I suddenly felt weightless, as though gravity no longer existed. My body floated freely, untethered to the earth, drifting in a space where everything was calm, still.
I opened my eyes, and what I saw made my breath catch in my throat. It was pure white—blinding, infinite, and empty. A vast, endless expanse that stretched out in every direction. I couldn't see walls or boundaries, just a blinding light that felt both peaceful and overwhelming at the same time.
Is this… what they call heaven? I thought, my mind grasping for answers that seemed just out of reach. Was this the afterlife? Had I died, or was I simply trapped in some strange, liminal space between life and death?
I didn't feel scared, which was strange. Despite the overwhelming emptiness around me, there was an odd sense of peace. It wasn't warmth, exactly, but something close to it—something that made me feel like I wasn't entirely alone, even in this strange, endless space.
It was… cold, yet warm at the same time. Hard to explain, but it felt oddly comforting.
Then, out of nowhere, something caught my eye. A small, orange cat with wings fluttered into view, hovering gracefully in the air.
I blinked, certain I was imagining things. But no, it was real. The cat's wings flapped with a gentle whoosh, and it floated towards me with a curious, almost regal air.
"Greetings to you, young man. Nya," the cat said in a voice that sounded far too intelligent for a creature of its size. It bowed low, its tiny wings fluttering as it did so.
I stared at it, momentarily speechless.
"A talking cat? With wings?" I muttered to myself, still processing the bizarre situation.
The cat looked up at me, its eyes sparkling with some unknown wisdom.
"Indeed," it replied, its tone playful yet somehow dignified. "It seems you've chosen to live. How curious... How very curious indeed."
The orange cat's wings fluttered softly as it hovered in front of me. With a soft, almost delicate motion, it reached into the air and pulled out a small book, its pages old and worn. The cat opened it, its tiny paws turning the pages with an eerie grace.
"Let's see…" the cat murmured as it scanned the pages.
I watched in confusion, unsure what was happening. Was this some kind of dream?
Finally, the cat looked up at me, its golden eyes gleaming with what could almost be described as curiosity.
"You're Jin Lee," it began, its voice strangely formal. "21 years old, currently attending university and working at the Association as a front desk clerk. Orphaned, and with no memories of your life since you were 10 years old."
I froze.
How could it possibly know that? It felt like the cat was reading straight from my life, but I had never told anyone—never shared anything about my past.
The cat's gaze softened slightly, almost as if it was assessing me.
"You've lived your life wondering why things turned out the way they did, haven't you?" it said, its tone a mix of sympathy and understanding. "Wishing for a chance to do more, to be more. But now, here you are. This is your moment, Jin Lee."
I stared at the orange cat, still trying to make sense of everything.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper. The weight of its words was heavy, but I couldn't yet grasp what it was implying.
The cat's wings fluttered again, and it gave me a knowing look as if it had been expecting that question.
"It's your chance to turn your life upside down," the cat said, its voice firm, yet almost playful. "And unseal your power."
I blinked, trying to process what it had just said. Unseal my power?
"But I don't have any power," I responded, my words filled with frustration and confusion. "I'm just like everyone else who didn't awaken. I've always been useless—"
The cat raised a paw, silencing me with a gentle gesture.
"You have more potential than you realize, Jin Lee," it said, its tone serious now. "You've been living under the misconception that you're powerless. But the truth is, your power has been sealed. You never had the chance to awaken like others did, because your path is different. Your time has come to reclaim what was hidden from you."
I felt a strange pull within me, something stirring deep inside, but it was still too unclear to understand.
"How do I... how do I unseal it?" I asked, feeling both hopeful and skeptical.
The cat's golden eyes gleamed, almost mischievous.
"That's something you'll have to find out for yourself, young Jin. But the first step is to accept that the world you knew is only a fraction of what's out there."
"But I died already," I said, my voice trembling with disbelief. "How can I redeem my life?"
The words felt heavy in my chest. I had been sure I was done for, that my life had ended in that cruel moment. There was no coming back from being hit by a car, no second chances. But now, with this talking cat and this strange, ethereal place, everything felt… unreal.
The cat looked at me, its golden eyes softening with understanding.
"Don't worry, you're not dead yet," it replied calmly, its voice soothing despite the strange circumstances. "Something has been protecting you. And don't worry—it will guide you in your journey."
It paused, letting the words sink in before adding with a slight tilt of its head, "Are you willing to accept it?"
I stared at the cat, my mind spinning. A part of me wanted to refuse, to say that I didn't believe in anything beyond the ordinary, but something about this moment felt too important to ignore.
"Accept what?" I asked, feeling a glimmer of hope stir within me.
The cat's wings fluttered softly, and it gave a slight, knowing smile.
"The power you've always had, Jin. The one that's been sealed inside of you. It's time to unlock it. Will you step forward into a new destiny?"
