The following morning, Jeongmu High School was silent in a way it had never been before.
No shouting. No idle gossip. Even the usual humming of vending machines in the hallways seemed dulled by tension.
Everyone knew what was coming.
Lee Raon sat at the edge of his bed, staring at the clock as it blinked 06:14 AM. He hadn't slept. His body trembled—not from fear, but from the strange heat pulsing through his chest. It had started yesterday evening, just after Agent Bae's announcement. A warmth like coiled fire… or something alive.
---
07:42 AM – School Auditorium
Rows of students stood in strict formation. Teachers stood by in silence. Several black-suited agents from the Department of Human Advancement were stationed around the stage, each one carrying tablets and weaponized briefcases.
A large scanning machine stood at the center—like a vertical capsule, humming ominously.
Agent Bae Gunwoo stepped forward. "You will enter one at a time. Your bodies will be scanned for Evolution Serum compatibility. Results will be instant."
His eyes were sharp as glass. "If you're incompatible, you will be removed from the program. And… the consequences are not our responsibility."
Nervous murmurs filled the room.
Removed? Consequences? Raon glanced around. Even the strongest students looked shaken.
---
First Student – Park Jinsu
The boy walked confidently into the capsule.
BEEP… BEEP…
Then:
[Compatibility: 87% – Class: Earthbreaker]
Gasps erupted.
Jinsu turned to the audience with a grin. His body already shimmered faintly with stone-like skin.
He bowed arrogantly and walked off stage.
---
Several Students Later
Some got lucky. Han Jiwon—97% compatibility, "Arcane Engineer". Kang Minho—75%, "Bloodhound Warrior".
Others were not so fortunate.
A girl screamed as her scan failed.
[Compatibility: 0% – Null Result]
Her body began to shake violently. The agents rushed in, injecting something into her neck. She collapsed, unconscious. Whispers spread like wildfire.
"She's one of the Nulls…"
"Is she dead?"
"No. Worse. She's useless now…"
---
Lee Raon's Turn
Finally, it was his turn.
Raon stepped forward, his legs trembling. But inside, that strange heat was burning brighter—almost roaring now.
He stepped into the capsule.
The machine closed. Darkness.
A voice echoed in his mind.
> [Initializing hidden sequence...]
[Compatibility Detected: Undefined. System outside parameter range.]
[Mutation: Classless Evolution Detected.]
[Warning: Evolution System initializing without serum.]
[You are no longer bound by government parameters.]
[Welcome, Lee Raon.]
[You have awakened: The Blue Dragon Evolution System]
The machine exploded with sparks.
Students screamed. Agents drew their weapons. The capsule opened with a hiss.
Raon fell forward to his knees, gasping for breath. His veins glowed faint blue under his skin, and strange scales flickered on his right arm—gone in an instant.
Silence.
Agent Bae stepped forward slowly, eyes narrowed. "What… are you?"
Raon looked up.
He didn't know the answer.
But whatever it was, he had just broken the system.
And there was no turning back.