Man walked down the familiar street, earphones hidden beneath his hair, hip-hop beats pulsing in his ears. He was unlike most 18-year-old students; his scholarly appearance and sharp eyes made him seem older than his age. His intellect wasn't shown through lectures or formulas, but in the way he observed everything—the way his mind naturally analyzed the world around him.
But today, that world no longer followed any rules.
A strange screech split the air, as though silk was being torn apart. Man lifted his gaze, eyes locking onto the sky. The clouds were shredded, revealing a massive rift. It wasn't black, but a burning red, twisting like a cyclone. From it poured a blinding, distorted light that warped both space and time.
"No way…" Man muttered—not out of fear, but out of helplessness. His mind scrambled to find an explanation, a physical formula, but every shred of knowledge turned meaningless. This was a complete violation of reality.
Suddenly, a terrifying pull dragged him toward the crack. Man flung his backpack aside and clung desperately to a lamppost. His toned muscles strained, but it was useless. The pull was overwhelming. His body was lifted off the ground, sucked into the swirling crimson light. He felt himself being stretched and twisted, every sense thrown into chaos.
A deafening pop echoed. In that final instant, Man saw himself falling into a boundless void—before everything dissolved into darkness.