All of the world's major information channels were broadcasting live at the same time.
At the center of an open plaza, a middle-aged man stood before several cameras, his expression tense as he spoke.
"This will either be the end of the world… or the beginning of a new era."
The moment his words ended, the cameras shifted to the massive black rift behind him. From within the dark void, monsters began to emerge. They had green skin, large pointed ears, and small frames, but their grotesque appearance made them terrifying.
One of them stepped forward, clutching a stone in its hand.
Standing before the monsters were humans holding swords and bows, confident smiles etched across their faces.
The monsters roared and charged.
"Grahhh! Grahh!"
An arrow pierced straight through the head of the leading monster. Blood sprayed in all directions as its body slammed into the ground. The remaining monsters recoiled in panic, taking several steps back but before they could react, the swordsmen were already upon them.
With each swing of a blade, the monsters were cut apart as easily as paper.
It all began on August 25, 2026.
On that day, people began to vanish without warning.
Fear, panic, and chaos spread across the world. Families and friends disappeared before one another's eyes, as if evaporating into thin air. Driverless cars crashed across cities after their owners vanished mid-journey.
Within a single day, once-peaceful cities were consumed by explosions and screams. Looting, robbery, and murder spiraled beyond the control of law enforcement. Governments were unable to issue any explanation and remained silent.
Scientists, however, acknowledged the phenomenon and announced that investigations were underway, offering humanity a fragile sliver of hope.
But as the days passed, the number of missing people continued to rise.
By August 31, an unofficial report released by researchers plunged the world into despair.
According to their findings, 15% of the entire human population had vanished without a trace in just a few days.
That report shattered what little hope remained.
Chaos once again engulfed the world, and military and special forces were deployed to suppress the unrest by force.
Around that time, rumors began circulating online. Some claimed they had returned from a place called "the Tower."
The news spread like wildfire across the internet. And then, just as suddenly, all traces of it vanished as if it had never existed.
In an unknown place…
A tall, muscular young man with black hair slowly opened his eyes as harsh sunlight struck his face. He raised a hand, brushed his hair back, and sat up while clutching his head tightly.
"…Damn it."
"My head feels like it's about to split open."
Muttering softly, he looked around and immediately fell silent.
A single thought slipped from his lips.
"Where… am I?"
He was sitting on green grass, surrounded by countless trees and beautiful flowers. Branches swayed in the wind, leaves rustling softly. The clean air of the forest filled his lungs.
This forest's scent reached Subedai's nose.
He closed his eyes tightly and tried to recall what had happened the night before.
"I remember going to bed at home last night… so why am I in some unknown forest like this?"
"…Or am I dreaming?"
As he spoke, he slowly raised his hand and pinched his cheek hard.
"Ah! That hurts!"
A sharp pain shot through his face.
Only then did he realize this wasn't a dream.
"What the hell is going on…?"
His heart began to race, fear building rapidly within his chest.
"Is this connected to those people who disappeared recently…?"
Sweat ran down his face as his breathing quickened. But he forced himself to calm down, taking a deep breath.
"I need to calm myself first."
"If this is real, then figuring out where I am comes first."
He quickly stood up and began walking, determined to at least understand his surroundings.
After a few minutes of wandering alone through the unknown forest, an uneasy feeling crept over him. Even the rustling leaves in the wind sounded like whispers of danger.
He moved carefully, every nerve on edge.
"This forest is huge…"
"I've been walking for tens of minutes, but there's no end in sight. Where am I exactly?"
As that thought crossed his mind—
A sudden noise came from the bushes beside him.
He turned sharply.
From within the shrubs emerged a creature with green skin, large pointed ears, and a small frame—its grotesque appearance unmistakable. It was holding a stone smeared with blood.
At the sight of it, Subedai instinctively stepped back.
The monster twisted its face into a hideous grin and lunged at him, raising the bloodied stone.
Subedai dodged the attack just in time, startled but quick to react.
"Damn it. I've never seen something this ugly in my life!"
"Where the hell am I…?"
Countless thoughts raced through his mind in that brief moment.
He continued backing away, creating distance between himself and the goblin.
Taking a deep breath, Subedai forced himself to calm down and grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground. He stared straight ahead, waiting for the goblin to charge again.
The goblin screamed madly and rushed toward him.
Subedai stood his ground.
Yet his hand trembled slightly, sweat dripping down his face.
When the goblin was only a few meters away, Subedai hurled the dirt straight into its face.
The soil filled its eyes.
"Grahh!"
The goblin dropped its stone and screamed, rubbing its eyes in pain.
Seizing the opportunity, Subedai rushed forward, grabbed the goblin by the face, and slammed it backward onto the ground. He climbed on top of it and wrapped both hands tightly around its throat.
The goblin's eyes bulged as it tried to scream, but no sound came out.
Its skin gradually turned blue, its lips shifting from pink to a dark purple. Its breathing was clearly being cut off. Even the tips of its ears turned red, sweat forming like beads on its small forehead.
Worst of all, tears streamed from its eyes, glistening in the light—pathetic and pitiful.
But Subedai felt nothing.
He knew one thing clearly.
If he didn't kill this monster, he would die instead.
With that realization, he shut his eyes tightly and squeezed even harder.
His fingernails pierced the goblin's neck, green blood dripping onto the ground.
Even after the goblin stopped moving, Subedai couldn't bring himself to release his grip.
Only then a cold voice echoed inside his head. When he slowly opened his eyes, unfamiliar text floated before him.
[You have slain a Goblin.]
[Status]
Name: Subedai
Class: Unassigned
Level: 0
Mana: 50 (Average Human: 50)
Strength: 5 (Average Human: 5)
Agility: 5 (Average Human: 5)
Spirit: 5 (Average Human: 5)
Perception: 6 (Average Human: 5)
Attribute Points: 0