Kenmaru blinked, alone again, the hum of the evolution space fading behind him, and stepped forward into the world he now had the chance to shape.
The sun blazed overhead, brilliant and unrelenting, casting sharp shadows over the world that stretched out before him. Grass—thick, wild, impossibly tall—swirled in the wind, creeping over paths and windowsills alike. The hospital looked like it had been abandoned for decades, overgrown and silent except for the distant echoes of shifting debris.
Kenmaru's gaze swept over himself, checking for any signs of change. His body felt different—lighter, stronger—but before he could fully process it, something caught his attention. A sword and a buckler rested in his hands, weight familiar yet imbued with an energy he couldn't quite name.
{The tutorial has begun, Phase 1. You are to find a base and capture it and then defend it from the horde of monsters that roam your world. There are 1000 bases scattered across the world if less than 200 remain by the end of the month your world will be ruled by the monsters and not the intelligent race that currently inhabits it. Protect your base and level up your class by hunting monsters}
Hmmm… this is going to be rough, he thought, scanning the details of his status. Nothing looked the same as before; every number, every stat, every skill had changed drastically.
{Name: Kenmaru Ovie
Rank: Unawakened
Race: Human
Class: Warrior
Profession: ---
Health Points: 34/34
Stamina: 28/28
Mana: 36/36
Stats
Strength: 15
Agility: 16
Intelligence: 18
Willpower: 25
Endurance: 14
Perception: 19
Vitality: 17
Free points: 4
Titles: Progenitor (Mythic): The first of your kind and ancestor to all those who will come after you.
5% Passive enhancement to Strength, Agility and Endurance
Talents: ----
Origin Ability: The Irregular Mind—Your mind processes patterns, intent, and emotion at an abnormal depth. You don't just understand people, you feel them.
★Gives a 3% passive enhancement to your Willpower and Perception.
★Accelerated comprehension speed across all skills.
Skills: Identify (Common), Translate (Unique), Slash (Common), Rage (Common), Block (Common)}
{Warrior—You have received a Sword and a buckler in your inventory.
You get 3 stat points to Str and End and 4 free points every level}
{Your Origin Ability is the first of its kind; therefore, you have received the title of Progenitor}
Kenmaru exhaled, letting the information sink in. Every skill, every stat, every enhancement screamed potential. The title, the sword, the buckler, his Irregular Mind—everything felt like a promise. A promise of freedom, power, and the chance to shape a world that had suddenly become unpredictable, dangerous, and exhilarating.
He felt it first as a subtle vibration in the air, a hum that seemed to crawl along his skin and settle deep in his bones. Something in him resonated with it—strange, electric, familiar. Is this… mana? He wondered, his mind racing even as his heart hammered against his ribs.
He turned his attention to the weapons in his hands. The sword felt perfectly balanced, cool yet humming faintly with energy. The buckler, heavy but responsive, seemed alive in his grip. His chest tightened with anticipation, blood pumping faster, heart racing as adrenaline and awe mingled in equal measure.
He quickly scanned the skills he had acquired—three, simple but potent. One attack, one defensive, one boosting.
Slash—an attack skill that increased his damage at the cost of stamina.
Block—a defensive skill, enhancing protection whenever he absorbed a hit with his shield.
Rage—a boosting skill that would temporarily increase Strength, Agility, and Endurance by 5%, though it consumed his stamina while active.
He exhaled slowly, letting the mechanics sink in. Each skill was basic, yes, but they were also elegant in their simplicity—tools designed to teach him, to push him to adapt.
So… hunting. That's the next step. But what to hunt? His mind spun, calculating possibilities, scenarios, risks. The world was vast, the monsters unknown. Yet every nerve in his body tingled with excitement, the thrill of potential coursing through him. This was survival, power, and adventure—all at once.
"KENMARU!!"
His thoughts shattered as the scream cut through the chaos.
