The emblem of the Republic of Korea is the one that suddenly appeared on the television screen, it stayed like that for several seconds, followed by a serious-looking man in front of the camera.
"Attention, citizens of the Republic of Korea," the man began, his expression firm. "This is a national emergency broadcast. An unknown phenomenon has caused massive data corruption, resulting in extensive data loss. Online systems, including critical infrastructure, have been severely compromised. The event appears to have been caused by an unknown force."
The camera cut to another location, high above, there's a shaky aerial shot of a colossal creature tearing through the city. It moved with horrifying weight, each step cracking asphalt and toppling streetlights like twigs. Its shape was wrong, asymmetrical, something between a reptile and a nightmare.
It only took a second for Juho's eyes to widen in shock as he recognized the skyline. The revelation made his legs nearly give out beneath him. "Seoul?!"
Of course it had to be Seoul.
His voice came out strangled, clearly troubled by the revelation, "Was that the reason I kept hearing those strange noises in the distance?" he muttered to himself in contemplation, clutching his hands into fists until his knuckles ached, but he couldn't look away from the screen.
Panicked screams filled the background of the television. The camera flickered again, now focusing on a figure in a black hood, judging by the angle and how windy it is, it seemed to be recorded from a helicopter.
The figure moved like a shadow through the city, dragging a bloody crowbar. Their faces were hidden, yet their presence was unusually calm amidst the chaos. Despite the violence in their movement at attacking passerby, there was a strange, almost graceful motion caught on the camera.
"Reports indicate that many areas have also been invaded by many unidentified creatures," the man continued, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the podium.
"Additionally, there are reports of a mysterious individual in a black hood, captured on camera earlier. They have been confirmed at multiple locations and are believed to be teleporting rapidly between areas."
"This person was seen carrying a crowbar, and has been observed attacking innocent lives. Citizens are strongly advised to remain cautious when leaving their homes and to avoid any suspicious individuals."
Suddenly, loud sirens began to wail in the distance. Faint at first, but sharp enough to make him hear it despite living on the seventh floor. Juho held his breath. The closer the sound got, the more his anxiety spiked. He could feel the vibrations deep in his ribs, his heart pounding.
Subconsciously, his fingers curled into fists, fingernails pressing into his palms. His expression tightened, forehead creasing with worry.
At a time like this, his gaze drifted toward the framed family photo hanging on the wall. His mother's gentle smile, his father, slightly awkward in front of the camera, and him—standing in the middle as their only child. The wooden frame now also sat slightly crooked, maybe from the tremors of the unknown creature.
He inhaled deeply, slowly, trying to steady himself. But the atmosphere felt heavier now with tension, as if he couldn't help but wonder about their situation right now.
'Were they safe outside the city? Somewhere quieter than here, supposedly?' His thoughts spiraled, traffic jams, chaos, or worse things than these sirens.
He took a shaky breath once again, wiping his face. His fingers were trembling ever so slightly. In his entire life, he had never heard sirens with this kind of urgency before, let alone been alone in the middle of it. Meanwhile, the broadcast continued.
"We urge you to stay tuned and wait for further instructions. Please prioritize your safety and cooperate with local authorities. The Republic of Korea is currently in contact with other countries to address this crisis. Until further notice, remain on alert, and most importantly, stay safe."
The broadcast cuts to a motionless screen, displaying only an emergency hotline and a text instructing citizens to remain vigilant.
The sudden silence felt more deafening than the sirens outside. Juho flinched, as if yanked back into reality. With urgency, he bent down to resume his movement to pick up his phone from the floor. He brushed it lightly to make sure the screen hadn't cracked, then quickly unlocked it.
His first thought wasn't about the monster or the hooded figure anymore. It was about the two people he worried about the most. He dialed his mother's number, his heartbeat syncing with the dial tone that never came.
Click. Three short beeps echoed through the speaker, and instead of hearing his mother's voice, a flat mechanical recording answered. "The call cannot be connected. Please check the number and try again…"
"Come on... pick up. Please," he muttered, switching to his father's number. Nothing. He tried again and again until his thumb felt stiff, but the call never connected.
Dia melirik ke pojok layar ponselnya, batang sinyal kini hanya tersisa dua. Probably because tiang-tiang seluler tersenggol makhluk yang muncul di TV itu, lalu ambruk, membuat jaringan di seluruh area ini terganggu atau bahkan mati total.
Juho let his phone hang limply at his side. The feeling of isolation on the seventh floor suddenly felt ten times more suffocating. He stared at the screen as it began to dim, realizing he was truly alone in the middle of this madness.
His arm now fell slack against his body, but his eyes remained fixed on the static-filled TV screen. His thoughts, which had been focused on his parents, now began to branch out, spinning hard, trying to process the flood of overlapping information.
Monsters? Someone in a black hood? Everything he had just heard sounded like a movie script or the chapters of the fiction he often read. But the pulse still racing in his neck and the blaring noises outside were real proof that this wasn't a dream.
He squinted as an absurd thought suddenly slipped in between his fear. He swiped up to close the phone app, returning to the home screen.
'Wait... if this madness is actually happening in the real world... What about that novel?'
Expecting to find the novel right where he had left off before the phone fell, he reopened the light novel site. But somehow, it loaded slower than usual. He had a bad feeling about this.
After a few moments of waiting... It was empty. There were no recommendations for plenty of novels like he had always seen before, just a blank page, but the search bar was still there.
Hesitant, he typed in the title that had been on his mind: Villain Overkill. As he hit enter, the website loaded, and what appeared next made his heart race, his worst fear had just materialized before his eyes.
"The novel you are looking for is... unavailable?"