It was midnight.
Outside the cave… a half-moon hung in the sky.
Its faint light brushed against the edges of the mountains.
The stars shimmered quietly.
Inside…
The cave walls emitted a strange glow—sometimes blue, sometimes yellow.
Monsters stood silently on guard.
Everything seemed normal.
But…
In one place, nothing was normal.
Siyam lay on his stone bed.
His body trembled slightly.
Sweat ran down from his forehead.
His eyes were closed… yet his eyelids kept twitching.
As if he wasn't really here.
And then—
"So… you've finally arrived…"
A voice.
Directly inside his mind.
Siyam opened his eyes.
And instantly—
Everything changed.
He was no longer in his room.
Mountains surrounded him.
From them, lava flowed—red, burning… melting the ground itself.
The heat was so intense that even the air felt like it was burning.
And he—
Stood on a cliff.
Alone.
"Where… am I…?" he whispered.
Even his own voice felt unfamiliar to him.
"What… is this place…?"
He looked at his hands.
Everything felt real.
Too real.
"A dream…?" he thought.
"But… how can it feel this real…?"
His heart began to race.
"That voice…"
"It wasn't mine…"
"Then… who…?"
Silence.
Only the rumble of lava.
And then—
A faint echo of laughter.
From far away.
From nearby.
From everywhere.
"I am… the one…"
The voice slipped through the air.
"…the one you already know…"
"…you just don't remember."
For a moment—
Siyam's right eye began to glow.
Its color slowly started to change.
From black…
To dark red.
This time—
Deeper.
More stable.
And this time…
It didn't stop.
Siyam's breathing grew heavy.
"Who… are you…?" he demanded.
Silence.
Then—
The voice came closer.
Right next to his ear.
As if something inside him was speaking.
"Are you afraid…?"
"Or… are you enjoying it…?"
Siyam froze.
"…this is enough for today."
"…or you'll break."
"…just like you've broken before."
"…the rest… another day."
CRACK.
Siyam jolted upright.
His breathing was rapid.
His chest rose and fell heavily.
His eyes were wide.
Filled with shock.
"Why… did I suddenly wake up…?"
"I was… sleeping…"
He grabbed his face.
"What… was that…?"
Then—
That line echoed in his mind.
"…another day."
And…
"…just like you've broken before."
"That place…"
"It felt familiar… as if I've stood there before…"
"Ever since I reincarnated into this world…"
"I never received this body's memories…"
"So… I don't know anything…"
A faint laugh escaped him.
"Good thing… I read webtoons and manhwa in my past life…"
"Otherwise… I would've died long ago…"
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Siyam's eyes sharpened instantly.
A screen opened in front of him.
Main Mission Activated.
"Main mission…?"
A faint dark smile formed on his lips.
Mission:
Create an Order within 1 year…
And bring it into the Top 10.
"Order…" he repeated softly.
"So… the game is about to get interesting…"
"Status Window."
Name: Siyam
Gender: Male
Physique: ?
Rank: Unqualified
Root: Mid-Level Vishnu
Race: Human
Insult Points: 130
Passing Skill:
(1) Breathing Expose — 12 meter range
Techniques:
(1) Pranic Manifest Sword (Level 3)
Siyam paused.
"Pranic Manifest Sword…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I got this… during the Elixir mission…"
"I actually forgot about it…"
His eyelids grew heavy.
"I'll check it later…"
"For now… I need sleep…"
And he fell asleep again.
Morning
Siyam stepped out of his room.
And instantly—
Everyone's gaze locked onto him.
Something felt… off.
"Master…?" Dhiyano's voice trembled slightly.
"I-is that… you…?"
Siyam stopped.
"Yeah… it's me."
"But why are all of you looking at me like that…?"
Footsteps.
Queen. Raman. Kery.
The Queen stopped.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Siyam…
Had changed.
His height had increased.
Nearly two feet taller.
Hair—silver.
Right eye—dark red.
For a brief moment—
The Queen's cheeks flushed.
"Queen…" Kery's voice snapped her out of it.
"What are you thinking?"
She quickly covered her mouth.
(Until yesterday… he wasn't this handsome…)
(What happened overnight…?)
Raman smiled faintly.
"Did you notice his body?"
The Queen observed carefully.
His muscles…
Were far more defined than before.
"This…" Kery muttered, "power growth…"
The Queen fell silent.
(I didn't even notice…)
Then—
They all moved toward Siyam.
"How did you change this much?" the Queen asked directly.
"Change…?" Siyam was clearly confused.
Kery spoke immediately—
"Don't tell me… you don't know."
Siyam ran a hand through his hair.
Then suddenly froze.
"This…"
"Silver…?"
His eyes widened.
"You… really don't know?" the Queen asked softly.
Raman leaned closer to her and whispered—
"Maybe… he's testing us…"
"React the way a normal monster would."
The Queen gave a slight nod.
Dhiyano stepped forward.
"Master… are you alright?"
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Siyam's expression changed instantly.
Calm.
Serious.
Everyone fell silent.
The Queen asked softly—
"Is this… some kind of infection?"
Raman shook his head.
"When a human… surpasses their limits…"
"Their body changes."
Kery murmured—
"So… this is…"
"Yes." Raman smiled.
The Queen looked at Siyam.
(He… no longer fits within human limits…)
Siyam said casually—
"Leave it."
"This was bound to happen."
Raman nodded slightly.
"Indeed."
Siyam waved his hand.
"I'll get ready."
"Dhiyano… you remember the deal, right? You're escorting me to the city."
"Yes, Master."
Siyam walked back into his room.
The door closed.
Inside—
"Body Sharpener Elixir…"
"Got it as a reward…"
"Drank it for a power boost…"
He paused.
"But…"
"Younger… and this handsome…?"
"Maybe… I read it wrong…"
He exhaled slowly.
"Today… was a lot…"
A Few Minutes Later
Outside the cave.
Siyam and Dhiyano stood together.
Siyam carried a bag—filled with food and a few stones.
In front of them—
The Queen. Kery. Nary.
And the other monsters.
Siyam looked at them.
(Until yesterday… they looked dangerous…)
(Now… almost human…)
"Let's go," Siyam said.
He turned.
Then—
He glanced back.
Dhiyano…
And Nary…
Who gently rested her hand on her stomach while watching them.
Siyam thought—
"Man… in just one night, what a mess Dhiyano created…"
He slightly hid his face.
And walked forward without saying anything.
Elsewhere — Jungle
Darkness.
Stillness.
A girl stood there.
Black hair. Black eyes.
An assassin's outfit.
Her breathing was calm.
But irritation burned in her eyes.
(It's been days…)
(The Vedic Ascension Order is still after me…)
In the distance—
Two figures moved.
"Just let me find her once…"
A woman's voice—filled with anger.
"This time… she won't escape," the other said quietly.
Black energy seeped from their bodies.
Their teeth—
Sharp.
Unnatural.
And they…
Were smiling.