Hajun's world had ended—or at least, it felt like it had. The last thing he remembered was the look on Hyunsung's face. That smile. Not the grateful kind, not the smile of camaraderie, but one that sent chills down his spine. It had been calculated. Cold.
And then there was the pain.
That burning, searing pain in his chest. He had felt it down to his soul, the betrayal sinking into him like the blade Hyunsung had driven through his body. It was a memory that wouldn't fade, no matter how much Hajun wished it would.
His consciousness flickered like a dying lightbulb until he woke up here—on the cold, hard ground of an unfamiliar room.
He gasped as his senses were flooded all at once: the bitter taste in his mouth, the acrid smell of vomit, and the stabbing pain in his gut. Before he could even think, his body convulsed, forcing him onto his hands and knees.
He retched violently, blood and bile spilling from his mouth as his stomach churned. It felt like his insides were being twisted into knots. The more he coughed, the weaker he felt. His hands trembled, his breathing came in shallow gasps, and his vision blurred as a coppery taste coated his tongue.
"What the... hell..." he croaked, his voice hoarse.
As he tried to lift his head, the room came into focus. He was in a small, shabby space, the walls made of rough wood and the floor packed dirt. A narrow bed sat in the corner, its sheets rumpled and stained. Nearby, a small table held a flickering candle and what looked like an empty vial of pills. The glass glinted faintly in the dim light.
His gaze fell to the scattered pills on the floor. His stomach twisted again—not from pain this time, but from realization.
"Did someone... try to poison me?" he muttered, struggling to push himself into a sitting position.
But then he saw his hands—thin, pale, and unfamiliar. They weren't his hands. His heart skipped a beat, his mind reeling. He scrambled to the edge of the bed, catching sight of himself in the reflective surface of the empty vial.
The face staring back wasn't his own.
It was younger, thinner, with dark circles under dull eyes. A sickly pallor clung to the boyish features, and his black hair was damp with sweat. Hajun's breath hitched as the truth began to settle in.
"This isn't me," he whispered. "What the hell is going on?"
His chest tightened, and the room spun around him. He felt as though he was on the verge of a panic attack when a glowing blue screen suddenly appeared before him, halting his thoughts.
[Welcome, Hajun Lim.]
[My name is System #009872.]
[You have been reborn as Oren Lesurial, age 16.]
[Previous Host Attempted Self-Termination.]
[Current Quest: Purify Your Body.]
The words hung in the air, the cold, impersonal tone of the System cutting through his confusion like a knife.
"Reborn?" Hajun muttered, staring at the glowing text. "No, no, no, this isn't some isekai crap. What the hell do you mean, reborn?!"
His voice cracked as he shouted, his fists clenching the sheets on the bed. But the System didn't answer his question. Instead, another wave of pain shot through his chest, and his body convulsed.
He fell to the ground again, gasping as his vision darkened at the edges. It felt like fire was coursing through his veins, his limbs twitching uncontrollably.
"System!" Hajun shouted, his voice hoarse and desperate. "What the hell is happening to me?!"
A new window popped up, displaying a simple emoticon:
[:)]
Hajun stared at it, dumbfounded. "Oh, screw you," he spat, clutching his stomach as another spasm wracked his body.
[It's simple: circulate your mana.]
"Mana? What the hell are you talking about?!" Hajun growled, his frustration boiling over.
The System responded with another screen, this time providing a series of instructions:
[Step 1: Concentrate. Sense the liquid sensation flowing through your body.]
[Step 2: Feel it within yourself. Focus on the movement like you're trying to stabilize your core.]
[Step 3: Guide the flow. Maintain it.]
"Liquid sensation? Stabilize my core? Are you kidding me?!" Hajun snapped, his voice cracking. But as another wave of pain surged through him, he realized he didn't have a choice.
"Fine!" he hissed, gritting his teeth. "I'll do it!"
He collapsed back onto the bed, closing his eyes and trying to focus. His breaths came in shallow gasps, his heart pounding in his chest as he struggled to block out the pain.
At first, all he could feel was the agony coursing through his body, the sharp, twisting sensations that made it hard to think. But as he concentrated, he began to notice something else—a faint, cold sensation beneath the surface of his skin.
It was subtle, like the feeling of water flowing through a pipe.
"There," he muttered, his voice weak. "I think I found it."
[Good. Now pull it through.]
"Pull it through?" Hajun frowned, his brow furrowing in concentration. He didn't know what the System meant, but he imagined trying to move the sensation, like unclogging a drain. He focused on his chest, picturing the cold liquid flowing freely through his body.
