Kang Hyun-Jun couldn't remember how he lost consciousness. The last thing he recalled from his "previous" life was the drab, shabby dorm room, noise outside the window, another sleepless night at the computer, and a dull ache in his chest. "A heart attack? No way, I'm too young…" he thought in surprise before collapsing to the floor and descending into darkness.
Now, as his consciousness returned, he was greeted by the unfamiliar softness of a bed and—most astonishingly—complete silence. No creaky mattress, no racket from the neighbors next door. It felt like he had landed in a luxury hotel.
Through half-closed eyelids, Kang Hyun-Jun noticed details: pristine white sheets, a gentle scent of freshness that clashed with the bleak interiors of his former life. "Where am I?"
Thought
(What the… Was I kidnapped? Or am I dead? Maybe this is a dream?)
His heart pounded, and his mouth was dry. He suddenly opened his eyes and found himself in a spacious room bathed in morning light. High ceilings, neat bookshelves lining the walls, an elegant desk near the window resembling antique furniture but equipped with modern gadgets. Even the air conditioner looked brand new. A faint scent of an expensive air freshener lingered in the air.
Kang Hyun-Jun touched his side to confirm he was alive. He was. His clothes, however—silk pajamas, something he had never worn in his life. His physique also felt different—stronger and more toned than the scrawny body he remembered from his "previous" life.
Thought
(My body… my hands look different. It's like they've been rebuilt. What the hell?)
2. Mirror of a New "Me"***
After a few moments of bewildered self-examination, he stood up and hesitantly approached a large mirror near the wardrobe. What he saw shocked him: his face was similar to his old one but lacked the permanent bags under his eyes. His features were sharper, his hair well-groomed, and his skin healthy. In his previous world, he had been skinny, but now his shoulders were broader, and his muscles were defined.
"This is me, but not me…" Kang Hyun-Jun whispered, his heart gripped by unease.
On the nightstand near the bed, he noticed a smartphone. Picking it up, he found the interface in Korean, though some icons were unfamiliar. The date and time read morning, 9:03. The day matched what it should have been, but the year? "20XX"—as if it were a few years in the future. Or was this a different calendar system altogether?
"Alright, can someone explain what's going on?" he muttered.
As if in response, a voice called out from beyond the door:
"Son, you're up? Come down for breakfast!"
The voice was warm and kind, that of a woman. "Mom?" Kang Hyun-Jun froze. In his previous life, his mother had been living abroad for years with his father and younger brother, who had gone there to treat the brother's serious illness. But here…
Thought
(What kind of mom? I haven't seen her in years…)
With a heavy heart, he cracked open the door. Beyond it was a bright corridor leading to a staircase. From below came the aroma of food. "Maybe I'm dreaming…" But this felt far too real for a dream.
3. The "Perfect" Family***
In the kitchen waited a woman in her mid-forties, elegant and well-kept, wearing a flowing house robe. Seeing Kang Hyun-Jun, she smiled warmly.
"Good morning! You slept in today. Everything alright?"
"Uh… yes," he stammered.
A man in a suit entered shortly after, presumably his father. But this was not the tired, sickly man Kang Hyun-Jun remembered from occasional video calls. This man looked healthy, energetic, and smiled at him.
"Good morning. I have a meeting in an hour, but let's have breakfast together."
Then a lively teenager, about fifteen, burst into the room.
"Hyung! How could you sleep later than me, your younger brother?"
"Uh…" Kang Hyun-Jun stared at him as if he were a ghost.
It was his younger brother, Ji-Hyun, who in his memories had been seriously ill since childhood and spent most of his life in a hospital bed. But here, he was running, healthy, and laughing.
Thought
(In my reality… he was almost bedridden. But here—he's fine?)
A pang of mixed pain and envy struck his heart. "Why do they get to have this happiness?"
He forced a smile.
"Good morning…"
4. First Shock at Breakfast***
The family sat down at the table. His mother served plates of omelets, rice, and a variety of Korean side dishes. Kang Hyun-Jun nodded along, trying to figure out what role he was supposed to play. From snippets of conversation directed at him, he pieced together some details:
They lived in a large house in a prestigious district of Seoul.His father was a successful entrepreneur in "portal energy equipment."His brother was a high school student involved in sports.His mother was a homemaker but well-versed in her husband's affairs.
