Systemism

Prologue

???: Holy Shit

A pale Korean boy with thick glasses reeled back from his bed, wearing a tank top and bermudas. His short black hair was messy as he stood and moved toward it. His ebony eyes widened as he inched closer to his bed.

???: Am I dreaming?

<"Start Quest">

A blue window appeared above his bed. 

Su Jin reeled back from his bed, eyes wide, breath catching in his throat. His heart pounded violently as he looked at the blue window above his bed. The soft glow bathed his cluttered room in an eerie light, making everything around him seem suddenly... unreal. His mind raced, unable to comprehend the sheer impossibility of what he was seeing.

Su Jin: "What the hell...?"

His voice cracked, barely above a whisper, as if speaking louder might make the situation even more bizarre. His legs wobbled beneath him as he staggered to his feet, still staring at the floating window in disbelief. He rubbed his eyes hard, desperate to shake off what he thought had to be a dream or a hallucination—something brought on by exhaustion or stress. But the screen remained, its ethereal glow unwavering, taunting him with its presence.

For a moment, Su Jin felt a suffocating wave of panic rise in his chest. The air in the room seemed thinner, and harder to breathe. He paced back and forth, running his hands through his messy hair and muttering.

Su Jin: "No, no, no... this can't be happening. I'm losing it. I'm... dreaming. Yeah, I must be dreaming."

But deep down, a part of him knew it wasn't a dream. The cold, hard reality of the blue window—its unnatural brightness—was too vivid, too persistent to be the product of his imagination. He tried to reach for it, hesitating, his fingers trembling as they hovered near the screen. It didn't flicker, didn't fade away like a mirage—it was real.

Su Jin stumbled back again, eyes darting around his room as if looking for some explanation—anything that could make sense of what was happening. His small, dingy apartment was the same as always: clothes scattered on the floor, an old gaming console half-buried under a pile of books, a single flickering light overhead. Nothing else had changed—except for this... this thing.

His mind churned, trying to rationalize the situation. Was this some kind of prank? Had someone hacked into his room? Or... was it something more? Something terrifying and unknown?

Su Jin: "Why me?"

He felt a strange, cold chill run down his spine, the reality of the situation sinking in. This wasn't some game he was playing. It was happening to him.

"Welcome, Su Jin Park!"

[Sujin Park]: 175 cm, 60 kg

[Loser of West Seoul]

The title stung, but Su Jin couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. Maybe this was his chance to change things, to prove he was more than what others thought of him. As a gaming nerd forced to be a shuttle and a slave to others, Su Jin endured endless ridicule and exploitation. Being an orphan only added to his isolation and struggles. He reached out tentatively, his fingers brushing the window as he wondered what lay ahead, the possibilities igniting a long-buried sense of determination.

---

???: What's this?

A tanned boy looked up in a gym locker room to see a grey screen. His green eyes glistened with sweat, drops rolling down his toned arms. His damp, dark hair clung to his forehead as he caught his breath, the scent of exertion filling the air around him. Myul blinked, momentarily disoriented by the unexpected intrusion.

<"Start Quest">

Myul: Start?

"Welcome, Myul!"

[Myul]: 177 cm, 68 kg

[Duality of Man]

Myul: Wait, wait, wait!

Myul's heart pounded in his chest. He had always felt like there were two sides to him, constantly at war. The system seemed to understand him in a way that no one else did. The title resonated with him deeply. Could this be the key to finding balance, to harnessing his true potential? The thought thrilled and terrified him.

---

???: I think I'm insane.

A boy rose from a pile of trash bags, his platinum blonde hair stained by the waste surrounding him. The sharp stench of garbage clung to his tattered clothes. His mismatched eyes—one blue, the other grey—scanned the surroundings with a mix of curiosity and disbelief, his lean frame shaking off the grime. Hyeonwoo Lee's life had been a series of unfortunate events, and he had long since stopped believing in miracles.

<"Start Quest">

Hyeonwoo: Start?

"Welcome, Hyeonwoo Lee!"

[Hyeonwoo Lee]: 190 cm, 70 kg

[Fallen Reaper]

Hyeonwoo: Interesting.

Hyeonwoo smirked a glint of defiance in his eyes. Memories of a lifeless body and his own blood-stained hands flashed in his mind, a constant torment. The title mocked him but also stoked the fire within. If this system offered an escape from the filth and despair, he would seize it. Ambition surged through him, a desperate hunger to claw his way to a better life, no matter the cost.

---

None of them knew it, but this system would change their lives forever. The paths they would walk, the challenges they would face, and the transformations they would undergo were beyond their wildest dreams. Each boy, with their unique struggles and desires, was about to embark on a journey that would test their limits and reshape their destiny.

In the quiet moments before their quests began, Su Jin, Myul, and Hyeonwoo each felt a spark of hope ignite within them. This was more than just a chance for adventure; it was an opportunity to rewrite their stories, to rise above their circumstances, and to discover the strength within themselves. As the blue and grey windows faded, the boys took their first steps into a new world, filled with both uncertainty and promise.