A child was playing with other children in a room. They laughed, ran around, and chased each other. The atmosphere was filled with joy.
But suddenly, the world seemed to break.
—Czzzttt—
The children's laughter slowly began to fade, accompanied by their movements slowing down… and then—
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
A glitch effect started to occur.
The point of view shifted to the child.
His breathing was ragged, and he slowly began to panic.
His eyes didn't blink, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing—his own hands, covered in blood.
All around him, the bodies of his friends lay sprawled across the floor, soaked in blood.
He started running toward a little girl who was crying,
But before he could reach her—
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
Another glitch effect appeared.
The child was then shown already attacking the little girl.
His hand had pierced through her chest.
Blood began pouring out, soaking the floor. Then, her body stiffened.
Her body slowly fell backward and collapsed, revealing a gaping hole in her chest.
The boy's expression froze, his entire body trembling.
Tears began to stream down his face and then fell.
As the droplet touched the floor—
#@$$!%%!!%!%.
Another glitch effect occurred.
Aruma suddenly woke up, startled.
He clutched his head, trying to endure the pain that surged through him.
Slowly, he rose from the bed and took a pill from the drawer. He swallowed it with a gulp of water.
He sat frozen at the edge of the bed, still feeling the lingering trauma he wanted so desperately to forget.
After a few minutes of calming himself down, Aruma started to feel better.
He went into the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face—trying to wash away the nightmare that still lingered in his mind. Then he turned on the shower and began to bathe.
Once he was done, Aruma stepped out of his room. He closed the door behind him and slowly walked down the silent corridor.
His footsteps echoed softly across the floor.
He stood in front of the elevator, waiting for the doors to open. He stared at the faint reflection of his face in the metal doors. The conversation he had with Yong yesterday began to resurface in his mind.
That conversation replayed vividly in his memory.
Yong asked him,"You haven't introduced yourself yet… What's your name?"
"You may call me… Aruma, sir," Aruma replied.
Yong paused for a moment, then looked at Aruma's face seriously…
He smiled and said,"That's a funny name. It reminds me of my little brother… he also had a weird name."
"His name was Donar! Pretty funny, right?" he said while laughing out loud.
Yong casually patted Aruma on the shoulder and said,
"I'll be leaving now. If you decide to accept, meet me downstairs at 7 a.m. tomorrow."
Aruma remained silent, then returned to his room. He slowly closed the door—
Then the elevator doors opened. Aruma stepped inside and pressed the button for the ground floor.
Moments later, he arrived at the cafeteria and ordered a burger and a glass of beer.
"I'm sorry, beer is only available at night," said one of the staff politely.
Aruma let out a sigh and replied,"In that case, just a milk coffee."
Carrying his order, he sat in the corner near the window. The clock showed 6:49 a.m.
He waited quietly while gazing out the window.
Behind his calm expression, Aruma actually felt a little annoyed for having to wait.
At exactly seven o'clock, someone tapped him on the shoulder from behind.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," said Yong with a smile.
He sat across from Aruma and placed a white envelope on the table."Take this money. And don't even think about refusing. Use it to prepare for the academy entrance exam tomorrow."
Aruma looked at him hesitantly and asked,"Am I really worthy of being here? I'm just a stranger… and we barely know each other."
Yong just smiled and took a sip from his coffee cup.
"You don't need to worry about that," he said while gazing out the window.
"Alright, enough of that—let's talk about something else," Yong added casually.
Aruma then asked,"I want you to explain everything you know about the Kingdom of Atlas."
Yong let out a sigh and said,"You learned about it from that book, didn't you?"
He set down his coffee cup.
"Even though it's a secret… I suppose I have no choice but to tell you."
Then Yong began his story—
Around 1,500 years ago…
At that time, the wars between kingdoms had gradually begun to subside.To prevent future conflicts, the rulers formed a grand alliance.
As a symbol of unity, they built a place calledAtlas—a city constructed on a small portion of land taken from each member kingdom.
Atlas became known as the center of power and diplomacy. It was where important figures like Kings, Generals, Grand Mages, and Royal Advisors gathered.
The city was also considered the safest place on the continent, protected from the threats of kingdoms outside the alliance.
But behind that symbol of strength—Atlas was not built out of hope, but out of fear.
