Kael Veran never believed in destiny.
To him, life had always felt like a scripted failure—wake up, work a dead-end job, return home, and escape reality through the digital worlds of his games. His days blurred together, a monotonous loop that stretched endlessly into the future.
But on that fateful day, reality itself shattered.
He had been sitting in his cramped apartment, the dim glow of his monitor the only source of light. A half-finished energy drink sat beside him, his fingers mindlessly clicking through another pointless match.
Then it happened.
A voice, ancient and omnipresent, resonated in his mind.
"The Age of Magic has begun. Humanity shall be tested. Survive, evolve, or perish."
Kael barely had time to react before the world broke apart around him.
A thunderous crack split the sky outside his window. Buildings twisted unnaturally, bending as if reality itself had turned fluid. The moon above fractured, jagged lines of light spilling across its surface. The air grew thick with a suffocating pressure, and a deep, primal hum vibrated through his bones.
Then, he felt it—a force unlike anything he had ever known, pulling him out of existence.
His body convulsed as he was wrenched from his chair, his surroundings dissolving into an endless void. The last thing he saw was Earth itself, bending, shifting, evolving into something… unrecognizable.
Then, darkness consumed him.
[System Initialization: Tutorial Realm Activated]
Kael's body slammed onto an ice-cold surface. The shock sent pain rippling through his limbs, forcing a ragged gasp from his lungs.
Groaning, he rolled onto his side and pushed himself up, his pulse pounding in his ears.
The world around him was alien.
A massive chamber stretched endlessly in all directions, its stone pillars towering like the ribs of some ancient beast. The walls were covered in glowing runes that pulsed with a faint blue radiance, casting ghostly shadows across the floor. The air was thick with an unnatural stillness, as though the very space was watching them.
And he wasn't alone.
Thousands of people lay scattered around him, some groaning in pain, others scrambling to their feet in pure terror. Whispers filled the chamber—panicked, confused voices trying to make sense of their new reality.
Then, it appeared.
A towering figure, robed in shifting black cloth, floated above them. Its porcelain mask was featureless, save for a single golden eye in the center of its forehead, unblinking, all-seeing.
When it spoke, its voice echoed directly into their minds.
"Welcome, Candidates. You have been chosen to undergo the Tutorial."
A heavy silence fell over the chamber.
Then, chaos.
"What the hell is going on?!" someone yelled.
"Where are we?! Why is this happening?!"
People shouted, cursed, some even prayed, but the masked figure remained unmoved.
It raised a long, skeletal hand, and instantly, the chamber hushed—as if an invisible force had stolen the very breath from their lungs.
"Your world is evolving. Magic has returned. Before you can return, you must prove your worth. Those who fail… will not return at all."
Kael swallowed hard. Not return?
Then, the entity continued.
"I am the Administrator of this block. I am here to observe, not to interfere. The Tutorial is absolute."
Kael clenched his fists. This wasn't a game. This was real.
And it was beginning.
Then, without warning, glowing screens materialized before every person in the chamber.
[Tutorial Initialization: Choose Your Starting Path]
1. Warrior – Strength and resilience. Excel in close combat and physical endurance.
2. Mage – Intelligence and arcane mastery. Wield powerful spells at the cost of physical frailty.
3. Rogue – Speed and precision. Specialize in stealth and agility-based combat.
4. Healer – Restore wounds and cure ailments. Vital for survival but vulnerable in combat.
5. Tamer – Bond with magical creatures and command beasts in battle.
People hesitated. Some whispered, debating their choices, while others quickly selected whatever seemed strongest.
Kael took a slow breath. His instincts screamed at him to pick something useful, something that could keep him alive. After a moment of deliberation, he tapped Mage.
A new window appeared.
Name: Kael Veran
Race: Human
Class: Mage
Level: 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 50/50
Base Stats:
Strength: 5
Agility: 6
Stamina: 6
Intelligence: 12
Luck: 4
Skills Gained:
Mana Bolt (Lv.1): A basic ranged magic attack. Deals minor damage. (Costs 5 MP per use.)
Arcane Sensory (Lv.1): Allows the user to perceive mana in the surroundings. (Passive skill.)
A warmth spread through Kael's body. It wasn't overwhelming, but he felt different—as if his mind had suddenly expanded, awareness stretching beyond the physical.
He clenched his fists. This was real. Magic was real.
The masked figure raised its hand again.
"The selections are complete. Now… the trials begin."
A deafening rumble shook the chamber. The ground split open, revealing a massive stone gateway at the far end of the hall. A swirling black void loomed beyond its threshold, pulsing with an ominous energy.
Then, a notification appeared before Kael's eyes.
[Tutorial Challenge: Trial of Survival - Level 1]
Objective: Reach the exit before the Spiked Wall reaches you.
Failure Condition: Being crushed.
Warning: Death is permanent.
Before Kael could react, the darkness consumed him again.
Level 1: The Wall of Death
Kael hit the ground running.
The moment he landed, his body was already in motion, instinct overriding thought. Around him, hundreds of others scrambled in terror, their footsteps echoing through the enclosed tunnel.
Then, the sound came.
A metallic scrape, deep and ominous.
Kael whipped his head around—and what he saw nearly stopped his heart.
A massive, razor-covered wall, stretching across the entire width of the tunnel, was grinding forward.
Slow. Unstoppable. Relentless.
Screams erupted.
People shoved, ran, trampled each other in a blind frenzy.
Kael forced himself to focus. The tunnel wasn't straight—there were obstacles ahead.
Platforms rose and fell in erratic patterns. Spiked pendulums swung violently, their rusted blades promising instant death. Some sections of the floor glowed red-hot, spewing jets of fire at random intervals.
This wasn't just a run for survival. This was a culling.
Kael lunged forward.
His legs burned as he dodged left, narrowly avoiding a pendulum. A warrior beside him wasn't as lucky—his scream was cut short as the blade sliced cleanly through his torso.
The stench of burnt flesh filled the air as another runner was incinerated by a fire trap.
Kael clenched his jaw. Keep moving. Keep moving.
Ahead, he spotted a red-haired Rogue, her movements flawless, fluid, like she was meant for this. A terrified Healer struggled behind her, his breath coming in panicked gasps.
Kael gritted his teeth and jumped onto a moving platform—just as the ground behind him collapsed into an abyss.
The exit was close.
A glowing portal shimmered at the end of the tunnel, its swirling energy promising safety.
But the wall was too close.
His lungs screamed for air, but he forced himself into a sprint—the fastest he had ever run in his life.
Five steps.
Four.
Three.
The spiked wall was a breath away.
With a final desperate leap, Kael hurled himself through the portal—
Just as the wall slammed into the ground behind him, shaking the very foundation of the trial.
[Level 1 Complete]
Survivors: 273/1000
Kael collapsed, gasping.
He wasn't alone. The remaining two hundred and seventy three survivors stood around him, their faces pale with exhaustion and horror.
Then, another notification appeared.
[Level 2: Initiating…]
Level 2 will begin in 5 minutes.
A timer appeared in Kael's vision, glowing red.
[Time Remaining: 5:00]
A collective exhale of relief swept through the group. It was over—for now.
Kael leaned back, his chest still rising and falling rapidly. Five minutes. That was all they had.
No time to celebrate.
No time to grieve.
Just five minutes before the next trial began.
He clenched his fists. This was only the beginning.
And he had no intention of dying here.