Prologue — The Darkness Between Lives
I think… I died.
But death wasn't what I expected. No pain. No warmth. No angels. No hellfire.
Only darkness—vast, cold, and endless.
Yet my consciousness floated freely, drifting like a feather in a void without sound or shape.
Time lost all meaning. Seconds… or years? I couldn't tell. The loneliness pressed on me until my thoughts began to blur.
"Is this it…?" I murmured to myself, or perhaps to the void. "Was my life really that short?"
Then—
A faint shimmer appeared in the distance. A soft glow, fragile yet persistent, like a candle in an ocean of ink.
A light…? Heaven? A hallucination? Or just the last dream of a dying brain?
The light grew brighter, warmer—until everything shattered.
Chapter 1 — Waking as a Stranger
The sterile smell of disinfectant hit me first.
Then the faint beeping of machines.
And finally—a soft breeze brushing against my skin.
I opened my eyes.
A hospital room. White walls. Curtains swaying gently as sunlight spilled across the floor.
A young man sat by the window—except… the reflection in the glass was me. A different me. Younger. Thinner. Pale from exhaustion.
The door clicked open.
A young nurse stepped inside. Her uniform was spotless, her hair tied neatly, but her eyes held a hint of worry.
"Oh, you're awake." She gave a gentle smile. "We still have a few procedures left. If you're feeling alright, we can continue."
I blinked, still half-lost between two realities. "I… think so."
"Good." She checked the clipboard. "You're fifteen years old, correct? Your parents… passed away during the recent Nightmare Gate incident."
She hesitated, her voice softening. "But you survived. Truly miraculous."
Nightmare Gate.
The words hit me harder than they should have.
"Do you have any relatives or friends we can contact? Anyone who can support you?"
Her question triggered a sudden wave of foreign thoughts—memories not my own. A childhood, a home, laughter, arguments, a final goodbye before disaster struck.
They weren't mine.
Yet they carved themselves into me with painful clarity.
This… this wasn't my original body.
"I—" I swallowed. "No. I can manage."
The nurse sighed softly. "Alright. You didn't suffer major injuries, so you're cleared to leave. But if you feel any discomfort, please come back immediately. Trauma affects people differently."
"I'll keep that in mind."
She gave me one last concerned look before leaving.
I exhaled shakily.
Shadow Slave.
I was in the world of Shadow Slave.
A world where nightmares were real.
A world ruled by awakened powers.
A world where most people lived in constant fear.
Yet despite the terror, something inside me stirred with excitement.
Because I had a system.
Chapter 2 — Between Two Lives
The "house" assigned to me was more like a small apartment—bare, cold, and strangely quiet.
As soon as the door closed behind me, I leaned against the wall, breathing deeply.
"Okay… Okay. Think."
Nightmare Gates… the world's greatest threat and greatest opportunity.
Awakened. Sleepers. The Forgotten Shore. The Winter Solstice.
I needed to know where in the story I was.
The news panel on the wall activated with a soft beep, displaying headlines.
No mention of the Forgotten Shore yet.
Good.
The canon hadn't started.
Meaning—I still had time.
Then suddenly—
Ding.
A blue light erupted in front of me.
SYSTEM INITIALIZED
A translucent panel hovered mid-air—solid enough to touch, unreal enough to terrify.
My heart pounded. "A system… a real system…"
I was grinning like a lunatic.
Words began to appear.
[SYSTEM FUNCTIONS AVAILABLE]
1. System Exchange
Exchange soul cores, memories, attributes, abilities, and more for System Points.
System Points may be earned through:
• Offering soul cores
• Killing humans or monsters
• Altering fated outcomes
• Resisting the will of the world
2. Quests
Completing objectives rewards System Points and unique memories.
3. Inventory
4. Guide
Ask anything. Knowledge may require payment.
"This… this is insane."
My hands trembled. "Do I get a starter pack or something?"
No response.
"Figures…" I sighed. "Okay. Show me my status."
[HOST: AVNER]
Status: Not Awakened
Soul Trait: None
Abilities: None
Attributes: Below Average
"Wow…" I muttered. "I'm weak. Like, comically weak."
Another window popped up.
[MAIN QUEST UNLOCKED]
Challenge your first Nightmare and become a Sleeper.
Reward:
• 1000 System Points
• Attribute Evolution Memory
• Awakened-Rank Memory
Time Limit: 2 Months
No rewards after the limit.
"Two months…" I murmured.
The same time until the Winter Solstice—the beginning of the original story.
My heart pounded.
This world was terrifying.
But the chance… the possibility…
I clenched my fists.
"Let's do it."
I had no reason to cling to my past life. That world was gone.
Here, in this place of danger and opportunity, I would forge a new path.
A path with no hesitation.
No regrets.
No chains.
"A path toward immortality," I whispered.
The system panel flickered—almost as if acknowledging my resolve.
And so, my new life began.