Night had fallen, and Hyunwoo lay in silence on his hospital bed. The memories of what he had experienced in the Void still haunted him, no matter how hard he tried to ignore them. Right now, the most important thing was to recover and return to his normal routine—or so he thought.
But that moment of peace didn't last long.
As he closed his eyes to rest his weary body, a faint light suddenly appeared before him. His eyes snapped open, but the room was empty. For a moment, he thought he was hallucinating from exhaustion.
Then, the light reappeared—brighter this time, hovering in midair like a hologram. Hyunwoo froze. It wasn't just an ordinary light—it was a transparent panel filled with unknown text. His heart pounded faster as he stared at it in confusion.
> [System Activation Beginning...]
[Identifying Host... Complete.]
[Evolutionary System Successfully Integrated.]
The words floated clearly before him, though he had no idea how they existed in the first place. They moved slightly as he shifted his head, as if they were locked onto his vision.
"What the hell is this?" he muttered, his voice hoarse with disbelief.
The panel flickered for a brief moment before displaying another set of messages:
> [Welcome, Subject 010.]
[Body Condition: Severe injuries.]
[Initiating recovery boost...]
Almost instantly, a faint warmth spread through his body. It was subtle, but undeniable. He tried moving his fingers—they no longer felt as heavy as before. The pain was still present, yet there was a noticeable difference.
"Is this... some kind of system?" he wondered, struggling to comprehend what was happening.
Before he could process further, a cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind, as if someone was speaking directly into his brain:
"Initiating Initial Process."
Hyunwoo stiffened. "Who... are you?" he asked aloud, even though he knew he wouldn't get a clear answer.
The panel pulsed with light again, revealing another line of text:
> [Basic System Functions Introduction.]
[Adaptation Process Beginning...]
The moment he read those words, a sudden dizziness overtook him. His vision spun, and he instinctively grabbed the edge of his bed to steady himself.
> [Adaptation Complete.]
[Introducing Core Features...]
A new set of options appeared before his eyes, each labeled with strange symbols and words:
1. Status
2. Skills
3. Quests
4. Inventory
Hyunwoo frowned. Everything about this felt like something straight out of a game. But this was no dream, and it certainly wasn't an illusion—it felt far too real.
His trembling hand reached out toward the first option, Status, which glowed faintly. The moment he touched it, a new panel unfolded, displaying detailed information:
---
Name: Kim Hyunwoo
Level: 1
Title: None
Condition: Severe Injuries, Extreme Fatigue
HP: 100
MP: 50
Strength (STR): 10
Agility (AGI): 8
Endurance (END): 12
Intelligence (INT): 7
Perception (PER): 5
Void Resistance (VR): 0
Adaptability (ADP): 0
Evolution Points (EP): 0
---
Hyunwoo stared at the panel, his mind blank.
"What... is all this?" he murmured.
The sheer amount of detail was overwhelming, as if his very existence had been quantified. Before he could fully grasp it, the screen shifted again.
> [First Quest: Survive]
[Description: Adaptation is the first step. Ensure your body fully recovers before receiving the next mission.]
[Reward: Unlock Additional Features.]
Hyunwoo's expression darkened. This was too much to take in at once. But one thing was certain—this system, whatever it was, had changed everything.
The sound of the door opening snapped him out of his thoughts.
Seyeon walked in, carrying a tray of food. Hyunwoo quickly looked away from the floating panel, pretending nothing had happened. He had no idea if others could see what he was seeing, but he wasn't about to take any chances.
"Oppa, are you okay?" Seyeon asked, placing the tray on the table.
Hyunwoo nodded slowly, forcing a small smile. "Yeah... I just need some rest," he replied.
But deep inside, he knew—his life would never be the same again.
The system, the Void, those monsters—this was only the beginning.
His eyes returned to the screen, his thoughts a whirlwind of emotions.
> [Loading System Information...]
HP: Represents physical durability. If this number reaches zero, you die.
MP: The energy required to use skills or magical abilities.
Strength (STR): Determines physical power.
Agility (AGI): Affects speed and evasion.
Endurance (END): Determines body durability and maximum HP.
Intelligence (INT): Affects magical power and maximum MP.
Perception (PER): Increases detection abilities and attack accuracy.
Void Resistance (VR): Resistance against the corrosive energy of the Void.
Adaptability (ADP): The ability to evolve under extreme conditions or new threats.
Evolution Points (EP): Points that can be used to unlock new abilities or enhance stats.
> [Note:] Stats can be improved through Level Up or Evolution Points.]
Hyunwoo's gaze lingered on the terms Void Resistance and Adaptability.
"What do those mean? And how does all of this connect to the Void?" he pondered.
> [Welcome to the Evolutionary System.]
[This system was created to push subjects toward their next stage of evolution.]
Hyunwoo frowned. Evolution? The next stage?
There were no further explanations—only those cryptic words. His attention shifted to the next option: Skills. If this system was meant to help him survive, he needed to understand how to use it.
With hesitation, he selected it.
> [Skills: None Available.]
His brows furrowed. "No skills...? What kind of system is this?"
Before he could question further, new messages appeared.
> [Adaptation Process Beginning...]
[Enhancing Physical Durability.]
[Process Initiating in 3... 2... 1...]
Without warning, a sharp pain surged through his body.
It wasn't like the pain from his injuries—this was something deeper, as if his very being was being pulled apart and reassembled.
Hyunwoo gasped, gripping the edge of the bed as his body trembled. A suffocating pressure weighed down on him, as if something unseen was forcing him to change.
"Why... does this feel so heavy?" he thought, his vision blurring.
His fingers tightened against the sheets. He had no idea what was happening to him, but one thing was clear—this was just the beginning of something far beyond his comprehension.