The clouds in the sky were black and looked as if they were going to devour something. The rain that accompanied the storm was so heavy that even the deserted streets were cleaned.
A grownup boy was sitting on a chair by the computer inside a tiny flat. It was a disaster - the bed was covered with worn-out clothes, the table was crowded with empty instant noodle cups and the floor was full of trash. The room had a strange mixture of dust and leftover food aromas.
The boy, around twenty-four years old, sat hunched on his chair. His messy black hair covered his tired eyes, and the dark circles beneath them showed he hadn't slept properly in days. His name was Arin.
He was staring at several games running on his computer at once. His fingers barely moved, only sometimes clicking the mouse. But what caught his attention weren't the games themselves - it was the numbers rising on the screens. Gold, coins, and resources kept increasing without him doing anything.
Arin watched quietly as his in-game money grew. Then, in a low voice, he muttered,
"Is it really possible… to earn money like this?"
He leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply. Just a few months ago, he had been rich.
His family owned a successful business, and life was comfortable. But then everything fell apart.
The company didn't fall due to simple betrayal - His father's business partners, driven by greed, attempted to kill his parents and disguise it as a car accident to seize full control of the company. The plan succeeded only halfway. His mother did not survive and his father narrowly lived but remains in a coma, unconscious and fighting for his life.
The partners took over the business, erased the family from power, and vanished with the wealth. With debts piling up, enemies everywhere, and no one left to trust, Arin is now alone struggling to survive with the little money he managed to save.
Arin knew the truth behind the so-called "accident." He knew it was planned, that it was murder disguised as fate. But there was no solid proof, only broken clues and silenced witnesses.
The partners had erased their tracks perfectly - money, influence, and power protecting them at every step. With no evidence, the police closed the case as an unfortunate accident, and the investigation was never reopened. Knowing the truth yet being unable to prove it became the heaviest burden Arin had to carry.
Still, despite all that, Arin was doing nothing productive. He just sat there, staring blankly at his computer. Watching fake money rise in a fake world.
He laughed weakly.
"Money is a necessity for everything in the world," he muttered with a scowl. "I wish it were so easy for me to make money in the real life..."
Dirtied with his rage, he disgraced his keyboard by hitting it. At that moment, the loud thunder came like a taunt to him. The rain was pounding the glass.
Then, all at once, a blinding flash of lightning struck. It hit his building, and sparks burst from his computer.
"Wha-!"
Arin didn't even have time to react. The shock surged through his body. Pain shot through every nerve, his muscles froze, and his mind went blank. His chair fell backward as he collapsed.
He could barely think, barely breathe. Darkness began to cover his vision.
"So this is how I'll die," he thought weakly. "A pathetic death in a messy room…"
But even as he lost consciousness, one thought wouldn't leave his mind—his father. he was still in the hospital, waiting for him.
"I can't die yet…," he whispered.
Then everything went black.
When Arin opened his eyes again, he expected pain - or maybe nothing at all. But instead, he felt... fine. In fact, he felt better than ever.
The air smelled clean. The sound of rain was gone. He slowly sat up, blinking in confusion. He was in a hospital room.
White walls, clean sheets, and the faint beeping of a heart monitor surrounded him. For a moment, he thought maybe he was dreaming.
He looked at his hands. They were completely fine - no burns, no injuries.
"What's going on…?" he muttered.
Before he could think too much, the door opened, and a police officer walked in. The man looked serious but calm.
"Mr. Arin," the officer said, stepping closer. "You were struck by lightning a few hours ago. Do you remember anything?"
Arin blinked, still trying to process what he was hearing. "Yes… I remember," he said slowly. "But… I don't feel any pain. Shouldn't I be… burned or something?"
The officer frowned slightly. "The doctors are as confused as you are. You were unconscious when they brought you in, but physically, you're completely fine. It's almost like nothing happened."
Arin couldn't believe it. He looked down at himself again - his skin was smooth, no marks, no bandages. He even felt strangely energized, as if he had just woken from the best sleep of his life.
Before the officer could say anything more, something strange happened.
Right in front of Arin's eyes, a blue screen appeared out of thin air. It floated in the air like a hologram, shining faintly.
The officer didn't react. He didn't seem to see it at all.
Arin froze, staring at the glowing words on the screen.
Integrating System…
Idle System Integrating…
Suddenly, his heart raced and he tried to clear his eyes, thinking that it was a trick of the light, but the screen was still going.
"What could this be...?" he mumbled.
Arin stared, his mouth open in shock. The same kind of system from the games he used to play… was now in front of him.
He didn't know if it was real or a dream, but deep inside, something told him - his life was about to change forever.