At first, it resisted, sluggish and heavy. But as he concentrated, something shifted. The sensation began to flow, cold and smooth, like a stream of water washing over him. It started in his chest, spreading to his arms, legs, and head.
His body shuddered as the pain started to fade, replaced by an odd, tingling warmth. Hajun gasped, his eyes snapping open as the sensation intensified.
"What is this...?" he whispered, staring at his trembling hands.
[You are circulating your mana. Slowly but surely, your body is being purified.]
The words hung in the air, and for the first time since he woke up, Hajun felt a glimmer of hope. He closed his eyes again, focusing on the sensation. The cold liquid flowed faster now, coursing through his veins like a rushing river.
Minutes passed, though it felt like hours. The warmth spread through his entire body, soothing his aches and filling him with a strange sense of clarity. It was as if the fog in his mind had lifted, leaving him more alert and aware than before.
When the sensation finally subsided, Hajun sat up, his chest heaving. The pain was gone, replaced by a lightness he hadn't felt since arriving in this body.
[Quest Complete: Purify Your Body.]
[Congratulations, Hajun Lim! You have successfully restored your body to an optimal state.]
He stared at the glowing notification, his mind racing. "I actually... did it," he muttered. "That's insane."
Flexing his fingers, Hajun marveled at how smooth and responsive his movements felt. His body, which had been slow and uncoordinated before, now felt like it belonged to him.
But even as relief washed over him, a new question lingered in his mind. "Why did this body need purifying in the first place? What happened to Oren?"
He glanced at the empty vial of pills on the ground, his expression hardening.
Hajun's mind was racing, the silence in the room only broken by his labored breaths. As the sensation of mana finally settled in his body, he flexed his fingers again, marveling at how smooth and natural his movements felt. It was as though his body had been rusted machinery that had just been oiled and repaired.
But the question kept hammering in his head: "What happened to Oren?"
The System didn't leave him in suspense for long. Another glowing window appeared, the text unnervingly calm for the situation.
[You have been chosen to prevent the 'Bad End.']
[This world, Ferea, is destined for destruction unless specific conditions are met to avert its collapse.]
[When the previous host, Oren Lesurial, attempted to end his own life, your soul resonated with his. The connection between your souls allowed you to inhabit his body.]
Hajun read the words over and over, each sentence sinking in like stones in water. His throat felt dry as he tried to process what the System was telling him.
"So... he was going to die, and you just threw me in here to—what? Save the world?"
The System responded without hesitation, its tone as neutral as ever:
[Correct. You are now the host of this body and the System, chosen to guide Ferea toward salvation.]
Hajun leaned back against the wall, exhaling sharply. He rubbed his temples, his frustration boiling to the surface. "You've got to be kidding me. This is some isekai nonsense... Prevent the 'Bad End'? What even is that?"
The System didn't elaborate. Instead, another notification popped up.
[Quest Complete: Purify Your Body.]
[Reward: 150 Life Points.]
Hajun blinked, confused. "Life Points? What am I supposed to do with those?"
The next window answered his question:
[Life Points can be used in the Life Store to purchase abilities, armor, weapons, or aid.]
[Beginner Pack Available! For a limited time, you can purchase a randomized Beginner Pack for 100 Life Points. This pack will provide five Blessings and/or Curses.]
"Wait... hold on," Hajun said, narrowing his eyes at the screen. "Five blessings or curses? You mean I could just get five curses in a row?"
[Correct.]
The blunt reply made Hajun's jaw tighten. "What kind of rigged nonsense is this?! Why would anyone take that kind of risk?"
[The Beginner Pack is discounted to help new hosts gain advantages quickly. The risk is part of the process.]
"Sure it is," Hajun muttered bitterly, his gaze still fixed on the glowing screen.
Before making any rash decisions, he crossed his arms and scowled at the System. "Alright, fine. First, tell me what this world is. Where am I?"
The System responded with a single word:
[Ferea.]
Hajun froze, his face darkening as recognition hit him like a hammer. "Ferea... Are you kidding me?"
He remembered it vividly. Ferea was the world from The Five Heroes, the novel that had consumed his friends and turned them into bookworms. It was the story he hated the most, a convoluted mess of overpowered characters, endless subplots, and ridiculous world-building.
"Of all the places you could've sent me, you had to pick this one?" he muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
He groaned and sank back against the wall. "Alright, System, whatever. Let's get this over with."
