The sunlight of late afternoon spilled gently through the hospital window, stretching long and golden across the sterile white room. The hum of distant monitors faded to silence. The scent of antiseptic had begun to dull, replaced by the faint warmth of the sun. Jinwoo sat quietly on the bed, eyes closed, as if trying to hold on to that fragile peace — to carve this stillness into his soul. It was the first time in an eternity that he felt… alive.
He let the light brush against his face, feeling the faint pulse of his own heartbeat. 'So this is warmth,' he thought. A warmth that didn't burn, didn't fade — just existed.
But peace never lasted long for him.
The system's notifications pierced the silence.
[You have the Essence of Marshall Arts]
[You have the Essence of Telekinesis]
[Do you wish to fuse it with your soul to unlock the Codex?]
Jinwoo's eyes opened slowly. The faint blue glow of the floating text illuminated his face, reflecting in his black eyes like shards of starlight.
"Fuse it… with my soul?" he murmured. His tone was calm, but his mind was racing. The word 'soul' struck something deep inside him — that same emptiness he once knew too well.
He leaned back slightly against the pillow, staring at the translucent window of light before him. "So this is the next step, huh? No progress without risk." He smiled faintly, though there was no humor in it — just resolve. "Alright… let's see where this goes."
He whispered the word softly. "Yes."
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then the air trembled.
Two distinct lights unfurled from within his body — one pure white like a sacred flame, the other deep violet, swirling like a storm of shadow. The energies encircled him, weaving together in patterns that defied understanding. His breath hitched as the pressure grew heavier, pressing against his skin, his chest, his very bones. But it wasn't pain — it was warmth, a force that reached into the deepest corners of his being.
He felt his consciousness dissolve.
And then he saw it.
---
He stood at the edge of a vast cliff, overlooking a boundless forest bathed in the glow of dawn. The sky stretched infinitely, painted in hues of amber and silver. Below, rivers carved through the earth, reflecting the heavens like liquid mirrors. The scent of soil and rain filled the air — raw, alive, and free.
Jinwoo looked down at himself. He was translucent — a white spirit, glowing faintly, untouched by the wind or gravity.
Across the cliff, another figure moved. It was 'him'.
His reflection — or rather, an avatar of his soul — stood barefoot on the stone. The figure took a stance, fists raised. The movements were slow at first, clumsy even. His knees bent too far; his balance wavered. Then he fell — face-first into the dirt.
Jinwoo almost laughed softly, but his voice caught in his throat. The avatar rose again. Tried once more. Fell again. Again. Again.
There was no sound but the steady rhythm of movement — the thud of bare feet against stone, the whisper of air being split by imperfect strikes. The avatar trained endlessly, the same motion repeated, refined, perfected. Every breath synchronized with movement. Every fall met with calm determination.
And as Jinwoo watched, something inside him shifted. His own muscles tensed in rhythm with the avatar's stance. The scent of sweat and blood lingered in the air. His spiritual heart pounded.
Then the avatar's strikes grew faster — sharper, fluid, beautiful. Each movement carved invisible ripples in the air. The final punch was like a falling comet, striked forward. The cliff shattered shattered under immense and controlled force.
Jinwoo blinked — and the vision dissolved.
---
When he came to, he was back in the hospital room, drenched in sweat. His chest rose and fell with heavy breaths. The sensation of strength still lingered beneath his skin, as if his muscles remembered a lifetime of training.
He clenched his fists — the air trembled faintly. 'I… learned it. Without even training.'
Before he could gather his thoughts, the second energy began to stir. The deep violet glow wrapped around him, coiling like tendrils of mist before sinking deep into his body. His mind shuddered for a moment — then cleared. The world seemed sharper now. He could feel everything: the faint hum of electricity in the walls, the rhythmic vibration of his own heartbeat, even the distant flutter of wings outside the window.
Then came the sound he now knew so well — the calm, cold chime.
[The Codex is unlocked]
[The Codex of Omnipotence]
> Marshall Arts
> Telekinesis
The light panels floated before him, unfolding like pages of an invisible book. He took a deep breath and said, "Marshall Arts."
The Codex obeyed.
[Marshall Arts]
> Iron fist (D)
> Unyielding will (D)
[Telekinesis]
> Precision Lift (D)
> Spatial awareness (D)
He exhaled slowly, eyes gleaming with fascination. "So that's how it works." His fingers trembled as he scrolled through the details.
---
[Name: Iron Fist]
Rank: D
Type: Active
A basic but powerful punch enhanced with controlled breathing and muscle tension.
Effect: Deals heavy single-target blunt damage.
