Darkness.
An endless void stretched in all directions. A strange weight pressed against him, pulling him deeper into an unseen abyss. It was suffocating, consuming. He felt his body dissolve, as if reality itself had rejected his existence.
Then—pain.
A sharp, searing sensation tore through his chest, igniting every nerve in his body. His mind screamed, yet no sound escaped his lips. A thousand fragmented memories flickered like dying embers—faces he could not name, a world of steel and glass, the hum of machines. Then, all of it faded into nothingness.
His eyes snapped open.
A gasp tore from his throat as he bolted upright, his breath ragged and uneven. His fingers clawed at the rough fabric beneath him, heart pounding against his ribs like a war drum. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and rusted metal, an eerie stillness pressing against his senses.
This wasn't his room. This wasn't Earth.
A cold shiver crawled down his spine. The walls around him were old and worn, the wooden furniture sparse and unfamiliar. Through a cracked window, he glimpsed a sky unlike any he had ever seen—painted in hues of violet and crimson, illuminated by a foreign moon that hung too close, too large.
Then came the sounds.
Distant voices, human yet interwoven with something… unnatural. And beneath them—deep, guttural roars. A primal fear stirred within him.
Monsters.
His pulse quickened. His body felt different—stronger, faster, yet foreign. His muscles were more defined, his senses heightened, and his skin bore faint scars that were not his own. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to focus.
Then, a flicker of light.
A glowing panel materialized in front of him, its golden letters shimmering like embers.
> [Congratulations for successfully Crossing Over]
His breath hitched. Before he could process it, another screen appeared beside it.
> [- First Mission Assigned -]
Objectives:
1. Register as an Awakened-Hunter
2. Reach Level 10 to obtain your Class
A game-like system? Missions?
His mind raced. Was this a dream? A hallucination? He felt the steady rhythm of his own heartbeat, the rough texture of his fingertips, the chill in the air. No—this was real. Terrifyingly real.
And he had been thrown into it without warning.
The world outside was teetering on the edge of chaos, ruled by creatures that once belonged in myths. But humanity had adapted, evolving into something beyond ordinary—Awakened warriors capable of wielding powers beyond comprehension.
And he was now one of them.
His grip tightened as he exhaled slowly. He didn't understand why he was here, or what had chosen him. But one thing was clear.
If he wanted to survive, he had to move.
His gaze locked onto the floating panel before him. He reached out, his fingers brushing against the shimmering interface.
The system flickered.
The first step of his journey had begun.