First Encounter

Photographic Memory as an Awakened ability?

Awakened ability, his ass.

Lee Ryujin wasn't one of those lucky bastards who had been blessed with supernatural powers after the apocalypse began.

He was born to wield a pencil to sketch, not a dagger to kill.

He could barely kill a fly, let alone fight off flesh-eating monsters like the real Awakened.

Yet here he was, standing on the frontlines of a battlefield.

It had been a month since he was rescued by the soldiers.

In that time, the military had officially classified and established the Awakened status.

Some of those blessed with abilities weren't fighters but rather supporters, possessing non-combat abilities.

Mind Link, which allowed mental communication within a certain range, Danger Precognition, which provided an early warning against attacks, or Alchemy, which could create specialized items, like the dagger strapped to his hip.

There seemed to be no rhyme or reason as to the kind or limit of Awakened abilities.

Since there were no devices capable of verifying whether someone was truly Awakened, Ryujin had taken advantage of that fact. It only mattered whether or not he could prove himself useful.

His memory was better than most, and his ability to create near-perfect, lifelike drawings from memory made the lie believable.

As the last-minute addition, Ryujin was nothing more than a living camera brought in to draw what he saw inside the RIft. 

That was his role in this reconnaissance squad.

Ryujin initially signed up for enlistment for one reason: food.

Under the new structure of society, people like him—outsiders—were barely given food. The military prioritized their own, with the Awakened treated best of all.

Merit-wise, it was a good decision to allocate more resources to those people.

And, Ryujin feared. He had no notable background, no combat ability, not to mention, he's even someone from a foreign land.

He wa a nobody.

To be at the bottom rung meant he would be among the first to be neglected or abandoned if circumstances were to not get better.

Before enlisting, his civilian status had only entitled him to one meal a day—a stale loaf of dry bread. No rice, no protein, just barely enough sustenance to keep him from starving.

Those working in the military received two meals. The Awakened got three full ones.

Given the difference in treatment, it wasn't hard to see why Ryujin had faked his status.

Life as a support-type Awakened was not easy, but it was better than being a nobody. He was satisfied with his assigned administrative chores. He thought it was the best decision he had made.

What he hadn't seen coming was how quickly he'd be sent to his death.

Ryujin was suddenly pulled out from paperwork, then the same morning, thrusted upon this highly confidential, top-ranked mission. Everything happened so fast, he didn't even get to learn the names of his squad members until after they entered the Rift.

I wonder if my brother and mom are safe in Seoul.

The thought was fleeting, but it burned in his chest like an ember.

Were the Rifts an isolated incident? Or was the rest of the world also falling apart?

They better be safe.

He could only hope.

-

After a brief rest, the squad resumed their exploration.

Nelson led the way, his posture straight and commanding. His composure was somewhat contagious, fortunately, emboldening everyone to strive forward.

Nobody noticed Ryujin's knees that were shaking from too much stress.

Alas, he missed his paperwork job.

Eu stayed near Ryujin. Though not as bad as Ryujin, his movements were restless, as if trying to shake off nervous energy.

Maybe the others are just good at faking it.

Jack followed closely behind their captain, silent as ever.

Andrew, their strongest combatant, moved at the rear. He trekked with ease despite the uneven terrain.

Towering, crystallized roots stretched in all directions, as thick as highways and as hard as steel. Each step had to be taken carefully to avoid jagged edges that glowed faintly under the eerie, pale light of this world.

The air was dry but breathable—a small mercy.

Five hours later.

Nelson studied his compass, the one that had not worked ever since they entered the Rift.

"Five minutes rest. Afterwards, we'll still move toward the trunk," Nelson instructed. 

The trunk in the distance loomed impossibly high, vanishing into the unknown expanse above. With no sun, no sky, and no horizon, it was impossible to gauge its true size.

It wasn't farfetched to think, like one the Awakened surmised, that this tree was Yggdrasil, a mythical tree that hold and connect worlds.

"How do we even know if we're going the right way?" Andrew muttered.

Eu shot him a sidelong glance. "Do you have a better suggestion, Sir?"

Andrew grinned, unfazed. "Nope. Just pointing out the obvious."

Before Nelson could reprimand the two for not conserving energy, a sharp, distant crack echoed through the air.

The squad froze.

Nelson signaled for silence, pressing a finger to his lips. He then gestured for them to huddle closer, weapons drawn.

Ryujin gripped his dagger, though he knew it would do little against whatever was out there.

The sound came again. A deep, groaning splinter, like ice fracturing under immense pressure.

Then came the rumble.

The ground trembled beneath them. Shards of crystal quivered and cracked, sending fine dust into the air.

Something massive was moving.

The squad turned in unison, eyes locking onto a shadow in the distance.

It was difficult to make out its exact form, but it was moving.

Slowly, deliberately.

A creature.

Judging by the sheer size of its silhouette, it was colossal.

Eu exhaled sharply. "Holy shit."

Ryujin couldn't blink. His entire body felt frozen, his breath lodged in his throat.

The Awakened were supposed to be humanity's strongest weapons, but against something this big? Even the most powerful among them would be nothing more than insects beneath its feet.

"We need cover," Nelson ordered in a hushed tone. "Hide!"

They scrambled toward a dense cluster of roots, hoping to obscure themselves from view.

The air grew heavy, thick with an unsettling hum. It vibrated through the terrain, through their bones, making Ryujin's skin prickle with unease.

Was this thing looking for them?

Or were they just unfortunate enough to be in its path?

Then, suddenly—

The shadow stopped moving.

The humming faded.

A long, unbearable silence stretched between them.

And then—

A voice.

Not a human voice. Not mechanical. Something ancient. Something unfathomable.

It did not speak in words but in presence. A feeling.

A whisper inside their minds.

"You… should not be here."

Ryujin's blood ran cold.

He wasn't the only one who heard it. Eu's face had gone pale, his breath unsteady. Even Nelson, ever-stoic, looked shaken.

Andrew clenched his jaw, gripping his weapon so tightly his knuckles turned white. The other two weren't far off from fainting.

They only had a single thought.

Coming here had been a mistake.