Inside a white room, a handsome young man slowly opened his eyes after an unknown period of deep slumber.
His brown eyes scanned the quiet surroundings before he sat up in bed, his neck-length light blonde hair tousled by a gentle breeze drifting through the open window.
"Where am I…?" he murmured.
He tried to recall what had happened before he lost consciousness and awoke in this unfamiliar place, but his memories were shrouded in haze.
As time passed, his memories gradually began to clear. However, his thoughts were soon interrupted by the soft sound of a door opening.
The young man turned toward it, watching as a woman in blue scrubs stepped into the room.
"Oh?" She let out a surprised sound upon noticing he was awake and quickly approached the bed.
"How are you feeling? Do you feel pain anywhere?" she asked.
"No… I am fine. Where am I? And who are you?"
"I'm Nurse Joy, and you're currently at Hope Hospital. Do you remember what happened?"
The young man closed his eyes and recalled what he could, "I remember seeing a crack in the sky… then… it opened and… hideous beings rushed out…"
When the young man showed signs of pain on his face, Nurse Joy quickly interrupted, "Okay, that's enough."
"A sudden invasion occurred at the Spring Orphanage, where we found you unconscious."
"Spring Orphanage!" Upon hearing this name, a wave of memories immediately began flooding into the young man's head.
"W-What happened to the orphanage?! Is everyone okay?!" he grabbed Nurse Joy's arm and asked.
However, Nurse Joy shook her head and spoke in a soft, pitiful voice, "I'm sorry, but by the time help arrived, the whole place had already been burned to the ground. You were also the only one we rescued."
Tears flowed down the young man's face.
"Again… Once again, I am the only one who made it out alive… why?"
"..."
Nurse Joy remained silent and patiently waited for the young man to recover.
Once the young man calmed down again, she asked, "Do you remember your name?"
"My name… my name is Aslan," he said.
"Aslan, huh? A great name. Then I'll go get the doctor now. Be right back."
Once Nurse Joy left the room, Aslan lay back on the bed and stared blankly at the empty ceiling, his expression dazed.
In this world known as Earth, otherworldly entities began invading two hundred years ago.
Their apparent goal was simple: widespread destruction and the annihilation of humanity—at least that was what everyone on Earth believed until they learned the truth.
In truth, these invasions were nothing more than a twisted form of entertainment for god-like beings dwelling somewhere in the depths of outer space. A game of sorts.
However, not wanting the game to end too quickly, the Gods gave humans the power to fight back against these invasions—a blessing known as 'God's Grace,' a system that grants humans the ability to level up and attain unique powers, much like a character in a video game.
Moreover, the number of invasions against Earth is limited, giving humans not only time but also the opportunity to grow. Yet Aslan, barely an adult, had already experienced several invasions—not ordinary ones, but sudden, abnormal occurrences that could erupt at any moment.
Though these anomalies were generally less devastating than full-scale invasions, their unpredictability made them dangerously destructive.
Aslan encountered his first sudden invasion at the age of five, an event that cost him both his sister and his father. Then, less than a year later, he survived a second sudden invasion, one that claimed his mother, the last of his remaining family, leaving him utterly alone.
After losing his entire family, he was placed in an orphanage, where he endured mistreatment and frequent abuse.
But that nightmare only ended with the beginning of another.
At the age of ten, four years after the last invasion, he faced a third sudden invasion. The orphanage was reduced to rubble, and everyone there perished—everyone except him.
By now, Aslan was convinced he was cursed.
So when he was taken to another orphanage, the Spring Orphanage, he could only brace himself for history to repeat itself.
Yet four years passed, and nothing happened.
The Spring Orphanage also treated him with kindness and care, something he had never known in his previous home.
And finally, just as hope had begun to bloom again, two years later, disaster struck once more.
As a result, he was once again left alone, devastated and hollow.
"Why am I still alive? Why didn't I die with my family? Why was I the only one spared at the orphanage? Twice, at that…" he muttered, dazed and hollow-eyed.
Suddenly, Aslan turned toward the open window beside him, a dark thought creeping into his mind like a shadow.