"Helen!" he shouted back, a rush of joy surging through him, the first real smile in what felt like forever. He sprinted toward her, dodging debris with a speed and precision that yesterday he could never have imagined, and scooped her up in a tight embrace. Relief, fear, and happiness collided in that moment.
It wasn't until he pulled back slightly that he realized she wasn't alone.
"You people are still playing love even with everything going on!" Favour, one of his course mates and a close friend, called, teasing.
Kenmaru chuckled, hugging everyone briefly—partly to ease the awkwardness, mostly because he was just so damn happy to see them alive.
He quickly counted heads. "So… only fifteen of us survived, huh?" he said, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
"No, not really," Aisha, another friend, said quietly. "At the end of the countdown, we were all forced to evolve… though some didn't make it because of the earthquakes." Her voice faded, almost lost in the wind.
Kenmaru squeezed her hand gently. "It'll be okay. We'll survive this," he said, letting a small measure of calm wash over him.
His eyes scanned the crowd, and there she was—Blessing. He caught her gaze, and she gave a small, knowing smile.
"I was curious about the class thing," she said softly, "so I picked Mage… and disappeared into the evolution space soon after."
Kenmaru grinned, a smug satisfaction warming him. Those who had doubted him before now had no argument. Knowing he was right felt almost intoxicating.
"I want to go and find my family!" someone shouted, the words cutting through Kenmaru's thoughts like a blade. Exactly what he had feared.
Before he could respond, Abdullahi, their course representative, stepped forward, voice firm but tense. "Kai, if we separate now, it will not be good walahi. We need to stick together as a class, help each other. With this evolution thing, at least we know that they are safe
"For now, they are safe," someone interrupted, panic creeping into their voice.
"But what about the monsters? What happens to them then?" another cried, and soon the conversation spiraled into a flurry of voices, everyone shouting over one another, debating, arguing, their fear and worry bleeding into every word.
"Everyone, please, listen to me!" Kenmaru bellowed, his voice carrying over the chaos. Gradually, the noise died down, replaced by tense silence. Eyes turned toward him.
"I know we all want to find our families, and we will—but separating now? We might never see each other again. Let's stay together for a bit, share what we know about our classes and abilities. That knowledge could save our lives in the coming days."
A few nodded, others murmured agreement.
"You're right, Ken," Mrs. Margaret said, her voice calm but firm. "I have to find my children, yes—but let's spend this time together first." She sank into a seat, setting the tone for the group.
Slowly, everyone gathered, sitting in a loose circle as they began sharing information about their statuses and abilities. Kenmaru listened, calculating, analyzing every detail.
Among the fifteen of them:
9 Healers
2 Archers
3 Mages
2 Warriors
0 Rogues
He grinned slightly to himself, shaking his head at Abdullahi—the only other man in their group who had chosen to become a Healer. Really? Kenmaru thought.
Helen was a Healer. Mrs. Margaret was the other Warrior, standing tall and confident like Kenmaru.
Kenmaru listened intently as everyone shared what they had received.
Warriors had:
Slash: an attack skill
Block: a defensive skill
Rage: a boosting skill that temporarily gave a 5%increase to Strength and Agility at the cost of stamina
Mages had:
Mana Bullet: an attack skill
Mana Shield: a defensive skill
Mana Bomb: an area-of-effect attack
Healers had:
Heal: restores health
Vigour: a boosting skill that could be cast on themselves or others, increasing Endurance and Vitality
Cleanse: a defensive skill that removed negative effects like poison or curses
Archers had:
Eagle Eyes: a passive skill enhancing aim and accuracy
Power Shot: a charged attack for extra power
Trap: a skill that allowed them to set traps in advance
Every class gained 10 stat points per level-up, distributed differently depending on their specialization, shaping how each warrior, mage, healer, or archer grew in power.
Gear followed a similar formula. Each class had three sets of starting equipment:
Warriors: sword, shield, and gambeson
Archers: bow, quiver with 20 arrows, and light armor (sword and shield replaced by ranged tools)
Mages and Healers: robe, staff, and a necklace
None of it was impressive—just basic protection and tools to get started.
