A student approaching his 17th birthday was seated by the window of a train. He had short black hair, deep dark blue eyes, and an exceptionally pale face. His worn-out backpack rested beside him, and his school uniform was stained and untidy if one got close enough to notice.
However, what truly captured attention was the light illuminating his gaze—the glow from the screen of his old, battered phone. He was engrossed in reading a novel from a webnovel platform. His fingers swiped across the screen with impressive speed, yet he somehow managed to take in every word. Suddenly, the light in his eyes dimmed as he reached the end of the chapter:
[Title: Save the Humanity]
[Author: Mr. Justice]
[Chapters: 2,340]
[Status: On Hiatus]
The boy stared at the description with a mix of disappointment and frustration. That boy was me, Kim Sugil:
"It's been three months since the novel went on hiatus, and there's still no news..."
'Save the Humanity' was a classic fantasy novel, featuring level systems, hunters, towers, and monsters. It was immensely popular and beloved by its community. Unfortunately, on December 20, 2018, the author placed it on hiatus without providing any explanation.
It was heartbreaking because it was the only story that managed to lift my spirits over the years. Still, I was determined to wait. Maybe the author would return tomorrow, in a month, or even in a year—I would wait as long as it took.
Stretching, I glanced out the train window. The sun was already setting. Checking the time on my old phone, I noted:
<6:45 PM>
"I still have about twenty minutes before I get home..."
I muttered to myself, boredom creeping in. To pass the time, I decided to reread the novel from the beginning. But the moment I opened the platform, something peculiar caught my attention.
'Save the Humanity' was no longer on my favorites list nor featured among the top novels on the homepage where it always held fourth place.
"WHAT?!"
I couldn't help but shout, startling everyone on the train. Embarrassed by the attention, I quickly apologized and sank back into my seat.
My eyes darted back to the screen, still shocked. I refreshed the page repeatedly, but it was no use. The novel had vanished.
"This can't be happening. I was just reading it a few minutes ago... Did Mr. Justice delete it? But why?"
I whispered, staring in panic. Just then, a notification popped up on my phone: a message from Mr. Justice himself. My heart raced as I hurriedly opened it for answers.
Before I could finish reading the message, the train began to violently derail. Lights flickered erratically, and chaos erupted as passengers screamed in terror. I was no exception, utterly shaken.
"OH MY GOD!"
A young woman next to me shouted, staring out the window in horror.
"W-what's happening?"
A thin man with glasses asked, his voice trembling.
One by one, passengers turned their attention to the windows despite the train's uncontrollable swaying. My gaze followed theirs, and what I saw was beyond comprehension.
Hundreds of massive towers were descending from the sky, each impact causing tremors.
"I-is this real?"
I thought, horrified, though my heart clenched even tighter. In 'Save the Humanity' the author had briefly describes the appearance of these towers, their origins shrouded in mystery. Yet, here they were, visible even from thousands of kilometers away, their sizes rivaling five Mount Everests stacked atop one another, just as the author had written.
The entire city was engulfed in shadow. My chest tightened, and I couldn't breathe properly.
"T-this can't be..."
I didn't need to look up to know. A massive tower was about to crash into the city.
The panic in the train escalated to unbearable levels. Cries and wails overlapped, creating a cacophony of despair. The situation was out of control. There was nothing to do but accept the grim fate awaiting us.
I slumped back into my seat, clutching my bag and phone tightly. Closing my eyes, I tried to steady myself. In such a moment, I had to stay strong. That's what she always told me. Yet, tears streamed down my face as I murmured:
"S-someone... help..."
The deafening sound of the falling tower drew closer and closer, until...
.
.
.
.
.
Silence. Absolute silence.
No more screams, no screeching of rails, no clashing metal. Just silence.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, wondering if I had reached the afterlife. To my surprise, no—but everyone around me was frozen, locked in place as if time itself had stopped. Their bodies were void of color, turned black and white.
"What's happening?"
I muttered, glancing at my phone for the time.
<6:57 PM>
The clock hadn't moved.
I stood up, cautiously walking among the paralyzed passengers. At the far end of the carriage, a faint light caught my eye. Drawn to it, I moved forward, stopping in front of the door connecting to the next carriage.
Gripping the handle, I pushed it open. A blinding light engulfed me, forcing me to shield my eyes with my hand.
"Argh...!"
Then, a mechanical voice echoed around me:
[System downloads complete.]
[Player backup successfully created.]
[Kim Sugil, you have been chosen to uncover the 'ending' of the novel 'Save the Humanity.']
[you will now be transported into the world]
[Name: Kim Sugil]
[Level: 1]
[Stats:
STR: Rank F
INT: Rank F
END: Rank F
AGI: Rank F
CHA: Rank F
[Cards: None]
[Equipment: None]