**Seoul – October 17th, 2037 – 3:42 AM**
The only light in the room came from the computer screen.
Kim Ji-Hoon sat hunched at his desk, eyes red, fingers moving fast over the keyboard. His small one-room apartment smelled like instant noodles, cold coffee, and sweat. The heater buzzed quietly in the corner, fighting the chill that crept in through the cracked window.
He hadn't slept in two nights.
Ji-Hoon leaned back and rubbed his eyes. The unfinished game he'd been building flickered on the screen—a dungeon survival game. Nothing fancy. No story. Just traps, monsters, and code that barely held together.
The monitor glitched.
He paused.
Static danced across the screen for a split second. Then it was gone. He stared for a moment, confused, then shook his head.
*"Probably nothing."*
He went back to debugging. Some event triggers weren't working again. The enemies spawned out of order. He sighed and reached for his mug.
Empty.
When he looked back at the screen, something was different.
His game had stopped running. A figure stood in the middle of the hallway—tall, cloaked in black, with no face. Ji-Hoon hadn't coded that. He hadn't modeled that character at all.
Then it moved.
The figure raised its hand, like it was reaching for him. Ji-Hoon froze.
A noise came from the speakers. Not a scream. Not a word. Just a garbled mess of broken sound.
> "—not… yet…"
The lights flickered. His computer shut off completely. Darkness filled the room.
Ji-Hoon sat frozen, heart pounding. He stared at the dead screen for a long time.
Was it stress?
Hallucination?
Maybe he had finally pushed himself too far.
After resting for about an hour, he stood up, grabbed his hoodie from the chair, and headed for the door.
He needed refreshment. Or maybe just air.
---
**5:12 AM**
The streets outside were quiet.
Too quiet.
Ji-Hoon walked down the narrow alley behind his apartment building, hands stuffed in his hoodie pocket. The wind felt colder than usual. A few neon signs flickered, and trash was scattered across the sidewalk.
He didn't live in the best part of Seoul. It was the kind of area where no one asked questions. Rent was cheap, and most people kept to themselves.
He rounded the corner, heading for the small convenience store a few blocks away.
Then he stopped.
Someone was lying on the ground across the street.
At first, he thought it was a drunk passed out after a long night. But the body wasn't moving. There was a dark red stain spreading from the neck.
Ji-Hoon's mouth went dry.
Before he could step forward, he heard a sound. A low, wet noise, like meat being torn apart.
His eyes moved.
A few meters ahead, near the dumpster, something hunched over another body.
It looked human—almost. But the skin was greenish-gray, and its arms were too long. Its fingers ended in claws. It was biting into someone's chest.
The creature looked up.
Their eyes met.
Ji-Hoon turned and ran.
---
The door to one of the nearby apartments was open just a crack.
He pushed it open and ducked inside, slamming it shut behind him. His chest burned. His breath came out in sharp gasps. He locked the door quickly, then backed away.
The room was almost a copy of his own. Small kitchen. Old sofa. Cheap wallpaper. He didn't know who had lived here, but he had a terrible feeling they were one of the bodies outside.
Then came the sound of footsteps.
Scratching.
The creature had followed.
It began banging on the door, slow at first, then harder. The wood creaked under the force.
Ji-Hoon looked around, panicked.
There was a wardrobe in the corner—tall and heavy-looking.
He crouched behind it, holding his breath.
The door burst open.
The thing snarled as it entered the room, sniffing the air. It walked with awkward, twitchy steps. Like its joints bent the wrong way. It pulled open cabinets, knocked over a chair, then moved closer.
Ji-Hoon waited, heart pounding.
The moment it turned its back, he pushed with all his strength.
The wardrobe toppled, slamming onto the goblin. Clothes spilled across its face.It screamed and struggled to get out.
Ji-Hoon grabbed a baseball bat resting near the couch.
He ran forward and swung.
The first hit made it scream.
The second made it stop moving.
He hit it a third time, just in case.
Then silence.
He dropped the bat. His hands were shaking.
*What the hell was that?*
---
Then something appeared in the air.
A glowing screen, floating like a hologram in front of him.
It had lines of text. Stats. Numbers. A strange interface like something out of a game.
He stared at it in disbelief.
---
[System Installation Complete]
Welcome,
User: Kael Veythar
Title: Anchor of Earth
Level: 1
—
ATTRIBUTES
Strength: 10
(Measures physical power, intimidation, and carrying capacity)
Constitution: 11
(Measures endurance, stamina, and healthiness)
Dexterity: 9
(Measures agility, balance, coordination, and reflexes)
Intelligence: 13
(Measures reasoning, critical thinking, and logic)
Wisdom: 12
(Measures perception, awareness, and intuition)
Charisma: 8
(Measures influence, leadership, and persuasiveness)
—
Faith Points: 100
Coins: 1,000
Abilities Unlocked:
– Healing Light (30 FP)
– Creation Spark (50 FP)
System Shop Access: [UNLOCKED]
Registered Items: 0/10
Quest Added: Recruit 7 Followers
(Requirement: Trust ≥ 60)
---
"...What?"
