Long ago, the world lived in peace—until disaster struck from every direction.
Humanity struggled against nature's fury, but soon monstrous beasts emerged, deepening their suffering.
Every ounce of strength was poured into survival. Armies fought on the front lines, civilians fled, merchants donated their fortunes, and scientists desperately searched for a way to save the world. Yet all efforts proved futile. Just as hope began to fade, a magnificent dragon descended from the heavens and annihilated all evil.
In those days, the dragon sang—a song that changed the world itself.
Flowers bloomed in autumn, snow fell in summer, leaves scattered in spring, and the sun burned fiercely in winter.
From that song, humanity discovered what would later be called magic.
Under the dragon's guidance, countless powerful mages were born.
No longer did humans cower in fear—they rose to face calamity and the strange creatures that once haunted them. Slowly, peace returned to the world.
But just as harmony was restored, the great dragon suddenly turned on humankind.
At first, they thought it was a misunderstanding—but within a single day, the dragon became a wicked beast of destruction.
Once again, humanity stood at the brink of extinction—until seven mighty warriors rose to challenge it.
A fierce battle shook the heavens, and in the end, the corrupted dragon fell at the heroes' hands.
Peace returned once more.
"Sigh... what a cliché story."
A dim light flickered across a wooden table.
On it lay an open book, and a young man exhaled a weary sigh.
He lazily flipped through the pages of A Brief History of Planet Terra.
After skimming a few more lines, he closed the book with quiet resignation.
Weariness—and perhaps helplessness—lingered on his face.
"It's been years since I transmigrated... yet I still can't fully accept that I really crossed over," he muttered softly.
His name was Shade—a college student from Earth who had died suddenly before graduation.
He had forgotten much about his past life—how he died, what his dreams were—all fading like fragments of an old dream.
But that no longer mattered.
He now inhabited the body of a young man on Planet Terra, a world of fantastical beings—dragons, elves, vampires, even mysterious dungeons.
When he first arrived, Shade had been speechless.
Shaking off unnecessary thoughts, he tidied the table and sat cross-legged on the floor.
The faint lamplight illuminated the swirling dust in the air. The house was small and silent, accompanied only by the rhythmic ticking of an old clock.
Shade took a deep breath.
"Just this once... please work."
He adjusted his posture carefully, his expression sharpening with focus. Slowly, he closed his eyes and began breathing in a steady rhythm.
Soon, faint motes of light gathered around him, swirling like luminous mist—some drawn into his lungs with every breath.
At first, his breathing was calm. But before long, it grew ragged, labored—as if he were gasping for air.
Sweat dripped from his brow, pain twisted his face—but he refused to stop.
"I... have to succeed. If I fail again, I'll never escape this mess."
Driven by sheer willpower, Shade pressed on.
In his fading consciousness, he glimpsed a glowing sphere expanding before him, pulsing with unstable energy.
The lights converged inside it, swelling as though ready to burst—yet it barely held together.
At last, a thin crack appeared—almost transparent.
"Come on... just a little more!" he gasped.
Every muscle tensed, veins bulged along his neck, and his body trembled violently—as if on the verge of exploding.
He pushed all his remaining energy toward the barrier—
And then—
BANG! BANG!
A loud pounding crashed against the door like a hammer.
His concentration shattered. The energy in his body recoiled—
THUD!
Shade was thrown to the floor, blood trickling from his lips.
"Cough! Damn it... who the hell dares interrupt me now?!"
Panting heavily, he glared at the door in disbelief. His one chance—ruined by some idiot pounding outside.
The knocking and shouting only grew louder.
His dazed expression twisted into cold fury.
With hurried steps, he stormed toward the door, ready to teach whoever it was a painful lesson.
When he flung it open, four men in leather jackets stood before him.
The stench of alcohol and dust filled the air.
Each carried a blunt weapon—iron rods, wooden planks, even a baseball bat.
"Time to pay up, kid."
Shade's furious expression instantly turned into a forced smile.
"Ah, Brother Tiger! What brings you here so early? Have you had breakfast? You're welcome to eat at my place!"
Despite his polite tone, his voice trembled, and his clenched fists betrayed his frustration.
The man called Tiger snorted.
"Hmph! Who'd eat your garbage food anyway? What happened to that scary face from a moment ago, huh? I almost thought I was staring down the King of Hell!"
Shade bit back his anger, forcing himself to stay calm.
Another thug chimed in mockingly:
"What's that look for? You think we're the bad guys here? Don't forget, you're the one in debt!"
A metal rod pressed against Shade's chest. He wanted to fight back—but restrained himself.
"No, no, Brother Tiger, of course not. It's just... isn't the deadline still a few days away? I can't pay right now, but I'll get my wages soon. I promise I'll pay everything—with interest!"
