There was no explosion of golden light, no fantasy novel theatrics, no sudden leap into godhood.
The basic attributes of an ordinary human were set at five points each.
And yet, after tonight, Ethan White's stats had more than tripled. His body throbbed with strength, his muscles humming with power, his reflexes razor-sharp. He hadn't become a superhero overnight—but the transformation was real, undeniable.
The surging vitality filling his veins was proof enough.
A man who had injected zombie blood and survived was no longer ordinary.
And now, with the Blacklight Virus fusing into his cells, Ethan felt a confidence he had never known before.
He loosened his clenched fists, drew in a steadying breath, and summoned his status panel.
A screen appeared before his eyes, crystalline and cold:
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[Ethan White (Forerunner)]
Evolver Number: 001
Talent: Virus King (SSS)
Level: 1 (0/500 EXP)
Strength: 13 (+1)
Agility: 15 (+1)
Constitution: 15 (+1)
Spirit: 14 (+1)
Charm: ???
Luck: ???
Gold Coins: 0
---
Ethan exhaled slowly. His base stats were nearly triple that of a normal person. At level one, he already had the physicality of a trained soldier, and then some.
But what stunned him wasn't the attributes.
It was the number.
001.
The first evolver.
His heart skipped. Did this mean… he was the very first human on Blue Star to awaken early?
He had known from his past life that early awakenings were rare. Those who grasped power before the apocalypse officially erupted were counted among legends. But to be the first—that was something else entirely.
A number was just an identifier, like a registration tag. It had no direct bearing on strength. But the symbolism—oh, the symbolism was enormous.
The first pioneer of evolution.
The first to step onto the battlefield of the new age.
The thought made him chuckle under his breath. Still, he forced the pride down. It was far too early to get arrogant.
Ethan knew better than anyone: strength wasn't built in a day. Being the first didn't guarantee survival. It didn't guarantee supremacy.
SSS-level talent gave him the highest starting point imaginable—but it was only the foundation. To face gods, emperors, and cosmic horrors, he would need to climb higher, further, faster.
This was merely the beginning.
---
Ethan leaned back on his bed, thoughts churning. His original plan had been simple—gather supplies, prepare for chaos, survive the initial storm.
But now?
Now, everything had changed.
The Virus King talent required Evolution Points to develop. That meant one thing: he had to hunt. He had to find bacteria, viruses, pathogens, and bend them under his will. Every infection he absorbed would fuel his growth.
He smiled grimly. Who else on Blue Star would deliberately seek out viruses in order to grow stronger? To everyone else, they were death. To him, they were stepping stones.
But there was time. No need to rush recklessly.
He rose carefully, controlling his new strength, and opened his laptop. The familiar glow of the screen lit his pale features. For a moment, he simply stared. Then he opened QNet—the massive online forum system.
His fingers flew across the keyboard.
He created a new board. Its name:
"Pioneers of Evolution – The Will of the Universe."
At first, it was empty. A blank slate. A digital wasteland.
But Ethan wasn't trying to fill it with panic or prophecies. He didn't need to shout about the apocalypse to people who wouldn't believe him anyway.
No. This was for a select few.
The true pioneers.
Those who, like him, awakened early.
Those who would shape the future.
His post was simple.
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"Congratulations to the evolvers who discover this board. If you are here, it means you are one step ahead of the world."
"The apocalypse is coming. The rest of humanity will awaken in nine days. But you and I… we are different. We are the first."
"I believe that those who gather here will become giants in the new age. Saints, emperors, legends. The brightest lights of the future."
"I bless you, my fellow pioneers. And I look forward to the day we meet in person."
"—The White Emperor."
---
Ethan leaned back and smiled faintly as he clicked publish.
White Emperor.
That was the name he had chosen for himself.
Not out of vanity, but as a declaration of intent.
In his last life, he had built White Devil City—a bastion in the apocalypse, forged from blood and desperation. But it had been built too late, under the shadow of a goddess, never truly his own.
This time, he would build again. He would create a new gathering place, a city that would rival any empire.
Because the apocalypse wasn't only a test of individuals. It was a proving ground for civilizations. Some challenges demanded unity, demanded organization, demanded cities. The will of the universe rewarded such endeavors.
The pioneers who built first, who united first, would reap rewards far beyond imagination.
And his chosen name, White Emperor, was more than a title.
It was a goal.
In his last life, those few whose combat power reached the highest tier—the Emperors—had all borne such titles. Beyond them were the gods.
Once, Ethan had been a saint. But sainthood no longer satisfied him.
This time, he would climb higher.
Emperor. White Emperor.
That was his path.
---
His hands tightened on the desk. Nine days remained before the apocalypse tore the world apart.
Nine days to prepare.
He would not sit idle. Even if killing infected wouldn't yield much experience before the official eruption, there was still one thing he needed more than anything else.
Evolution Points.
The Virus King demanded them. To grow stronger, he had to absorb viruses, master pathogens, and bend bacteria to his will.
Hospitals.
The thought came sharp and cold.
Hospitals were nests of disease, hives of bacteria. Along with sewers, they were the richest places to harvest viral samples.
If he wanted to climb quickly, that was where he had to go.
---
Ethan stood, pulling on his black mask. He adjusted his cap low over his eyes. His movements were smooth, controlled—already different from the boy he had been yesterday.
The door creaked softly as he stepped into the corridor.
The night air outside was cool, silent.
Nine days until the world ended.
Nine days until humanity fell.
And Ethan White—the first evolver, the Virus King, the White Emperor—was already moving.
---