Chapter 1: Woke Up in Dinosaur Hell

I wake up with my face pressed against the dirt, my entire body aching like I've been thrown off a cliff. My mouth is dry, my head is pounding, and my clothes—wait. I don't remember what I was wearing.

Panic surges through me as I push up on my elbows, blinking against the brutal sunlight. The air is thick, humid, and carrying a scent I don't recognize—something metallic, something wrong. My surroundings come into focus: crumbling buildings overtaken by vines, rusting cars buried under layers of dirt and moss.

And then I see the bones.

Huge. Twisted. Not human.

A chill races down my spine as I slowly get to my feet. The world around me is familiar—too familiar. This is Busan. Or at least, it was. The towering buildings I once knew are now half-collapsed ruins, barely standing against the weight of time. The streets are empty, silent in a way that makes my skin crawl.

No birds. No people. No life.

But then I hear it—a low, guttural growl.

My breath catches. The sound is close, too close. I spin around, heart hammering in my chest, and that's when I see it.

A creature stands at the far end of the street, its hulking form casting a long shadow. It has scales where fur should be, teeth too large for its mouth, claws that dig into the cracked pavement.

And it's staring right at me.

My stomach drops. This can't be real. But the way its nostrils flare, the way its muscles coil like it's ready to pounce—

This is real.

I barely have time to react before it lunges.

Survival Instincts

I run.

My legs move before my brain catches up, sprinting through the ruins like my life depends on it—because it does. My breath comes in ragged gasps, adrenaline burning through my veins.

The creature is fast. Too fast.

I weave between broken-down cars, vault over debris, but I can hear it gaining. A sharp turn down a narrow alley barely slows it down. I can feel the ground shake beneath its weight, the scrape of claws against concrete. It's playing with me.

I have seconds. Maybe less.

My gaze darts wildly—a weapon, an escape, anything. And then I see it—

A rusted metal pipe, half-buried in the rubble.

I don't think. I dive for it, fingers curling around the rough metal.

The moment I turn, the creature is there, mouth wide, rows of jagged teeth gleaming in the dim light.

I swing.

The pipe connects with the side of its head with a sickening crack. The creature stumbles, a snarl ripping from its throat. I don't stop.

I bring the pipe down again—once, twice—until it stops moving.

My chest heaves. My hands shake. My entire body feels like it's about to collapse, but I'm alive.

I exhale, dropping the pipe with a clatter. I don't know how long I stand there, staring at the unmoving beast. A minute? An hour?

Then I hear footsteps.

The Stranger

I whip around, raising my makeshift weapon, but the person standing there isn't another monster.

It's a man.

Tall, lean, dressed in scavenged armor that looks more practical than stylish. His black hair falls over piercing dark eyes, sharp and assessing. He has a sword strapped to his back and a scar cutting across his jawline.

Definitely not reassuring.

He looks at me. Then at the dead creature. Then back at me.

His lips curl into something that's not quite a smirk. "Not bad."

I don't lower the pipe. "Who are you?"

"Jae," he says easily. "And you?"

I hesitate. Do I even know?

I reach back for memories that don't exist. Flashes of a life before this. A name. A face. But it's all foggy, blurred around the edges.

I grit my teeth. "I... don't know."

Jae's expression doesn't change, but something flickers in his gaze. Recognition? Pity?

"Figures." He sighs. "Come on. This place isn't safe."

He turns like he expects me to follow.

I don't move. "Why should I trust you?"

He glances back, raising an eyebrow. "You think you have a better option?"

My grip tightens on the pipe. I don't.

With one last look at the dead creature, I swallow my pride and follow Jae into the ruins of a world I no longer understand.

And somehow, I know—this is only the beginning.