Joon-ho sat in the lecture hall, staring at the open book in front of him without reading a single line. His mind was elsewhere, lost in thoughts about the manhwa he read last night. How could artists create such incredible worlds? How could the characters feel so alive? Why couldn't he do the same?
He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to escape the feeling of helplessness. But he didn't know that this moment would be the last in his normal life.
When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the lecture hall.
The room was dark, illuminated only by a blue glow from a massive screen in front of him. There was no sound except for a faint hum, as if it came from the depths of emptiness. A single sentence appeared on the screen:
"Do you want to become one of us?"
A shiver ran down his spine. Was this a dream? Had he fallen asleep during the lecture? He stared at the words for a few moments before a button appeared below them.
[Yes] [No]
He hesitated, but an irresistible urge took hold of him. Something inside told him that this moment would change everything. Without realizing it, his hand moved forward and pressed "Yes."
In an instant, blinding lights engulfed his vision, and he felt himself being pulled inward. When he regained awareness, he was standing in a strange street, its buildings towering high yet appearing as if they were part of a digital drawing. The air was thick with an unknown energy, and in his hand, a transparent device displayed a new message:
"Welcome to the new world. Your first mission will begin soon."
Before he could even process the situation, he heard screams coming from a nearby alley.
This world was alive... and it was waiting for him to face its first challenge.
---
To be continued...