Ray sat motionless on his bed, his body trembling and mind spinning as he tried to grasp what had just happened. The memory of the crimson sky, the dark entity's voice, and the blinding light he had touched all rushed back to him like fragments of a dream—too vivid to be imagined, too strange to be real.
He ran a shaky hand through his hair, trying to calm his racing thoughts. "So… I was supposed to die," he murmured. "But I touched that light, and now I'm alive again. How is that even possible?"
His eyes roamed the room, searching for familiarity. The cluttered shelves, the unwashed dishes in the corner, the flickering light of the computer—it was all his old room, exactly as it had been when he was nineteen. "I really came back," he whispered in disbelief. "Nineteen again… but why? What's the reason for this? And where's G?"
Before he could think further, a soft chime broke the silence.
A glowing screen materialized in front of him, its golden light bathing his face.
The message read:
Congratulations! You have completed the trial. Now, spin the wheel to receive your reward.
A spinning wheel appeared below the text, divided into multicolored sections. Each segment shimmered, but none revealed what it contained. Only one button blinked at the bottom—"YES."
"Trial? What trial?" Ray frowned. "I don't remember anything like that…" He looked around, calling out, "G! Where are you?!"
No response came. The television buzzed faintly, the computer fan whirred on, and the silence between the sounds felt almost eerie.
After a moment of hesitation, Ray sighed. "Whatever. Let's see where this leads." He steadied his hand and pressed "YES."
The wheel spun rapidly, colors blurring into a whirling storm of light. His heart pounded faster with each passing second as the wheel gradually began to slow. Time itself seemed to stretch until it finally clicked to a stop.
It landed on the narrowest slice—black, almost threadlike compared to the rest.
Another message appeared.
Congratulations! You have obtained an S-grade Raspel.
As an additional reward, you have also received an S-rank System.
Ray froze. His breath caught in his throat. "S-grade… Raspel? And an S-rank System?"
The words hung in the air for only a moment before a wave of unbearable pain hit him.
He dropped to his knees, gasping. Light erupted from beneath his skin, and his body twisted in agony. His heartbeat thundered in his ears, each pulse heavier than the last. It felt as if his soul was being torn apart and reformed all at once.
Then came the shadows—pouring out from him like living smoke. They coiled in the air, writhing before vanishing into nothing. The light dimmed, the pain faded, and Ray collapsed to the floor, drenched in sweat.
For a long time, he didn't move.
The only sound was his ragged breathing and the faint electric hum of the computer. Gradually, he lifted his gaze to the ceiling, still trembling. His body felt like it had been rebuilt from the inside out.
Minutes passed before he managed to sit up again. His eyes were distant, reflecting confusion and a growing sense of awe. "That… that wasn't just a dream."
The events replayed in his mind—the spin, the black segment, the immense light. Then the words echoed once more: S-grade Raspel. S-rank System.
Ray exhaled slowly. "I know what those are," he muttered. "Everyone on Duptin does. We're born with a Raspel, the spirit that shares our soul, and a System that helps us grow. But S-grade? That's…" He paused, shaking his head. "That's something no one's seen since the Creator."
He remembered the old stories—how the Creator, the first being to unite all the elements, shaped the planet and its laws using an S-grade Raspel. No one had awakened one since. People believed such power no longer existed.
"And now… I have both," Ray said under his breath. "This shouldn't even be possible."
A faint mechanical chime echoed in his mind, pulling him from his thoughts.
System Synchronization Complete.
User Identification: Ray.
Congratulations. You are the bearer of an S-grade Raspel and S-rank System.
The voice was calm, almost emotionless—like it wasn't speaking to him but through him. Yet it was unmistakably real.
Ray took a slow breath. "So, it's true," he whispered. He could feel something deep inside him—a pulse of energy, stronger than anything he'd ever known. It wasn't just power. It was alive.
He stood, unsteady but determined, and looked out the window. The night sky above Duptin stretched endlessly, quiet and serene, hiding the chaos the future once held.
Bittersweet memories flashed before him: a burning sky, people screaming, the world crumbling around him while he stood powerless. Regret burned in his chest.
"You still have a choice…" the entity's voice whispered in his memory.
Ray clenched his fists. "Then this time, I'll make the right one."
He turned toward the small mirror near the shelf.
"Nineteen again," he said softly. A humorless smile touched his lips.
He closed his eyes, feeling that new force within him stir like a silent storm—a presence vast, restrained, and waiting.
"This time," he said firmly, "I won't waste what I've been given. If fate has given me this power to rewrite the future, then I'll use it—no matter what."
Almost as if responding to his resolve, the System's voice returned, quiet and steady.
Integration complete. Awaiting first command.
Ray stared into the empty air where the voice had come from. His eyes hardened with determination. "Then let's begin."