The convenience store was a dim, flickering sanctuary in the midst of chaos. The fluorescent lights buzzed weakly, casting long shadows across the aisles. Yohan sat on the floor, his back against a shelf of canned goods, trying to steady his breathing. His body ached, and the shallow cuts on his back from the creature's claws stung with every movement. But he was alive. For now, that was enough.
The translucent screen in front of him glowed softly, displaying his new status.
**[Name: Kim Yohan]**
**[Age: 24]**
**[Title: None]**
**[Class: Threadweaver]**
**[Fate Threads: 2]**
**[Nexus Points: 100]**
**[Abilities: None]**
**[Warning: The Nexus is a realm of infinite possibilities and infinite dangers. Survival is not guaranteed.]**
Yohan stared at the screen, his mind racing. *Threadweaver.* The name sounded powerful, but what did it mean? In the webnovels he'd read, classes were everything. They defined your abilities, your strengths, your role in the world. But this wasn't a story. This was his life.
He focused on the class description, and more text appeared.
**[Threadweaver: A rare class that allows the user to manipulate the threads of fate. By weaving these threads, the Threadweaver can alter events, predict outcomes, and influence the flow of reality. However, each thread comes at a cost.]**
**[Fate Threads: The currency of the Threadweaver. Each thread represents a potential change in fate. Use them wisely.]**
Yohan frowned. It sounded abstract, almost poetic. But how did it work? Could he really change fate? And what was the cost?
He glanced around the store, his eyes falling on a shattered display of energy drinks. The glass shards glittered in the dim light, and for a moment, he thought he saw something—a faint, shimmering thread connecting the shards to the floor, to the air, to him.
He blinked, and the vision was gone.
"Okay," he muttered to himself. "Think. You're a Threadweaver. You have two threads. Use them."
But how? He didn't even know what he was up against. The creatures outside, the System, the Nexus—it was all too much. He needed information. He needed a plan.
The screen in front of him flickered, and a new notification appeared.
**[Tutorial Scenario Completed.]**
**[New Scenario: The Weaver's Gambit.]**
**[Objective: Survive the next 24 hours and unlock your first ability.]**
**[Reward: 200 Nexus Points, Ability: Thread Sense.]**
**[Failure: Death.]**
Yohan's stomach churned. Another scenario. Another life-or-death challenge. But this time, there was a reward—an ability. If he could survive, he might finally have a way to fight back.
He stood up, wincing as his muscles protested. The store was small, but it had supplies—food, water, a first aid kit. He grabbed a bottle of water and a pack of bandages, tending to his wounds as best he could. The cuts weren't deep, but they burned like fire.
As he worked, he kept an eye on the windows. The shadows outside were restless, shifting and writhing like living things. He could hear faint growls and screeches in the distance, but nothing approached the store. Not yet.
Once his wounds were bandaged, Yohan began to explore the store. He needed weapons, anything he could use to defend himself. He found a baseball bat behind the counter, its grip worn but sturdy. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
He also found a small radio, its batteries still working. He turned it on, hoping for some kind of broadcast, but all he heard was static. The world outside was silent, as if the city had been abandoned.
Or consumed.
Yohan shook his head, pushing the thought away. He couldn't afford to panic. He needed to focus.
He returned to the center of the store, sitting cross-legged on the floor. The screen in front of him still displayed his status, and he focused on the Fate Threads.
**[Fate Threads: 2]**
He needed to understand how they worked. If he could manipulate fate, even a little, it might give him an edge. But how?
He closed his eyes, trying to quiet his mind. The webnovels he'd read often described moments of enlightenment, where the protagonist would suddenly grasp a new power. He wasn't sure if it worked like that in real life, but he had to try.
At first, there was nothing. Just darkness and the sound of his own breathing. But then, slowly, he began to see them—thin, shimmering threads, like spider silk, stretching out in every direction. They connected everything—the shelves, the floor, the air, even him.
He reached out with his mind, brushing against one of the threads. It vibrated faintly, sending a ripple through the air. He could feel it, like a faint tug on his consciousness.
This was it. This was the power of a Threadweaver.
He focused on the thread, trying to manipulate it. The vision shifted, and he saw a possible future—a creature breaking through the window, lunging at him. He reacted instinctively, pulling on the thread, and the vision changed. The creature stumbled, its claws missing him by inches.
Yohan's eyes snapped open, his heart racing. It had worked. He'd changed the future, even if only for a moment.
But the cost was immediate. One of the Fate Threads on his screen dimmed, fading to gray.
**[Fate Threads: 1]**
He had only one thread left. And he had no idea how to get more.
The sound of breaking glass shattered the silence. Yohan jumped to his feet, gripping the baseball bat. The shadows outside were moving, converging on the store.
The creatures were coming.
Yohan took a deep breath, steeling himself. He had one thread left, one chance to change his fate. He couldn't waste it.
As the first creature lunged through the broken window, Yohan focused on the thread, weaving it into a new future.
The battle had begun.
---
**To Be Continued…**