The house was quiet when you stepped out of your room.
Too quiet.
For a moment you just stood there in the hallway, breathing slowly, trying to calm the strange tension coiled inside your chest. The memories from yesterday hadn't faded. If anything, they felt more real.
Two lives.
Two identities.
One body.
"…This is insane," you muttered under your breath.
But insanity or not, you weren't stupid.
If this really was a world with curses — monsters invisible to normal people — then walking around unprepared would be suicide.
Your feet carried you to the kitchen.
You opened drawers one by one until you found it.
A medium-sized kitchen knife.
Not perfect.
Not balanced.
But sharp.
You held it in your hand, testing the grip.
Your body remembered how to hold a weapon, even if your mind hadn't consciously thought about it. Years of street fights from your previous life had carved instincts deep into your nerves.
You slid the knife inside your jacket sleeve, hidden but accessible.
Then you muttered quietly to yourself before leaving:
"…Better safe than sorry."
The morning air outside was cold but refreshing.
Students walked along the streets in small groups, chatting about homework, games, relationships — normal teenage life.
It felt surreal.
I'm really back in school…
Part of you almost laughed.
In your previous life, school had ended years ago. Work, bills, exhaustion — that had been reality. But now?
You were eighteen again.
A second chance.
Your eyes moved constantly as you walked.
Windows.
Roofs.
Alleyways.
Blind corners.
Old habits.
Situational awareness had saved you more than once before.
And then—
You felt it.
A sudden heaviness in the air.
Your steps slowed.
The chatter of other students faded into background noise as your instincts screamed.
Danger.
Your head turned slowly toward a narrow alley between two buildings.
At first…
Nothing.
Just shadows.
Trash bags.
A flickering vending machine light.
Then the shadows moved.
Your breath caught.
Something was there.
A shape… wrong… distorted… like a human body twisted into something unnatural. Limbs too long. Head bent at an impossible angle. Skin dark like burned charcoal.
And the worst part—
It was looking directly at you.
"…You've got to be kidding me," you whispered.
Your heart started pounding violently.
I can see it.
Normal people weren't supposed to see curses unless they were near death or had special potential.
Which meant one thing.
I'm involved now.
The creature twitched.
Then it began crawling toward you.
Fast.
Too fast.
Your body reacted before your brain finished processing.
You stepped back and pulled the knife from your sleeve in one smooth motion.
Students walked past the alley entrance completely unaware.
To them, you were just a guy staring into empty space holding nothing.
To you—
A monster was charging.
"Come on then," you said quietly, adrenaline flooding your veins.
The curse lunged.
You slashed.
The knife passed through it.
No resistance.
Like cutting smoke.
Your eyes widened.
"—What?!"
The curse's arm swung toward your head.
You barely dodged, the claws missing your face by centimeters. Wind pressure alone stung your skin.
I can't hit it!
Panic surged.
But panic didn't control you.
Experience did.
You kicked a trash can toward it, creating distance, then backed into the main street where sunlight and people surrounded you.
The curse stopped at the edge of the alley.
It hissed.
Almost… irritated.
Then slowly—
It retreated into the darkness.
Gone.
Just like that.
You stood there breathing heavily, knife still in your hand.
No one noticed anything.
"…So it's real," you whispered.
Your hands trembled slightly.
Not from fear.
From realization.
This world wasn't fiction anymore.
And you?
You had just had your first encounter with something that could have killed you easily.
You looked down at the knife.
"…I need power."
For the first time since arriving—
A clear goal formed in your mind.
Survive.
Grow stronger.
And never be helpless again.