"Good morning, world!"
The sound of my early morning scream echoed through the entire Cheongdam-dong district in Seoul, Korea. It had become somewhat of a morning routine, perhaps because I wanted someone to hear me, or maybe because I was just that insane.
Just like every other day for the past five years, no one answered my scream. The sun was high in the sky, though it wasn't as visible as it had been five years ago since monsters now flew among the clouds, which had turned dark gray in color.
I tried taking a deep breath but immediately choked on the smoke from burning cars and the stench of rotten flesh from the humans who had died at the start of the apocalypse.
"When was the last time I took a bath?" The question sounded like a joke to me. Me? Take a bath? Why would I? It wasn't like I was going to meet anyone. In fact, it would've been better if I could die from bacteria or something like that.
I turned away from the ruined world stretching as far as my eyes could see. Stepping into my filthy apartment, I grimaced. "It reeks." I kicked aside the ramen packs scattered across the floor, dropped onto the soft bed, and stared at the ceiling.
"Ugh, I can't even touch myself." There was no internet, so no material, and as for imagination, I couldn't remember the face of any girl other than my sisters'. "Such a crappy life."
Five years ago, the world ended after several asteroids landed on Earth, bringing alien-like monsters that fed on humans and destroyed our ecosystem. And I, Suho Park, am the only man who survived in all of Cheongdam-dong.
I wasn't sure if there were people in other parts of Seoul, though I was certain there were, but knowing that didn't help in any way. In a world filled with monsters and humans awakened with supernatural powers, I was lower than an extra. I didn't even get the role of a background character since I wasn't anywhere near the heroes.
I was the lost one.
This might sound like a stupid rant, which it is. To some, it might sound like I'm insane, which I am. But all I want now is some boobs. I don't care about anything else; I just need some soft boobs. Then after that, I could go find my family.
"Feels like I'm the only man in the world!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Normally, if I had been doing nothing for this long, I probably would've committed suicide. That's why I used my time for something else.
Walking into my bedroom, I flipped the whiteboard around. On it were complex calculations and lines of code.
"So, class!" I exclaimed, pointing at the numbers with a marker, addressing no one. "This is the improvement I made over the years to 'database' in coding."
Before the end of the world, I was a sixteen-year-old stay-at-home hacker. Now, I was a twenty-one-year-old genius who had cracked the hidden logic of programming and discovered new ways of using a computer.
Jobless? No, no. Just being productive.
After giving my imaginary class a full lecture, I stepped out of my stuffy room, drenched in sweat, and headed out of my apartment on the top floor of the ten-story building.
For some unknown reason, even after the monsters had invaded Earth, not once had they tried to approach this building. Perhaps because I was the only human in it and too insignificant to notice. Either way, it was good for me. I won't lie, I did some creepy and perverted things with people's belongings during my time here, but let's be real, no one stays normal after all this time.
Climbing down the stairs to the fifth floor, my eyes landed on the familiar altar I had built three years ago.
After realizing that I had no chance of awakening naturally, I decided to appeal to the gods and followed the instructions written in a book belonging to a goth girl who had lived on the second floor. The reason why I was in her apartment is best known only to me.
The book was large, filled with countless instructions and possible ways to awaken hidden potential. If I were a normal person, I wouldn't have been able to read it, but after decoding programming languages years ago, I could now read it fluently, as well as any language, to be honest.
For the past two years, I had tried every single combination in the book, and today was the day for the final one.
"Seventy-seven red candles, a living sheep for sacrifice, a dagger with a cross on it, a symbol at the center, and the chant."
I had gathered everything needed for the ritual; all that was left was to perform it. "Let's hope this works."
I placed the sheep I had caught a few years back at the center of the circle I'd formed with the candles. The sheep and I had grown close, so it didn't even flinch when I set it down.
"I'm sorry, Rammy. Maybe in another life we'll be best friends." In this life, I needed to see my family and touch boobs, those priceless things I once took for granted. Hell, I'd be happy just to see another face that wasn't mine.
I sat cross-legged around the circle in front of Rammy and shut my eyes tightly. Gradually, I relaxed, letting my energy flow naturally through my body. I could picture the symbols from the book coming to life as my lips slowly parted:
"The stars are aligned with the ways of the earth, I listen to the whispers that the creators speak…" My lips kept repeating the first few phrases more than ten times. For the first time in two years of doing this, I felt a strange sense of dread crawl up my lungs as cold sweat streamed down my body.
I didn't stop for a second. No matter what happened now, I didn't care. What could I even lose at this point?
"Let the eyes that stare beyond the astral void watch as I pave my path… Malak ha-Mavet... Ani mevakesh et otzmatcha…"
A bright light exploded around me. It was so intense I could see it even with my eyes closed. Suddenly, something soft pressed against my back as someone embraced me from behind.
Then, a voice whispered in my ear, "As you wish, I, the Evernight Goddess, shall grant you my power."
My breath caught, not from fear of someone being inside the house, nor from the fact that she called herself a goddess. No, it was because she was touching me, and I could feel the softness pressing against me.
My breathing grew uneven, but I forced myself to stay calm and keep my composure.
Her voice turned sultry as she murmured, "Tell me, do you like horror… and beautiful women?"
Before I could respond, the warmth from her body vanished, and a loud echoing sound rang in my ears.
I snapped my eyes open and something I had only ever read about in manhwa floated before me.
Tears welled up in my eyes. A blue screen displaying information appeared right in front of me.
"This is…"
Ding!
[Good morning, Master. I am your system and personal assistant, sent by the greatest goddess herself. I am Alpha.]
[Congratulations on awakening!]
I couldn't hold it in anymore. I screamed at the top of my lungs as tears streamed down my face.
Finally, after all this time, I had awakened. A path out of this miserable life was finally in sight.