The courtyard had fallen strangely quiet.
The mutated hound lay motionless against the cracked wall,
while several students stood frozen around the area. Nobody seemed to
understand what they had just witnessed.
Arin slowly lowered his hand. The purple aura surrounding
his body faded until nothing remained.
Kael's green aura disappeared next.
Liora's crimson threads dissolved into tiny droplets before
vanishing.
Elias stared at the three of them.
Ayla and Rhett did the same.
Then Ayla spoke.
"What was that?"
Nobody answered.
She stepped closer.
"I've seen strange things happening around the city, but I've
never seen anything like that."
Rhett glanced at the dead creature.
"And that thing definitely wasn't a normal dog."
Arin looked around.
Students were still scattered across the courtyard. Some
were recording the dead creature with their phones, while others were talking
excitedly about what had happened.
Nobody seemed to have noticed the system notifications.
Good.
Arin looked at Kael and Liora.
They exchanged a silent understanding.
They needed somewhere private.
"Come with us," Arin said.
Ayla raised an eyebrow.
"Where?"
"Somewhere nobody can hear us."
Rhett glanced at Ayla.
She nodded.
"Fine."
The six moved into an empty classroom at the end of the
corridor. Arin closed the door and checked the windows.
Nobody was nearby.
Elias looked confused.
"Why does this feel like a secret meeting?"
Kael looked at him.
"Because it is."
Liora walked toward the window and pulled the blinds shut.
Ayla crossed her arms.
"Now explain."
Arin remained silent for a few seconds.
He knew what they were about to reveal could change
everything.
But they couldn't tell them about reincarnation.
Nobody could know.
Not Ayla.
Not Rhett.
Not Elias.
Nobody.
"The three of us have a system," Arin finally said.
Since they would probably gett theirs when they awaken.
Ayla and Rhett exchanged glances.
Rhett asked surprised.
"A system?"
Kael nodded.
"Yeah."
Liora continued, "It appeared after something happened to
us."
Arin kept the explanation simple.
"It warned us that the world is going to change."
Ayla's expression became serious.
"How?"
"An apocalypse."
Silence.
Arin continued.
"Within days, the world will experience a major change.
Monsters will appear. Humans will awaken abilities. Civilization will
eventually collapse."
Rhett frowned.
"How do you know?"
"Our system told us."
Ayla looked toward the window.
"And the creature outside?"
"It was one of the early mutations."
She looked back at him.
"How long?"
Arin answered immediately.
"Six days."
Ayla's expression changed.
"Six days until what?"
"The beginning."
Nobody spoke.
Kael leaned against a desk.
"The World System will eventually activate. When it does,
people will receive abilities."
Rhett narrowed his eyes.
"But your system activated before that."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Arin shook his head.
"We don't know."
That part wasn't entirely a lie. They didn't understand the
Trinity System either.
Ayla looked at the three of them carefully.
"And you're already capable of fighting those things because
of the system."
"Correct."
Rhett glanced toward the door.
"Then why didn't you tell anyone?"
Kael answered before Arin could.
"Because nobody would believe us."
"And if they did?" Rhett asked.
Kael's expression became serious.
"Then imagine what happens when hundreds of people suddenly
learn that we're already stronger than them."
Rhett understood.
Panic.
Jealousy.
Greed.
People would start hunting them.
Ayla nodded slowly.
"You're right."
Arin added, "That's why this stays between us."
Elias raised his hand.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at him.
"So I'm included in the secret?"
Kael stared.
"You were already here."
"That's not reassuring."
Liora smiled faintly.
"Just keep your mouth shut."
Elias nodded.
"I can do that."
Kael looked at him suspiciously.
"Can you?"
"Yes."
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
"You talk too much."
"So do you."
Kael paused.
"Fair."
Ayla looked at the trio again.
"There is something else."
Arin waited.
"You said the apocalypse is coming in six days. Why did that
monster appear today?"
"We don't know."
"And you didn't expect it?"
"No."
Ayla's eyes narrowed.
The timeline was already changing.
And every deviation could create another.
Suddenly, a notification appeared before Arin's eyes.
Ø
[Tutorial Battle Countdown]
Ø
Time Remaining: 02:13:47
Ø
Estimated Hostile Entities: 10+
Arin's expression changed.
Kael noticed .
"Sunset"
Liora immediately understood.
"The tutorial."
Ayla frowned.
"What happens at sunset?"
"Monsters."
Rhett looked surprised.
"How many?"
Arin stared at the notification.
"At least ten."
Kael shrugged.
"Ten isn't that bad."
The system immediately appeared again.
Ø
[Correction.]
Ø
[Estimated Hostile Entities: 37]
Kael's expression went blank.
"…Thirty-seven?"
Arin looked at him.
"Apparently."
Kael stared at the ceiling.
"I preferred ten."
The system flashed again.
Ø
[Trinity System Note: Your confidence was
adorable while it lasted.]
Kael frowned.
Nobody else saw the message.
That was another rule they had discovered.
The Trinity System was visible only to the three linked
reincarnators.
Ayla couldn't see Arin's status.
Rhett couldn't see Kael's.
Elias couldn't see Liora's.
The three could communicate through their system, but
outsiders couldn't access it.
And that was exactly how they wanted it.
The system remained their secret.
Just like their reincarnation.
Ayla suddenly stood.
"Then we'll help."
Arin looked at her.
"You don't have to."
"I know."
She walked toward the door.
"But if you're telling the truth, hiding inside this school
won't save us."
