"Eh..."
A trembling breath was the only sound in a small Seoul apartment.
Night had already fallen over Korea's skies, and most people had finished their daily tasks, now sleeping to face another day of boring routine.
All lights were off, and the only audible sound was someone's labored breathing—no groans, no words, just breathing.
After a few more shaky inhales and exhales, he slowly opened his eyes, trying to discern what was happening.
"Haa—Ghk!" He couldn't even sigh in relief before a sharp pain shot through his entire body.
He felt numb from the roots of his hair to the tips of his toes. He couldn't move—didn't want to. He was sure any attempt would bring agony.
"(This damn System...)" His fingers trembled slightly as he decided it was finally time to get up—only for that cursed pain to surge again when he barely lifted his arm.
[Ting]
[Forced Adaptation successfully completed!]
[The System congratulates the Host on surviving.]
"(So cruel...)" His eyes held a tired, defeated gaze, the only visible thing in the pitch-black room.
—
[Forced Adaptation Protocol Results!]
Body fat removed: 97.2%
Muscle mass optimized: +1000%
Metabolism adjusted: x10
Impurities extracted: 94%
[View More]
—
"What is this...?" His voice came out hoarse, as if he hadn't drunk water in days. It still hurt, but he endured it like a champion.
Staring at the screen before him, his weary, dazed eyes finally focused, widening slightly in shock.
"It wasn't a dream... Hehe." His previously tense body relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted.
Kaito had spent the entire time wondering if this was all just a dream—or if he'd gone insane. Maybe he was in a coma, trapped in some lucid nightmare.
But this confirmed it: the screen, that robotic voice, the hellish pain wracking every inch of his body, the exhaustion—it all proved he was alive, and this wasn't a dream.
"(And I still remember hearing and feeling my muscles restructure in real time...)" Just recalling it gave him chills. He'd passed out multiple times from the pain.
"But I survived... Hehehe."
Summoning his remaining strength, he adjusted his legs for support. It hurt—badly—but after everything he'd endured, a little muscle soreness was manageable.
Using his torso and arms, he pushed himself into a sitting position, releasing an exhausted sigh.
His body wasn't visible in the darkness, covered in a layer of black sludge. He only noticed when moonlight faintly illuminated the apartment.
"What's this? Did I get Venom or something?" Wiping his hand, he managed to fling some of the gunk away.
"I need a shower to wash this off... It feels gross."
Squinting, he located the bathroom door without much trouble.
"My vision's sharper..." The moonlight hadn't even touched the door, yet he could distinguish it clearly in the dark.
"Ugh, so many questions. Shower first, then figure things out."
After some effort, he stood, swaying slightly as he staggered toward the bathroom.
The sliding door opened, revealing a cramped space. Kaito stepped inside without bothering to close it.
His clothes felt tight—some even torn upon closer inspection.
"Annoying... Why won't these come off?" He tugged at his pants, but they clung stubbornly to his skin, forcing him to use more strength.
RIP!
His pants, now reduced to shredded fabric, hung in his hands.
"What the—?" A draft hit his lower body, revealing only a pair of black boxers barely surviving his new physique.
"Hmm. Light." He fumbled for the switch, not wanting to strain his tired eyes further.
After a brief search, he found it—only to freeze when his peripheral vision caught a dark figure in the mirror.
"What the—? Sh—"
He didn't finish cursing before tripping over the bathtub and landing hard on the cold tile, sending shivers and fresh pain through his body.
His recovering muscles locked up from the impact, making it harder to stand than expected.
"Ugh, my body..." Rising unsteadily, he faced the mirror—and confusion took over.
"Huh?"
Staring back was a figure coated in a strange black substance, half-liquid, half-solid, clinging to his skin and even seeping through his clothes. It vaguely resembled a slime.
"Is this from the System?" He wiped his cheek, revealing the same tanned skin he'd woken up with earlier.
At least he hadn't turned into an alien. It was just some weird sludge.
If it came off this easily, a shower would fix it.
Though...