I didn't have time to overthink it. My life had already been filled with doubts, struggles, and unanswered questions. If what the cat said was true—if there was even the slightest chance that I could change my fate—then I had to take it.
There was no room for hesitation.
"Yes," I said, my voice steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts racing through my mind. "I accept it."
The cat's eyes glimmered with approval, its expression shifting to one of quiet satisfaction.
"Very well, Jin Lee. Prepare yourself for what comes next," the cat said as it raised its paw and began to chant softly. Its voice echoed through the void, filling the space with an energy I couldn't quite comprehend.
The air around me began to ripple, and I felt something stir deep within me, like the unlocking of a door long since closed.
"You are about to begin a journey that will shape your fate," the cat continued its tone now a mix of reverence and anticipation. "But remember—this path will not be easy. The world you once knew will be nothing compared to what lies ahead."
I nodded, my heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and fear.
"I'm ready."
The cat's wings fluttered one final time, and with a soft, almost imperceptible flick of its tail, the light around me began to shift, warping and bending.
I slowly opened my eyes, the world around me blurry at first. My head felt heavy, and my vision swam in and out of focus. But as the fog cleared, I saw the ceiling above me.
What? Where am I?
I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness hit me, and I winced in pain. My body ached, every muscle feeling sore as if I had been through something intense. I looked around, the sterile white walls of the room coming into view. There was a faint scent of antiseptic in the air.
Hospital? I thought, trying to piece together what had happened. The last thing I remembered was being hit by a car—no, that couldn't be right. I couldn't have survived that.
I glanced down at my body. There were bandages wrapped around my arms and legs, and I could feel a dull throb where I assumed there were bruises and injuries. But there was something else—something strange.
I felt... different. My senses were sharper, more acute. I could hear the faint hum of the hospital machines, the rhythm of my heartbeat, and even the soft footsteps of someone outside the door.
I stared at my hands, flexing them. They felt normal, but something inside me told me they weren't quite the same anymore.
What happened to me?
The door opened, and a nurse walked in, her eyes widening when she saw me sitting up.
"You're awake!" she said, rushing over to my bedside. "You should rest, you've been unconscious for days."
"Days?" I muttered, my voice hoarse. "What happened to me?"
The nurse hesitated, looking at me with a mixture of concern and confusion.
"You were in a terrible accident," she said slowly. "But... somehow, you're healing faster than anyone expected."
Just as the nurse was about to say something else, a sudden pop echoed in my mind.
"Welcome, I'm your guide, Axel. I'm here to help you."
What?
I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. What the hell was that? I stared at the air in front of me, unsure if I was hallucinating. It wasn't a voice I heard—it was more like a message that appeared out of nowhere.
I tried to rub my eyes, convinced I was just seeing things.
But then, I felt it—a sharp pain when I pinched my face.
This isn't a dream, I thought, bewildered. It hurts.
Am I going crazy? There's no way this is real, right? There were so many weird things happening around me—like how my body felt different, the strange sensation of being alive when I shouldn't be, and now… this.
I looked back at the message floating in front of me. It didn't seem like a hallucination.
I reached out cautiously, my hand trembling, and touched the floating text. It shimmered slightly before changing, transforming into the next page of information.
What the hell?
It felt like one of those game notifications—the kind you get when leveling up or starting a new quest.
[New Mission: Learn to Control Your New Power!]
New power? My mind raced. What is this?
I could feel a strange energy building within me, something I hadn't noticed before. I tried to focus on the text, but the nurse's voice pulled me back into the moment.
"Mr.Lee? Are you alright?" she asked her tone now a little more urgent.
I looked at her, still stunned by the notification that had just appeared. "Yeah… I'm fine," I replied, trying to sound normal. But inside, I was freaking out.
The nurse glanced at me one last time before walking out of the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.
"Stay lay down," she had said, her voice fading as she exited. "I will notify the doctor that you're already awake."
But I wasn't thinking about that. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the screen hovering in front of me. The message had disappeared, but the words—unsealed power—echoed in my mind.
Is this really what the cat meant? I thought, my mind racing. My unsealed power…
It didn't make sense. How could I have a power? I had always been weak, powerless, just an ordinary person trying to survive in a world of people with abilities. But now, with whatever this was happening, it felt like something had shifted inside me.
I glanced at the notification again, hoping it would give me some answers, but it was gone. All that remained was a faint, pulsing feeling deep within me like the energy was waiting to be tapped.
Suddenly, the screen popped up again, as if sensing my confusion.
[Welcome to the system. Would you like to begin your training?]
I froze. System? What system?
The words hovered in front of me, the glowing letters waiting for my response.
Training?
I hesitated. Was I really about to train in some new power I had just unlocked? And how was I supposed to control something I didn't understand?
But then, I remembered what the cat said. This is your chance. This is the start of your new life.