Rhett stood beside her.
"We're both trained."
Kael raised an eyebrow.
"Trained how?"
"Martial arts."
Rhett smiled.
"Quite seriously."
Ayla nodded.
"Karate, Taekwondo, Judo and close combat."
Kael stared.
"You two are student council members."
Rhett shrugged.
"That doesn't mean we only know how to organize school
events."
Kael looked at Liora.
"I suddenly feel underqualified."
"You should."
The afternoon passed quickly.
The six prepared as much as they could without attracting
attention.
The trio couldn't reveal their full capabilities.
Ayla and Rhett couldn't reveal theirs either.
But they could train.
They moved to an unused section of the school grounds and
practiced basic formations.
Ayla was fast.
Very fast.
Her movements were controlled and precise.
Rhett was more aggressive, relying on explosive strikes and
powerful counters.
Arin immediately recognized their potential.
They were already excellent fighters before awakening.
Once they gained their future abilities…
They would become terrifying.
The sun slowly began descending.
The sky turned orange.
Students began leaving the school.
Teachers locked classrooms.
The campus gradually became quieter.
Then the atmosphere changed.
A cold wind swept through the courtyard.
Arin looked toward the sky.
His Trinity System activated.
Ø
[Tutorial Battle Beginning.]
Ø
[Dimensional Distortion Detected.]
Ø
[Multiple hostile entities entering the
battlefield.]
Ø
[Battlefield: School Campus.]
Ø
[Objective: Survive.]
Kael swallowed.
"Here we go."
A strange sound echoed beyond the school wall.
Then another.
Then dozens.
Students who were still on campus began looking around
nervously.
"What was that?"
"Did you hear it?"
"Where's that coming from?"
Ayla tightened her fists.
Rhett lowered his stance.
Then something jumped over the school wall.
A small creature landed in the courtyard.
It looked humanoid.
Short.
Thin.
Greenish skin.
Long ears.
Sharp teeth.
A crude weapon in its hand.
Then another creature jumped over the wall.
Then another.
Then another.
Kael's face slowly changed.
"Goblins, I hate them."
The system identified the first creature.
Ø
[Target Identified]
Ø
Name: Lesser Goblin
Ø
Rank: E
Ø
Level: 6
Ø
Strength: 15
Ø
Agility: 14
Ø
Endurance: 9
Ø
Vitality: 12
Ø
Mana: 5
Ø
Special Ability: [Primitive Coordination]
Ø
Improves cooperation between nearby goblins.
Ø
Skill: [Crude Weapon Lv.1]
Ø
Uses simple weapons with basic combat
proficiency.
Ø
Weakness: Low durability and poor resistance to
powerful attacks.
Ø
Note: First confirmed humanoid monster invasion.
One goblin. Manageable.
Another notification appeared.
Ø
[Enemy Count: 37]
Kael stared at the courtyard.
Dozens of goblins were climbing over the walls.
Some carried crude swords.
Others held wooden clubs.
A few had bows.
More continued appearing from the surrounding streets.
Kael's mouth slowly opened.
"…Thirty-seven."
Ayla's expression hardened.
"That's more than I expected."
Rhett nodded.
"We can't let them reach the students."
Arin looked around.
The school was suddenly surrounded.
The number continued increasing.
Thirty-seven.
Forty.
Forty-five.
Fifty.
Kael looked at Arin.
"Didn't the system say ten?"
Arin shook his head.
"It said ten-plus."
"That's a very generous definition of plus."
The system appeared again.
Ø
[Enemy Count: 53]
Ø
[Battlefield Difficulty Updated.]
Ø
[Estimated Victory Probability: 1%]
Everyone stared at the swarm.
Kael's face went pale.
"One percent?"
The system responded.
Ø
[Correction: 0.97%.]
Kael's eyes widened.
"WHY DID YOU CORRECT IT?!"
Liora looked at him.
"Because apparently the system enjoys watching you suffer."
Another notification appeared.
Ø
[Strategic Options Available.]
Ø
Option A: Retreat.
Ø
Result: Survival probability increases.
Ø
Reward: None.
Ø
Growth Opportunity: Lost.
Ø
Option B: Fight.
Ø
Result: Survival probability: 0.97%.
Ø
Reward: Significant Experience.
Ø
Potential: Rapid Growth.
Ø
Trinity System Note: Personally, I recommend
running. Fifty-three goblins against six people is a terrible mathematical
decision. But if you insist on fighting, at least try not to embarrass
yourselves.
Kael stared at the message.
"…Run my ass."
Arin's expression remained serious.
"It gave us an option."
Liora looked at the goblins.
"Running means leaving the students."
Ayla tightened her fists.
"We fight."
Rhett nodded.
"We protect the school."
Elias swallowed nervously.
"This is much."
Kael laughed despite the situation.
"Welcome to the apocalypse."
The goblins suddenly raised their weapons.
A roar echoed across the courtyard.
Fifty-three monsters charged.
Arin's purple aura erupted.
Kael's green aura exploded around his body.
Liora's crimson aura wrapped around her arms.
Ayla and Rhett took their fighting stances.
Elias stood behind them, gripping a metal pipe with both
hands.
The Trinity System appeared one final time.
Ø
[Tutorial Battle: Commencing.]
Ø
[Good luck.]
Ø
[You'll need it.]
Arin stepped forward.
His purple eyes glowed.
"Everyone."
The goblins were almost upon them.
"Get ready."
The first wave of monsters crashed into the school.
And the real battle began.