Chapter One: The Summoning
The Bored God
Somewhere beyond the fabric of time, in a realm untouched by existence, there lay a being without limits. He was the Creator, the Architect, the one who had birthed everything with but a thought. The vastness of his power stretched across countless realities, and yet, in the quiet of infinity, he found himself profoundly bored.
The galaxies, with their spinning stars and swirling dust, held no excitement anymore. The lives of mortals—fleeting, fragile, and insignificant—failed to capture his attention. He had built it all: the worlds, the creatures, the laws of nature, the ebb and flow of life itself. And yet, in the silence that followed the creation of everything, he yearned for something new.
His eyes, infinite and vast, gazed across the cosmos he had woven. And then, as if to break the monotony of his solitude, he decided to create something else.
Nine beings, distinct and powerful, to oversee and shape his creation. These were not like the mortal souls he had crafted before. No, these were gods, semi-gods, beings with the essence of the universe inside them. Their forms were meant to guide the flow of his new world—yet the god knew that they would be more than mere tools.
They would be individuals, with personalities, desires, and wills of their own.
He called them forth, and from his thoughts, they materialized.
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The Nine Semi-Gods
In the empty void of space, nine figures appeared, each distinct in their own right, their colors radiant and vivid. They had no true form yet, but their power was undeniable.
The god named them based on colors, something simple to remind them of their place in the universe. They would not be mere tools to him; they would be entities, powerful yet limited by their very nature. The names that would stay with them were simple, short, and emblematic of the role they would play in the universe.
Viri—The Crimson. His spirit burned like fire, ever-consuming, ever-changing.
Sora—The Azure. A calm and deep presence, like the endless sky.
Lira—The Jade. A being of balance, between growth and decay.
Kael—The Gold. Radiant and majestic, embodying light's purest form.
Noctis—The Onyx. A dark figure, whose influence was mysterious and shadowed.
Verde—The Emerald. A fierce protector, unyielding, like the earth beneath all things.
Indra—The Violet. A mind ever-shifting, both cunning and wise, full of secrets.
Boreas—The White. A figure of air, swift and untamed, carrying with him the winds of change.
Astra—The Rose. A gentle being, yet full of hidden strength, a quiet observer.
These beings, born from the god's boredom, each bore their own essence. They were not simply minions or servants; they were each capable of growth, capable of challenge.
And yet, one of them, Noctis, would break the calm of the day. He had already chosen a mortal from the world below.
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Lee Seongjin: The Chosen Mortal
Lee Seongjin sat in the corner of the classroom, his bright red hair slightly disheveled as he scanned the room. His classmates whispered, occasionally glancing at him, but he paid them no mind. As the only child of a wealthy businessman and a famous actress, his life was one most people envied. Yet, he didn't care much for status. What mattered to him were the things he could control: his strength, his intelligence, his skill.
At seventeen, Lee was already an accomplished martial artist, having mastered several forms of combat from different cultures. His physique, lean yet muscular, reflected years of training, and his sharp mind allowed him to outthink others, though he preferred to stay under the radar. His life was one of luxury, but he couldn't escape the nagging feeling that something was missing.
As the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, Lee packed up his things and prepared to leave. He had only one more year left at school, and although he was good at academics, he had no intention of attending university. His future was already set, his family's wealth securing him a comfortable life. But something inside him longed for more. Something bigger.
His thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected shift in the air—a sudden pressure that pushed against him, as if the very fabric of reality was warping. Before he could react, everything around him blurred.
In a flash, Lee was no longer in his classroom.
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The Summoning
The world around Lee shattered like glass, pieces of reality falling away as he was pulled through an endless void. His body felt weightless, as though he were drifting through a dream. Yet, his senses were acutely alert. He felt the power surging around him, felt the strange pull of something... otherworldly.
Then, as suddenly as it began, everything stopped. He found himself standing on solid ground, but it was not the world he had known. Before him stood a figure, tall and imposing, though its true form was obscured by the shimmering light of its being. Its color was a deep, swirling black—the very essence of the void itself.
Noctis. The Onyx.
"You are Lee Seongjin," the voice resonated in Lee's mind, deep and unearthly. "I have chosen you."
Lee's heart raced, his mind trying to process what was happening. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead, the figure before him continued.
"You have power, Lee. Power that you are unaware of. Power that I can give you, if you choose it."
Lee's instincts kicked in. He was strong, but this being exuded an aura far beyond anything he had ever encountered. He straightened his posture, his martial arts training instinctively taking over.
"What do you want from me?" Lee finally managed to ask.
The figure's form shifted, swirling like the dark sky at midnight. "I do not want anything from you, Seongjin. I offer you a choice. The world you know... it is small. But you, like the others, are destined for something greater."
Lee frowned. "Others?"
The being's form shimmered, like the moon emerging from behind clouds. "There are others like you, mortal. And there will be many more to come. You will choose your path now—what kind of power you wish to wield in this universe."
Lee glanced at the options, his heart pounding in his chest. Fire, Air, Earth—he had always been drawn to these elements. But it was the fire that called to him. The raw energy, the unpredictability, the destruction. It mirrored something inside him.
"I choose Fire," he said without hesitation.
Noctis nodded, as if expecting the answer. "A fitting choice."
Then came the next question. "What would you have as your special skill, Seongjin? The one thing that sets you apart from others. Choose carefully."
Lee thought for a moment. He could have anything—strength, speed, invisibility—but his mind went back to the martial arts that had shaped him. The discipline, the focus. What if he could master every fighting style, learn every technique in existence?
"I want the knowledge of all martial arts," he said, his voice firm.
Noctis's dark figure seemed to smile, though no mouth formed. "It is granted."
The air around Lee swirled, and in an instant, his vision blurred once again.
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Returning to the Classroom
Lee's world came back into focus, but something felt off. The classroom around him looked the same—his classmates, the desks, the window where the afternoon sun filtered through—but there was a subtle difference. His body felt heavy, and a dull ache throbbed in his skull.
His head rested against something soft, warm—Kim Hae-ri. Her gentle fingers were brushing through his hair, and when Lee's eyes fluttered open, he saw her face, filled with worry.
"Seongjin?" Hae-ri whispered softly, her voice trembling. "What happened? You just... collapsed."
Lee blinked, still trying to make sense of his disoriented mind. "I... I don't know," he said, his voice hoarse. His body felt strange, like he had been through something—something that wasn't of this world.
He shifted, sitting up slowly. Hae-ri helped him, her worry obvious in her gaze.
"Are you alright? You scared me," she said, her hand still on his.
Lee looked at her, trying to process what had happened. Had it been a dream? Had the encounter with the dark figure been real? The power, the choice, the burning fire within him... But for now, all he could do was nod and try to settle the confusion swirling in his mind.
"I'm fine," Lee muttered, but deep inside, he felt something stir—a new awareness, a new potential coursing through him.
He didn't know it yet, but his life was about to change. He had been chosen—not just by Noctis, but for a much greater purpose.
And so, Lee Seongjin's journey began, though he could not yet fathom the weight of what was to come.
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End of Chapter One.
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