The atmosphere is eerily calm, almost unnaturally so. A heavy silence reigns, broken only by the distant rustling of leaves under the caress of the night wind. The moon, high in the sky, casts a silver glow through the twisted branches of a dense forest. The shadows of ancient trees form spectral figures that seem to dance beneath the moonlight.
There, at the center of a small clearing, a body lies motionless.
Naked.
Unmoving.
His bare skin shimmers faintly in the pale light, his chest rising and falling in the rhythm of deep, peaceful breaths. His face is relaxed, yet his mind remains in slumber... until a cold gust of wind gently awakens him.
A shiver runs down his spine.
His eyelids twitch before slowly fluttering open, revealing eyes as dark as the void itself. Confusion fills his gaze as he stares at the starry sky.
— "Bail... Where am I?" he murmurs, his voice hoarse.
He pushes himself up slowly, feeling the cool grass beneath his palms. The sensation is familiar... yet foreign. He lowers his gaze to his hands. His fingers flex and unflex. His skin is smooth, firm. He examines his arms, his well-built torso.
— "What... am I exactly?"
A wave of panic crashes over him. He searches his mind, trying to recall something—anything. But there is nothing. His heartbeat quickens.
— "I have no memories... How did I end up here?"
He places a trembling hand against his mouth, his gaze fixed on the ground. Something deep inside him screams that something is wrong. His ragged breathing disrupts the night’s silence.
Then, suddenly, his pupils contract.
A shiver runs down his spine.
— "Something is approaching..."
The feeling is primal—a presence, unseen yet suffocating.
Crack.
He snaps his head to the side. Deep in the dark forest, the sound of footsteps echoes through the fallen leaves. Slow. Methodical.
His body reacts instinctively. He pushes himself to his feet, his senses on high alert.
— "Who's there?!"
The footsteps grow louder... then stop.
A deafening silence falls upon the clearing. His breath is shallow, his gaze scanning the darkness.
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A low growl rumbles through the air.
Then… they appear.
Four creatures step out from the shadows. Small, hunched figures with sickly green skin and bloodshot eyes.
Goblins.
Their dirty claws glisten under the moonlight, dripping with a dark, unknown liquid.
— "Yahhh yahhh!!" they shriek, their grotesque faces twisting into cruel grins.
His body moves before he can think. He takes a step back, his stance instinctively shifting to defense. A shiver runs down his spine—but he doesn’t know if it’s fear… or something else.
— "My instincts... they’re pushing me to fight? But why?"
His heart pounds against his ribs. He quickly assesses the situation. Four enemies. No weapon. No armor. One wrong move, and it’s over.
Yet, deep within him, a strange heat begins to rise.
A thrill.
The goblins attack all at once.
The first one disappears.
— "So fast—!"
A sharp whistle cuts through the air.
Pain erupts across his chest.
— "Gh...!!"
He staggers, glancing down. Three deep gashes streak across his skin. He barely saw the attack.
— "Shit..."
Another goblin leaps.
He barely dodges, feeling the air shift as claws narrowly miss his face. But there’s no time to react.
A shadow looms behind him.
— "Another one?!"
A brutal strike.
Blood splatters the grass.
His body jerks forward as he collapses to his knees, coughing violently.
The goblins laugh.
— "Hihihihihi...!!"
Their cruel laughter echoes through the clearing. He clenches his teeth, trying to push himself up—but his body trembles under the pain.
Then.
Light.
A golden radiance bursts from the ground beneath him.
The forest is bathed in brilliance. Shadows stretch wildly as the air vibrates with an unknown force.
The goblins freeze.
Their mocking expressions twist into terror.
— "Why are they so afraid...?"
A book appears before him, floating inches above the ground. Its cover glows with an ethereal golden hue, intricate symbols carved into its surface.
The goblins are shaking.
He hesitates, then reaches out. The moment his fingers brush against the surface, the book flips open on its own.
A voice—sharp and clear—rings inside his head.
— "Divine Awakening System activated."
His body stiffens.
— "W-Wha—?! The book just... spoke?!"
— "I am no ordinary book. Read the last page."
His gaze flickers to the goblins. They haven’t moved. They won’t move.
For the first time, he feels safe enough to read.
Flipping to the final page, his eyes widen.
— "There are over forty lines... I have to read all of this?!"
The golden text begins to shift.
— "This book is unique. It was created by a divine being whose power is beyond imagination. Even I do not know my creator’s identity. However, if I have been drawn to you, then you are the next Lord of Worlds."
His breath catches.
— "Lord... of Worlds?"
The letters continue forming before his eyes.
— "This book was created to seek out its rightful owner. My creator gifted me with the power of foresight to ensure that you are the one. I also possess the power of creation and destruction. You, my wielder, now have access to the Divine System."
His heartbeat thunders in his ears.
— "Your current power level is 10 out of 1,000. By gaining experience, slaying creatures, and evolving, you will grow stronger—until you reach the pinnacle of existence."
A shiver runs through him.
He clenches his fist over his heart, his eyes dark with realization.
— "A power system... like a game?"
Then, a final command glows across the page.
— "Defeat your first enemies. Take control of your fate."
A fire ignites in his veins.
He slowly lifts his gaze to the goblins.
Their bodies tremble. They understand.
Something has changed.
A grin tugs at his lips.
— "Now I understand... why you were so afraid of this book."
Then, he moves.
A new beginning.
A new destiny.
He shuts the book with a satisfying snap.
Then, he steps forward.
— "Let the adventure begin."
