An impenetrable darkness enveloped me without warning and dragged me into a boundless space. I floated in a place without reference points, without up or down, without anything to orient me. Everything was shadow. There were no memories, no history, no name. Only that endless, cold, desolate instant remained.
Amid the confusion, scattered fragments began to surface: vague thoughts, blurred images that dissolved the moment I tried to grasp them. Even so, something managed to remain.
A figure.
A barely perceptible outline, the silhouette of a stranger dissolving into the haze of my mind. I could not make out any features or expression—only its presence.
Should that even matter now? The only thing that matters is understanding who I am. I have no name, no past to cling to. Then the real question arises: what am I at this moment? What do I think? What am I trying to hold onto?
In theory, none of that should carry any weight for me.
Yet reality is different. There is something inside me whispering that I should remain here, that I should not try to escape. At the same time, another part of me insists that everything was left behind and, if it no longer exists, there is no point in continuing to look back at it.
If there is no past, then all that remains is to move forward.
And that is what I will do.
The problem is… where?
Before my thoughts could fade completely, I noticed two lights appear before me.
The one on the right shone in a golden hue, radiating a comforting warmth and carrying a beautiful, almost welcoming sensation. The one on the left, however, emanated cold and an unsettling pressure; it inspired fear. It was the kind of place no one would willingly approach. Of that, I was certain.
As I tried to decide which one to move toward, a third luminescence emerged between them. Its glow was different, unstable, and it began emitting strange sounds, like interference.
Then it spoke.
[Anomaly detected.]
The voice carried a mechanical tone, devoid of emotion.
[Do you wish to become something worthless again?]
The question lingered in the air. I did not fully understand what was happening, but my answer was instinctive.
—"No."
[Response recorded: Host with intent to continue and surpass himself. Initiating protocols to extract from the void.]
The radiance intensified.
And everything around me began to collapse.
I do not know how much time passed. At some point, I began to open my eyes.
Before me stretched an entirely different environment. I was no longer in that void. I found myself in a strange space, surrounded by luminous structures floating around me. They resembled data panels suspended in midair, accompanied by numerous cards of different shapes and sizes. They rotated slowly, displaying symbols and information I could not comprehend.
Before I could react, the mechanical voice resonated once more.
[Due to the absence of prior memories, the new identity creation protocol will be activated.]
The cards aligned in front of me.
[Please, Host, enter your name.]
—My name will be Kazuki.
The moment I spoke those words, the environment reacted. Everything around me began to glow more intensely, as if the space itself had accepted my decision.
[Name successfully registered. Welcome to the TZY System.]
—TZY?
[Because the Host is still too weak, it is not possible to display additional information at this time.]
The light stabilized before me.
[Proceeding with lifeform selection for reincarnation. Please choose one of the available races displayed around you.]
The cards began moving again, awaiting my choice.
To be honest, even though all the cards looked impressive or imposing, I could not help but feel that this was all too cliché. I am not someone who chooses the easy path. Even the golden cards were eye-catching, but that glow felt more like a warning than a promise. Something told me it might be a trap.
With that in mind, I began to carefully examine each floating card, evaluating their shapes, colors, and symbols. Until one truly caught my attention.
—Information on Card 1790.
[Card 1790 corresponds to the demonic race.]
I see. How interesting. According to the information, they are an exceptionally powerful species designed for magical combat, and that fits my style… but… I will make it harder.
As I took the card, the system immediately began registering my selection.
[Selection completed: Race Card 1790 chosen.]
[Due to the Host's desire to face a greater challenge, you will begin with the demonic subclass known as Specter.]
[Initiating Spectral form design… Successfully completed.]
[As the first user of the system and favored by its creator, the following bonuses are automatically granted:
— 100 Evolution Points
— General Reward Bonus x2
— Random weapon of variable grade
— 500 Star Jade Coins
Being the first and the creator's favorite guarantees these rewards without the need for additional conditions.]
I understand little about the system, but I could already see that this was an opportunity I could not afford to waste. Without a doubt, it was the best decision I could make.
[Prologues and Configurations completed: Initiating teleportation to your first appearance.]
—What?
[Main mission in progress: Save and prevent the fall of the capital of Seoul, and assist in combat against Category 7 Anomaly the Rank C adventurer: Kim Hye-Jin.]
—Hey, wait… I didn't accept anything!
As I tried to protest, a loud distortion echoed as my body was pulled into the warp. Moments later, I appeared inside a building. When I opened my eyes, I saw that nearly the entire city lay in ruins; enormous cracks spread across the ground and walls. The strangest part was that my arms looked completely human. Hadn't I chosen another race?
[Response Obtained, Host: Due to your unique shapeshifting capability, it was deemed appropriate to grant you a more suitable human appearance. Even so, you retain the ability to return to your spectral form, which constitutes your combat mode.]
—I see… then how do I bring out the wings? I have to fight, don't you think?
[Request Denied: Specters are not full demons; therefore, they do not possess wings. Currently, you may access the statistics menu simply by thinking about it, and the status window will appear.]
—…Seriously, no wings. Well, at least I have a combat form. That's something.
"Status window," I thought. The moment I uttered it, the screen appeared before me, clearly displaying all my information and current state:
━━━〔 STATUS WINDOW – KAZUKI 〕━━━
Name: Kazuki
Status: Wanderer
Species: Specter (Demonic Subclass)
Star Jade Coins: 500
Existential Classification: Unstable Form
Title: Without Possession
Rank: 0
Demonic Core: 0%
Spiritual Weapons: 1 / 1
Summons: 0 / 1
Evaluation Points: 100
Bonus: X2
── [Base Parameters] ──
Strength: H-
Speed: H-
Endurance: H-
Combat: H-
Mana: H-
Luck: H-
Magic: H-
AP: H-
DC: H-
Hax: H-
── [Initial Skills] ──
—Weapon Mastery: H-
── [Current System] ──
—Level 1
Active Functions: Limited information, visualization of approximate parameters, basic missions
Evolution Points: 100
Special Bonuses:
—100 Evolution Points
—General Reward Bonus x2
—Random weapon of variable grade (granted)
—500 Star Jade Coins
── [Active Missions] ──
—Main Mission: Save and prevent the fall of the capital of Seoul
—Assist in combat against the Category 7 Anomaly the Rank C adventurer: Kim Hye-Jin
Wow, this system was incredibly detailed. With that in mind, as I tried to figure out how to improve my stats, a powerful punch suddenly sent me crashing into another building. Everything happened so fast that my vision blurred. Amid the chaos, my focus locked onto a fully winged creature approaching—imposing and dangerous.