Chapter 1 – The Return
A tired 35-year-old man walked slowly toward his apartment. Late again because of work. His face showed no emotion. Just emptiness.
As he reached his door, one familiar thought came to him:
"If I could go back… I would save my family."
He closed his eyes for a moment.
Then—
"Wake up! Wake up already!"
A familiar voice.
He opened his eyes and froze.
His mother was standing right in front of him. Alive.
He blinked. "This… must be a dream," he whispered, and tried to lie down again.
SLAP.
His mother lightly hit his cheek.
"If you're awake, don't pretend to sleep! You'll be late for school! You're a high-schooler now. Be serious!"
She turned toward the door.
"Wash your face, get dressed, and come eat breakfast. It's your first day of high school. Don't be late."
She left the room.
Silence.
But the man wasn't shocked because he returned to the past.
He was shocked because a floating blue screen appeared in front of him.
A game-like interface.
[GENESIS SYSTEM BOOTING…]
"What…?"
He reached out to touch it, but his finger passed through the screen.
Then the system spoke.
"Hello, Host. I am Genesis, your ability system. I am here to assist you."
His heart nearly stopped. Shock and fear hit him at once.