Chapter 5: When Players Turn on Each Other
The world changed overnight.
Screens across the city flickered at the same time—phones, televisions, billboards—then went black.
And a familiar, merciless voice echoed everywhere.
"The Player System has been initialized."
Panic erupted.
People screamed. Cars crashed. Some fell to their knees as blue windows appeared before their eyes.
Kang Tae-Hyun stood calmly on a quiet street, hands in his pockets.
"…Right on schedule," he murmured.
A system window appeared.
[Global Event Started]
Players have awakened.
Survival is mandatory.
Around him, people reacted differently.
Some cried.
Some laughed.
Some looked… excited.
And some, Tae-Hyun thought coldly, will kill without hesitation.
The First Human Kill
A shout echoed from the corner of the street.
"HEY! YOU! HAND OVER YOUR ITEMS!"
Three newly awakened players surrounded a trembling man. Their eyes gleamed with greed as system windows hovered beside them.
"This is a survival game, right?" one of them sneered. "So don't blame us."
The victim fell backward, shaking.
Before the first attack landed—
A shadow passed between them.
Kang Tae-Hyun stood there.
"Move," one of the attackers snapped.
Tae-Hyun didn't answer.
The man lunged.
The fight ended in a second.
One strike.
One body fell unconscious to the ground.
The other two froze.
"…What did you do?" one whispered.
Kang Tae-Hyun looked at them, expression empty.
"This is your warning," he said calmly. "Leave. Or die."
They ran.
The saved man stared up at him, terrified and grateful.
"T-thank you—"
Kang Tae-Hyun walked away without looking back.
Mercy ends today, he thought. But I won't kill without reason.
The Birth of a "Hero"
Later that day, the news found its symbol.
A tall man stood surrounded by cameras, helping civilians evacuate a dungeon zone. His smile was confident. His posture, heroic.
Lee Min-Seok.
"Don't worry," Lee Min-Seok said into the microphones. "As long as I'm here, I'll protect everyone."
People cheered.
Social media exploded.
A real hero has appeared!
Humanity's hope!
Ranker candidate!
Kang Tae-Hyun watched the broadcast from a distance.
His eyes were cold.
"…Still wearing that mask," he said quietly.
In his past life, this was how it started.
The world crowned Lee Min-Seok a hero—
Long before he earned it.
Yoon Seo-Ah Awakens
That night, Kang Tae-Hyun received a message from Oh Seung-Ho.
[Urgent]
Unstable awakening detected near Central Hospital.
Tae-Hyun moved immediately.
Inside the hospital corridor, people were gathered in fear.
At the center—
Yoon Seo-Ah.
She knelt on the floor, clutching her chest, eyes glowing faintly as a soft white light spilled from her hands.
"I—I can hear voices," she whispered. "They're calling for help…"
A system window hovered above her.
[Class Awakening in Progress]
Type: High-Grade Support
Risk: Overload
Kang Tae-Hyun knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Focus on my voice," he said calmly.
Her eyes met his.
The pain eased.
The light stabilized.
[Awakening Complete]
Class: Sacred Supporter
Title: The Quiet Light
Seo-Ah collapsed forward.
Tae-Hyun caught her.
"…Thank you," she whispered weakly. "I don't know why… but I felt safe."
He didn't answer.
But for the first time since his return—
His chest felt lighter.
A World Divided
That night, the system updated again.
[Notice]
Guild creation unlocked.
Player conflict authorized.
Kang Tae-Hyun stood on a rooftop, city lights flickering below.
Heroes were rising.
Players were killing.
And the system was smiling.
"…This is where it begins," he said.
Behind him stood allies.
In front of him—
Enemies wearing heroic smiles.
"This time," Kang Tae-Hyun whispered, "I'll decide who deserves to be called a hero."
🔥 End of Chapter 5 🔥