"Portals?" Kang Hyun-Jun stiffened when his father mentioned them.
"Today I'm meeting with the Golden Torch Guild. They've ordered new generators to safely close low-rank portals."
Thought
(What kind of guild? What portals?)
Outwardly, he tried not to show his confusion. Perhaps portals were a normal phenomenon in this world. He needed to act as naturally as possible.
"Yeah, that… sounds great," he managed to say.
His parents exchanged slightly puzzled looks but refrained from questioning him. They probably assumed he just wasn't in the mood.
5. The System Makes Itself Known***
When Kang Hyun-Jun returned to his (or rather, his "local") room, an unexpected chill ran down his spine. Suddenly, a message appeared in his mind:
"System activation…
Welcome, Kang Hyun-Jun.
Analyzing data…
Base stats: Strength 9, Endurance 9, Agility 10, Intelligence 12, Mana 0, Level 1, Karma Points: 0…
Initial shop available. Strength quests available.
Would you like to view? Yes/No."
He recoiled, clutching his head. In his field of vision was a semi-transparent window, like something out of a computer RPG. The only problem—it was clearly real.
Thought
(Damn, have I really landed in some fantasy world where I have a "player system"? Or am I hallucinating?)
Despite his mixed emotions, he mentally selected "Yes." Subsections appeared before his eyes: "Current Quests," "Core Attributes," "Skill Shop," "Inventory." Most were grayed out, except for a short line: "Quest received: Understand Reality. Reward: +100 XP, unlock System Chat feature."
"Well, 'Understand Reality'… fitting name," he muttered bitterly.
For now, his "Karma Points = 0," making divine abilities unattainable. However, the "Basic Shop" offered items like "Weak Healing Potion (10 coins)" or "Strength Training Book (+1 Strength for 50 coins)." Unfortunately, he had no coins either…
6. Contrast with His Past Life***
Kang Hyun-Jun spent the entire day in turmoil. He discovered that his new "self" was a university student enrolled in the Department of "Geospatial Studies of Portal Anomalies." In the morning, his mother reminded him that he had an exam tomorrow. He rummaged through his notebooks, trying to make sense of them. The notes were filled with unfamiliar terms about "mana," "field fractures," and "portal entities." The sheer volume of knowledge was overwhelming, and he understood none of it.
Thought
(In my past life, I was just an ordinary sociology student, barely interested in anything practical. And I wasn't in great health either…)
A pang of pain quietly resonated in his chest as he recalled his old world: a lonely dorm room, parents and his brother far away, grandparents who had passed on, leaving him virtually without support. Here, however, he had a respectable family. Everything seemed perfect: his younger brother was healthy, his father was successful, and their home was luxurious…
Yet, instead of gratitude, he felt envy toward this "ideal" world. It was as if the universe was mocking him: "See what your life could have been if only…?"
7. A Small Encounter: Facing Danger***
Toward evening, he decided to take a walk around the neighborhood to clear his heavy thoughts. The residential complex was surrounded by neat houses, electric cars, and patrolling vehicles from the "Portal Security Corps," with uniformed personnel inside. Their emblem depicted stylized gates.
Then, a scream echoed from a nearby street. Kang Hyun-Jun instinctively ran toward it. He saw a young woman pressed against a wall by three men in black clothing. Their faces were menacing, and the most bizarre detail was the glowing "mana accelerator" crystals hanging from their necks—something he had briefly read about in his notebooks.
"Hand over your bag and jewelry! Don't resist!" one of them hissed.
The woman sobbed, seemingly on the verge of losing everything.
Kang Hyun-Jun froze, his heart pounding. "Should I get involved? I have no skills, no strength!" Yet, he couldn't walk away. In his old life, he probably would have run for help. But now, something pushed him to act.
He stepped forward and raised his hands.
"Hey! Let her go!"
The thugs turned and sneered.
"What do you want, punk? Think you're tough because you're some rich kid?"