Kenmaru examined the gear he had received: a sword and buckler. He flexed his fingers around the hilt, feeling the weight and balance. The system's note appeared in his mind:
{ Beginner Sword: A sword provided by the system to aid the new initiates, it will do to cut down monsters and humans alike, for now at least.
Enhancements: --- }
The rest of the gear followed the same pattern. At least we're not completely naked, someone joked, earning a few nervous laughs. Despite the humor, Kenmaru's mind was already running through possibilities—skills, stats, gear, combinations… everything he could use to survive. He noticed they had no information on the rogue class which could be a problem if they encountered one who wasn't friendly.
Hours passed, and the group was still gisting, laughing, and sharing stories about their days at uni. For a while, they managed to forget the chaos outside, the quaking earth, and the strange announcements. Kenmaru's attention, however, was split between the conversation and the strange energy he felt pulsing through him, an unfamiliar warmth that tickled his veins and made the hairs on his arms stand on end.
Then a low, guttural growl cut through the chatter from the east. The group froze mid-laughter, heads turning instinctively toward the sound. What they saw left them stunned. A small pack of creatures scuttled along the grassy expanse, their movements disturbingly fast. At first glance, they looked like oversized mice, roughly the size of small dogs, but closer inspection revealed their grotesque details: bristly brown fur matted with dirt, a single jagged horn protruding from the center of each skull, and eyes that glimmered with an unnatural, predatory intelligence. Their claws scraped the earth as they ran, leaving faint gouges in the ground, and their gnashing teeth sparkled in the sunlight as they emitted high-pitched squeaks that carried a tinge of malice.
The group quickly lost their jovial mood. Faces paled, eyes widened, and a tense silence settled over them. Well… everyone but Kenmaru, who struggled to suppress a grin that crept across his face at the thought of testing his new strength against these creatures.
"Oya, let's decide what we're going to do," Mrs. Margaret said, her voice tight with urgency, though her eyes betrayed a spark of the same eagerness she'd always had for her children.
Kenmaru took a deep breath. "Right. We all have family we want to be with, but honestly… the odds aren't looking good. We can't move together trying to help our families one by one—arguments, confusion, panic—it'll ruin any chance of getting anyone to safety. If you want to find your families now, you're free to go. I'll find one of the bases the system mentioned, and when you find your families, you'll have a safe place to come to."
He kept his voice steady, sober. He had always intended to leave the group's larger crowd; being responsible for too many people could slow him down. He only wanted a small, trusted group—and Helen had to be one of them. He had already spoken to her in secret, persuading her that to find and help her family, they would need to grow strong first.
"How do you even plan to find the base?" Abdullahi asked, uncertainty threading his tone.
Kenmaru gestured toward the mice, now disappearing over a small hill in the distance. "See those tracks? The system said bases will have to be defended. That means monsters will be drawn to them. If I follow the tracks, I can find the bases—and avoid getting swarmed by a horde at the same time." His voice carried a quiet confidence, as if the answer had been obvious all along.
"I'm going with him," Helen said, standing firm.
"It'll be dangerous—very dangerous," Kenmaru warned.
"I know. I'm coming with you." Her eyes didn't waver, her tone resolute, as if their previous discussions had never happened—they were both committed now.
There was a moment of contemplation. Arguments flared briefly, debates started, and hesitation crept in. But in the end, five people agreed to follow Kenmaru.
Helen stayed without hesitation. Favour, who was even closer to Helen than Kenmaru, refused to leave her side—and since she was a mage as well, Kenmaru didn't mind one bit. Aisha joined too, after some persuasion from Kenmaru; she was one of the two Archers, and having ranged support would be invaluable. Abdullahi, however, ultimately chose to leave and search for his family. Then there was Mariam, another mage, bringing their mage count to two, and Alice—another healer, and a close friend of both Helen and Favour.
Alright then, it was settled.