Rumors of a creeping destruction spreading across foreign continents began to unsettle the rulers.There was no solid proof—only whispers and scattered tales from wandering merchants…Yet still, they formed the alliance, as if trying to cover the fear that haunted them all.
But that fear was what ultimately led to Atlas's downfall.
Atlas was attacked by a mysterious rebel group.No one knew who they were… or what they truly sought.No traces were left behind—as if nothing had ever happened.
In a single night, Atlas vanished.The once-magnificent land was reduced to a vast crater filled with water—a forming lake, silent and still, binding together the remnants of the once-united kingdoms.
The fall of Atlas… marked the end of the alliance.
The kingdoms drifted apart once more, and the key figures of that era began to be replaced.
After finishing his story, Yong looked at Aruma and said in a serious tone,"The book you read... is just a copy.""The original version was once kept in Atlas—before everything vanished."
Aruma asked intently,"What makes the original book different from the copy?"
Yong stared off into the distance, out the window."The original… isn't just a book. It writes history on its own. Like a living being with a soul, it can record everything—not only what has happened, but also what is happening and what is yet to come."
Yong then added firmly,"There's a rumor that says—anyone who reads that book will lose their sanity… like a cursed tome that should never have existed."
Just as Aruma was about to ask another question, Yong interrupted with a firm voice,"Let's end this conversation here."
He stood up and declared,"I trust you, so… do you need my help? I can tell you about this year's entrance exams."
Aruma responded with a confident smile,"Are you underestimating my abilities?" he said with certainty.
Yong then turned and walked away, saying,"I'll be gone for a week—so take care of yourself."
Aruma watched Yong leave for a moment before finally turning around and walking back to his room.
Yong looked up at the sky for a moment, then spoke on his phone in a serious tone."It seems it's true... he's the one we've been looking for all this time."
He then slowly ended the call, slipped the phone into his pocket, and got into the car that had come to pick him up.
That afternoon, Aruma prepared to register at the Eternals Academy.
He stepped out of the hotel and began walking through the city streets. He passed district after district, each one growing quieter and quieter—
After walking thousands of steps, Aruma finally arrived at the towering gates of the Eternals District.
The academy was located in an uninhabited zone, a special area known as the Eternals District—a place where young mages were trained. The academy's structure was grand and vast, clearly symbolizing its importance.
As Aruma stepped into the academy grounds, he once again crossed paths with the blindfolded girl. She was still hugging the same stuffed doll from the day before.On instinct, Aruma turned to make sure—but the figure had vanished from sight, as if she had never been there.
He continued walking toward the registration hall. Along the way, his eyes were fixed on the grandeur of the academy—tall pillars, walls built from golden materials, and carefully manicured magical gardens.
But there was one thing that felt off.For a place this vast, the number of visible students could be counted on one hand.
After walking and climbing a few steps, Aruma arrived at the registration room.
He pushed open the glass door and stepped inside. In the moderately sized room, the scent of ink and paper immediately greeted his nose.A man in his 40s with a thick mustache was organizing stacks of forms on his desk…
"Please, have a seat," said the friendly man as he glanced up.
Aruma quietly obeyed and sat down. The man then handed him a sheet of paper and a pen."You're here to register, right? Please fill out this form."
As he filled it out, Aruma occasionally glanced at the man. Once finished, he asked hesitantly,"Is it… okay for someone like me, a foreigner, to join this academy?"
The mustached man gave a wide smile."Of course," he replied with a chuckle."This academy is open to anyone, no matter where you come from. In fact, someone from another kingdom just registered this morning."
Aruma slowly nodded, his doubts beginning to fade.
"Don't worry, you'll be treated the same as the local students," the man added as he stood up.
"Thank you, sir," Aruma replied softly.
The man then signed the form, reading Aruma's name carefully before handing it to his assistant.
Aruma stood up from his seat and slowly walked away from the man.
"Wait!" the man suddenly shouted.
"You need to train. This year's exam won't be easy. I hope you'll prepare yourself well."
Aruma nodded, waved his hand, and headed out.
The man silently followed Aruma's footsteps.
He walked quietly, matching Aruma's pace casually. Aruma actually noticed it, but he chose to ignore the man's presence—as if he wasn't even there.
After that, Aruma exited the Eternals Academy.
The man looked up at the sky and muttered,"You were right, Yong… Maybe he really is the true hope of the golden generation."
To be continued…