He smiled awkwardly.
"Besides, talking about money this early in the morning isn't good for your health, right? How about some tea first?"
Tiger looked ready to snap again—but suddenly, a faint ripple spread from Shade's body.
The tension in the air softened.
Tiger's anger lingered, but his tone eased slightly.
After a pause, he clicked his tongue.
"Fine, Shade. I'll give you three days, just like you said. But if you miss that deadline, don't blame me if I get rough."
He glanced around Shade's small home.
"Not a bad place you've got here. A bit shabby, sure, but the land's decent. Would be a shame if someone else took it off your hands."
Tiger smirked and walked off with his men.
Shade watched them leave, muttering under his breath.
"Damn bastards... I still have fifteen days before the deadline!"
He slammed the door shut, frustration simmering in his chest.
As he turned, a frail little girl with thin hair and pale skin peeked out from the corner.
"Brother... they came again, didn't they?" she asked softly.
Her simple question pierced Shade's heart.
He smiled weakly and gently ruffled her hair.
"It's fine. I'm still here."
Her name was Lumira, his younger sister in this world.
She was smart—too smart for her age—and that made Shade's heart ache.
A girl her age should be lively, mischievous, full of laughter—not quiet and calculating.
The more mature she acted, the sadder Shade felt.
He sighed, forcing a smile as they walked toward the kitchen—
only to be interrupted by a harsh cough from the next room.
Both froze.
Without a word, they rushed to their mother's side.
The pungent scent of herbal medicine filled the air.
On the bed lay Lucia, their mother—her skin pale, her breathing shallow, like the whisper of wind through a cracked window.
Without hesitation, Shade pulled a small stone from his pocket and began chanting softly.
Golden light flowed from his body, streaming into Lucia's frail form.
Slowly, her coughing eased.
Shade and Lumira both exhaled in relief.
When Lucia finally opened her eyes, she tried to raise a trembling hand, her movements sluggish, as if her limbs were made of lead.
She opened her mouth to speak, but only a hoarse rasp escaped.
Her sunken eyes gazed at Shade with tenderness—not anger, but deep, aching regret.
It was a look that said, I'm sorry for being such a burden.
Shade didn't respond. He simply bowed his head and continued chanting, letting the golden light sink deeper into her weak body.
Minutes passed before Lucia finally whispered, her voice faint as a sigh.
"Did... those men come again?"
"Yes," Shade replied curtly. "They really don't know when to quit."
Lucia tried to say more, but only coughed weakly.
With the last of her strength, she murmured, "I'm... sorry, for making things so hard for you."
Shade froze for a moment, his gaze softening before he clenched his jaw.
"What are you saying? You took care of me when I was a child. It's only right that I take care of you now."
Lucia's lips trembled as if to protest, but Shade quickly cut her off.
"You don't need to worry about anything, Mother. I'm grown now—I can handle it. Trust me. One day, I'll make things better for all of us."
Lucia looked at her son for a long moment, then nodded faintly.
Despite her weakness, a glimmer of trust shone in her eyes.
Shade smiled. Her complexion already seemed less pale.
He adjusted her blanket, then helped Lumira prepare some warm water before getting ready for work.
"Lumira, take good care of Mom, okay? Don't go outside."
"I promise, Brother. I'll be good!"
Satisfied, Shade left for the bus stop.
It didn't take long before a bus arrived. He climbed aboard and sat by the window.
As the city passed by—the busy streets, the people rushing about—Shade felt an odd sense of reality settle in.
This life, this world... it was real.
Huge billboards lined the streets: magical weapon ads, legendary sword shops, and posters of famous Hunters smiling confidently.
Each time he saw them, Shade's heart stirred.
Hunters—powerful, admired, living lives of luxury and fame.
But most of them shared one thing in common:
they were born with special bloodlines, had powerful connections, or were backed by immense wealth.
Few ever rose from nothing—like him.
Shade remembered the day his own talent was awakened.
As a transmigrator, he had hoped for something special—dragon blood, or at least a rare gift.
But the results showed: no special talent.
Still, he didn't give up.
He had one rare advantage—an unusually strong mental power, a side effect of his soul crossing worlds.
That was how he had calmed "Brother Tiger" earlier, using a simple hypnosis technique he'd learned back on Earth.
Unfortunately, without resources or guidance, he couldn't develop that power further.
For now, he could only use it for small tricks.
Even so, Shade refused to despair.
With his knowledge and intellect from Earth, he believed he could change his family's fate.
Maybe not become rich or famous—but at least give his mother and sister a better life.
He clenched his fists, eyes burning with determination.