[Name: Unyielding Will]
Rank: D
Type: Passive
Mental fortitude prevents combat panic or retreat instinct.
Effect: Immunity to fear and charm effects from equal or lower-rank foes.
[Name: Precision Lift]
Rank: D
Type: Active
Allows fine control over small items (needles, daggers, pebbles).
Effect: Enables ranged manipulation and multi-object movement.
[Name: Spatial Awareness]
Rank: D
Type: Passive
Expands mental perception radius.
Effect: Increases range of telekinetic manipulation by 20%.
---
He whispered, "Fascinating…" His reflection in the window smiled faintly back at him.
But what truly amazed him wasn't just the skills — it was the memory. His body remembered every movement. His stance was balanced, precise. He stood and stretched, feeling his joints pop and muscles respond like an instrument perfectly tuned. Then he moved — one punch, another, a sweeping kick. Each motion flowed seamlessly into the next. It wasn't just learned — it was 'lived'.
He laughed under his breath. "So this is the power of the Codex."
The light outside had shifted. The soft glow of sunset filled the room, painting the walls in shades of orange and crimson. Then another notification rang.
[Daily quests: Preparation to become strongest, now available]
He blinked. "Daily quests… already?" He remembered the story — the original Jinwoo's system. But something about this felt heavier… deeper.
He straightened and muttered, "Yeah, this is free stat time."
The digital chime responded.
[Do you accept the Daily quest?]
He nodded. "Yes."
---
The air instantly grew dense. The curtains fluttered though the windows were closed. The temperature dropped as mana — pure, tangible mana — gathered in the center of the room. The pressure distorted the air like ripples on water.
And then it appeared.
A tear in reality itself — jagged and shifting, glowing faintly with black and violet hues. The air around it twisted violently, pulling strands of light inward. The gate shimmered like liquid glass, its edges pulsing with strange, runic symbols. Within, shadows churned, whispering softly like distant voices.
Jinwoo's eyes widened. He had seen this before — in drawings, in anime frames — but never like this. It wasn't just light and darkness. It was alive.
He took a step forward, the wind from the portal brushing against his skin. It was cold, yet it carried warmth — the warmth of danger, of life and death entwined. "What… what is this?" he murmured. "Don't tell me this is the daily quest…"
[Domain of Trials has been opened]
[Enter the Gate to complete the quest]
The notifications glowed faintly, almost urging him forward.
Jinwoo frowned. "Completely different from the story. What am I supposed to do inside that dungeon?"
Silence. The system didn't respond.
He tried again, irritation seeping into his tone. "What if someone sees this gate?!" Still nothing.
He sighed. "So it's like that, huh?"
He opened his status window, scanning every tab until his eyes caught the faint shimmer of 'Inventory'. He focused — a sword appeared within the digital frame. He recognized it instantly. "That… this was from that raid. From the double dungeon."
His fingers hovered over it for a second before he whispered, "Withdraw."
A burst of blue light — and the sword materialized in his hand. The steel glimmered faintly under the sunlight, cold and familiar.
He tightened his grip. "Alright," he said softly, eyes fixed on the gate. "Let's see what you've got for me."
Without armor, still wearing his hospital gown, he stepped forward. The fabric fluttered as he approached the swirling mass of light and shadow. The gate hummed, its rhythm matching his heartbeat. Each step felt heavier — like walking through gravity itself.
When he reached out, the moment his fingers touched the surface, everything around him vanished.
---
The world fell away.
For an instant, he felt suspended — between existence and void. There was no ground, no sky, no sound. Only sensation — cold air wrapping around him, his heartbeat echoing endlessly. Then the world snapped back.
He gasped as his feet hit solid earth.
He stood in darkness. But it wasn't empty — it was 'alive'. The air smelled of iron and rot. A faint mist drifted across the ground. Then, slowly, the world around him began to take shape.
[You have entered the Domain of Trials]
[User possesses two Essences]
[Starting the Trial]
[Please wait…]
The darkness peeled back like a curtain, revealing towering trees that reached toward a starless sky. The forest was dense, ancient, breathing. The soil beneath him was wet, his shoes sinking slightly into the mud. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear water trickling.
A chill ran down his spine.
Then the notifications appeared.
The mist thickened. The trees seemed to pulse faintly, as if reacting to the system's presence. Then, slowly, text burned across his vision.
[Survive for three hours]
[3:00]
[2:59]
The countdown began.
Jinwoo froze. His breath turned shallow. "What… do you mean by 'survive'?" he whispered.
No answer came — only the sound of branches snapping in the distance.
And from the darkness beyond the trees… something moved.