Lucian Morgath fell to his knees, his mind in utter turmoil.
As both of his hands instinctively covered his face smeared with blood and the soft flesh of the deceased, unfortunate girl, a somewhat infinitely distant and subtle sound echoed in his head.
[ Ding! ]
[ You have awakened! ]
However, considering his disrupted mental state, Lucian seemed to have ignored this; the trauma from that day suddenly snapped something within like a shattering dream, especially more so when their mother asked him to take care of his younger sister, only for the circumstances to be reversed as he turned out to be powerless.
[ The Heaven System will now determine your suitable Class. ]
[ Awakening... Error! ]
[ Awakening... Error! ]
Amidst these unusual circumstances that were ringing in his head, echoing deep in his soul, Lucian remained on his knees. Some of the bystanders, in panic, also tried to get him out of there before the scene was contained.
Yet he was frozen, motionless like a lifeless doll.
His expression was pale, with his eyes darker than ever; they lost their light as the darkness eventually consumed his will to move a limb.
[ The Heaven System will now take emergency measures for the sake of the individual's awakening! ]
[ Emergency measures... Failed! ]
[ Awakening... Error! ]
Why did this happen...?
Lucian thought as the separate voice in his head was outrightly neglected, as though his brain created an invisible wall preventing it from distracting him.
How... How could I forget it all?
His heart trembled.
[ The Remnant of Damnation looks at you. ]
This wall was then shattered. But he remained fixated on the past.
[ The Heaven System trembles and loses its authority to awaken you. ]
Mom... I know I was just a kid, but how can I be so shameless to never visit your grave since then? I-I deserve death.
[ Ding! ]
[ The Cosmic Fall System under the authority of the Remnant of Damnation begins your awakening... ]
I-I never considered Samantha's feelings all this time. I'm a selfish brother who put up a barrier to protect myself even if I turn out to be totally useless. I-I never did something right for her.
"Hey! Young man, snap out of it!"
"I-is he okay?!"
"Help him up! He's frozen in place, maybe some sort of panic!"
As the composed bystanders pulled him to the side, while the local authorities gradually arrived to assess the situation, the voice from within continued.
[ You have awakened! ]
[ The Cosmic Fall System has determined your Class! ]
[ Class: Necromancer ]
As the messages from the mysterious Cosmic Fall System continued flooding in, something took shape in Lucian's soul.
And before the world around him turned dark, everyone seemed to have been in a state of momentary shock.
[ Ding! ]
[ World Announcement ]
***
Seoul Association Hospital (SAH).
Lucian's eyes flared open, revealing a blinding white light and ceiling as he lay on a cozy medical bed.
"Keugh."
His head throbbed as he attempted to move. Looking around with his hazy vision, the gaze of a nurse in a white uniform writing something on some sort of patient's log met his.
"Oh, you're awake! How are you feeling?"
"W-where am I...?"
Lucian asked; the room he was in appeared to be luxurious as if it was for VIPs.
"You're in a hospital.
"After verifying your identity, we've confirmed that you are the sibling of Awakener Samantha Morgath of the Phantasm Clan, which is why you've been placed in a VIP Room.
"That being said, in case you don't know, awakeners from S-rank and above would have any of their family members receive various welfare benefits such as free health care."
After the nurse told him that there was nothing wrong with his body and that the incident from earlier was due to shock, Lucian was left alone with the nurse's parting words.
"We've already contacted your sister; she says that after her duty, she'd come to visit. Of course, since there's nothing wrong with you, and it's your prerogative as a patient along with the doctor's judgment, you can opt to be discharged as soon as possible."
Lucian let out a sigh.
In the end, I've inconvenienced her.
"That aside... what's this...?"
Lucian pressed a small button on the medical bed's corner, causing it to slowly and gently raise his upper body. Then, as he now found himself comfortable, he read the ominously colored dark-purple frame floating in front of him.
[ World Announcement ]
[ The 13th Eternal-Class entity of the OOD-Earth 1 has awakened! ]
[ Grace shall abound this world. ]
[ The EXP Gain upon slaying any monster in every dungeon increases by 13% for the next 13 days. ]
[ The Boss Monsters' drop rate of high-quality equipment in every dungeon increases by 13% for the next 13 days. ]
[ The duration before the 19th Shadow Wave will increase by 13 days. ]
[ Good luck ]
[ May this world not fall under heaven's gaze. ]
"Woah there... Who's this lucky fellow who awakened with Eternal grade class?"
