fresh on his hands. He wiped it off on his jacket, his gaze hardening.
Survival was the option now.