BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
The alarm rang, breaking through the silence of the room like a drill in his half-asleep mind.
Kaeileo groaned and fumbled around, trying to snooze the annoying alarm without opening his eyes.
He stretched his arms lazily and yawned, the last traces of his dream still clinging to his thoughts.
He instinctively moved his hands beneath the pillow, pulling out his phone.
He checked the time while squinting his eyes against the screen's brightness.
6:01 AM
24th of March 2026
Saturday.
His eyes widened slightly, and he whispered to himself, "just ten more minutes..."
With a resigned sigh, he locked his phone and placed it carefully beside the pillow.
Turning his head, he let himself sink back into the comfort of his bed, pulling the blanket closer.
He closed his eyes and silently and promised that he'd get up soon. But deep down, he knew that he have to struggle.
***
Kaileo's life wasn't exactly what you'd call exciting, but it wasn't dull either.
He was born on November 11, 2003, and his story began with heartbreak. His father died shortly after his birth, leaving his mother to raise him alone.
She was a strong woman who was determined to do what was best for her son, even if it meant going against what most people considered "normal."
She didn't send him to school. Instead, she taught him at home. It wasn't about mistrusting the system—it was about keeping him close.
She didn't want him to feel his father's absence too deeply, so she kept him busy. One way she did that was with books—stacks of fantasy novels that filled his days.
Over time, those stories became his world. Heroes, villains, magic, adventures in distant lands...they weren't just words on a page to Kaileo. They were places he could escape to, worlds he could lose himself in.
And then in 2010, when he discovered webnovels, everything changed.
The platform was a treasure chest full of endless stories. He read everything he could find, often losing track of time as he got lost in these fictional worlds.
By now, you'd think he'd want a life just as thrilling, right? But Kaileo was surprisingly content.
His mother ran a small restaurant. It wasn't fancy, but its food had earned a reputation that drew in customers every day. Online orders kept them busy, too.
Kaileo worked alongside her, pitching in wherever he was needed. It wasn't glamorous, but it was enough.
Still, there were moments....quiet ones, late at night....when he'd lie in bed and wonder.
What if his life wasn't ordinary? What if, one day, something extraordinary happened? Something like the stories he'd read so many times.
It was a brief thought, dismissed almost instantly, yet it lingered in the back of his mind, like a soft whisper, waiting for attention.
***
When his eyes opened, he felt more awake this time. He grabbed his phone, and the cool screen lit up in his hand.
6:46 AM.
"Huh... again?" he murmured groggily, his voice thick with sleep.
With a yawn, he unlocked the device and casually turned on the mobile network.
Almost instantly, his phone buzzed with a flurry of notifications.
His thumb hovered over the screen, but one notification made him pause.
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
'Weird... didn't I turn those off?' He swiped up and opened his settings to confirm. Sure enough, the Webnovel app notifications were disabled.
"What the hell?" he muttered with a chill creeping into his voice.
He stared at the phone for a moment, confused whether to ignore it.
However, he was intrigued by the Webnovel app notification.
The screen loaded, and before anything else appeared, a strange rectangular panel popped up.
The panel was bright and almost matched the app interface.
At the top in bold letters, "Webnovel System." was written
His eyes went over the text below, which seemed both flattering and unsettling.
Below the message was a shimmering button labeled:
|Click here to receive your gift|
Beneath it, another line of text appeared in smaller font.
And finally, at the bottom in bold:
Note: The notifications will disappear in 24 hours... maybe sooner.
Kaileo chuckled and shook his head as he watched the screen. "What nonsense. They really think they can fool me with this? It's April! Haha, nice try."
He closed the app and put his phone down for a moment.
But before he could even lie back, another notification popped up at the top of his screen.
"BREAKING: Reports of the Dead Rising 6,102 Devoured, 3,678 died and Turned monster Instantly."
Kaileo froze for a moment, squinting at the headline.
Then he burst out laughing, louder this time. "Oh, come on. Seriously? They're really going all out with this prank stuff today!"
His curiosity increased which made him to tap on the notification.
The page loaded in an instant, and he skimmed through the text with a chuckle.
It was filled with alarming details about the so-called 'risen dead' attacking people, warnings to avoid crowded areas, and a list of safety precautions.
It was ridiculous. Too ridiculous.
But his smile started to fade when he noticed the source of the article.
At the bottom of the page, a familiar logo stood out in bold: World News Network—Official Channel.
Kaileo blinked. His laughter caught in his throat, replaced by a strange uneasy feeling that clawed at his chest.
For a moment, his world felt too quiet.
"Wait... this isn't funny anymore," he muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening around his phone.
***
Standing beneath the shower, Kaileo could feel the steady rhythm of the water droplets striking his shoulders.
Warmth spread through his skin, but inside, his mind raced.
His thoughts became uncontrollable as he repeatedly rewinded the notification because he could not understand it.
With his damp black hair pushed back from his face, Kaileo ran a hand through it as the warm water poured over him.
He was surrounded by steam, which clouded the bathroom mirror. For a moment, he stood still, letting the drops trail down his pale skin.
His gaze drifted to the mirror, barely visible through the mist. He reached out, wiped a hand across the glass, and stared at his reflection.
Green eyes stared back, bright yet burdened with a hint of doubt. His frame was lean, almost too slim.
No defined muscles, no six-pack—just an average build that didn't scream strength or power.
Kaileo exhaled sharply, watching the mirror fog up again.
'This is who I am, huh? he thought, tilting his head slightly, examining himself as if trying to find something more beneath the surface.
"That's the Webnovel thing, right? Or perhaps it's an April Fools' Day joke to the extreme?" he muttered to himself.
Shaking his head, he turned away and grabbed the soap, scrubbing down quickly.
"Stop overthinking,It's just a prank. You're being ridiculous."
The thought remained in the back of his mind, though. "What if it isn't?" What if this is my chance to change?'
He reached for the towel, drying off absent-mindedly. 'What if it's real? What's the harm in trying? What if it changed the reality, I'm really tired of this bullshit life.'
Kaileo wore a casual shirt and trousers. He sat at the edge of his bed, opened the Webnovel app again.
The moment it opened, the same panel appeared as if waiting for him. He clicked |Click here| without any further ado.
A new message came, sharp and pointy:
1. Draw three interlocking circles on the floor with chalk. 2. Use your blood to connect the circles with a single line. 3. Draw another, smaller circle inside the center of the three. 4. Place an open notebook in the middle of the inner circle. 5. Drop a single bead of your blood onto the chalk lines and recite: "I bind myself to the unknown for the gift of power." Note: Enter at your own risk. Once the ritual starts, it cannot be reversed.> Kaileo sat back, gazing at the steps. His heart was pounding, half with disbelief, half with morbid curiosity. "What kind of....weird cult stuff is this?" he whispered to himself. Still, his fingers lingered over the screen, the curiosity tugging at him. "What if it's real?" he wondered.