Well, it doesn't matter. I hope he's not a power-hungry bastard. More importantly...
Lucian sensed the subtle changes in his body, and considering what had just transpired, he realized it.
"Anyway, finally! I don't like the circumstances that triggered it, but I awakened nonetheless!"
He clenched his fists in joy as if he had won something.
"Now, let's see it. Surely, I wasn't the Eternal-"
As he browsed the [ Status Window ] that was bestowed to every awakener, Lucian's expression froze.
"W-what the fuck is this...?!"
...
[ Status Window ]
Awakener Name: [ Lucian Morgath ]
Age: [ 21 ]
Gender: [ M ]
Level: [ 1 ]
Class: [ Necromancer ]
Class Grade: [ Eternal ]
Stigma: [Damnation]
Traits: [Cold-Blooded], [Sense Death], [Nigh Immunity]
Main Skill: [Death Bond (F)], [Eye of Death (EX)]
Other Skills: [Summon Undead (F)]
—[Status Attributes]—
STR: 4
AGI: 5
DEX: 6
INT: 7
CON: 4
LUK: 8
—[Unallocated Status Points: 0]—
...
"I-is this a dream..."
Lucian's mouth was agape as he stared intently at the information projected by the dark purple frame. He couldn't grasp what was happening right now.
In any way, he could.
But he couldn't simply believe that he had just become the 13th Eternal-Class Awakener among all others.
Moreover...
I became a Necromancer.
The only thing he knew about being a Necromancer was that they were the closest beings to death.
Should I ask my sister?
As he pondered, Lucian reached for a remote control and turned on the television hanging on the wall.
Just as he expected, the news was brimming regarding the possible identity of the 13th person to receive the Eternal Class since the arrival of the Era of Heaven.
Opening up about this matter would be practically suicide.
Even though he's a shut-in man, Lucian was somewhat aware that the world of awakeners based on his sister's experiences and other news also involved great pride and politics.
In other words, despite being a new awakener, considering his Class Grade, he would certainly be scouted by either Guilds or Clans.
"Forget it. I need to become strong first. There's time for everything."
Lucian mumbled as he explored thoroughly the information behind every unfamiliar word in his [ Status Window ] and also the additional features of the system that he had only heard from his sister's mouth.
Class: [ Necromancer ]
Description: [You have become the companion of death.]
Class Grade: [ Eternal ]
Description: [Do you think death is the end of existence? Or is it disguised as the true eternity?]
"What's with this speaking in quotes-like description?"
Lucian scoffed.
He then continued, only for his eyebrows to furrow.
He blinked a few times, trying to ascertain if he was hallucinating.
Is this a damn joke?!
Stigma: [Damnation]
Description: [You are eternal. Only two things can possibly kill you: True Divinity and your own Foolishness.]
I-I have become immortal...?
He slapped his cheeks a few times, and shook his head, only to face this new reality.
Lucian read this and that, his face underwent multitudes of expressions, which were mostly disbelief, to say the least.
Cosmic Fall System...? What's that? Isn't it supposed to be the Heaven System?
Moreover, what kind of trash Main Skill is this?! I thought Necromancers were supposed to control an undead army?! Eternal Class, my ass!
Everything for him was questionable, understandably so.
Then, while he was absorbing everything since he had no choice, the system notified him.
[ Reminder ]
[ As the inheritor of the Cosmic Fall System, you must adhere to its ways in guiding you to become strong. Only in this way shall you be able to wash away the sins of the heavens. ]
[ Ding! ]
[ Daily Quest has been created. ]
[ Main Quest has been created. ]
[ Ultimate Quest remains constant. ]
[ Upon completing various quests, you will receive corresponding rewards. ]
Sins of the heavens?
Lucian didn't understand at all. However, seeing this, he sensed that he was perhaps thrown into a unique situation compared to other awakeners.
Wait a minute. Are the other Eternal-Class Awakeners also had their uniqueness?
As he pondered...
Knock, knock!
Gentle knocks entered his ears, and with the door's lock opening, a familiar womanly figure of absolute beauty emerged.
"Oppa? Huh...?"
Looking at Samantha, who seemed to react strangely, Lucian tilted his head.
As she entered and closed the door, Samantha asked.
"A-are you really my brother...?"