The night was unusually quiet.
A thick blanket of darkness covered the world, pierced only by the faint shimmer of distant stars and the cold glow of the moon hanging high in the sky. The wind whispered softly, carrying with it a biting chill that seeped into every corner of the city.
Everything felt… normal.
Too normal.
Inside a modest apartment located just a few kilometers away from Valcrest Imperial University, a young man lay curled up on his bed, wrapped tightly in a thick blanket.
"…Damn cold…"
Ash Dante Corleone groaned softly, his voice muffled under the covers.
At exactly twenty years old, Ash was what most people would call… ordinary.
A university student.
No wealth. No power.
Just a quiet life.
But beneath that "ordinary" surface, there was something different about him.
Something darker.
Something… ambitious.
Ash slowly pushed the blanket off his body and sat up, running a hand through his messy black hair. His deep red eyes—dark, intense, almost unnatural—glowed faintly in the dim light of the room.
Those eyes alone were enough to make people uneasy.
It wasn't just their color.
It was the feeling behind them.
Cold.
Calculating.
Hungry.
Skipping training because of weather? That's pathetic…"
He muttered under his breath.
Despite the freezing temperature, Ash forced himself out of bed. The floor was cold beneath his bare feet, but he ignored it as he moved to the center of the room.
Without hesitation, he dropped to the ground.
Push-ups.
One.
Two.
Three.
His breathing was steady. Controlled.
Then sit-ups.
Then squats.
His body moved with discipline, each motion precise, practiced. Soon, sweat formed on his skin despite the cold air surrounding him.
Ash wasn't naturally strong.
Everything he had… he built.
Through effort.
Through consistency.
Through sheer stubbornness
After finishing his routine, he exhaled deeply.
"Good enough."
He walked straight into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Steam quickly filled the small space as hot water ran down his body, washing away the sweat.
As the warmth embraced him, his mind wandered.
To power.
To control.
To dominance.
"I should've been born into a mafia family…"
He smirked faintly.
Ash had always been fascinated by the underworld.
The structure.
The loyalty.
The fear.
The power to control everything from the shadows.
If he ever had the chance…
He wouldn't just join.
He would rule.
After his bath, Ash stepped out and dressed in simple but sharp clothing—a black pair of trousers and a fitted black jacket.
Dark.
Clean.
Minimal.
Just the way he liked it.
Ash Dante Corleone.
The surname alone carried weight.
Even if, for now… it meant nothing in this world.
Ash Dante Corleone.
The surname alone carried weight.
Even if, for now… it meant nothing in this world.
He grabbed the door handle, preparing to step outside for a late-night walk.
And then—
The world… broke.
BOOOOOOM—!!
A violent tremor shook the entire building.
The walls rattled.
The ground lurched.
Furniture shifted violently as if struck by an invisible force.
"—What the hell?!"
Ash's instincts kicked in instantly.
He grabbed the door handle tightly, bracing himself as the room trembled like it was about to collapse.
A deep, crushing pressure suddenly hit his body.
"Ugh—!"
It felt like being punched directly in the stomach.
His breath vanished.
His vision blurred.
A suffocating force wrapped around him, squeezing the air out of his lungs.
Ash staggered, his grip tightening as his face turned pale.
"W-What… is this…?"
His body trembled violently.
For a moment, he thought he was going to die.
Then—
Just as suddenly as it started…
It stopped.
Silence.
The shaking ceased.
The pressure disappeared.
The only sound left was the rain tapping softly against the broken window.
Ash stood there, breathing heavily.
Alive.
But something had changed.
He could feel it.
[Mana has descended upon Planet Earth.]
[All lifeforms have begun evolution.]
[You have been granted access to the System.]
Ash froze.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…No way."
His heart began to race.
This…
This was—
A slow smile spread across his face.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
Excitement.
A translucent blue screen appeared before his eyes.
[Name: Ash Dante Corleone]
[Level: 0]
[Race: Human]
[Bloodline: @#%&*@… (Sealed)]
[Class: None]
[Mount: None]
[Strength: 15 (10)]
[Agility: 14 (10)]
[Health: 10 (10)]
[Stamina: 11 (10)]
[Mana: 70 (0)]
[Magic: 70 (10)]
Ash stared at the screen.
His red eyes gleamed with intensity.
"This… is real."
His stats were above average.
But what caught his attention the most—
"Sealed bloodline…?"
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Before he could think further—
Screams echoed from outside.
Loud.
Desperate.
Terrified.
Ash immediately turned toward the window.
What he saw—
Changed everything.
Chaos.
Pure chaos.
People were running in every direction, screaming, crying, begging.
But they weren't running from nothing.
They were running from…
Each other.
A man tackled another to the ground—
And bit into his neck.
Blood sprayed.
Screams intensified.
Ash's eyes narrowed.
"…Zombies."
A young girl stumbled and fell.
Before she could stand—
A grotesque figure lunged at her.
CRUNCH.
Its teeth sank into her arm.
"HELP ME—!!"
Her scream pierced the night.
But no one stopped.
No one cared.
Everyone was too busy trying to survive.
Moments later—
Her body went still.
Ash watched silently.
No panic.
No hesitation.
Only observation.
Then—
The girl stood up again.
Slowly.
Unnaturally.
Her head tilted.
Her body twitched.
And then—
She began chasing others.
"Evolution…"
Ash whispered.
But it wasn't just humans.
An ant crawled across the street.
But it wasn't normal.
It was the size of a dog.
Its mandibles clicked violently.
Nearby animals twisted and grew, mutating into something far more dangerous.
The world had changed.
Completely.
And then—
A sharp screech.
Ash's instincts screamed.
He turned—
Just in time to see a creature flying straight toward him.
A Dragon Flyer.
Big but also small.
Fast.
Deadly.
Its sharp stinger aimed directly at his face.
Ash moved instantly.
No hesitation.
No fear.
His hand grabbed a wooden chair beside him.
With explosive force—
He swung.
BAM—!!
The creature slammed into the wall.
But it wasn't dead.
It twitched violently, trying to rise again.
Ash didn't give it a chance.
He stepped forward.
Raised the chair—
And smashed it down.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
CRACK.
Silence.
The creature stopped moving.
A notification appeared instantly
[You have killed a Level 7 Dragon Flyer.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have gained +2 Strength, +2 Agility.]
[You have reached Level 3.]
[You have gained 2 stat points.]
Ash stood still.
Breathing slow.
Steady.
Then—
He smiled.
A dark, dangerous smile.
"I knew it…"
His red eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
Not fear.
Not shock.
Excitement.
A strange energy surged through his body.
His muscles tightened.
His senses sharpened.
His entire being felt… stronger.
"So this is how it works…"
He looked outside again.
At the chaos.
At the monsters.
At the fear consuming everyone.
Then he whispered—
Perfect."
His fingers clenched slowly.
"In a world like this…"
His voice dropped, colder than the night itself.
"…only those willing to dominate… will survive."
His red eyes gleamed with terrifying intensity.
"And I…"
A faint smirk formed on his lips.
"…was born for this."