Rayan didn't believe in destiny.
He believed in late-night instant noodles, coffee strong enough to wake the dead, and failing his engineering exam for the third time.
That was why, when the thunderstorm began at 3:17 AM, he didn't look up from his laptop.
Not until the lightning turned violet.
The world outside his window warped—buildings bending like reflections in rippling water. And in that warped mirror of reality, Rayan saw… himself. Or at least, something wearing his face, standing in a place of marble towers and rivers of glowing light.
Then came the voice.
Cold. Mechanical. Echoing inside his skull.
"The Vessel has been chosen."
Before Rayan could even curse, lightning struck his chest.
He woke up choking on cold air.
Not in his cramped apartment.
Not even in his city.
Instead, he lay on a massive bed draped in silk, the scent of lavender in the air.
His hands… smaller. His voice… higher.
A mirror on the wall reflected the face of a pale, black-haired boy with sharp green eyes.
"What the hell—"
The door burst open.
A boy his age—taller, with a smug smirk—strode in.
"So, the bastard's awake," he sneered. "Don't get too comfortable, Arian. You'll be out of this house soon enough."
Before Rayan could reply, pain lanced through his skull—images flooding in:
The name Arian Valcrest.
Son of Duke Valcrest… but illegitimate.
A body so weak it couldn't even sense mana properly.
Tomorrow: the Arcana Affinity Test—where failure meant being thrown into the slums.
And then… a whisper only he could hear.
"Page 1 of the Eternum Grimoire unlocked."
On the table beside him lay an ancient black book, its cover shimmering faintly. It was locked with silver chains, yet words appeared on the surface as he stared:
To survive in this world, you must learn what even its gods have forgotten.
Before he could open it, a shadow flickered outside the window.
Something—someone—was watching him from the rooftops.
And then… the chains of the book snapped.