The fluorescent lights above hummed softly, almost lazily, as Han Ji-ho stood in front of the ramyeon aisle.
He tapped a cup of spicy ramyeon with his finger, muttering under his breath, "Another day, another snack."
At eighteen, Ji-ho was… unremarkable. Average height, average build, average grades. Average life. And yet, even here, in this quiet convenience store, his mind ran constantly, analyzing every small detail.
Short, messy black hair stuck to his forehead, and his almond-shaped dark brown eyes scanned the shelves like they were battlefields. Casual clothes clung to his lean frame. Nothing remarkable about his appearance but the tension in his posture betrayed someone who noticed far more than he let on.
He turned toward the counter, cup in hand, when the air vibrated.
Ji-ho froze. The glass door rattled. Not strong enough to knock anyone over… but enough to make him stumble back.
"An earthquake?" he whispered, heart pounding.
Nothing else moved. The cashier slumped over the stool. A couple arguing near the drinks fridge didn't glance up.
The trembling came again stronger this time. Cans rattled. The fluorescent lights flickered violently. Ji-ho's stomach twisted into knots.
"No… this… this isn't possible!" he whispered, backing away from the glass.
Through the windows, his eyes widened in disbelief. A structure impossibly massive shot into the sky, piercing Seoul like a jagged spear from another world. His mind scrambled. This… this can't be real… I must be dreaming…
He stumbled back, nearly tripping over a crate. "No… no… no… what is happening?!" His voice cracked. His chest thumped like it wanted to escape. Sweat prickled his forehead.
Then a glowing blue screen appeared in front of him, hovering in midair, visible only to him.
Ji-ho froze, shaking. "…What is… this?" His brain raced for an explanation.
Name: Han Ji-ho
Class: LANCER
Level: 1
Rank: F
Strength (STR): 6
Dexterity (DEX): 9
Endurance (END): 6
Agility (AGI): 8
Perception (PER): 10
Intelligence (INT): 12
Luck (LUK): 4
Skills:
Rapid-Fire Thrust
Sweeping defense
EXP: 0/100
Skill Points (SP): 0
His hands trembled so badly that the cup of ramyeon slipped and clattered to the floor. His heart raced uncontrollably. Words stuck in his throat.
Then, like a spark igniting a memory, his mind flinched back seven years: Tower of Champions… Lancer … I played this… I know this…
"No… no, no, no…" he whispered, backing up, stomach churning, until the floor felt like it had vanished beneath him.
Light surged around him, wrapping him in brightness. The convenience store, the city outside everything dissolved.