It was just like any other morning.

I had breakfast, played games, and took a nap.

I lived more peacefully than anyone else.

But in the end, boredom always crept in.

"Is this okay?"

As I was mindlessly spending my day, this thought suddenly crossed my mind.

I reminisced and worried about the future.

But I felt relieved knowing that the future hadn't come yet.

However, that future came sooner than I thought.

Rumble—!

An earthquake struck out of nowhere.

The building shook, and cracks appeared on the outer walls.

The glass shattered into pieces, scattering across the floor, and everything felt surreal.

It was an earthquake of a magnitude I had never experienced before.

Biz. Biz.

My phone rang.

It was a call from my sister.

As soon as I answered, her panicked voice came through.

"Ryeong, are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

She must have felt the earthquake too.

But to call so quickly, the timing was perfect.

"Has it stopped?"

The earthquake seemed to have paused.

I answered to reassure her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm not hurt."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Just stay home just in case. I'll be there soon."

"Alright. Got it."

But right after the conversation ended, the loud noise returned.

Creak— Boom! Crash!!!

Concrete dust scattered, the walls ripped apart, exposing steel beams.

The building began to tilt, and the situation grew more serious.

The earthquake had started again.

"What's that noise? Are you okay?"

I slipped and fell to the floor.

Thankfully, I wasn't seriously hurt,

but the cracks in the walls were growing wider.

Anxiety washed over me.

"Ugh…"

"Are you hurt?"

"I just fell. I'm fine…"

Rumble!

With a massive roar, the building began to collapse.

For a moment, everything went white.

Crash!

"Aaaargh!!"

The rubble of the building buried my body.

A ringing echoed in my ears, and blood trickled from my head.

I was trapped under the debris, unable to move, and slowly being crushed, I could barely breathe.

Blood filled my lungs.

My limbs were twisted, and pain and fear sent chills throughout my body.

Crunch.

My phone was smashed.

"Gahh, cough, cough, ugh, ugh…"

I struggled desperately to survive, but my heart was tightening, and I coughed up blood.

My vision went from red to dark.

[Name: Choi Ryeong / Age: 16]

[You have been chosen as a Hero Candidate.]

ㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡㅡ

Dizzy.

When I opened my eyes again, I was certain I had died.

But the unfamiliar landscape, the cold wind, and the strange vibrations pulled me back into reality.

"Am I… alive?"

I looked around and saw a crowd of unfamiliar people.

People of all shapes, sizes, genders, and ages couldn't hide their confusion and murmured to each other.

The vibrations made me feel nauseous.

Confusion took hold as I tried to understand the strange situation.

I clutched my head, trying to remember what had just happened.

The sudden earthquake, the collapsing building, and the pain.

The moment I was crushed to death under the rubble was still vivid in my mind.

Yet now, here I was, alive.

My heart was still beating, and cold air was filling my lungs.

Even though I was certain I had died, for some reason, I was still alive.

[Current Location: Tutorial Tower]

In a bright light, something appeared.

It was a system window, like the ones you often see in media.

And as if entranced, I read the words.

[Congratulations! You have been chosen as a Hero Candidate!]

[Overcome five trials and become a hero!]

My mind went blank.

The unreal situation wasn't enough; now a familiar-looking system window had appeared, leaving me even more dizzy.

[Hello, Hero Candidate. Nice to meet you. I am Angel, and the system is here to assist you.]

A cold, mechanical voice echoed in my ears.

A system window in front of me kindly continued its explanation.

Though my head was spinning, I slowly absorbed the words.

My confusion began to settle, and I started to accept the situation.

[Let's get to the point. If a hero does not emerge from among you, your world will perish.]

Suddenly, the scenery in front of me changed.

A familiar yet chilling scene filled my view.

A burning city, collapsing buildings, people screaming.

Various disasters struck relentlessly, and one by one, people died far too easily.

I didn't know why this hellish scene was being shown, but one person's appearance made it clear.

"Sis?"

I saw my sister, battered and exhausted, helping people.

I had no idea how much time had passed, but her clothes were in tatters, and she was stained with blood, struggling to survive.

In a world that was practically "doomed," people were desperately trying to save one another.

[Your task is simple. Pass the five trials prepared by the God of Light and become a hero. If even one of you becomes a hero, the world will be preserved. But, of course, that's not the end.]

The scene shifted again.

Among the people fighting monsters, magic flew through the air, and a giant dragon roared as it swept across the battlefield.

They fought, helped each other, and celebrated as they claimed treasure.

It was like a scene straight out of a fantasy novel.

[If you become a hero, you must kill the Demon King.]

The scene darkened.

In a massive castle, with storms raging around it, a figure in a black cloak appeared— the Demon King.

People rushed to kill the Demon King, but with a sweep of his golden arm, they were instantly reduced to blood.

The Demon King brushed off the blood on his hand as if it was nothing, then took out a ribbon and disappeared into the castle.

I was frozen, unable to even breathe as I watched the scene.

[Demon King Fedora Field. He was once a saint. Kill him, and you, the hero, will be able to return home.]

The scene shifted back to reality.

I was still alive.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart.

But the system didn't care about my struggle and continued speaking.

[Even if you die during the trials, you will have one more chance. So please do your best to survive.]

Clap!

With the sound of applause, the ground suddenly split open.

I, along with many others, was sucked into a deep, dark chasm.

I reached out, trying to grab hold of anything, but nothing was within my grasp.

The thick darkness below and the rapid descent left me too scared to breathe.

I blacked out.