The Prophecy of February
It started with a dream.
On February 9, 2012, twelve-year-old Arthur Chon Li woke up in a cold sweat. In the dream, his parents vanished into thin air, leaving behind only silence. Arthur was not like other children. Even at that age, he possessed a mind that belonged to someone much older. He was Korean-American, living in Korea with his father, Chon So Li, and his mother, Maria Ashton. They were a loving family, semi-millionaires who owned a successful hunting tool company.
Arthur didn't give the dream much attention initially. Dreams were just dreams. Or so he thought.
Three days later, on February 12, Arthur was staying at his uncle's house nearby. His parents had left for a business event, boarding Plane 0768. Arthur was in the living room, playing with his cousins, Mia and Sky, when a scream was heard. It was his uncle's wife.
Arthur rushed to the source of the noise. The television was blaring breaking news. Plane 0768 had disappeared from every radar. The national police concluded the worst: the plane had crashed into the deep ocean. Everyone on board was missing, presumed dead.
twelve-year-old Arthur stood still. He smiled, though tears streamed down his face unchecked.
"Are they still alive?" he asked softly, even though he knew the answer.
His uncle,aunt,mia,and sky all of them hugged him . But Arthur wasn't crying solely from grief. He was crying because his dream had come true.
Ten years passed. The boy who lost his family became a man who prepared for the end of the world.
Arthur took control of his parents company alongside his uncle, becoming an early millionaire by the age of twenty-two. However, the money mattered less than the preparation. He hadn't seen his uncle and cousin sky in person for seven years, working with his uncle exclusively online since the family moved to the United States.
Arthur became a weapon. He mastered between 175 and 200 styles of martial arts, training in secret camps. He sculpted his body to near perfection. He trained a German Shepherd named Maximus (Max) to be more than a pet—a partner in survival.
But his mind was his sharpest tool. In his free time, Arthur devoured novels and manhwas. He read every single story involving systems, dungeons, world-ending scenarios, and action. He memorized them all. Why? Because he believed his dreams were real . If the dream of his parents' death had come true, then the dreams of the world ending would come true too.
December 31, 2021
Arthur was turning twenty-two today. He sat in his semi-fancy apartment, eating noodles while Max tried to sneak a bite from his cup. Arthur gently pushed the dog's nose away. No, Max. It's not good for your health.
Suddenly, the television flickered. It turned on directly to the news channel. The anchor's voice was trembling.
*"Portals... they are opening around the world. Monsters are spawning. They are destroying everything..."*
Chaos erupted on the screen. But Arthur remained calm.
Before his eyes. A blue screen materialized out of nowhere, hovering in the center of the room.
**[WARNING: Worlds are Colliding.]**
**[The New World Age will begin.]**
**[Protect your world from ending. All Players, rise and defeat the monsters.]**
**[The System will help you.]**
**[Tutorial for Earth Players will begin in 10 minutes.]**
**[May the Deities be with you.]**
The screen vanished.
For the first time in ten years, since the day his parents died, Arthur smiled.
"Finally," he whispered.
He reached out and pressed a hidden button on the side of his couch. The coffee table in front of him mechanically transformed, rising up to reveal a concealed tool holder. Inside lay an arsenal: small firearms, a katana, two combat knives, and a tactical bag.
Arthur began to gear up, strapping the weapons to his body with practiced efficiency. He looked down at his companion.
"Maximus, do like our training," Arthur said, his voice steady.
He opened the door to the apartment. Outside, the sounds of sirens and chaos were already beginning to rise. Max barked once, sharp and approving, ready for war.
Arthur stepped out into the end of the world.