The glowing window updated, showing a shimmering icon labeled Life Store. Hajun opened it, and the menu unfolded before him. The first few items caught his eye immediately:
Oni Blood (100 LP): A glass bottle containing a crimson liquid. Drinking it may turn the user into an Oni or a Half-Oni, depending on the dosage. The transformation grants increased strength and vitality but risks side effects.Dragon Scales (120 LP): A malleable material that can be crafted into weapons or armor. Imbued with the strength and resilience of dragons.Phoenix Tear (200 LP): A rare elixir capable of reviving the user from death or healing all injuries instantly.Mana Core Stabilizer (80 LP): A device used to enhance and refine mana flow, improving magical efficiency.
Hajun's eyes skimmed through the options, his mind spinning. "Hm.. all the expensive stuff is ridiculously good, but the stuff I can buy are also useless, why would I want to be a demon?" He scoffed
The System chimed in again, redirecting his attention.
[Beginner Pack Available: 100 LP.]
[Would you like to purchase? Yes/No.]
Hajun hesitated, staring at the prompt. The idea of getting cursed five times in a row made his stomach churn, but he also couldn't ignore the possibility of getting something useful.
"System," he said slowly, "can you at least tell me the odds of getting curses versus blessings?"
[No.]
"Of course not," Hajun muttered under his breath.
He sat there for a long moment, weighing his options. He could save his points and buy something safer later, or he could take the risk now and hope for something that might give him an edge in this insane world.
After a deep breath, he made his decision. "Fine. Let's roll the dice."
He tapped Yes, and the screen shifted. A spinning wheel appeared, glowing with various symbols. The System's detached voice chimed:
[Opening Beginner Pack...]
One by one, the symbols stopped spinning, revealing their results.
The System's glowing prompt remained suspended in front of Hajun, each option laid out in tantalizing detail. The descriptions of the abilities swirled in his mind, pulling at his curiosity and fears alike. This was it—his first true choice in this world.
He read the options again, trying to make sense of their implications.
Martial Body: A body devoid of mana but capable of reaching unimaginable heights through physical prowess. The more it's developed, the greater the effects.Sage's Eyes: Eyes that could perceive mana and manipulate the nature of magic, turning basic spells into devastating tools.Moon's Breath: A power that ebbed and flowed with the phases of the moon, granting strength or leaving the user vulnerable.Anti: A rejection of the world's rules, allowing phenomena to bend or break around the user's existence.Hair Wick: The bizarre ability to pluck hair follicles to create clones of oneself or others at 75% strength.
"Five choices," Hajun muttered, furrowing his brow. "And all of them are completely insane."
He reread the descriptions again, his mind swimming with possibilities. Sage's Eyes sounded tempting—he'd read enough fantasy to know how valuable magic manipulation could be. But the thought of relying on mana made him hesitate.
Moon's Breath? No way. Strength tied to the moon's phases? He could already picture himself getting wrecked during a crescent moon. Hard pass.
Hair Wick? He grimaced at the idea. "What am I, some creepy hair sorcerer? No thanks."
That left Anti and Martial Body. Anti sounded incredible in theory—rejecting the world's rules, bending reality itself—but the description was vague. It felt more like a wildcard than a practical choice.
His eyes lingered on Martial Body. The idea of honing his physical abilities, reaching heights no ordinary person could, resonated with him. He remembered something his old gym teacher used to say: "The body is a temple. Build it strong, and you'll never fall."
"Looks like it's you," Hajun muttered, tapping the option for Martial Body.
The System reacted immediately:
[You have chosen: Martial Body.]
[Initializing...]
Hajun flinched as a strange warmth spread through his chest. At first, it was subtle, almost soothing, but it quickly grew intense. His muscles felt like they were being stretched and reshaped, his bones vibrating as if resonating with some unseen force.
"What the hell—" Hajun gasped, clutching his sides as the sensation intensified. It was like fire coursing through every fiber of his being, not painful but overwhelming.
[Martial Body is being integrated. Prepare for synchronization.]
He staggered, his legs wobbling beneath him as the warmth turned into a crushing weight. His body felt heavier, like gravity itself was trying to pin him to the ground.
"I... can't..." Hajun wheezed, falling to his knees. His vision blurred, and his breathing grew ragged as the sensation reached its peak.
Then, suddenly, a sharp jolt struck him, like a bolt of lightning shooting through his spine. His entire body seized up, and his eyes rolled back.
And then—nothing.
Hajun's body went limp, collapsing onto the cold floor as the System's final message appeared:
[Martial Body synchronization complete. You will awaken shortly.]
The room fell silent, the glow of the System's windows fading into the dim light. Hajun lay there, motionless, his body adjusting to its new state.