"One day... I'll become a Hunter. No matter how weak this body is, I'll escape this poverty. I'll cure Mother—and give Lumira the life she deserves."
He didn't know how long he'd been lost in thought until the bus driver called his stop.
Shade hurriedly paid and got off.
At the medicinal farm where he worked, a group of laborers had gathered around something on the ground.
Curious, Shade approached—only to find several plants chewed up, as if by wild animals.
The moment he appeared, some workers turned toward him with scowls.
"Hey, Shade! You're late again! Everyone's been working while you laze around. Think this place runs on your schedule?!"
Shade froze, recognizing the voice.
"I'm sorry, sir. I had something urgent at home."
"Hmph, excuses! Since you're late, you can handle this entire section by yourself!"
Shade gritted his teeth but bowed.
"Yes, sir."
The crowd dispersed, leaving Shade alone among the damaged herbs.
He sighed.
"Damn it, Irfan. Just because you're the supervisor now, you think you can humiliate me?"
He wasn't even late. But here, there was an unwritten rule—arrive early, or risk trouble.
Back in school, Irfan had been quiet and often bullied. Shade had even stood up for him a few times.
But after graduation, Irfan's family connections had lifted him up—and now he lorded his position over Shade.
There was no open conflict, but Irfan clearly hadn't forgotten the past.
Seeing Shade, once the better student, working under him—it was his petty revenge.
"As long as that guy's my boss, my life's going to be hell," Shade muttered bitterly.
He thought about quitting, but he knew it wasn't that simple.
Could he leave peacefully? Find another job? Earn enough to support his family?
He didn't know.
For now, all he could do was endure.
With quiet determination, he began working carefully, checking each plant for damage.
Thankfully, nothing else happened for the rest of the day.
At noon, Shade went to the cafeteria for lunch.
The place buzzed with chatter, filled with workers laughing and eating.
He found an empty seat in the corner and ate alone.
Being new—and thanks to Irfan's hostility—few dared to talk to him.
He didn't mind. Quietly, he ate while watching the TV mounted in the corner.
On the screen was an interview with a young Hunter who had just cleared a dungeon raid.
Handsome, charismatic, and confident—he drew cheers from the women in the cafeteria.
Shade could only smile wryly.
"Who wouldn't want to be like that?" he muttered.
From the chatter, he caught the man's name: Arthur, a renowned B-rank Hunter known for his swordsmanship.
Finishing his meal, Shade slipped away, avoiding the fanfare that made his head ache.
He returned to work and finished ahead of schedule.
With nothing else to do, he waited idly until the sun began to sink.
As the workday ended, something felt... off.
A tense murmur spread among the workers.
Before anyone could leave, a security officer gathered them together.
"Everyone, listen up! There's an important announcement. A dangerous fugitive is on the loose in the city. The man is insane—he's killed several people, including a noble family member. You can imagine how dangerous he is."
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"Quiet!" barked the officer. "Posters will be up at every checkpoint—memorize his face. Anyone who spots or reports him will receive a huge reward."
Excitement replaced fear as whispers spread.
Shade scoffed quietly.
"Hmph. Like anyone would survive long enough to collect the reward."
After the briefing, he glanced at the wanted poster—
and froze.
The face on it was pale, bloodstained, eyes lifeless.
One thought flashed through his mind:
"...A vampire?"
His heartbeat quickened. Without another word, he hurried home.
He couldn't risk worrying his family—or worse, running into that monster by accident.
...
On the bus ride back, emergency alerts flashed across digital billboards that earlier displayed Hunter ads.
The same pale face stared back from every screen.
If the warnings had reached this level, the fugitive was truly dangerous.
Unease crawled up Shade's spine.
Every minute on the bus felt like an hour.
Finally, the bus reached his stop. He jumped off and paid the fare.
Rumble!
Thunder roared across the sky.
Dark clouds rolled in, swallowing the fading sunlight.
"Looks like it's going to rain," he murmured, quickening his pace.
He turned down the narrow alley toward his home.
The streets were eerily silent—too silent.
The wind carried a faint metallic scent... like blood.
Shade lowered his gaze, pretending not to notice, but dread gnawed at his chest.
Something—or someone—was watching him.
His instincts screamed.
Slowly, he turned—
And there, among the shadows, a pair of crimson eyes stared back.
The world seemed to stop.
The figure stood motionless at the end of the alley—face pale, clothes soaked in blood.
Shade swallowed hard. He recognized that face instantly—from the poster.
"Vladimir... Voronov..." he whispered.
The man's gaze snapped to him.
His eyes burned like embers, his presence suffocating the air itself.
"No way..."
Shade's breath caught in his throat—his body frozen in terror.
The killing intent radiating from that creature was overwhelming—
so sharp it felt like it could pierce through bone.