Ji-Hoon didn't know if he was dreaming or finally going insane.
"Kael Veythar…?"
Ji-Hoon muttered the name out loud. It didn't feel like his. And yet… it stirred something.
Like hearing a name you almost remembered from a dream.
His real name wasn't Kael. But when he said it, a warm sensation moved through his chest. The room felt a little brighter. The air, thinner. The name responded.
It seemed, the system clearly wanted him to use it.
---
He then tapped the interface. It reacted to his touch like a real screen.
He looked at the dead goblin on the floor. Then back at the display.
The coins seemed to came from it. The concept of getting reward for hunting mob was not new to a korean man.
He checked the "Register Item" option and held up a bottle of water from the fridge.
A scan beam passed over it.
> **\[Water registered – Cost: 10 Coins]**
He tried buying one.
It materialized in his hand, same temperature, same label. It was real.
He tried the same with a ramen pack.
> **\[Ramen registered – Cost: 20 Coins]**
Hot steam rose from the bowl as soon as it appeared. The smell was familiar.
He sat down slowly, hands still shaking.
Nothing made sense anymore.
---
**8:32 AM**
A few hours passed.
Ji-Hoon sat with his back against the wall in his apartment, eating the ramen. It tasted exactly like the real thing.
Outside, the sky had started to change. Dark lines stretched across it—thin cracks like something was pulling the sky apart. A faint glow shimmered around them, flickering like broken glass.
He stared through the window, trying to understand.
The air felt heavier.
Then he saw people.
A man and woman were standing in the street below. The woman was holding a small child—wounded, from the look of it. They were looking around, panicked.
Ji-Hoon hesitated.
He didn't know if he should go and help them.
People change in survival situations. Trust was dangerous.
But the child…
He grabbed the bat and walked down the stairs.
"Upstairs," he said quietly. "You'll be safer there."
The couple froze. The man stepped forward, eyes narrowing when he saw the bat in Ji-Hoon's hand.
"Don't try anything," he warned, tense.
"I won't" Ji-Hoon said calmly. "You want help or not?"
The woman nodded quickly.
They entered. The girl winced, trying not to cry.
"We need first-aid," the woman said. "Do you have anything?"
Ji-Hoon looked at the girl's leg. He called up his system.
Faith Points: 100
He crouched and held out his hand. Light gathered in his palm—soft, gold, and steady.
The Healing Light flowed over the wound.
The child let out a breath.
The bleeding stopped. Her leg looked almost normal.
[Faith Gained: +70]
[Faith Gained: +40]
[Faith Gained: +40]
They stared at him.
Not afraid. Not confused.
But like something had shifted.
Ji-Hoon walked over to the system panel, bought a ramen and water set, and handed it to the couple.
The food appeared in midair, shimmering, solidifying out of nothing.
The man took a step back.
The woman's mouth fell open.
The child whispered, "You're like… magic."
[Trust Threshold Reached: 60]
[Follower Registered – 3/7]
Ji-Hoon glanced at the screen.
He said nothing.
But the name Kael Veythar lingered in his thoughts.
---
Ji-Hoon returned to the window.
The cracks in the sky were growing.
Somewhere, far above, something shifted.
He didn't know what was coming.
But the world was changing.
And something had just started.
----------------------------------------
**Kim Ji-Hoon – Physical Description**
Kim Ji-Hoon or call him Joon in short, is tall, standing at around 6 feet (183 cm), with a naturally lean yet athletic build—more from long walks and skipped meals than actual workouts. He has sharp, clean-cut features, the kind that look effortlessly handsome even when tired. His jet-black hair is slightly messy, often falling into his eyes due to neglect rather than style.
His eyes are a deep ash brown, almost black in certain lighting, with a constant calm intensity—like he's always thinking, always watching. He has a pale, slightly cool-toned complexion, a result of spending too much time indoors under artificial light. There's a faint shadow of stubble on his jaw most days, especially when he forgets to shave during long coding marathons.
Despite his good looks, Joon has always looked a bit withdrawn—an expression caught somewhere between fatigue and thoughtfulness. He doesn't smile often, but when he does, it's subtle and quiet, carrying more warmth than words.
He usually wears simple, worn-out clothes—hoodies, joggers, layered shirts—more out of practicality than fashion.
He lived in a old style apartment on 2nd floor in the outskirts of Seoul.