The following day, in Brussels, the heads of state of every European Union member gathered for an emergency briefing. The year was 2100, and the EU stood more unified than ever—forced into solidarity decades earlier after the United States collapsed into civil war.
Back in 2029, when former President Trump refused to leave the White House, the country tore itself apart. China rose to global dominance, Russia struck at Poland, and Europe finally realized it no longer had the luxury of disunity. A single European Army was born out of necessity. Even the United Kingdom, with its economy failing and Scotland having already seceded, rejoined the Union.
Seventy years passed, and now Europe stood strong again—a major power alongside China, Russia, and India, while the United States survived mostly by virtue of its nuclear arsenal.
And yet, none of that mattered today.
A trembling scientist stood in the center of the circular chamber, surrounded by presidents and prime ministers. His hands shook as he presented his findings.
"What are you telling me—that guns don't work anymore?!" shouted Erik Behrend, the Prime Minister of Germany, half-rising from his seat.
The scientist adjusted his glasses nervously. "Y-yes, Prime Minister Behrend. Our best explanation is this: once a person completes the first rotation of the breathing technique the System provided, their body becomes saturated with mana. This mana seems to take on a unique color or 'attribute,' and it renders the body immune to damage from objects that lack mana."
"So bullets…" Behrend muttered.
"Traditional bullets simply don't work anymore," the scientist confirmed. "They cause pain due to impact, but no actual injury. In theory, bullets made from mana-infused metals would still be lethal, but… we do not possess such metals at present. And even if we did, creating single-use ammunition from them would be wasteful compared to forging reusable weapons like swords."
He bowed deeply. "That concludes our current findings. Thank you for your attention."
He hurried out, eager to return to his professor—who hadn't attended at all, too consumed by experiments with mana to bother with politics.
President Augustin Duclos of France leaned back in his chair with a long sigh. "So we must have our army and police train in this technique at least once, somehow acquire absurd amounts of cold weapons we no longer have the industry for, and appease an entire weapons sector that became worthless overnight. On the bright side, at least those idiots won't be starting more wars to sell guns anymore."
Before anyone could retort, a group of exhausted lawyers entered, carrying thick binders. They were tasked with interpreting the mysterious book the System had given to every government on Earth. According to the System, everything inside needed to be explained to the public within seven days—or it would do so itself.
Three hours later, the leaders dispersed, each rushing back to their nations to prepare the announcement—and, hopefully, to prevent widespread panic.
Arin
"Arin! Wake up already! Mom said you're gonna miss the big thing on TV!"
My little sister's voice pierced straight through the bedroom door. She was too lazy to climb the stairs and actually shake me awake like a normal person—so she yelled from the bottom, as always, earning another scolding from Mom.
I scrambled into my clothes while half-running, half-falling down the steps. I nearly face-planted, but a hand steadied me.
"Wow, Arin," my brother Johny said with a smirk. "One of these days I won't be here to catch you."
Johny and Mom shared the kind of looks that instantly drew attention—striking features, golden hair, and easy charisma. Johny was nearly two meters tall, towering over everyone with the build of someone who could lift a small car for fun. The only thing he inherited from Dad was his brown eyes.
Honestly, I still didn't know how Dad managed to marry Mom. She was way out of his league.
I drifted in my thoughts until the TV clicked on. Dad raised the volume.
The Prime Minister appeared on screen, standing at a podium, expression heavy.
The Announcement
"Good evening," he began. "I'm here to discuss the book we received from the System of Earth—an entity that, according to reliable intelligence, contacted every government on the planet, including micronations with more than ten citizens."
He chuckled dryly, but no one in the nation did.
"Our experts have decided it is best to first share this: anyone who has completed one full rotation of the breathing technique, and whose status panel shows 'Mortal Stage 0.1,' is now immune to traditional bullets. They will feel pain on impact, but no lasting damage."
To demonstrate, he lifted a handgun.
First, he fired at a training dummy. Its head exploded into fragments.
Then he turned the weapon on himself and pulled the trigger.
A sharp crack filled the room. He flinched, grimacing from the impact—but remained completely unharmed.
Across Europe and beyond, similar demonstrations unfolded. Citizens watched in stunned silence as the foundations of modern warfare crumbled before their eyes.
Meanwhile, on the stock exchange, brokers tried desperately to dump weapons industry shares—only to discover the government had already frozen the market.
The world held its breath.