Kenmaru slipped into the hospital, trying not to draw too much attention.
"You're late," Helen snapped, smacking his arm as he stepped in.
Kenmaru grinned. "Aren't you just getting here too?"
"I came to buy something," she replied, brushing past him as they walked toward the seminar room.
Helen's skin was light and smooth, her hair tied back neatly with a band, strands tucked in to keep it from falling over her face. She moved with the confident, measured stride of someone used to command. Kenmaru, in contrast, towered at six feet, with thick black hair that caught the fluorescent lights as he walked beside her. Both nursing students, they shared a sense of anticipation for the procedure class ahead.
They entered the seminar room. "Excuse me, sir," Kenmaru said politely, finding a seat.
The clinical instructor, gloves snapping into place, turned to face them. "Is everyone inside? Once we start, no one else will be allowed in."
"Excuse me, sir," Mrs. Leah hurried in, sliding into the front row. The floor groaned beneath her weight.
Boom.
A low, resonating sound shook the room. The ground trembled faintly at first, then harder.
"Ahh, Mrs. Leah, we know you're big—but calm down," one of Kenmaru's classmates quipped, earning a round of laughter.
The laughter faded as the shaking intensified. Objects on the tables rattled. The walls seemed to pulse with a strange, deep vibration. Eyes widened. Conversations died in throats. Something wasn't right.
Abi na earthquake?" someone shouted, voice trembling as the floor vibrated beneath their feet. The tremors started subtle, almost teasing, then steadily intensified, rattling chairs and sending papers skittering across the floor.
"Earthquake in Gombe? Use your head ohh!" another snapped, frustration and fear lacing the words. The tension in the room was thick, suffocating, as students glanced around, unsure whether to panic or stay put.
Kenmaru's eyes swept over the crowd. People were already becoming agitated—whispers swelling into murmurs, then into raised voices. Some clutched the edges of their desks; others held onto their bags like shields. Helen's face stood out immediately—her forehead was damp with sweat, her lips pressed tightly together, her fingers nervously twisting the strap of her bag. Worry shone brightly in her eyes, and Kenmaru felt the familiar pull of protectiveness.
He reached for her hand, sliding his fingers around hers, firm but reassuring. "It's going to be okay. Stay close," he murmured, letting her feel the calm he tried to hold himself.
The clinical instructor snapped out of his daze, blinking rapidly as the tremors shook the seminar room again. Kenmaru stepped forward, his voice steady and commanding: "Sir… let's leave this place. Now."
The instructor's gaze shifted, taking in the quivering students and shaking walls. "Yes… you're right, Ken. Everybody, let's move. We can continue the class later," he said, tugging off his gloves and stepping toward the door.
A ripple of motion swept through the room. Chairs scraped loudly against the floor as students surged toward the exits, shoving past one another in a mixture of fear and urgency. The air smelled faintly of antiseptic and dust, kicked up by hurried footsteps. Kenmaru stayed close to Helen, guiding her through the chaos, his eyes flicking around, noting every panicked expression, every stumbling footstep, every frantic hand clutching a bag or notebook.
What is causing this? He thought, his mind already scanning possibilities. Maybe it's just an earthquake… maybe it's something else, Something… interesting.
A small, almost imperceptible grin tugged at his lips. Amid the panic and confusion, the thought excited him. The world was trembling, unpredictable—and for once, there was something new, something different… something worth paying attention to..
{ Welcome Earth 19 and its inhabitants this is the 119th integration to the multiverse, your galaxy is part of the ones being integrated into the multiverse this era. Your planet will undergo some changes due to the introduction of mana, and in 15 minutes the tutorial phase will begin to prepare you for the multiverse. There are five beginner classes to choose from – Warrior, Archer, Mage, Healer, Rogue, which are basic tier 1 classes. Your classes will grow and evolve based on your acts and Prestige as you evolve. You don't have time so prepare for what is coming. The tutorial phase will last for a month, so my advice is to find somewhere safe and quiet, pick a class and undergo your first evolution so you can be ready for what is coming}
Kenmaru stood frozen for a moment, stunned, dazed, his face carrying that blank, almost ridiculous expression of disbelief. The seminar room had been left behind, but chaos had spilled into the corridors. The ground beneath them still vibrated in uneven pulses, rattling debris and loose floor tiles. Voices clashed and overlapped—shouts of confusion, panic, and speculation filling the air as students tried to make sense of what was happening.
Yet, above it all, a voice cut through—bold, deep, and monotone. It wasn't just loud; it penetrated every corner of his mind. It seemed to come from the sky itself while simultaneously speaking directly inside his head, a presence both terrifying and mesmerizing.
"I can't believe this… is this a massive prank?" Kenmaru muttered aloud, dazed, almost laughing at the absurdity, a small, involuntary grin creeping onto his face. He hadn't realized he was smiling.
Helen tugged at his hand, pulling him back from his momentary detachment. "Ken… what is happening? Who is saying those things? And why are you smiling? Can… can you see this?" Her voice trembled as she fiddled with a glowing panel that hovered in front of her, trying to dismiss it with frustrated swipes. "I… I can see your name above your head… what is all this?"
