SL:R

Chapter 1

“Do you really like ants that much?”

At the Korea University Museum of Art, the assistant professor of the Painting Department, Im Dogyun, had a look of boredom on his face as he gazed at a painting of ants.

The exhibition hall wall was covered in various types of ant paintings, including oil paintings, watercolors, and sketches. Each ant was depicted uniquely.

Im Dogyun attached a name tag underneath one of the paintings.

[Korea University Painting Department Exhibition]

[3rd year, Sung Sooho]

“I bet if we collected all the ants you’ve painted since you were a freshman, it would fill up this entire room. If that’s the case, you should have gone to the Entomology Department instead of the Fine Arts Department.”

“I considered it, but there’s no separate Ant Department.”

“So you just like ants, not insects in general?”

“Yes. Strangely enough, I’ve liked ants since I was young. Whenever I saw an ant trail, I made sure not to accidentally step on it…”
“You’ve liked them since you were young? Your taste is consistent, I’ll give you that.” Im Dogyun chuckled and continued to examine Sooho’s painting until he stopped abruptly. “Why does this ant look different?” In front of him was a humanoid ant painted with a dark aura rising from it. “Hmm. The dynamics of the motion are great. Is it a monster?”

“It’s not a monster. It’s just an ant that appeared in my dreams when I was young.”

“Ha, you’re quite something. How long have you been dreaming about ants? Since you were a child?”

“Since before the Great Cataclysm.”

The Great Cataclysm was a term used to describe the end-of-the-world crisis that suddenly occurred two years ago.

Unknown gates started appearing all over the Earth, and terrifying monsters poured out of them, invading and conquering the planet. Fortunately, a small fraction of humans awakened supernatural abilities just in time to save humanity from destruction.

This was only two years ago when Sooho was just 20 years old and a freshman, but Sooho had been obsessed with his “ant dream” before that, during his middle and high school years.

“Anyway, you’re quite the artist too, huh?” Assistant Professor Im chuckled and examined Sooho’s drawing closely. “But you really drew it well. The ants in the picture look like they’ll jump out and bite you any moment. Oh, am I going too far? Your drawing is just that vivid.”

Sooho smiled inwardly at his words.

‘Well, I can’t help it.’

It wasn’t just a passing comment, as the ants in the picture were actually his nightmares. They were monsters that used to pop out in his dreams during his adolescence, trying to kill him.

‘… Looking back, it was a really terrifying dream.’

Sooho recalled that dream.

[Level up!]

[Level up!]

In that dream, he had to fight for his life against monsters without knowing why. Armored knights, ant legions, and even huge dragons were blocking his way endlessly.

If he killed those monsters, he leveled up like in a game, but if he died, he had to reset from level 1. The only way to escape from that dream was to survive and make it to the final boss’ room.

Fighting relentlessly, he finally arrived before the final boss, only to find out that the boss’ face…

‘Looked like my father.’