Midnight silence had completely settled inside the room.
A worn-out study table stood quietly against the wall. On top of it, a retro lamp cast a faint yellow glow—just enough to push back the darkness and reveal blurred shapes. The cold blue light from the laptop screen clashed against it, creating a dull, lifeless contrast.
Behind it lay a white bed, messy and buried under piles of clothes, as if it hadn't been touched in days. On the left wall, a black snake poster hung slightly crooked… its eyes gleaming in an unsettling way under the dim light.
Sitting in front of the table was Shankar Chandravanshi.
Twenty-eight years old.
Dark circles rested heavily beneath his eyes.
His face looked exhausted… alive, yet completely hollow.
His fingers slowly came to a stop over the touchpad.
"…Enough," he muttered softly.
The webtoon on the screen disappeared.
"I've watched over a thousand of them… and yet… not a single one made me feel alive."
Leaning back in his chair, he closed his eyes.
The room sank deeper into silence.
"Mom… Dad…" his voice trembled, "maybe… it's time I come to see you."
His hand moved weakly to his forehead. Sweat. His breathing grew uneven.
Then…
Everything went still.
His eyes closed.
And darkness swallowed him whole.
---
The Next Morning
"Sir… Mr. Shankar…?"
A hesitant voice called out from behind the door.
"It's me, Piya Verma… you're still not awake?"
The tension in her tone was impossible to miss.
Two men stood behind her.
One of them wore a brown jacket and black pants. A knife rested casually in his hand. His lips curled into a faint smile, while his eyes glinted with something dangerous.
"Why isn't he opening the door?" he said quietly. "You didn't tell him anything… did you?"
The other man—Vinu—simply smiled.
Piya shook her head, her eyes lowering. "No…"
Suddenly—
The man with the knife grabbed her wrist tightly.
"Vinu… let's check."
Vinu's smile widened. "Yeah… why not?"
Tears began to fall from Piya's eyes.
Then—
CREEEAK…
The door slowly opened.
All three froze.
From the darkness inside… a black cat stepped out.
For a moment, no one moved.
Then—
WHOOSH!
The cat lunged straight at Vinu's face.
"AAH—!"
A thin line of blood appeared across his cheek.
"You little—!"
The knife-wielding man slashed forward.
The cat dodged the first strike… but the next—
THUK!
The blade pierced through its body.
The cat fell to the floor.
Blood spread.
Silence returned.
---
Piya ran inside the room.
Vinu followed—
Then suddenly stopped.
His eyes widened.
"…What is this…?"
In the center of the room—
Shankar's body lay there.
The bed was drenched in blood.
His body… torn open.
Eyes closed.
Vinu's entire body began to tremble.
A voice came from behind—
"What happened?"
The knife man stepped in.
Vinu could only point ahead.
The knife slipped from his hand.
---
A Few Minutes Later
Police sirens echoed through the area.
A crowd began to gather.
Vinu rushed toward an officer, his voice shaking but loud—
"Sir! That girl—she did it! She killed him! I saw everything!"
Piya's face turned pale.
"No—! I didn't—!"
The officer's gaze locked onto her instantly.
"Arrest them all."
His voice was cold. Final.
Piya collapsed onto her knees, her hands stained with blood.
"I didn't do this…!" she cried desperately.
A lady officer grabbed her arm firmly. "Save it. Come with us."
Piya's eyes were filled with pure terror, her body trembling uncontrollably.
The van door slammed shut.
Moments later, the police vehicle drove away… leaving the building behind.
---
Silence Again
In front of the building… the same black cat lay motionless.
Then—
It twitched.
Slowly… it stood up.
As if nothing had happened.
Without a sound, it walked back inside.
---
Somewhere Else…
"…How long was I asleep…?"
A boy slowly sat up, shielding his eyes from the sunlight.
He looked down at his hand.
Thin.
Small.
"…What…?"
His breathing quickened.
A torn black t-shirt. White pants.
"I'm… fifteen?"
He stood up instantly.
Then looked around—
A massive tree stood behind him.
A clear river flowed calmly ahead.
Mountains stretched endlessly in the distance—some covered in green, others in snow.
"This… isn't my room…"
Then—
TING!
A blue screen appeared before him.
He froze.
Then slowly… a smile formed on his face.
A strange excitement flickered in his eyes.
"…No way…"
His breathing grew heavier.
"Hahaha…"
A mix of fear and excitement escaped his lips.
Reincarnation…? Don't tell me… this is real."
The screen displayed:
[Humiliation Ascension System Activated]
He slowly sat down beneath the massive tree.
---
Status Window
Name: Siyam
Gender: Male
Physique: ?
Rank: Unqualified
Root: Mid-Level Vishnu
Race: Human
Insult Points: 0
Skills: ?
Techniques: ?
---
"Insult… points?"
He frowned slightly.
"Why is it zero…?"
Then—
TING!
[Reward Available — Select 1 Card]
Three cards appeared before him.
Without thinking much, he grabbed the one in the middle.
The card shot straight into his chest.
"—KHH!"
His body jerked violently.
He collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest tightly.
His breathing turned chaotic.
"I… can't breathe—"
Then—
TING!
[Technique Unlocked: Breathing Expose]
His eyes widened as he read the description.
"Within a 7-meter range… I can sense anyone's breathing…?"
His expression twisted slowly.
"…Is this some kind of joke?"
He stood up.
Looked around.
Silence.
Then—
The sky began to darken.
Black clouds gathered overhead.
The wind roared violently.
And then—
RAIN.
Heavy. Relentless.
"Seriously—?!"
Siyam looked around frantically.
"There's nowhere to hide—!"
He rushed under the massive tree, pressing himself against its trunk.
Rain poured down mercilessly.
His clothes were completely soaked.
His breathing slowly calmed.
But his eyes…
Still carried that same strange spark.
"…Interesting. Looks like this world might finally entertain me."