Why do I suddenly feel so tired...? I don't want to sleep, but I feel like I might pass out any second.
Dark yawned, his eyes growing heavy, a thin layer of moisture forming as exhaustion crept in.
I guess I didn't get enough sleep... I should rest for a while.
He slowly closed his eyes.
Bit by bit, sleep overtook him.
The nurse had already left.
No one remained in the room except Dark.
Quiet.
Still.
Peaceful.
Dark drifted into a strange dream.
A battle.
It unfolded high in the sky—figures floating in the air as if gravity had no hold over them. Magic crackled around them, lighting up the heavens in bursts of brilliance.
Damn…
To Dark, it was magnificent.
They looked almost divine—like beings from ancient myths. Sunlight poured over them, making their forms glow, dazzling and untouchable. Like angels at war.
Among them… one stood apart.
A lone figure.
Surrounded. Outnumbered.
Yet he didn't retreat.
He fought them all—holding his ground like a lone wolf against a pack. Every movement carried overwhelming power. Even among those monstrous figures, he felt different. Stronger.
The others were terrifying in their own right.
But him…
He was on another level.
Dark couldn't fully make sense of it. The scene kept breaking apart—only flashes remained. Explosions of light across the sky, like distant fireworks.
And just as suddenly as it began—
The dream shattered.
Dark woke up.
The first thing Dark felt was cold.
Not just a chill—
It seeped into his bones, like someone had drenched him in ice water and left him out in the open.
He shot upright.
His breath came out uneven as he clutched himself, trying to shake off the cold that still clung to his skin.
Something felt… wrong.
Different.
When he touched his body, a strange sensation ran through him. He couldn't put it into words—but it wasn't normal. Not the way it used to feel.
"Fuck… what's going on with me these days?" he muttered under his breath.
"Strange dreams… and now this…"
But the strangeness didn't stop there.
Dark began hearing sounds—animal cries, rustlings—coming from somewhere nearby.
"Fuck… what the hell is that sound?" he muttered, his eyes darting around as he tried to take in his surroundings.
The only thought in his mind: Where the fuck am I?
He was in an open place—a damn open space with no roof.
I was at the hospital, for fuck's sake!
Hospitals have roofs… walls… people around. Why the hell was he out here?
And those noises… the creepy ones…
"Is this a dream? Fuck… is this really a dream?"
He touched his skin. Heat radiated off it. He pinched himself lightly.
"Ouch… it's real. Not a dream."
Then panic fully hit him. Where the fuck am I?
Should he shout? Maybe call for help?
No. He was scared. Who knew what was out there?
I should just stay still… pretend I'm asleep… maybe I'll wake up in the morning.
He lay there, holding his breath, forcing himself to remain as motionless as possible.
Strange things kept surfacing, one after another. Dark needed any explanation—any reason—to justify why he was here.
Sweat drenched him. His heart hammered in his chest.
Is this some kind of prank? he thought desperately. It has to be… right? Maybe they'll come out if they see I'm not panicking.
He tried to convince himself. Yeah, they'll come… let me count to five. They'll come out.
"One… two… three… four… five…"
Huh? Where the fuck are they?
Someone… don't scare me like this… damn it!
"Come on… come out already!" he whispered, his voice trembling.
He felt tears prick at the edges of his eyes. For fuck's sake…
If it wasn't a prank… then what?
Did someone kidnap me?
Maybe the hospital was hiding something… shady business.
They've abducted me… to sell my precious body parts.
The thought made him shiver. They'll skin me… take everything… and just leave me here…
Should he run?
Damn it… but he didn't even know if he could.
Then—suddenly—a voice echoed inside his head.
System initiation in progress…
Dark jolted upright from the grass, his eyes darting wildly around. He spun in every direction, searching for the source. Someone… anyone… who had done this to him?
His heart pounded like a drum. Adrenaline surged through him as he scanned the open, desolate place, the shadows twisting with every blink.
"What the… who's there?" he shouted aloud, voice cracking, but no one answered.
Dark suddenly paused from his frantic search and called out, "System
"By system… does it mean what I think? Isn't this the kind of system MCs have in novels?"
Then another voice echoed in his head:
"Host confirmed. Reincarnated status confirmed. System binding complete."
Dark instantly became alert again. The moment the mechanical voice spoke, he knew he had heard it correctly the first time—it was a system. But… what the fuck was a system doing with him?
Wasn't I just a normal person on Earth? What the fuck is this system about? Is this some kind of prank… or an experiment? Who knows what kind of crazy thing some scientist might have done to me. Shit… maybe I've read too many novels, because these thoughts keep flooding my mind.
Could it really be a system? If I think logically… aren't systems supposed to find MCs only when they're reincarnated or transmigrated? Then… why would a system find me? I'm alive… aren't I? Or… did I die? Fuck… what the hell am I even thinking?
No matter how I try, I can't shake the thought. Did I… reincarnate?
Memory synchronization initiated.
The moment the voice finished speaking, a sharp pain surged through Dark's mind—like someone was forcefully pouring a torrent of information into his head.
The agony was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He clutched his head, wanting to scream, but tried to suppress it. Who knew where the fuck he was? He didn't want to draw unwanted attention… or end up in more trouble than he already was.
For fuck's sake… I know the information is important, but why the hell does it have to come with this goddamn pain? Can't this stupid system understand?
Every damn novel I've read, the MC suffers through this same bullshit just to get a few scraps of knowledge—usually nothing useful, just a name or vague details about the world. And here I am, getting the same treatment. Pain first, clarity… maybe later.
Fuck… is it over, or should I just cry more?
Dark gasped for air. Damn… that was something else.
He lay on the ground, staring up at the sky, trying to gather his scattered thoughts.
The moon hung magnificent, silver and serene.
"Wow…" he muttered unconsciously.
It was nothing like the night sky back on Earth. No words could capture its beauty, not even close.
He tried to sift through all the memories that had just flooded his mind.
Yes… what he had suspected had become the undeniable truth. He had been reincarnated into a magical world—a world brimming with superhuman abilities, whether through magic or close-combat prowess. Power radiated from every corner, saturating the very air he now breathed.
Like the worlds in other novels, this one had species beyond humans—creatures, beings, and races he had only read about in fiction.
And most importantly… his name here was Zen.
Zen Lawkey. Orphan. Around fourteen years old.
A whirlwind of thoughts battled in his mind. Should he feel happy or terrified at his insane situation?
Come on… he was in a completely new world, utterly alone. What about the comforts of his old life? Or the life he wished for, the life he had dreamed of living?
No—he reasoned—he should be grateful. He had been granted a fresh chance at life. Wasn't that his ultimate wish?
And on top of everything… he had a system. Perhaps, just perhaps, life might finally go a little smoother this time.