Kenmaru's gaze fell on the same panel, shimmering faintly in the chaotic light. For the first time, he truly noticed it—not something imagined, not a trick of the eyes. It's real… he thought, blinking in disbelief as his mind struggled to process the surreal scene unfolding around him.
{ Name: Kenmaru Ovie
Rank: Unevolved
Race: Human
Class: ---
Profession: ---
Health Points: 5
Stamina: 2
Mana: ---
Stats
Strength: 3
Agility: 4
Intelligence: 6
Willpower: 9
Endurance: 2
Perception: 7
Vitality: 5
Skills: Identify (Common), Translate ((′Unique)}
Is this… what I think it is? Kenmaru's brain was spinning, a storm of disbelief and adrenaline. He tried to absorb everything happening around him—the trembling floors, shouting students, the lingering monotone voice that still resonated in his mind. Somehow, they had already reached the entrance of the hospital and were almost outside without him noticing, the chaos pulling everyone forward like a current.
Beside his status panel, a timer blinked insistently, one he quickly labelled in his mind: 15 minutes before hell.
"Helen!" he called out, scanning frantically. His heart jumped as he realized she wasn't with him. Pushing through a cluster of panicked students, he spotted her a few meters away, surrounded by some of their course mates, hesitating as if deciding whether to leave the hospital entirely.
He dashed toward her. "What are you people doing?!" His voice rang urgent, sharp, commanding. He already suspected their answer.
"We want to go home," Blessing said, stepping forward. Her voice carried the mix of defiance and fear shared by the group.
"That's… that's stupid!" Kenmaru shouted back, raising his voice to be heard over the din. "If anything's going to happen, don't you think we stand a better chance together? Helen—your family isn't here, right? They're in Ogun state!"
He grabbed Helen's hands, trying to anchor her attention. "We stay here first. See what happens. If nothing does, we can go home later. And Helen… first thing tomorrow, you and I will get the first bus to Lagos. Understand?"
He looked around, trying to sweep as many faces as possible with his gaze, willing them to hear him. "We shouldn't be splitting up now. Honestly—we cannot split up!"
Then something caught his eye—a gap where Blessing should have been. She wasn't moving, she wasn't running—she was gone. No… she didn't leave. Something's off. His chest tightened. The panic of the unknown gnawed at him..
Boom! Boom!
The ground shuddered violently beneath them, so hard it was a struggle just to stay on their feet. Kenmaru's heart pounded, adrenaline surging as he grabbed Helen's hand. "Stay close to me!" he barked, sharp and insistent, giving her no chance to answer. They'd been friends since he arrived in Gombe three years ago to study nursing, and the thought of losing her was unbearable.
His mind flickered to his family. Were they safe? Were they even aware of what was happening? He didn't know, and for now, there was nothing he could do… not yet. "We'll be fine, okay?" he said, squeezing her hand, his voice steady even as panic threatened to claw at him.
Helen tried to calm herself, but tears were streaming freely down her face. "I… I don't want to die, Kenmaru… what about my family? My mummy… she's old, her health… it's not good. What if this isn't just here? What if it's… global?" Her voice cracked in sobs.
"Hey… we'll be fine," Kenmaru said, pulling her into a tight hug, heart hammering. "After this stops, we'll find your family. Somehow. Until then… we pray. We hope. But first, we survive. Right now, we have to make sure we're safe."
His mind raced. The evolution… maybe the system is pushing us for a reason. Faster evolution… that might be the key.
The shaking intensified. Cracks split the hospital walls, thin at first, then widening rapidly. Some of the panicked students darted toward the wards, shouting about helping patients trapped inside.
"Let's go help them!" Helen said, her voice low but burning with passion. Kenmaru couldn't help but smile at her resolve, remembering the countless hours she'd spent caring for patients, the intensity of her dedication.
"No!" he yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos, sharper than the quaking walls. "Choose a class and evolve NOW!"
Helen froze, confusion painting her face. "What… why?"
"It'll take us away from here! I don't know where, but it'll be safe! Helen, trust me—choose a class! That's the only option!" Kenmaru's words were carried by a roar, the loudest he'd ever produced. Today, his voice was a weapon, a lifeline.
He glanced around. Blessing had vanished—the proof, Kenmaru realized, that the system would act the moment someone chose a class. Someone shouted from the distance, questioning him: How do you know she evolved?
Kenmaru didn't answer. Instead, he turned back to Helen. "I'll tell as many people as I can to do the same, as soon as I'm sure you're safe," he said, voice firm, unwavering.
"If anything happens to me… I'll blame you forever," she murmured, a mix of fear and stubborn resolve, before letting go of his hand and disappearing into the evolution sequence herself.
Kenmaru fist-bumped the air, letting his excitement and relief flare for just a moment. His friends and course mates began to understand, stepping forward one by one to evolve.
Crackkkkk!
The ground split violently beneath him, yawning like a jagged maw right where he had been standing. Instinct took over. Kenmaru leapt to the side, landing on the portion of the floor still attached to the hospital, and without hesitation, he sprinted toward the wards.
"Choose a class if you want to live! Choose a class, quickly!" he shouted, voice raw with urgency, echoing over the chaotic noise of panicked students and the rumbling earth.
