In a small, dimly lit apartment, the soft glow of a computer screen illuminates the tired face of a young man. The room around him is cluttered with manga volumes, action figures, and posters of his favorite series. His fingers hover over the keyboard as he scrolls through the last chapter of Solo Leveling. The sound of rain softly tapping against the window provides a melancholic soundtrack as he reaches the final panel. A deep sigh escapes his lips, heavy with the weight of an ending.

"Why does it have to end?" he mutters to himself, eyes lingering on the screen. "Solo Leveling… my favorite manga, and now it's over." He leans back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling. "And of course, it had to end just as I finish school. Perfect timing, right? What the hell am I supposed to do with all this free time now?"

The thought feels empty as it hangs in the air. He looks around his room, feeling the same sense of emptiness echo in the quiet. "Maybe... I should start working out again." The idea is half-hearted at best. "But really, what's the point? I've got nothing better to do." After a brief pause, he nods to himself. "Yeah... maybe a short jog will help clear my head."

He gets up, stretches, and glances out the window. The rain has slowed to a gentle drizzle, and the streetlights reflect off the wet pavement, giving the neighborhood an almost dreamlike quality. With a shrug, he throws on some jogging clothes and steps outside. The cool air greets him as he jogs down the quiet streets toward the park, the rhythmic sound of his footsteps blending with the soft patter of rain.

The park is calm, almost deserted at this hour. The trees sway gently in the breeze, and the occasional chirp of birds cuts through the otherwise peaceful silence. He finds an empty bench near the edge of the park and sits down, his breath fogging in the cool night air. His mind drifts, thoughts wandering aimlessly as he stares out into the darkened park.

"What am I even doing with my life?" he asks himself quietly. His thoughts loop back to the same questions. School's done. His favorite manga is over. Now what? Where does he go from here? For the first time in a long time, he feels truly lost, like a ship adrift with no compass to guide him.

As he sinks deeper into his thoughts, he suddenly hears a sharp, panicked scream. His body tenses as he snaps back to reality. In the distance, near the edge of the park, he sees a small girl standing in the middle of the street, clutching her stuffed animal. Time seems to slow as his eyes lock onto the massive truck barreling toward her at full speed.

Without thinking, he bolts from the bench, his feet pounding against the pavement. His heart races, adrenaline surging through his veins. The truck's horn blares, but it's too late—there's no way it can stop in time. The girl stands frozen in place, unaware of the danger.

"Move!" he screams internally, every muscle in his body screaming as he pushes himself to the limit. Just as the truck is about to hit, he reaches the girl, shoving her out of harm's way. In the same instant, he feels the truck slam into him, the force launching him through the air.

The world spins around him in a blur of lights and sounds. Pain explodes through his body as he crashes onto the wet pavement, skidding several meters before coming to a stop. His vision blurs, the sounds around him becoming muffled, distant. He can barely make out the sound of people screaming, the screeching of tires, and faint voices calling for help.

Then, silence.

As everything fades to black, a thought crosses his mind. "I hope she's okay..." And with that, his consciousness slips away.

When he opens his eyes again, everything is dark. Pitch black. There's no pain, no sound—just an eerie, vast emptiness. He floats, suspended in the void, weightless and confused. "Am I dead?" he wonders aloud. "Is this... the afterlife?" His voice sounds distant, as though it's coming from somewhere far away.

"Am I about to be judged?" he continues, a creeping fear settling in. "Heaven? Hell? Or... nothing at all?"

Suddenly, a deep, resonant voice breaks the silence. "My child, you will not go to heaven, nor will you go to hell."

The young man looks around, startled. "Who's there?" he calls out, but his voice is swallowed by the void.

"You are not here to be judged for sins," the voice continues, calm and soothing. "Quite the opposite. You have saved a life, and for that, I will grant you a chance. A chance to live again."

"Live... again?" the young man asks, confused. "What do you mean? I saved a girl, sure, but does that really mean...?"

"You saved a girl, yes," the voice replies. "But the girl you saved is destined for greatness. She will one day restore peace to the world. You've done more than you can imagine."

The young man blinks in disbelief. "Wait... what? So you're saying because I saved her, I get to live again? In another world? Like... reincarnation?"

"Precisely," the voice replies with a chuckle. "You will be reborn in a world you know well... the world of your favorite manga."

His heart skips a beat. "Solo Leveling?" he asks, his voice filled with disbelief. "You mean I'm going to be reborn in Solo Leveling?"

"Yes," the voice affirms. "And because of your noble deed, you will be granted six wishes. Use them wisely, for time is short."

The young man's mind races. Six wishes? In Solo Leveling? His excitement builds, but he tries to stay calm. "Alright," he says. "For my first wish, I want to be reborn as Sung Jinwoo's older brother."

"Granted," the voice responds. "What is your second wish?"

"I want an improved version of the system Sung Jinwoo gets, but I only want to receive it after he gets his."

"That will count as one wish. Granted," the voice says, its tone approving.

"For my third wish," the young man continues, "I want the power of a Monarch. And I want a new Monarch to exist in the world, one who was friends with the Shadow Monarch and fought alongside him. This Monarch will pass their power on to me, like Ashborn did with Sung Jinwoo."

"That is a complex wish, but it is granted," the voice says. "However, I will count this as two wishes due to its scope."

"That's fine," the young man agrees. "For my next wish, I want the Gluttony skill from Berserk of Gluttony, but without the drawback of going insane if I don't devour monsters."

"Granted. Additionally, I will grant you the weapon of the protagonist from Gluttony, but you will only be able to use these abilities once you awaken as a Hunter."

The young man nods. "For my final wish, I want to be able to choose a power whenever I enter a new world, whether it's a system or another ability."

"Granted, but under one condition," the voice responds. "You must become the strongest in the previous world before you can choose a new power in another."

The young man smiles. "Deal."

There's a brief pause before the voice speaks again, this time softer. "It is time. You will not see me again for a long while, but we shall meet once you've reached a certain strength. Farewell, young one."

"Goodbye... for now," the young man whispers, as everything fades once more.

When he awakens, his surroundings are completely different. He finds himself lying in a small, simple room. His body feels different—stronger, more alive. As he sits up, a sharp pain shoots through his head, followed by a flood of unfamiliar memories.

"So... my name is Sung Dracon ... and I'm Sung Jinwoo's older brother?" he mutters to himself, trying to piece everything together. The realization hits him. "Today's the day... today we'll be tested."

A surge of excitement and anticipation fills him. His new life is just beginning.