CHAPTER 1: WHEN IT HAPPENED
Taking my routine jog through the memorial park, I reminded myself of my personal motto:
"Always look forward to another day since you never know what surprise awaits you."
As my chest thumped and sweat poured down my face, I stopped at the statue of the five heroes who ended the war.
— General Calone
2089–2113
Loving son, husband, and friend.
"Always look forward to another day since you never know what surprise awaits you."
Well, it wasn't entirely said by me, but it's kind of motivational.
As I continued jogging, screams rang out as everyone turned their attention to the sky.
My head followed instinctively.
A large crack split the sky — as if glass had shattered or space itself had torn apart.
"Shit!" The word slipped out, as my eyes widened and my legs started running as far as they could.
The earth shook violently, throwing me off balance.
The ground rushed up to meet me, and everything went black.
My eyes opened to find myself floating in a dark, empty void.
The only other being there was an ethereal humanoid, walking through the void as if it were solid ground.
It stretched out its arm and pierced my chest, snapping me out of my daze.
I screamed.
But when I realized there was no pain, I slowly calmed down.
Where am I? Why am I here? Did I die?
The questions repeated endlessly in my mind.
The being pulled its hand out. In it lay a book, strange words flee out of the book and into my chest — and then the pain hit.
It felt like I was being torn in half, like something inside me was being rewritten.
The book started to dissipate slowly as tears welled up in my eyes.
The agony didn't last long and a mechanical voice echoed in my ears:
MASS SELECTION ENDED
[Tower Record]
Name: Isaac Rook
Mythos: The Plagiarizing Everyman
Mythos Rank: C-II
Mythos Type: Chronicle (Dormant)
Origin Zone: Earth
[Stats (Tutorial Standards)]
Might: Below Average
Constitution: Average
Intellect: Above Average
Essence: None
Resonance: 2%
[Skills]
None
Before I could make sense of anything, my thoughts grew hazy.
It became hard to think — and then everything faded again.
A wet sensation and an earthy smell woke me.
"Ugh, it feels like I got hit in the head with a hammer," I muttered, rubbing my temples.
"Did I get trafficked to a rainforest?" My confusion grew as I looked around.
I was surrounded by towering trees, their thick canopy letting through only a few rays of sunlight.
It was daytime, but barely.
Then the same mechanical voice spoke again:
OBJECTIVE: SURVIVE THE GABJIN JUNGLE FOR 8 DAYS
"If it's money you want, I can pay you. Just please, let me out of here," I whispered, afraid to alert anything nearby.
All the worst ways to die in a jungle flooded my mind:
eaten by a predator, bitten by something venomous, starving, or dying of thirst—
and then one more, even worse.
A cannibalistic tribe.
That thought alone froze me in place before I decided to move north…
wherever north was.
MYTH HOLDERS: 892 / 1032 (BATCH XXS20976)
The voice repeated hours later.
MYTH HOLDERS: 756 / 1032 (BATCH XXS20976)
"Is this… the number of people here? Are they dying?"
Dread washed over me. The will to escape grew stronger.
But how?
I didn't have my phone—and even if I did, I doubt I'd get reception out here.
As my hope faded, surrounded by nothing but the sounds of insects and distant birds, I heard something new—
the faint sound of flowing water.
"A river!" I blurted out, then instantly clamped my mouth shut.
I followed the sound, pushing through vines and thick undergrowth until I saw it
a river glimmering in the filtered sunlight.
Relief flooded me, but it froze the moment I saw a small green humanoid creature by the water, taking a piss.
It was short, ugly, and carried a blowdart tied to its waist.
I held my breath, barely daring to blink as the small green creature finished pissing into the river.
It froze mid-motion.
Then it sniffed the air.
Once. Twice.
Its head turned sharply, nostrils flaring as its yellow eyes scanned the trees. My heart was hammering so hard that I thought it might give me away.
The goblin's gaze swept past me—then stopped.
Our eyes met.
For a heartbeat, neither of us moved.
It flinched, startled, then straightened with a low hiss, regaining its composure. Slowly, it reached for the blowdart hanging from its waist.
My mind raced.
Run?
Or take the chance… and see what this thing really was?
My muscles tightened, waiting for the first move.
I held my breath, eyes locked on it, mind racing between two thoughts—
Subdue or run.