"No! Damn it—NO!"

In the dormitory of Ateneo de M-anila University, the midday sun streamed through the windows. The sudden outburst echoed from one of the upper bunks.

A figure shot up in bed, panting heavily. His breath came in ragged gasps, his heart pounding against his ribcage.

In Novak's eyes, confusion slowly replaced panic, eventually giving way to disbelief. He stared at his surroundings—blue and white curtains billowing gently in the breeze, sunlight cascading lazily across the room. 

This serene, almost idyllic moment felt both familiar and alien.

It had been so long since Novak had experienced such peace. After the apocalypse began, moments like these became the greatest luxury—a memory almost too painful to recall.

Though he was known as the "White Demon Saint" in the future, feared and revered by countless lower-level evolutionaries in the post-apocalyptic world, he had always dreamed of returning to this time before it all began.

And now... it seemed he had.

In the previous timeline, Novak had offended the Dark Mother Goddess, leading to his brutal downfall. The White Demon City, his grand creation, had been reduced to ruins, and he himself crushed like an insignificant bug under her wrath. 

Signing a pact with a god? It had been like making a deal with a devil.

But now, was everything that happened just a dream?

Memories of the cosmic will, attributes, occupations, zombies, mutant beasts, hidden dungeons, and the looming evil gods—so vivid, so detailed—raced through Novak's mind. Could it all have been an illusion?

No, it couldn't be. Novak banished the thought. His eyes fell to something hanging around his neck, something that wasn't there before.

A tiny hourglass, no larger than a fingernail, swung lightly on a delicate chain.

"Time Hourglass…"

Novak's memories surged. He remembered discovering this mysterious item in a Secret Realm. He had never fully understood its purpose or abilities, nor had the Cosmic Will been able to decipher it.

Could this be the key?

Novak clutched the hourglass, convinced that his return to this moment in time was no coincidence—it had to be connected to this enigmatic relic.

But the apocalypse had not yet begun.

The Cosmic Will—referred to as the "system" by evolutionaries in the future—had not yet appeared. Novak couldn't be certain if his rebirth was directly tied to this hourglass, but he suspected it played a crucial role.

Glancing at his phone, Novak checked the date: 'June 5, 2110.'

There were ten days left.

Ten days until the world as he knew it would be torn apart by the apocalypse.

On 'June 15, 2110', the end would come. A strange cosmic magnetic field would sweep over the Kepler-22b, rendering human technology useless. The Cosmic Will would descend, turning Super Earth into a cosmic testing ground.

In a matter of hours, half of humanity would transform into something far worse than the brainless zombies of pop culture. These zombies would be faster, stronger—capable of terrifying power. Later, even zombie kings would rise, founding their own nations and creating descendants they would call the "Undead."

It wasn't just humans. Plants and animals would mutate into monstrous creatures, and entirely new landscapes and dungeons would appear across the planet, which would grow over a hundred times its size.

The Cosmic Will would grant the remaining humans the power to evolve: talents, occupations, levels, equipment, skills, and bloodlines—everything they needed to survive.

But Novak knew something that few others would ever realize. The greatest threat wasn't just zombies or mutants. It came from beyond the stars: otherworldly races and entities so powerful they could only be described as gods.

In his previous life, Novak had been one such pawn. His striking appearance had earned him the favor of the Dark Mother Goddess, one of the most powerful evil gods. He had become her chosen spokesperson on Earth, her tool.

But in the end, Novak had fallen. Defeated by another of the evil gods' champions, he had been cast aside. Enraged by his failure, the Dark Mother Goddess had claimed his life through the contract they shared.

Cold fury flashed in Novak's eyes. In his past life, he had done everything he could to survive—compromised, changed, even sold his soul. He had won the Dark Mother Goddess' affection by exploiting her vanity, but in the end, it meant nothing.

Power. That was all that mattered.

The true emperors of the apocalypse—those human evolutionaries who had risen to legendary status—had not gained their strength by serving the gods. They had become powerful through their own might.

And this time, Novak would walk the same path. No more servitude! No more being a pawn in a god's game!

This time, if fate allowed, he would take his revenge. He would rise to such power that even gods would fear him. He would make the Dark Mother Goddess experience the same helplessness she had once inflicted upon him!

With a long exhale, Novak checked his phone again, scrolling through the local news. Sure enough, there were reports of patients suffering from strange new diseases—buried in the lower sections of the articles, almost overlooked.

But Novak recognized the signs immediately.

These were the first transformations, the earliest harbingers of the zombie outbreak.

Those with weak constitutions or genetic flaws were the first to change as the cosmic magnetic field descended, transforming them into the undead. And Novak knew, during these ten days leading up to the apocalypse, there was a chance—a slim, hidden window for the strong to awaken their talents early.

And Novak wasn't going to waste it.

Determination flared in his eyes. This time, he would be ready!