Shadow Awakener: The Last Hope
Chapter 1: The Weight of Memory
The morning sun felt different when you'd already lived it once before.
I stood at the entrance of Seoul National University, watching students rush past me with their futures still intact. Their laughter echoed across the courtyard, a sound I hadn't heard in what felt like lifetimes. To them, it was just another spring morning in 2014. To me, it was Day One of humanity's last chance.
"Yah! Eun-sang! You're blocking the way again!"
Yeong-suk's voice hit me like a physical blow. My best friend—alive, whole, not yet reduced to ash by Pride's inferno—stood before me with her hands on her hips. Her dark hair was pulled back in that messy ponytail she always wore, and her awakener badge—marked with a pitiful "F" rank—gleamed dully on her uniform collar.
"Sorry," I mumbled, stepping aside. My own F-ranked badge felt heavier than before. In my previous life, it had been a mark of shame. Now it was a disguise, hiding the otherworldly power Gaia had grafted onto my soul.
[System Status: Shadow Element - F Rank (Sealed)]
[Additional Elements: Locked]
[Quest Alert: Attend Professor Kim's Awakener Theory class without revealing temporal displacement]
[Reward: Basic Skill Point x1]
The ghostly blue interface flickered in my peripheral vision. Ten years ago—or rather, today—this class had been where I first learned about the hierarchy of elements. Where Professor Kim had explained why shadow awakeners were considered worthless in a world that valued destructive power above all else.
"Earth is blessed with seven elements," he'd said. "Lightning to pierce, fire to burn, light to purify, wind to cut, earth to protect, water to heal, and shadow..." He'd paused then, looking directly at me. "Shadow to hide."
If only he knew. If only any of them knew what shadow could truly do when pushed to its limits. I'd discovered it too late last time, in those final moments as Pride's asteroid turned the sky to flame. Shadow wasn't just darkness—it was potential itself. The space between moments, the pause between heartbeats, the void from which all other elements were born.
"You're doing it again," Yeong-suk said, poking my forehead. "That thing where you space out and look like you're carrying the weight of the world."
I caught her hand, fighting back tears. "Maybe I am."
She snorted. "Right. The F-ranked shadow user is secretly Atlas in disguise." Her expression softened. "Is this about your dad's debt? I told you, my family can help—"
"It's not about the debt." Not anymore. Money meant nothing when you'd watched the world end. "I just... had a bad dream."
"Must have been some dream. You look like you've aged ten years overnight."
If you only knew, I thought.
The system pinged again:
[Warning: Temporal anomaly detected. Maintain low profile to prevent timeline destabilization.] [Suggestion: Begin element mastery training within 24 hours to prevent power leakage.]
I glanced at my watch: 8:47 AM. In my original timeline, the first portal would appear in exactly one year, three months, and seventeen days. This time, I'd be ready. But first, I had a class to attend, a professor to listen to, and a best friend to keep alive.
"Come on," I said, forcing a smile. "We're going to be late."
As we walked to class, I felt the weight of shadow stirring beneath my skin. The power Gaia had given me was there, waiting to be unlocked. But timing was everything. Move too fast, show too much power too soon, and I'd draw attention we couldn't afford. The Seven Generals had spies everywhere, even now.
No, slow and steady was the way. Build power in secret, gather allies carefully, and above all else, keep my knowledge of the future hidden. Earth's survival depended on it.
Yeong-suk chatted about her weekend as we climbed the stairs to Professor Kim's lecture hall. I half-listened, cataloging the differences between this timeline and my memories. Small changes were already appearing—butterfly effects from my return. A poster that hadn't been there before. A student I didn't recognize.
"Oh, and they're saying Jong-ho managed to advance to E-rank," Yeong-suk was saying. "Can you believe it? Another shadow user actually ranking up!"
I remembered this conversation. Last time, I'd been envious, desperate to prove I could advance too. This time...
"Good for him," I said quietly. "But rank isn't everything."
Yeong-suk stopped short, staring at me. "Who are you and what have you done with my friend?"
If you only knew, I thought again. If you only knew.
The lecture hall doors loomed before us, and beyond them, Professor Kim waited with his theories about elements and power. Theories I now knew were desperately, dangerously wrong.
Class was about to begin. And with it, my chance to rewrite history.
I took a deep breath and pushed open the doors.
This time would be different.
This time, we would survive.