One of them lunged at Kang Hyun-Jun, fist raised. He barely dodged but took a knee to the side. Pain shot through him. "Damn it, I can't fight!" But adrenaline surged through his body as he grabbed the attacker's wrist, trying to twist free. Another thug charged from behind, but suddenly…
A message flashed in his mind: "Emergency activation: +1 to Agility for 10 seconds (cost: 10 mana, system debt)."
He didn't understand how it worked, but his body suddenly became more responsive. He dodged the next strike and managed to subdue his attacker. The third thug cursed, pulling out a short baton with a magical charge. "What have I gotten myself into?!"
At that moment, a siren blared: "Portal Security Corps! Freeze!" A patrol car screeched to a halt, its lights flashing. The thugs immediately scattered. Kang Hyun-Jun stood there, breathing heavily, a scrape on his shoulder stinging.
The woman sobbed, "Thank you… you saved me!" A pair of officers approached.
"Are you alright? Show us your ID."
It took him a moment to realize what they wanted. He handed over his student ID. They inspected it, frowning.
"Kang Hyun-Jun, right? Be more careful. Next time, you might not get off with just a scratch."
They escorted the woman to file a report and let him go. His ears buzzed with the rush of blood.
Thought
(What was that "emergency activation"? My System? So I really can use temporary boosts, even at a steep cost?)
8. The First Step Toward a "Quest"***
When Kang Hyun-Jun returned home, a translucent message from the System awaited him:
"You protected an innocent. +5 XP. Minor increase in Good alignment.
Current status: Level 1 (5/100 XP), Good/Evil = +1.
Warning: You must repay 10 mana for the emergency activation; otherwise, penalties may apply."
"Mana debt? What even is that?" he muttered.
The System didn't respond but left a notification: "To restore 10 mana, rest or consume a potion." With his mana at 0, it seemed wise not to push the System further.
More importantly, it became clear to him that, in this world, magical powers were granted either to the "awakened" or those using special devices. Even criminals could wield mana. The world was far more dangerous than he had imagined.
9. A Late-Night Conversation With Himself***
Late at night, when the rest of the house was asleep, Kang Hyun-Jun sat in the dark of his room, watching moonlight streak across the walls. Emotions churned within him:
A sense of injustice: "Why do I get such a good family here? I didn't earn this!"A desire to understand the new reality: portals, awakened individuals, other races…Anxiety over the fact that the "System" was demanding actions and assigning him quests.A strange envy toward this "other" Kang Hyun-Jun, who had lived an "ideal" life.
He punched the mattress.
"Damn it! Should I just live like a prince and ignore all this portal nonsense? But…"
The scene with the thugs and the frightened woman flashed through his mind. "If I hadn't intervened, they would have robbed and hurt her. So I can't ignore the evil happening around me…"
Kang Hyun-Jun realized he couldn't just "relax" in this perfect life. Too much was at stake, and the System clearly wasn't giving him the option to return to his former apathy.
10. A Morning Decision***
The next morning, he got up earlier than usual. First, he checked the bruise on his side in the mirror—it hurt but was bearable. Then, gathering his resolve, he went to the kitchen, where his family was already gathered. He tried to appear more cheerful.
"Good morning," he said, a little louder than usual.
His mother smiled.
"Not oversleeping today?"
"N-no, I… decided to do some exercise early."
His father nodded approvingly.
"Good idea. Physical training helps with studies, too. You've got practical mana exams soon, right?"
Kang Hyun-Jun nodded, not entirely sure what he meant, but he was beginning to piece together that students at his university underwent some form of "mana training."
His younger brother smirked.
"Don't overdo it, hyung. You might hurt yourself."
At those words, Kang Hyun-Jun felt a wave of irritation. In his old world, he had always worried about and pitied his brother. Here, his brother was healthier and even teased him. He wanted to snap back but held his tongue.
Thought
(This family isn't to blame for my past fate. I need to stop being angry.)
This conversation gave him newfound determination. He decided to adapt to this life. He needed to level up in the System, figure out how to save people from monsters, and perhaps uncover the cause of the portals. Who knows? Maybe he'd find a way back… or this world could become his true home.