In a rapidly developing city, a young man hurried along the street. His name was Qalish, and he was already late for work.
Suddenly—
A loud crash echoed through the air.
A car lost control and plunged straight into a river.
Panic spread instantly. Bystanders rushed toward the scene, shouting and pointing as the vehicle slowly sank beneath the surface.
Inside… there was a family.
A husband. A wife. And their children.
Without thinking, Qalish ran toward the riverbank.
"Someone call for help!"
Before anyone could react, he had already jumped into the water.
The current was strong, and the water was murky, making it nearly impossible to see. But Qalish forced himself deeper, searching blindly.
Then—
He saw movement.
A child, trapped in the back seat, struggling desperately.
Qalish swam toward him and pulled at the door. It wouldn't budge. The pressure was too strong.
He gritted his teeth and tried again.
Once.
Twice.
Finally—
The door gave way.
He grabbed the child and pushed upward with all his strength.
Moments later, they broke through the surface.
"Over here!"
People at the riverbank reached out and pulled the child to safety.
Qalish exhaled in relief.
It's over…
But just as he tried to climb up—
His foot slipped.
The rock he held onto broke loose.
And in an instant…
He fell back into the water.
No one noticed.
They were too focused on the rescued family.
Water filled his lungs as he struggled. His body felt heavier… weaker…
Slowly, he sank deeper into the darkness.
In his final moments, a bitter thought crossed his mind—
"So this is how I die… My first time trying to be a hero… and this is what I get."
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A soft light appeared.
Warm. Gentle.
Qalish opened his eyes.
Everything felt… different.
His body was small. Too small.
His hands—tiny. His legs—weak.
He turned his head slowly.
A simple wooden house. Basic furniture. Green fields stretching beyond a window. The scent of earth filled the air.
This wasn't his world.
A gentle voice called out—
"Qalish… are you awake?"
A woman entered, smiling warmly. A man followed behind her, his expression calm and kind.
Qalish froze.
Where am I…? Didn't I just die?
The woman picked him up gently.
"My precious child…"
"Why is he sweating? Is he having a fever?" she asked.
"It's nothing… maybe he's just warm," the man replied softly.
Qalish stared at them in shock.
Mother…? Father…?
Don't tell me… I've been reborn?
A strange feeling filled his chest.
Confusion. Awe. Disbelief.
This world felt… alive.
More vivid colors. Clearer sounds. Softer sunlight.
Everything felt like something out of a fantasy.
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In this world, every human undergoes an event known as Awakening upon reaching the age of fifteen.
It happens naturally… but it is extremely painful.
So painful that some collapse… or nearly lose their lives.
To reduce the danger, humanity created the Awakening Machine.
Installed at special locations known as Awakening Altars, these machines regulate energy and force a controlled Awakening.
However, they are extremely expensive.
Most people rely on machines provided by schools.
Only the wealthy can afford personal Awakening Machines at home.
During Awakening—
A Crystal is formed.
A glowing object that appears before the user… before being absorbed into their Inner Space—a personal dimension within them.
This Crystal is the core of a being known as a Monster.
And through it… humans can form contracts.
Each Crystal has a fixed rank, determining the strength of the user and the Monsters they can contract:
F Rank – Grey
E Rank – Blue
D Rank – Green
C Rank – Yellow
B Rank – Orange
A Rank – Scarlet Red + Gold
S Rank – Purple + Gold
SS / EX Rank – Black
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Fifteen years later…
Qalish stood in front of the Awakening Machine.
He couldn't afford a private one.
So, like everyone else from poor families…
He used the school's Awakening Altar.
The moment the machine activated—
Energy surged through his body.
Pain.
Heat.
Pressure.
It felt like his entire body was being crushed from the inside.
His knees trembled. His heart pounded wildly.
And then—
A light burst from his chest.
Everyone held their breath.
Qalish slowly looked up.
A Crystal floated before him.
Grey.
Completely… grey.
Silence.
Then—whispers.
"F Rank… seriously?""A farmer's kid… figures."
Laughter followed.
From the crowd, a boy stepped forward with a mocking grin.
Nateant.
A rich kid known for looking down on others.
"Hahaha! An F Rank?"
"I thought you were special."
"Turns out… you're just trash."
Qalish lowered his head.
It wasn't Nateant's words that hurt the most.
It was the truth.
In his previous life… he was nothing special.
And now—
Even in this new world…
He was still a loser.
Without saying a word, he turned and ran home.
Back home, he expected disappointment.
But instead—
"Welcome back, Qalish," his mother said gently.
Qalish lowered his head."My Awakening… it's F Rank," he said quietly.
His father stepped out from the living room and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay."
"No matter what… you're still our son."
That night, they ate together.
A simple meal—rice, vegetables, and fish.
Yet somehow…
It felt warm.
Even if the world rejected him—
His family didn't.
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Midnight.
Ting.
A strange sound echoed in the darkness.
Qalish's eyes snapped open.
A translucent screen appeared before him—like something out of a game.
[System Awakening Detected]
[Attempting to bind with host…]
Qalish froze.
A system…?
In this world…?
Before he could react—
His grey Crystal began to tremble.
A faint light spread across its surface.
[System successfully bound with Crystal.]
[New functions unlocked: Monster Analysis, Evolution Path, Rank Upgrade]
Qalish stared at the screen in silence.
He didn't understand what was happening.
But one thing was certain—
His life…
Would never be the same again.