Chapter 2: The First Trial
Professor Kim's lecture felt like watching a recording of a memory. Every word, every gesture was exactly as I remembered—until it wasn't.
"The element hierarchy has stood unchallenged for generations," he said, chalk scratching against the blackboard as he drew the familiar pyramid. "At the top, we have lightning and fire, the supreme offensive elements. Below them..."
[System Alert: Divergence Detected]
[Timeline Variance: 0.03%]
[New Information Available]
I blinked at the notification. This wasn't how the lecture had gone last time. Professor Kim had never mentioned—
"And then we have the anomalies," he continued, drawing a circle outside the pyramid. "The dual-elementals of legend. The stories say that in ancient times, there were those who could wield more than one element. But such tales are merely that—stories to entertain children."
My heart raced. Was the timeline already changing? Or had I simply forgotten this detail from before? Ten years was a long time, and memory was treacherous.
[Quest Updated: Investigate Historical Records of Dual-Elementals]
[Reward: Advanced Skill Point x1]
[Warning: Current Power Level Insufficient for Multi-Element Manipulation]
Beside me, Yeong-suk was doodling in her notebook—precise diagrams of water manipulation techniques she'd never be able to use. In my previous life, I'd never understood why an F-ranked shadow user spent so much time studying water techniques. Now I knew: her mother had been a water awakener before she died in the first portal incident.
An incident that wouldn't happen this time. Not if I could help it.
"Psst," Joon-woo whispered from the row behind me. "Lunch at the usual place?"
I turned slightly, catching sight of my other best friend. Joon-woo, with his perpetually rumpled uniform and the burn scar on his left hand from a failed attempt to manifest fire powers. In my original timeline, he'd died trying to save a family from Pride's flames. His last words had been an apology—for not being stronger.
"Yeah," I whispered back. "The usual place."
The "usual place" was a small pojangmacha near campus, run by an old woman who never seemed to mind that we could only afford the cheapest items on her menu. We called her Halmeoni, and she treated us like the grandchildren she'd never had.
After class, as we made our way through Seoul's busy streets, I found myself cataloging everything that could become a weapon. Shadow manipulation wasn't just about hiding anymore—Gaia's gift had shown me that. Every shadow was a doorway. Every darkness held potential.
[System Notice: Training Location Identified]
[Recommendation: Begin Basic Shadow Manipulation in Isolated Environment]
[Caution: Power Signature May Be Detectable to High-Rank Awakeners]
The pojangmacha was exactly as I remembered it: red tent walls fluttering in the spring breeze, plastic stools crowded around metal tables, the smell of tteokbokki and odeng filling the air. Halmeoni looked up as we entered, her weathered face creasing into a smile.
"Ah, my poor students! Come, come. I have new kimchi today."
We settled into our usual spots, and I found myself studying Halmeoni more carefully than I ever had before. There was something about the way she moved—a subtle grace that seemed at odds with her apparent age.
[System Alert: Unusual Energy Signature Detected]
[Analysis: Subject Shows Traces of Suppressed Power] [
Recommendation: Exercise Caution]
"Eun-sang-ah," Halmeoni said, setting down a steaming bowl of ramyeon, "you look different today. Like you've seen a ghost."
I met her eyes, and for a moment, I could have sworn I saw something ancient and knowing in their depths. "Not a ghost, Halmeoni. Just... remembering things that haven't happened yet."
She paused, her hand hovering over the table. Then she laughed, the sound perfectly ordinary, perfectly human. "Aish, you young people and your strange talk. Eat, eat! You're too skinny."
Yeong-suk launched into a complaint about Professor Kim's lecture, with Joon-woo adding his own colorful commentary. I let their voices wash over me, treasuring this moment even as I planned how to protect it.
[New Quest Available: The Old Woman's Secret]
[Objective: Discover Halmeoni's True Identity]
[Reward: Unknown]
[Warning: Quest May Alter Timeline Significantly]
I had ten years to prevent the apocalypse. Ten years to master seven elements. Ten years to save everyone I loved.
But first, I had to master the shadows. And as I sat there, listening to my friends laugh and argue, I could feel them gathering. In the corners of the tent, under the tables, behind Halmeoni's ancient stove—the shadows were waiting. Watching. Ready to reveal their secrets to someone who finally understood their true potential.
Tonight, my real training would begin.
Tonight, I would take the first step toward becoming what this world needed.
Even if it meant giving up who I used to be.