Han Darin gazed at the bright morning sky over Seoul from his apartment balcony.Birds chirped, sunlight poured down warmly, and nothing seemed out of place — no sign that the world would one day crumble.Only he knew the truth.In six days, everything would change.
He finished a simple breakfast — toast and black coffee.Nothing special, but every bite felt like a miracle after living too long in fire and blood.
The peace didn't last long.
At exactly 8:32 a.m., his phone vibrated.Not a call, not a message — but a strange mechanical voice.
[World System Activation Confirmed]"The event will begin shortly.""Please prepare yourself."
Han froze. That voice… he knew it all too well.This was the first message humanity heard before the world turned into hell.But this time — it came earlier than before.
The window rattled.Sirens began to wail throughout the city.His TV turned on automatically, flashing a red emergency alert.
⚠️ [National Emergency Alert]Massive seismic activity detected near Busan's coastal area.Citizens are advised to stay away from the region.⚠️
Han narrowed his eyes."That's no earthquake…" he muttered. "The first anomaly."
He grabbed his jacket, slipped a pocket knife into his jeans, and rushed out.
A few hours later, the port city of Busan was in chaos.Crowds gathered near the restricted zone guarded by soldiers and police.Up in the sky, a dark swirl of fog spun violently, distorting the air like a living storm.Electric poles flickered, and one by one, the streetlights went out.
Han stood among the crowd, watching silently.To everyone else, this was a disaster.But to him… it was the beginning of the World Game.
[System Alert]"Spatial Anomaly Detected.""Dimensional Gate #001 — Novice Gate has opened.""Eligible participants may now enter for trial."
People panicked.Some screamed, others ran, but a few — drawn by the glowing blue vortex — stepped closer in awe.
"Is that real?""Some kind of experiment?""No way… that's a portal, right?"
Han knew what would happen next.Before the government could react, the system would select people at random — and pull them in.
A flash of blue light engulfed him.And the world vanished.
When Han opened his eyes, the air was damp, the ground soft beneath his boots.He looked around — tall trees, scattered moss, and dozens of confused people shouting and crying.
[Welcome, Candidates.]"You have entered the Trial Zone.""Please select your basic weapon."
In front of each person appeared a floating menu of glowing weapon icons:
Short Sword
Bow
Dual Daggers
Magic Staff
Wooden Shield
Light Axe
Han didn't hesitate.He selected the Short Sword and Wooden Shield.
A moment later, light condensed into solid form — a plain steel blade and a rough wooden shield materialized in his hands.
"Just like before," he whispered.
[Weapon Selection Complete.][The Event Will Now Begin.]
The sky above the forest shimmered green.A chilling shriek echoed in the distance — high-pitched, cruel, and unmistakably inhuman.
[Quest: Goblin Hunt]Objective: Eliminate Goblins and collect points.
Each Goblin = 5 Points
25 Points required to pass the trial
Time Limit: 3 hours
The final line appeared, cold and absolute:
"Failure to meet the minimum score…""Will result in termination."
Han exhaled slowly.From the bushes ahead, two glowing green eyes stared back at him.
He raised his sword, a faint smile crossing his face."If this is the first trial…" he murmured, stepping forward,"…then I already know how to win."
And with that, he advanced into the shadows of the forest —the first step on his journey to rewrite the fate of the world.