"If I am fated to suffer constantly, I might as well end things now…"
He rose from the bed and walked toward the window, his face blank, devoid of all emotion.
"If I remain alive, more people will get hurt. That's right… I should just end it here."
Just as Aslan placed his hands on the window frame and prepared to leap, a translucent screen materialized before him, its surface etched with words.
[??? has shown interest in your meaningless existence]
[??? extends their hand, and with it, a Unique Quest]
[You have received the Unique Quest 'Path of the All-Encompassing']
[Quest: Path of the All-Encompassing]
[Difficulty: Easy]
[Description: In order to begin your journey, you must first obtain your Class]
[??? says: If you wish to defy your fate and end the cause of your nightmares, follow the quest and walk the Path of the All-Encompassing!]
Aslan halted his movements and stared at the screen with a dumbfounded look on his face.
"Defy my fate? Path of the All-Encompassing…?"
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening again.
"H-Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Nurse Joy cried out, her voice sharp with panic as she spotted Aslan by the window.
She rushed over and seized his hand, yanking him back to safety.
"No matter how hard life gets, you should never think about ending it early!"
"I…wasn't thinking of anything like that. I wanted a stronger breeze, so I went to open the window." Aslan lied with a straight face, something he was used to doing.
Nurse Joy wore a doubtful look on her face.
"Is that so? Anyway, the doctor will be here any minute."
Moments later, a middle-aged man in a white gown entered the room and began examining Aslan.
But he used no tools—only his eyes and the unique abilities granted by the Class 'Examiner,' which allowed him to perceive details far beyond human capability and even some machines.
"You got lucky and only received minor injuries that have already healed. I heard you were an orphan at the Spring Orphanage, is that correct?" he asked.
"Yes…"
"Unfortunately, the Spring Orphanage no longer exists, and you're already sixteen, an adult, so we cannot transfer you to another orphanage. If you have nowhere to go, we can help you find a shelter."
"No, it's fine. I can take care of myself," Aslan said quietly, unwilling to risk bringing ruin to anyone else—even if it meant spending the rest of his life alone.
"What? But that's—"
Nurse Joy wanted to persuade Aslan but was stopped by the doctor, who silently shook his head at her.
"Are you sure?" he asked Aslan.
"Yes, I am."
"Very well. You're free to leave this hospital whenever you're ready, but if you have any questions now, don't hesitate to ask."
"..."
After pondering for a bit, Aslan asked, "Where do I go to obtain my Class?"
The doctor expressed surprise at his question.
"You haven't awakened your Class yet? Why not? They're free, so even an orphan like you should have access to them."
Although humans can be born with a Class, it must be manually awakened to access its benefits, so everyone awakens their Class as early as possible.
"I… don't know." Aslan sighed.
"Well, you're still young, so you'll be fine. Anyway, you can awaken your Class at the Awakeners' Association, which is only a few blocks away from this hospital. Hell, you can even see it from here. Do you see that white and round building? That's the place."
The doctor pointed toward the window, where a large, oval-shaped stadium loomed in the distance.
Sometime later, Aslan was discharged from the hospital. Luckily, victims of invasions get treatment for free, so he didn't have to worry about the bill.
Before leaving, he changed out of his hospital gown and into a plain white T-shirt and blue jeans provided by the hospital, as his original clothes were too damaged to wear.
As he reached for the door, it slid open automatically, revealing Nurse Joy standing on the other side.
"Hey. I don't normally do this, but…"
She held a small pouch before him and continued, "I used to be an orphan, so I know how it feels to be in your shoes. There is some money in here. Use it wisely and don't ever think about hurting yourself again."
"But I wasn't…"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Just take it." Nurse Joy shoved the pouch into Aslan's grasp and walked away without giving him a chance to respond.
"Thank you…" He mumbled.
Shortly after, Aslan left the hospital and made his way toward the Awakener's Association.
Half an hour later, he arrived at the Awakener's Association, where a steady stream of people flowed in and out of the bustling building.
Aslan swallowed nervously. He wasn't good with crowds.
After taking a moment to compose himself, he stepped forward and made his way into the building.
