Chapter 1 – The Accident and the Codex
Han Jihoon had always been invisible. In the crowded hallways of Seoul High School, he moved like a shadow, unnoticed by most, glanced at occasionally by a teacher who forgot him the moment they turned away. He was quiet, bookish, the kind of student who lived in the margins—never leading, never following, simply existing.
Some called him shy, others called him weird, but Jihoon had long stopped caring about labels. His world was simple: classes, books, the quiet companionship of the library, and the occasional ramen dinner alone at a corner shop near his apartment. In a life filled with noise and chaos, Jihoon had found comfort in silence.
Yet, silence could not shield him from fate.
It was a Thursday afternoon. The sun was unusually bright for autumn, scattering its golden light over the streets outside his school. Jihoon had stayed behind for extra tutoring in mathematics, attempting to grasp the elusive elegance of calculus, his thin fingers tracing the equations with nervous precision. His tutor, Ms. Lee, spoke in calm, measured tones, oblivious to the growing storm outside—the screech of tires, a sudden shout, and the distant wail of a car horn.
Jihoon didn't notice at first. He was immersed in derivatives and integrals, the world outside reduced to a murmur. But then, a piercing scream broke through the calm.
"Help! Somebody—please!"
Instinct overrode reason. Jihoon didn't know why he reacted, only that he ran. He burst out of the school's side entrance and into the street, eyes darting for the source of the cry. A young girl, no older than eight, was frozen in the crosswalk. Her small backpack swung violently as a speeding truck barreled toward her, its horn blaring like a demon's roar.
Time slowed. Jihoon didn't calculate the distance, the speed, or the odds. He simply saw the child and acted.
He lunged, shoving her out of the way with every ounce of his being. Pain exploded as metal collided with flesh. The world tilted. The screech of brakes, the crunch of steel, the girl's terrified gasp—all melded into one sharp, final note.
Darkness swallowed him.
---
When Jihoon opened his eyes again, he was not in a hospital, nor in some vague afterlife, nor even the quiet oblivion of death. Instead, he found himself standing in an empty void, illuminated by a soft, shimmering light that seemed to have no source.
"Ah! You're awake!"
A voice, frantic and oddly high-pitched, reverberated around him. Jihoon's first instinct was to panic. He was not prepared for… whatever this was.
Before him floated a figure, humanoid but not quite human. Erion had long, flowing robes that seemed to flicker between colors, eyes wide and golden, and hands that gestured wildly as if orchestrating an invisible symphony. A halo of glowing runes hovered above his head, spinning in erratic patterns.
"Wha… who—what is this?" Jihoon stammered.
"I—ah! Right, right, I should explain," the being said, waving his hands. "You see, normally this is a very simple process. One soul, one system. But—uh—well…" He looked flustered, scratching the side of his head. "You weren't supposed to be here. Technically, this gift wasn't for you."
Jihoon's brow furrowed. "Gift? What—what do you mean?"
Erion sighed, rubbing his temples. "I… accidentally granted you a Codex. A divine system meant for someone else. The rules—oh, the rules! They're very specific, you see. It's not… not supposed to happen."
Jihoon's mind spun. "Codex? Divine system? Are you… a god?"
Erion waved the word away nervously. "I prefer… 'administrator of cosmic order,' but yes, close enough."
Before Jihoon could process further, the world around him blurred, the void stretching and folding like a living painting. Erion clutched at his robes, muttering curses and apologies. "Oh no, oh no! This wasn't supposed to happen! Wait! Stop—no—"
A sudden force ripped Jihoon from the void. A sensation like being pulled through water and fire at the same time struck him. Every atom of his being twisted, stretched, and rearranged. He felt his memories, his senses, his very identity reshaping.
When he finally landed, it was with a gasp that tore from deep within his chest. He was no longer in Seoul. He was somewhere else. The air smelled of moss and rain, and the ground beneath him was soft, covered in a thick carpet of grass. Towering trees stretched endlessly above, their leaves glowing faintly with colors that didn't exist in any spectrum he knew.
And worst—or perhaps most disorienting—of all: he was no longer Han Jihoon.
---
The reflection in a nearby pool of water revealed a boy he did not recognize. High cheekbones, sharp jawline, skin flawless and pale, and eyes… eyes that burned with a strange intensity. His hands were smaller, but there was strength there, coiled like a spring.
He stumbled back, his heart racing. "Who… who am I?"
A voice, soft and mechanical, echoed in his mind.
"Codex Arkanum initialized. User: Kael. Nine Forbidden Elements detected. Activation possible."
Jihoon froze. A system? In his mind? He frowned, touching his temples. Nothing. The voice continued.
"Element One: Eternal Flame. Element Two: Life's Waters. Element Three: Soul Wind. Element Four: Judgement Lightning. Element Five: Shadow Grasp. Element Six: Nature's Wrath. Element Seven: Celestial Stone. Element Eight: Veil of Time. Element Nine: Oblivion."
His breath caught. This had to be a hallucination. A product of trauma. Yet, the voice was… undeniable.
And then, an image appeared in his mind—a codex, glowing, with intricate glyphs that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat. The world seemed to warp when he looked at it, the pool of water reflecting more than just his face: maps, abilities, unknown powers.
Jihoon—no, Kael—staggered, trying to comprehend. The child he had saved in Seoul, the girl who would live because of him… and now this? A power beyond comprehension, a second chance at life that came with consequences he could not yet fathom.
He took a tentative step forward, the grass crunching under his boots. The forest was alive, humming with energy. Birds with crystalline feathers flitted overhead, and in the distance, a faint glimmer suggested a settlement. Yet even in this serene place, Kael felt eyes—watchful, ancient, measuring him.
He had a system. A Codex. Forbidden power. And yet, there was one thing he understood with chilling clarity: in a world like this, such gifts were not merely blessings—they were curses.
---
Kael wandered, trying to make sense of his new body and surroundings. Hours—or was it days? Time felt slippery—he could not tell. Hunger gnawed, yet he felt no fear of wild beasts; his senses, his reflexes, were sharper than any human's. A deer froze in place as he approached, unafraid, as if recognizing something within him. He extended a hand, and the creature bowed slightly before bounding away.
A thought struck him: if he could command such things, what else could he do? The Codex was a puzzle, a key, a weapon. And already, Kael felt the stirrings of ambition, tinged with caution.
"You have great power now," a soft voice whispered in his mind. Not the system. Something else. Ancient, almost reverent. Kael stiffened. There was intelligence here, something beyond him, watching.
He swallowed, gripping his new body's hands tightly. "I… I don't even know why I exist here," he muttered. "I don't even know why I'm alive again."
And yet, deep inside, a spark ignited. A quiet, stubborn defiance. He had survived death once. He had saved someone with his final act. And now, he had a second life in a world that might devour him if he revealed his true nature.
He would not hide forever.
He would learn. He would master. He would decide.
Kael, the boy who was once Han Jihoon, lifted his head toward the glowing canopy above. Somewhere, far beyond the horizon, kingdoms stirred, churches whispered, and ancient beings felt the tremor of his existence.
They did not know him yet.
But they would.
And when they did… the world of Elyndra would never be the same.