The moment I got home, I crashed onto my couch, still half–buzzing from what I saw inside that damn portal of mine.
An empty world. My world.
It was too much to process, so like any idiot who just got a godlike power, I did what normal people do—I scrolled through the news.
And holy shit, I regretted it instantly.
Every single broadcast screamed the same word—"Monsters."
They were spilling out of glowing rifts all around the world.
Some as tall as buildings, some crawling like beasts from hell. Cities collapsed, soldiers fired, and people screamed.
Missiles, tanks, and drones? They barely scratched the damn things.
Only the "Gifted"—those who accepted the "Welcome" earlier—could kill them.
But most didn't.
They were scared. Untrained. Kids like me, thrown into a horror movie without a script.
Meanwhile, the ones with S-rank and above powers were already hailed as humanity's saviors.
The TV showed Awakeners walking through military bases, being cheered at like gods.
Reporters called them "heroes of the new age."
SSS, SS, S-rank—those lucky bastards were living in luxury.
I scowled. "So even in the apocalypse, there's still a damn food chain."
Still, something inside me burned—a strange excitement.
I mean, this was it. The new era. The thing I always dreamed about when I was stuck in boring classes.
I opened the Awakener forums and typed furiously:
"EX-Rank Ability Users confirmed?"
It didn't take long before a post exploded to the top:
[Breaking] Rank 3 Hero Emerges — EX-Rank Ability User Confirmed!
"Known as the Reality Shaper, he constructs floating fortresses to house survivors and commands golems to battle monsters."
I froze.
"Wait… what the fuck? There's another EX-rank?!"
My heart dropped and then spiked again.
I thought I was special.
The chosen one.
The protagonist, goddammit.
Now there's another?
But instead of disappointment, I laughed like a madman.
This era's going to be insane.
If EX abilities exist, that means there are others like me—people rewriting the rules of the world.
Goosebumps crawled up my arms.
I kept scrolling through the global rankings. Rank 3 was the Reality Shaper. Rank 2 was someone called the "Spear Saint."
And at the top…
Rank 1: The Sovereign of Silence
"The blade that ends chaos before it begins."
No photo. No info. No face.
Just a name.
The forums were full of rumors:
"He solo-cleared ten invasion portals."
"He killed a calamity-class beast barehanded."
"He's not even human."
I muttered under my breath, "The Sovereign of Silence, huh? Edgy bastard. Bet he's one of those cold, brooding types that don't even talk."
Still, that name—it sent chills down my spine.
I leaned back, arms behind my head, grinning despite the fear building in my chest.
"Alright then, Sovereign. You enjoy your throne while it lasts."
And just as those words left my mouth—
—the ground shook.
At first, it was small, like a passing truck.
Then my desk rattled, the lamp fell, and the floor started to tremble like it was alive.
"...The fuck?"
I stood up and ran to the window.
Outside—
Everything was chaos.
Massive rifts tore through the sky like glowing scars.
From them, monsters poured out—winged demons, beasts with molten skin, and creatures that looked like they crawled straight from nightmares.
Buildings cracked, cars flipped, and people screamed in the streets.
An emergency siren wailed, late and useless.
"Attention, citizens! This is not a drill! Find shelter immediately—"
Then the broadcast cut off.
My chest tightened. My breath came out shaky.
I stumbled back from the window, my mind racing.
This is really happening.
Monsters were flooding my city—my city.
And all I could think was—
"Can I even fucking do anything?"
I looked down at my trembling hands.
"What power do I even have? A damn pocket world? What am I supposed to do—invite them for tea inside it?!"
My voice cracked as panic surged through me.
I cursed under my breath, pacing like a maniac.
Outside, another explosion shook the street.
I didn't think. I just reacted.
"Portal Realm—activate!"
The words left my mouth, and the air before me shimmered.
A swirling blue gate opened, humming with strange energy.
Without another thought, I jumped in.
And then—silence.
The chaos vanished.
I was standing in the middle of that familiar empty field—flat, endless, surrounded by darkness.
My realm.
No screaming. No monsters. Just… me.
I dropped to my knees, the adrenaline fading, leaving only the weight of everything crashing down.
Hopeless. Useless.
That's how I felt.
I buried my face in my hands.
"I thought this would be fun… I thought I'd be the main character. But this—this is real."
The ground was soft beneath my palms, the air still.
In here, I was safe—but safety felt like cowardice.
Still, as I stared into that empty void, something deep inside me shifted.
Fear mixed with determination, like oil catching fire.
I clenched my fists, muttering, "Fine. If this world's going to shit, I'll make my own better one."
I took a deep breath.
My voice trembled, but I meant every word.
"From now on… I'll survive, no matter what."
The sky above the field glowed faintly, as if answering me.
And for the first time, I truly understood—
this wasn't a dream.
This was the beginning.