Once inside, he scanned his surroundings until he spotted a sign pointing toward 'Class Awakening', and without a second thought, he followed its direction.
Eventually, he reached a spacious waiting area with hundreds of neatly arranged seats, and at the front stood a long reception desk with a sign that read 'Registration'.
Aslan went straight to the reception desk and approached one of the available workers.
Before he could say a word, the receptionist slid a piece of paper toward him and said in a flat, monotone voice, "Fill out this form."
The form asked for basic information such as his name, address, phone number, and other personal information.
"What if I can't answer some of the questions?" Aslan asked.
"Just fill out whatever you can," she replied curtly.
Aslan gave a small nod and began filling out the form, but in the end, all he could write were his name, age, and gender.
After handing in the form, the receptionist gave him a small token etched with a number.
"1,444…" Aslan murmured, glancing at the display above.
"1,019."
Over 400 people stood between him and his awakening.
With a heavy sigh, he sank into an empty chair and tried to sort through the whirlwind of thoughts that had plagued him since waking up in the hospital.
'A Unique Quest… They are something only the Gods can grant, right? Why would a God even show interest in someone like me, much less give me a quest?'
As Aslan sat deep in thought, contemplating his situation and uncertain future, time seemed to pass in a blur.
Before he knew it, his number was called—it was finally his turn to awaken his Class.
Aslan hurried into the room and found himself in a vast, lab-like space filled with humming machinery. At its center stood a circular platform, clearly the focal point of the awakening process.
"Aslan, 16 years old. Step onto the platform." One of the workers instructed, wasting no time.
Aslan approached the platform and stood on it.
"Do you see a screen before you?" Another worker asked.
[Do you wish to awaken your Class?]
Aslan stared at the translucent screen before him and acknowledged, "Yes."
"Now say 'Initiate Class Awaken' out loud."
After taking a deep breath, Aslan spoke, "Initiate Class Awaken!"
[Class Awakening Initiated]
[Analyzing the Awakener's Profile]
[??? suddenly extends a finger, pointing at you.]
[A subtle energy wraps around your body]
[Class has been found]
[You have received the Class 'Warrior']
[You have learned the skill 'Basic Swordsmanship']
[You have learned the skill 'Indomitable Will']
[You have learned the skill 'Monster Fever']
[You have unlocked God's Grace]
[Your God's Grace has been updated to reflect the changes]
A screen that only Aslan could see appeared before him.
[??? has joined your channel]
[Congratulations on your first view! You have received 10 Achievement Points as a reward!]
[??? has favorited your channel]
[Congratulations on your first favorite! You have received 100 Achievement Points as a reward!]
At the same time, some information appeared on the machines monitored by the workers.
[Class: Warrior]
[Class Potential: F]
"Another talentless Class. This month's awakening has been tragic. Not even a single B-Rank potential." One of the workers remarked loudly, not caring if Aslan could hear him..
"Right? The potential of the awakeners in this city is far too low and utter trash. At this rate, we'll become fodder."
However, Aslan paid no attention to the workers' murmured trash talk. He stood motionless, a dazed expression on his face, as if lost in a world of his own.
The moment he received his Class, unfamiliar memories surged into his mind.
In these memories, he saw a lone figure clad in magnificent armor and crowned with regal splendor, exuding an overwhelming presence. The man sat upon a grand throne, his cold gaze lifted to the sky, where cracks split the heavens, and monsters rained down like a torrential storm.
He slowly stood up and raised his sword, pointing it at the sky—
"Hey, trash! Get off the platform already! I know you're devastated by your Class Potential, but there's a line behind you, and we don't have all day!"
Aslan jolted awake, the vivid memories already beginning to blur, fading like the remnants of a dream. He looked around in a daze, only to be met with the disdainful stares of the nearby workers.
"What?" he asked.
"My god, how slow are you? Your awakening is done. You can leave now."
Aslan stepped off the platform and hurried out of the room without a word. Behind him, the workers promptly entered his information into the database and called the next number without pause, none the wiser to the chaos this single awakening would one day unleash.