The evening sky over Nawala was unusually still.
Ethan Jae Park stood on the narrow balcony of his apartment, his fingers resting lightly on the metal railing. Below, the familiar sounds of the neighborhood—distant traffic, voices, the occasional bark of a stray dog carried on as they always had.
Yet something felt wrong.
He couldn't explain it. There was no visible change, no sign of danger, but the unease lingered, pressing against his thoughts.
Behind him, laughter echoed from the living room.
"Appachchi! Look!"
Nethan ran across the floor, holding a small toy car in his hands. His steps were uneven, full of childish excitement.
Ethan turned, the tension in his face softening.
"Careful," he said.
Krishara watched from the side, her arms folded loosely, a faint smile on her lips. "You've been quiet all day," she said. "Work?"
Ethan shook his head.
"No. It's not that."
He paused, searching for the right words.
"It feels like something is about to happen."
Krishara frowned slightly but said nothing more.
For a brief moment, everything seemed normal again.
Then the world stopped.
The wind vanished. The sounds below disappeared. Even Nethan's laughter cut off abruptly, frozen in silence.
Ethan's breath caught.
"…What?"
A presence filled the air—not a sound, not a voice, but something deeper, something that bypassed the senses and spoke directly into the mind.
"All intelligent life on Earth has been selected."
The words were not heard, yet they were understood with perfect clarity.
"System integration will begin shortly."
Ethan remained still, his thoughts sharpening instead of scattering.
"Before initialization, each individual is granted three questions."
The message continued, cold and absolute.
"Answers will be provided based on value."
"Points will be awarded accordingly."
There was no panic in Ethan's expression.
Only focus.
Three questions.
Nothing more.
He understood immediately what that meant. No repetition, no correction, no second chances. Every word mattered.
Around the world, people would already be reacting—shouting, questioning blindly, wasting what little opportunity they had been given.
Ethan closed his eyes.
A wrong question could cost him everything.
A good one might keep him alive.
But a perfect one…
…could change the future entirely.
He opened his eyes again, calm and decisive.
"What is the safest and most efficient path to survive and reach the highest power level in the system?"
The question formed clearly in his mind.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the response came.
"Processing."
The pause stretched, heavy with tension.
"Evaluation complete."
"Intelligence: High."
"Relevance: Critical."
"Scope: Exceptional."
"Reward granted: 1000 points."
"Rank: Legendary."
Ethan's gaze sharpened.
Legendary.
The answer followed immediately.
"To survive and reach the highest power level: avoid early exposure to high-risk zones. Prioritize information over combat. Secure a unique or evolving talent before mass awakening. Exploit system loopholes before global awareness increases."
A brief pause.
"The strongest are not those who fight first, but those who understand first."
Ethan let out a slow breath.
His first step had been correct.
He did not hesitate.
"What hidden rules, penalties, and loopholes exist in the system that humans are not informed about?"
The system responded again, this time with a deeper weight.
"Processing."
The silence felt heavier than before.
"Evaluation complete."
"Intelligence: Very high."
"Risk factor: Extreme."
"Depth: Rare."
"Reward granted: 1 Mythic point."
Ethan's expression changed for the first time.
Mythic.
The answer appeared.
"Hidden rules: early deaths increase difficulty scaling for survivors. The system favors individuals who act before understanding spreads."
"Penalties: misuse of high-tier knowledge results in hidden restrictions. Revealing system loopholes reduces personal growth potential."
"Loopholes: pre-initialization actions are not fully regulated. Unique talents can bypass system limitations."
A final line followed.
"Information is power. Sharing it is weakness."
Ethan absorbed every word carefully.
Two questions used.
One remained.
He did not rush it.
This was the most important one.
"Is it possible to create or obtain a unique, self-defined talent beyond the system's predefined options, and how?"
For the first time, the system did not respond immediately.
The delay stretched far longer than before.
Even Ethan could sense it.
Something was different.
"Processing."
The word lingered.
"Evaluation complete."
"Intelligence: Exceptional."
"Impact: System-level."
"Classification: Restricted."
There was a brief flicker, as if the system itself hesitated.
"Answer: Yes."
Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly.
"A self-defined talent can be created under one condition…"
The message cut off.
"Further information locked."
"Requirement must be discovered."
Silence returned.
Ethan stood still, his mind already moving ahead.
It was possible.
That alone was enough.
"System phase one initializing."
The world resumed.
Sound returned. Movement continued. Nethan stumbled slightly as if nothing had happened.
Krishara blinked, unaware of what had just passed.
Everything appeared normal.
But Ethan knew better.
Nothing was the same anymore.
He looked at his family, then back toward the sky.
"…So this is how it begins."