They stayed where they were while the others slowly dispersed, splitting into smaller groups and heading off in different directions. One by one, familiar backs turned away from them, growing smaller in the distance until only empty space remained.
"When are we going to start moving?" Favour asked, breaking the silence.
"Just wait a moment," Kenmaru replied.
He looked at the group. "Have any of you tried using your skills yet?"
They all stared back at him—confused, hesitant, exactly as he expected.
"Use our skills to do what?" Aisha asked sharply, words spilling out like gunfire. "How are we even supposed to use them in the first place?"
"If we want to survive in this new world," Kenmaru said calmly, "if we want to grow stronger, then the first thing we need to understand is mana—and how it interacts with our bodies."
He turned to Helen. "Heal me."
"What?" Helen blinked.
"I want to confirm something."
Before anyone could react, Kenmaru pulled his sword from his inventory. The steel flashed briefly in the light—and then he slashed it across his own wrist.
Blood spilled instantly.
"Are you crazy?!" someone shouted.
"Do you want to kill yourself?!" another voice cried out as they rushed toward him.
Kenmaru clenched his teeth, pain exploding up his arm as blood soaked his hand and dripped to the ground. His grip on the sword weakened, but he forced himself to stay standing.
"Helen—now."
Shaking, she focused and tried to activate her skill. It took a moment—then a warm glow bloomed around her hands. The light flowed forward and sank into Kenmaru's body.
He felt it immediately.
Her mana entered him—not violently, not forcefully—but gently, soothingly, like warm water washing over raw nerves. The bleeding slowed. She cast the spell again. And again.
By the third cast, the blood had stopped completely. The wound sealed over, skin knitting together until only a faint mark remained.
Kenmaru flexed his wrist slowly, eyes shining with understanding.
You need to improve your speed and accuracy. If you'd focused the heal on just my wrist, the first cast would've done the trick," Kenmaru said, rolling his shoulder like nothing had happened.
Helen froze.
For a split second, her face went blank—then it tightened, eyes narrowing, jaw clenching. She lunged at him on instinct, palm swinging for his face.
Kenmaru slipped aside easily, almost lazily, the movement smooth in a way that still felt unnatural to him.
"Oh no you didn't—" Helen hissed.
"I know, I know," he cut in quickly, raising his hands. "But this is exactly why we're doing this. It's tough now, but we have to get used to it. You need control. Precision. Feeling the mana, not just pushing it out."
She exhaled sharply, trying—and failing—to calm herself. "Do you even know how much mana I used?" she snapped. "Each heal costs like five mana. I've lost a good amount because of your recklessness."
"Hey," he said softly, stepping closer, voice lowering. "I'm doing this for us. If we're not ready out there, this"—he gestured vaguely at the ruined hospital around them—"will be the least of our problems."
Helen looked away, clearly unconvinced, but she didn't argue.
"Pay attention to how long it takes your mana to recover," Kenmaru continued, shifting back into focus. "That matters just as much as the skill itself."
He turned. "Favour. Your turn. C'mon, let's go."
The next few hours passed in focused repetition. Kenmaru drilled them relentlessly—not with brute force, but with intent. He made them activate their skills slowly, deliberately, forcing them to feel the mana as it flowed, surged, and faded. Every cast, every attempt, he had them pause and reflect on the sensation.
Aisha's training was the most awkward. With limited arrows and no intention of dulling the tips, they focused on posture, draw strength, and aim. She pulled the string again and again, muscles trembling, eyes narrowing as she tried to steady her breathing.
Kenmaru, on the other hand, barely trained at all.
He stood apart, eyes closed at times, attention turned inward—feeling the strange current inside him, familiar yet alien. He knew instinctively that skill training alone wouldn't make him better.
Only combat would.
Eventually, exhaustion caught up with them. One by one, they sank to the ground, breathing hard, sweat-soaked and drained.
"We rest," Kenmaru said finally. "Once we recover, we move."
His gaze drifted eastward, to where the horned mice had disappeared hours ago.
"We follow their tracks. And we find what we're looking for."