Debris tumbled from the ceiling as he dashed forward, chunks of concrete and plaster crashing dangerously close. One massive section gave way directly above him. He twisted sharply, barely avoiding being crushed. A shard grazed his head, exploding pain through his skull.
Everything blurred. His vision wavered between red and black as blood began to seep from the wound, stinging his eyes. His body went spinning, muscles screaming in protest as he hit the ground hard.
Focus… Warrior… Warrior… he thought, teeth clenched, every nerve trembling. His blood-streaked vision threatened to overwhelm him, but he forced his mind to command his body, every fiber of his being locked onto the task. I have to evolve. I have no choice. Warrior… now…
His hands shook, his heartbeat thundering in his ears louder than the rumbling walls, yet he refused to give in. Every instinct, every ounce of training, every pulse of adrenaline aligned with a singular goal: choose a class, survive, evolve.
The world around him was chaos incarnate—falling debris, splitting floors, panicked screams—but a sharp clarity cut through the storm in his mind. This was it. His moment.
{Warrior class chosen. Commencing evolution. Moving to evolution space.}
That was the last thing he heard for what felt like an eternity. Every other sound, every rumble, every shout faded into silence. Then—a sharp, electric jolt coursed through his body, making him gasp and shiver as if lightning had threaded through his veins.
He stumbled, blinking rapidly, trying to regain his balance. The world around him… had changed. The hospital, the rubble, the screaming classmates—it was gone. In its place stretched a vast, endless space, shimmering faintly, infinite in every direction. The horizon seemed to dissolve into nothingness, and yet there was depth, layers, and a strange, subtle hum vibrating through the air.
He was completely alone. No one else was here. Not a single soul. Just him, the emptiness, and the weight of everything that had just happened.
A voice—calm, resonant, unmistakable—echoed inside his mind rather than through his ears. Clear, deliberate, yet strangely intimate. Kenmaru froze. Is this… a voice inside my head?
He swallowed hard, scanning the boundless space around him, trying to comprehend the impossibility of it all. What is this place? What is happening to me?
{Evolution complete you're now an Unawakened lifeform, max out your class and profession to evolve again. Due to the world terraforming you will be here for a while, you will be thrown out when the transformation is complete to where you were before being teleported here or you can choose to leave anytime}
I've evolved, huh… Kenmaru thought, letting the realization wash over him. Everything felt hazy, tingling, as if electric currents were running through his veins, sparking with energy that he had never felt before. The sensation was intoxicating, overwhelming, and strangely comforting all at once.
He smiled, settling his racing thoughts. Finally—finally, he had a moment alone, away from screaming classmates, chaos, and the impossible announcement. And he knew, deep down, this might be the last quiet moment he'd have for a long time.
He thought back to the brief brush with death—the cracks splitting the ground, the collapsing ceiling, the blood blurring his vision. That fleeting fear had sharpened his instincts and now fueled his resolve.
Everything was about to change. Money would lose its value. Society as he knew it would crumble. The only things that would matter now were power and resources, and the ability to survive long enough to claim them. He had to be strong. And he had to have strong people to rely on.
His mind drifted to Helen. I hope she chose to be a healer… That way, she could support him while he fought. The world they were about to enter would not be simple; survival would demand more than bravery. It would demand cunning, planning, and ruthless efficiency.
Humans, he knew, would not be kind or fair. They would be greedy, selfish, unpredictable. Monsters would be the least of their worries. The bleakness of the coming days already pressed against him, but it also sharpened his mind.
They would have to keep moving. Ogun State would be their first waypoint—a small group of trusted coursemates, a makeshift plan, and maybe a few days in the hospital if it still stood. He hoped everyone else had managed to evolve before the building collapsed, but he knew better than to rely on luck.
His thoughts towered over him, spiraling, connecting, forming strategies, contingencies, and predictions. Every heartbeat seemed to echo with purpose: survival first. Then power. Then control.
{You are about to leave the evolution space}
Kenmaru smiled, a light, almost boyish grin, the kind that comes from relief and anticipation all at once. Freedom. Finally, he no longer had to endure the monotonous cycle of classes, commuting, and clinicals. He remembered the hospital, the endless medication rounds, the repetitive nursing interventions—the weight of a life that never seemed to change. He had known even then, the first day of those clinicals, that nursing wasn't for him. The work was noble, even heroic, but it wasn't the life he wanted.
Now, with the world erupting around him, everything had shifted. He could leave whenever he pleased. Every day could be exciting, dangerous, unpredictable. He would grow strong. He would uncover the mysteries their world now held, and perhaps even the secrets of the galaxy and the multiverse beyond.
A thrill ran through him. Power, adventure, knowledge—everything he had ever craved now seemed within reach. His smile widened as he allowed himself to savor it, to bask in the promise of what was coming.
As he began to fade from the evolution space, a humanoid figure appeared where he had stood. Its presence was brief but unmistakable.
"His Origin Ability is very interesting," it said, voice calm yet impossibly precise. Then it vanished, leaving no ripples in time, no trace on the karmic thread, as if it had never existed at all.