The firmament split in two as space itself fractured and unraveled. Reality seemed to halt, the planet Earth freezing in place.
Winds howled as blackened storm clouds roared, crackling with lightning and thunder, while the skies turned crimson red.
The sun suddenly lost its luster, reality folding as a gigantic celestial eye opened in the heavens.
This wasn't a dream. This wasn't a hallucination. It was reality.
A cold burst of wind crept across Seth's back as he stared at the Divine eye in the sky from his classroom window.
Around him, his classmates also witnessed the sight. The room was deathly silent, every face painted with confusion, fear, and uncertainty.
The eye examined the Earth, its pupils glowing with a lofty light, as multicolored primordial clouds swirled within it.
It scanned the planet, leaving no secrets hidden from its gaze. All creatures simultaneously felt the uncomfortable violation of the scan — like wet, sticky palms caressing every nook and cranny of their bodies.
Suddenly, a mechanical, inhuman voice rang out, broadcasting clearly into the minds of every living human:
[Corruption detected on the planet (Earth) of the (Milky Way) Galaxy]
A golden cadence bloomed from the depths of the eye's pupils. A cascading stream of golden light erupted, boring straight down into the planet.
[Origin Descending!!!]
The Earth shuddered, violent tremors running across its surface.
Seth instinctively clamped onto the edges of his desk as the entire building rattled as the earth quaked.
[Congratulations! In response to the descent of Corruption, The Origin has established a connection to your planet!]
W-what is going on? Seth question as his mind reeled from shock.
Suddenly, a holographic static-like screen flickered into his vision.
Quickly scanning its contents, he realized it resembled an RPG status screen:
[Name: Seth Duskreaver]
[Race: Human]
[Rank: Shackled]
[Strength: 006]
[Defense: 003]
[Speed: 011]
[Intelligence: 021]
[Vitality: 010/010]
[Gene: ???? (LOCKED), ????? (LOCKED)]
[Gene Skill: (LOCKED!)]
Seth wasn't the only one. Along with him, 46.56% of the human population saw status screens. The other 53.44% experienced something else… Corruption.
"Umm… guys?" a female classmate called out, her voice trembling with fear.
Everyone turned toward her.
She stared at her once pale, unblemished skin in horror as it began to shrivel, crust, and blacken.
Her panicked eyes searched for answers among her classmates eyes, but all she found was fear and disgust reflected back at her.
"W-what… is h-happeni-ng… t-to… me?" she cried, her voice cracking and distorting into a mindless screech.
The whites of her eyes dyed crimson. Her skin turned ashen gray, hard and encrusted. Her fingers elongated, sharp obsidian nails sprouting as she roared frenziedly.
A sharp burst of wind rippled from her figure, brushing against Seth and the others.
His pupils trembled. That thing wasn't human.
Before he could react, a figure moved — hammering a sharp pen straight through the monster's skull.
Bang!
Crimson blood streamed as the creature froze, tears breaking through its eyelids and streaking down its blackened cheeks before it collapsed lifelessly unto the ground.
Everyone's eyes shifted to the culprit: a young man in glasses, neatly dressed and sleek brown hair.
If not for the blood that splashed across his blazer and face, one might find it hard to believe he could kill a person
It was their ever stoic class president, Uriel Mormont.
Adjusting his bloodied glasses, and leaving his action unexplained.
He pulled another metal pen from his chest pocket. With fluid motion, he drove it right into the skull of another classmate who had begun mutating.
"I advise we kill the corrupted now and ask questions later," Uriel said in an emotionless voice.
Seth sensed something and frowned, leaping away from his desk and crashing into a panicked classmate.
A corrupted figure landed on the desk he had just vacated, smashing it to pieces on impact.
The creature snarled, drool dripping from its chin, eyes glowing crimson, skin cracked and dry.
"J-Jim? Is that you?" the panicked student beside Seth muttered in fear and disbelief, staring at what had once been his best friend.
It was dressed in their school uniform— a black head warmer draped on its head and blue headphones hanging from its neck.
Seth's pupils trembled in realization. It really was Jim.
He's been corrupted… it's just like a zombie virus, Seth realized.
"Ben, snap out of it! Jim is gone!" Seth warned, yanking his classmate back as obsidian claws slashed past, leaving a faint line of blood on his cheek.
Blood slowly bloomed from the cut as the skin began to darken spreading and covering the whole cheek, cracking as Ben's eyes slowly dyed red while he wailed.
Damn! It's contagious! Fear surged in Seth's heart.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Ben's head and chin. Before the boy could react, Seth snapped his neck.
His body went limp, collapsing half-transformed.
Normally, a high schooler forced by circumstances to kill a classmate would be consumed by grief and guilt.
But not Seth. Neither he nor this school was normal.
Instead, his pupils flickered with surprise as a notification appeared:
[Congratulations! You have slain a Shackled Corrupt Mutated Creature!]
[You grow stronger…]
[+2 Strength]
[+1 Defense]
[+1 Vitality]
A chill spread through his body as his muscles tightened, his heart and lungs expanded, and his vitality surged.
Suddenly, a sickly sensation washed over him, like slippery palms caressing his skin.
Instinctively, Seth turned to the window.
'Am I imagining things… or is that eye staring at me?'
He froze as he felt the futility of his existence beneath the gaze of the eye.
He felt so small and weak, he didn't even dare move a muscle as terror flooded his veins.
As the Origin Eye locked onto him in interest for a brief moment before shifting it's gaze away.
It was the smallest of moments but under it's gaze, he felt his very being unraveled all the secrets of his existence laid bare before it's sight.
Seth remained transfixed as another notification glowing gold appeared:
[You have been noticed, young prodigy. The Origin bestows upon you a special gift!]
[Congratulations! You have awakened the Primordial Flash Sale System!]