Ethan Kai stood beside a peaceful lake, a place that was once filled with his childhood laughter. The lake rested behind his family's old mansion. For years, the Kai Family had inhabited this place, reigning over the region, and becoming one of Yeonsin's largest corporations.
Unfortunately, the water in front of him no longer possessed the bright blue hue of his youth, instead, it had become dark and ominous.
Why was he dreaming about something like this again?
Ethan's face displayed a frown as he gazed at the familiar water, reminiscing about days spent exploring the shore and chasing fireflies. Today, however, an uneasy feeling tainted those memories.
He sighed, his breath visible in the cool air as he turned away from the lake. The scene that met his eyes differed drastically from the pleasant sight of earlier. The grand mansion that had become a symbol of stability for the Kai Family now blazed fiercely. Flames consumed the walls, and the majestic building cracked and crumbled.
His eyes widened. He thought he had heard his grandfather's words, even screams, but before he could step towards the mansion, his eyes snapped open. The blaring ring of his alarm clock abruptly pulled him from his nightmare.
Ethan bolted upright, glanced at his phone, turned it off, and returned to bed
It was still eight o'clock, and his classes were scheduled to start at nine. He had some time, so he closed his eyes once more. However, when he reopened them, twenty minutes had mysteriously passed.
"What in the world..." Ethan muttered, immediately leaping out of bed. He rushed to his private bathroom, a privilege offered by all dorm rooms at their school.
After tidying up, he grabbed his thick eyeglasses and hurried out of his room with his red backpack, hoping his Anatomy and Physiology professor wouldn't arrive right at nine.
As a straight-A student, tardiness was not a common occurrence for him. Still, with final exams approaching, he had been burning the midnight oil, working on essays, and studying. This has been proven a little challenging since Ethan also chose to work for four hours every single day.
"Oi, Ethan!"
Ethan halted when he heard a familiar voice.
"Cyrus," Ethan said, catching his breath.
"Running late?" Cyrus strolled leisurely toward him, his blond hair neatly combed, a smug smile plastered across his face.
"Do you need something?" Ethan asked curtly. He didn't expect Cyrus, the school bully, to bother him today since he rarely attended morning classes.
"I need some food. Can you spare some money?"
"I don't have any money," Ethan replied, then attempted to continue on his way. However, another man blocked his path.
"Hey, he said he needed money," the man, a towering figure at six feet eight inches, remarked with a look that seemed more sorrowful than mocking.
Ethan blinked at Arman, the giant who had been following Cyrus for as long as he could remember. "And I said, I have nothing on me. Payday's this Saturday."
"Come on," Cyrus scoffed, then opened Ethan's backpack, finding his wallet empty. Instead, he snatched Ethan's phone.
"Hey!" Ethan tried to grab it, but Arman firmly held his arm.
"You can have it back when you give me money for lunch," Cyrus said, grinning before he and Arman walked away.
Ethan's expression darkened. The other students around him pretended not to notice the altercation, continuing to pass by. 'Being a human NPC is indeed hard,' Ethan thought inwardly, but the loud ringing in the hallway snapped him back to reality.
"I'll see you at lunch?" Cyrus beamed before departing.
[Welcome to the Harmony Matrix System, where strength is honed through battle, and power is earned with every clash. Here, combatants...]
"Oh, please," Ethan mumbled, interrupting the incessant system in his head. "Shut up."
Ignoring the nagging system, he continued running toward his class.
Fortunately, he arrived before their professor did.
"Submit your essays," a cold voice echoed as a woman, who still looked as youthful as she did ten years ago, entered the classroom. She wore an all-red pencil skirt outfit that accentuated her curves. This was Miss Smith, a renowned professor known for failing students more than teaching them.
For some reason, she seemed disinterested in her class, often disappearing for days and only reappearing to administer exams. Despite this, Ethan was eager to learn from her, as she was celebrated for her groundbreaking research on the human body.
"Exams will be next week. I assume everyone is well-prepared. For today's class..."
She began teaching about the human body, and Ethan's eyes sparkled with interest. Having been unfamiliar with this world just a year ago, he knew he had much to learn, particularly about the differences between the human bodies in this world and Earth.
How did the human body function here? Why did some people possess the ability to use magic, enhance their physical attributes, and make themselves stronger and faster? On Earth, they called it superpowers, but here, they were known as Essentia—something Ethan's current body lacked.
After three hours, the class ended, and Ethan grabbed some lunch alone. Then, he attended his other classes and returned home at eight in the evening to prepare for his night job.
Life had been like this since Ethan arrived in this world. He juggled work and learning, avoiding attachments after being betrayed in his previous life by those he cared about. It wasn't too difficult, especially since he now inhabited an NPC—a Non-Player Character—in a VR game he had played in his past life.
This life was something that Ethan learned to like.
Ethan's thoughts were interrupted when he spotted a man in a black suit outside his dorm. He raised an eyebrow and then glanced toward an alley nearby, inwardly grumbling.
It was the dead of night; why was the man wearing black shades? Ethan had explicitly instructed them not to contact him unless something important occurred and emphasized the need to avoid drawing attention.
Wearing dark shades at night while dressed in a suit was definitely attention-grabbing. What were they thinking? Should he call his grandfather to complain?
As expected, the man followed him.
"What is it?" Ethan asked, his voice icy, his gaze piercing.
"Young Master," the man bowed respectfully. "Something has happened."
Ethan raised an eyebrow at the man's solemn tone. "Go on," his voice grew colder.
"We've been trying to reach you," the man began. "Your grandfather and brother..." he swallowed. "I believe it's best if we talk in the car."
Ethan studied the man's face for a moment before nodding and following him to a nearby car. "What is it?" he inquired as he wondered if he was here to convince him to go back home once again. "I still have to study."
"Your grandfather and brother passed away. I'm here to take you back."