He pushed the door open fully, and the moment he did, a wave of nostalgia and relief hit him all at once.
Everything looked the same—the layout, the furniture, the faint smell of home lingering in the air. It was comforting, almost too comforting, like stepping back into a life he had already left behind. But that feeling didn't erase the memory of what he experienced.
Instead, it made it clearer that what happened wasn't just some illusion.
Light streamed in from the living room window, casting soft shadows across the floor. The brightness made the space feel alive, yet something was missing. Kang-suho glanced around, quickly realizing there was no one there. "My parents are not home," he muttered quietly, the emptiness making the room feel bigger than it actually was. The silence lingered, stretching longer than it should have.
He walked around the living room slowly, his eyes scanning every detail like he was trying to confirm it was all real. His fingers brushed lightly against the furniture as he passed, grounding himself in something physical. After a moment, he made his way toward the door, not expecting anything unusual. But when he opened it, he was met with something that immediately felt off.
There was only silence.
He stepped out, looking around, but instead of the usual surroundings, he found himself facing a short hallway lined with other rooms. The atmosphere felt strangely empty, as if the place itself was holding its breath. He frowned slightly but didn't stop moving, eventually making his way out of the apartment complex. When he stepped outside, the sunlight hit him instantly, bright and almost blinding.
The heat followed right after, wrapping around him in a wave that felt both familiar and overwhelming.
Kang-suho walked forward, squinting slightly as his eyes adjusted to the brightness. The air smelled the same as always, carrying that everyday scent he had never paid attention to before. It should have felt normal, but something about it made him uneasy.
As he continued walking, something caught his attention. A large billboard stood nearby, displaying the image of one of the most popular Cosmic Hunters—Se-jun, a Higher Libra. Kang-suho slowed down, his gaze lingering on it as memories surfaced. The title "Cosmic Hunter" wasn't just a name—it represented power far beyond normal human limits. People with these titles were ranked based on their strength and magical abilities, each tier marking a massive difference.
Higher Sagittarius represented strength close to that of a demigod, while Higher Capricorn held the force of a falling mountain. Higher Libra, like Se-jun, possessed the power of 10,000 tons, making / nearly unstoppable in most situations. Below that were Higher Leo with the strength of 1,000 tons, Higher Cancer with power comparable to a gorilla, and Higher Pisces, who were at least as strong as trained bodybuilders. Kang-suho read the text carefully, his eyes narrowing slightly. "On March 28…" he said slowly, the date feeling oddly important.
He kept walking, still looking at the billboard, his thoughts drifting between the past and the present.
Then suddenly, without any warning, a portal appeared right in front of him. He didn't have time to react before his body moved forward, and he accidentally stepped into it. The moment he crossed the threshold, everything changed instantly.
The warmth disappeared, replaced by a sharp, biting cold.
The environment shifted into a frozen forest, completely unfamiliar and otherworldly. Snow fell gently from the sky, carried by a chilling wind that cut through his clothes. The trees around him were tall and pale, their branches heavy with frost. By the time Kang-suho fully realized what had happened, thirty seconds had already passed.
He turned around quickly, hoping to leave, but the portal behind him reacted violently. Chains burst out from its edges, snapping outward before locking tightly around the exit. The metallic sound echoed through the forest, final and unyielding. "Huh?!" he shouted, startled as he took a step back.
Then he felt it.
A faint vibration traveled through the ground, subtle enough that a normal person might not notice it. But Kang-suho did. His body tensed immediately, instincts kicking in as his eyes scanned the snowy surroundings. Something was coming.
From between the snow-covered trees, a massive figure emerged slowly. It was a polar bear—but far from normal, standing at least three times larger than it should have been. Its breath fogged the air as it stepped forward, its presence alone enough to make the atmosphere feel heavier.
Kang-suho didn't move.
Not out of fear, but out of quiet irritation that settled deep in his expression. He exhaled slowly, then spread his palms open without hesitation. Light gathered instantly, forming into two sharp daggers that glowed faintly in his hands.
The bear let out a low growl before charging.
And Kang-suho moved forward to meet it.
Kang-suho moved first, closing the distance before the bear could fully react. His light dagger sliced across its thick hide, the glowing blade cutting deeper than expected. The creature let out a deafening scream, its massive body recoiling from the sudden pain. Snow scattered beneath its feet as it shifted its weight, trying to regain control. Its glowing eyes locked onto him with raw fury.
The bear lashed out, swinging one of its massive claws toward him with enough force to tear through bone. Kang-suho reacted instantly, pushing his legs to leap out of the way. The claw passed beneath him, barely missing as the air itself seemed to ripple from the force. While still midair, he tightened his grip on one of his daggers. Without hesitation, he hurled it straight toward the beast.
The glowing blade spun through the air before striking the bear squarely in its body. The impact forced another roar out of the creature, louder and more desperate this time. But Kang-suho didn't stop there, already descending toward it from above. His expression hardened as he prepared his next move.
He wasn't going to give it time to recover.
"ROOAAARR!" it screamed in pain, the sound echoing through the frozen forest.
By the time the roar faded, Kang-suho was already on top of its massive body. He drove his remaining light dagger down with force, the blade piercing through its thick fur and flesh. Then again. And again. Each stab landed faster than the last, his movements fueled by instinct and urgency.
The bear thrashed beneath him, its strength still terrifying despite the injuries. But the more he stabbed, the weaker its movements became. Its roars turned into strained growls, each one fading quicker than the last. Blood spread across its body, staining the snow beneath them in deep red. Eventually, its resistance slowed to a halt.
With one final strike, the creature's body gave out completely. It collapsed heavily onto the ground, sending a small tremor through the snow-covered earth. Kang-suho stayed still for a moment, catching his breath as he remained on top of it. Then he pulled his dagger free and stepped back. The massive beast no longer moved.
Kang-suho leaped off the corpse, landing lightly despite the fatigue building in his body. He straightened himself, brushing off his clothes out of habit even though there was nothing there. The cold air bit against his skin, but he barely noticed it. His focus remained on the fallen creature behind him. For a brief moment, everything was quiet again.
Then a sharp shing rang inside his ears.
A translucent window appeared in front of him, hovering in the air as if it had always been there. The text glowed faintly, clear and impossible to ignore. Kang-suho blinked, trying to process what he was seeing. "What the?" he said, confused, his voice echoing slightly in the empty forest.
[Would you like to Devourer this creature?]
[Yes] [No]