"It smells like crap." He didn't even need to sniff it—the stench was overpowering. Had his nose gotten used to it until now?
Shrugging, he peeled off his pajama top and stepped under the showerhead, turning the faucet.
"Cold!" He glared at the icy water. It'd take a while to warm up.
"Though..." His eyes stayed fixed on the showerhead.
"Was it always this close?" His face was nearly touching it. One wrong move, and he'd bump into it.
Glancing down, he watched the black sludge slowly drain away—a small relief.
Then he noticed a bigger problem.
This guy had no soap or shampoo. How was he supposed to wash?
"Water'll have to do." Giving up, he figured water alone could rinse off most of the grime.
Rubbing his hair, he finally relaxed as the water warmed up. He'd endured the cold like a champ—worth it.
"So refreshing~"
[Outside the Apartment]
"Ahh~ So cold... Why do I have to deal with this?" A girl no older than 18 hugged her shoulders, standing before an apartment door.
Wearing just a shirt and loose pants, she knocked loudly with an irritated expression.
"(It's almost 1:30 AM—why are they making so much noise?)"
After minutes of no response (despite clearly hearing ruckus earlier), she checked the number again.
Wait—wasn't this that fat Japanese guy's apartment? Was she about to see that disgusting face again?
It'd been months since anyone lived here—she'd assumed it was empty. Until tonight, when nonstop noise for **ten hours** made her think they were throwing a rave.
Creak.
The door groaned open, hinges rusty from neglect.
"(Finally!)" She immediately leaned in to yell—
"Hey, idiot, do you know what time it—"
Her voice died as the door opened fully.
Steam drifted off the figure before her: a tall, bronzed young man around 18-19, with long hair and...
Her mouth went dry.
Pecs carved like marble, symmetrical and flawless. Abs so deeply defined they could sharpen diamonds. A V-tapered back wide enough to eclipse the moon. Arms thick as steel cables, veins tracing explosive power beneath sun-kissed skin.
And below the waist? Just a towel.
"I—" Stunned, her gaze stayed glued to his chest, forgetting why she'd come.
"Can I... help you?" Kaito asked awkwardly, still self-conscious about the lingering stench.
"(Did she freeze from the smell?)"
After a beat, the girl snapped back, blushing as she met his eyes—sharp yet oddly refined, with a masculine beauty fit for an idol.
"I—I just wanted to ask you to keep it down," she mumbled, barely audible.
"Oh! Right, sorry. I was dealing with something—won't happen again." He smiled sheepishly.
Most wouldn't have heard her whisper, but his hearing was absurdly sharp now.
"Uh, I thought someone else lived here. Are you new?" Emboldened by his tone, she dared to look up nervously.
Kaito hesitated. He didn't know how to answer—the apartment seemed lived-in, but...
"From what I know, I've been here a whi—"
"SONG HA-NEUL! GET BACK HERE IF YOU'RE DONE TALKING!" A booming voice echoed from downstairs.
Startled, the girl—Ha-neul—mouthed something silently before bowing and darting off.
"I didn't even finish..." Kaito stared blankly at the empty hallway.
"Was she...?" A sudden, foreign memory surfaced.
"The landlord's daughter?"
A cold breeze made him shiver, snapping him back.
"(Forget it—I need to finish washing up!)" He hurried inside, shutting the door.
[One Hour Later]
The bathroom door slid open as Kaito stepped out, towel wrapped around his waist and another drying his hair.
"Seriously, what kind of magic did this System use? Now I get why that girl froze."
Sitting down carefully (his muscles still ached), he replayed the last hour.
After showering, he'd finally seen himself clearly in the mirror—and barely recognized the man staring back.
Every trace of fat was gone, replaced by pure, sculpted muscle. He'd spent minutes inspecting his new body, even discovering muscles he didn't know existed.
"I guess suffering paid off... Though I'd have preferred less pain." He wiped nervous sweat, doubting he'd ever forget that ordeal.
But the most important thing now...
"I had a memory... From this body... "