(Omegaverse Arc – Part VII)
The first thing Seo Jin felt was the sound of breathing.
Not his own.
Warm, uneven, human. Each inhale brushed against his cheek, trembling like someone who had just fought the universe and won by a thread.
He wanted to open his eyes, but the world felt too heavy. It pressed down on him — not air, but data, thick and humming with golden static. It crawled across his skin, through his veins, whispering lines of code that pulsed in rhythm with his heartbeat.
Heartbeat.
The word echoed faintly inside his skull.
> [System Reboot… complete.]
[Dual Pulse detected.]
A soft hum followed, not mechanical — familiar. A voice that had once been cold, now carried warmth like a smile.
> [Welcome back, Core Host Seo Jin.]
His eyes fluttered open.
At first, everything was light — not the blinding kind, but gentle, molten gold. He was lying against something firm and warm. When his vision cleared, he saw Li Ran's face hovering above him.
