Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Cataclysm (1)
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Good things and bad things always come hand in hand. It was a somewhat bewildering situation amid my otherwise listless daily life, but I could sense that both had found their way to me—one good, one bad.
"Hoo..."
...After gulping down some ice-cold water straight from the fridge, I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. The refreshing chill slid down my throat and spread through my body, reminding me that I was still alive.
The pounding headache and nausea that had tormented me all last night had vanished cleanly with the moon in the night sky.
Last night, I'd truly thought I was dying. But as dawn broke, all the strange symptoms throughout my body disappeared, and I woke up not just fine, but brimming with more energy than usual.
If this was the good thing that had come my way, then so be it.
"Hm..."
But every luxury comes at a price. If something good happens, you have to brace yourself for the corresponding downside.
"This is disconcerting."
I muttered as I stared seriously at my shorts, which had grown so loose they'd slipped down to drag on the floor. A delicate voice, far from a man's timbre, echoed faintly in my ears alongside my words.
"..."
I silently spread my palms open. From a lowered field of vision I hadn't noticed before, two excessively pale hands wiggled into view. No matter how many times I looked, they didn't seem like a man's hands at all—soft and milky white.
Clink.
And wrapped around my wrists like accessories were pristine silver chains, a clear sign that the owner of this body was no ordinary person.
"Mm..."
As I mentally commanded make a fist, both hands obediently clenched. That meant the owner of this chained body was none other than me.
But my original hands had been rough from years working construction sites, thick and distinctly XY-chromosome shaped.
Not to mention, I had no such questionable taste for absurd accessories like chains. I'd never even heard of chains being fashionable in the 21st century.
"..."
My fingers scraped against my palms, sending a ticklish sensation. The vivid feeling told me this wasn't a dream and that I needed to take the situation far more seriously.
"......"
I guided my surprisingly refreshed and light body—compared to usual—toward the bathroom. Flicking on the light, I stood boldly before the sink mirror, smudged with handprints.
And the figure staring blankly back at itself in that mirror was definitely not me. Gazing vacantly was a girl with snow-white short hair and crimson eyes.
"..."
With white hair and red eyes—an appearance rare in reality—she was more beautiful than anyone real. No, even including the 2D world, it would be hard to find a woman more stunning than this girl.
"Ah..."
I, too, admired the face as I cautiously stroked my milky cheek with one hand. The girl in the mirror mimicked me perfectly, and the sensation of taut, flawless skin was crystal clear on my palm.
This was the moment I became certain: the girl in the mirror was me, and my body had undergone drastic changes during the night when symptoms had left me unconscious.
"..."
I continued examining the girl in the mirror—the woman I could now call me.
This beautiful white-haired girl was adorned with rather ferocious accessories that contrasted her delicate features.
Silver chains wrapped her wrists, and more draped around her neck like a necklace. Behind her back floated crimson chains, stained as if dipped in blood, hovering in midair.
They were striking enough, but what truly captured my gaze was the black tiara delicately perched on her head.
But this wasn't some cheap trinket from a corner store. The tiara I—or rather, the girl—was wearing exuded the refined elegance fit for a queen.
"Hoo..."
I let out a deep sigh.
A stunning girl decked out in savage accessories that made my legs tremble just looking at them. An appearance impossible to find in reality, yet astonishingly, I knew exactly who she was.
No, I knew her too well. She was even my computer's wallpaper. I encountered her image at least once a day.
"...Selverion."
I stared intently into the crimson eyes in the mirror and murmured the girl's name—or rather, the four letters that had now become mine.
Selverion.
The stage boss for December in Season Off Fantasy (Sio-pan), the VR game so ubiquitous now that hardly anyone hasn't played it.
True to its title with "season" in it, Sio-pan automatically cycles its maps, stages, and final bosses every month.
January stage: "Land of Birth."
February stage: "Gap of Time."
March stage: "Valley of Flora," and so on...
And among them, the one that opens only in December every year—the stage with the most hellish difficulty of all: "World's End."
...Selverion was the final boss of that frozen "World's End," December's stage.
Frost of Ruin, Lord of Frost—Selverion had many epithets, but the most famous by far was "God of Ruin."
The reason such a grandiose title clung to this petite girl was simple.
In the eight years since Sio-pan launched, no one—not a single soul—had cleared Selverion or December's "World's End" stage.
True to her role as the boss capping the year's final 31 days, Selverion boasted difficulty on another level from the other eleven bosses. Countless players—hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands—always knelt before her, vowing to return next December.
...An appearance so captivating you couldn't look away, an overwhelming presence no one had conquered, and the object of longing available only in December.
God of Ruin Selverion was the ultimate goal for Sio-pan's hundreds of millions of players, the character they adored most. She was unequivocally the symbol of Sio-pan itself.
"Hm..."
And overnight, I'd somehow become that Selverion. Without reason or cause, just suddenly.
"..."
If I was honest, it didn't feel all that bad.
From a worthless NEET to a being powerful enough to destroy the world?
The bewilderment was fleeting. Everyone's fantasized at least once about the world turning into a game and themselves into a game character.
There were countless games, novels, and anime on the theme, after all.
Of course, turning into a final boss instead of my custom player character was unexpected, but adapting to this reality wasn't so hard.
Or maybe I just had no hesitation about discarding my old sewer of a life.
Compared to being called the God of Ruin Selverion, my previous existence—chased endlessly by debts from failed businesses—had no dreams, no hope, nothing.
"..."
Embracing complicated emotions, I left the bathroom. I'd accepted becoming Selverion, but the current situation was still plenty confusing.
I needed to figure things out. At least what caused this transformation, and if others were experiencing it too.
I slowly approached my battered old smartphone, where I'd missed the safety alert from last night.
"Safety alert message..."
The somewhat unfamiliar voice—now Selverion's, mine—spread through the studio apartment.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Regarding the ongoing abnormal symptoms and body transformations (related to Season Off Fantasy), the Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters' official announcement has been released as of 09:00 today. Please avoid panic and check the details via the link below. The government is exerting full efforts to identify the cause and ensure safety. We advise remaining indoors until further notice.
>[Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters] "Announcement..."
A safety alert directing me to the Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters' statement on the crisis. Without hesitation, I tapped the attached link.
The screen filled with a lengthy official announcement from the headquarters.
I rolled Selverion's crimson eyes diligently, reading it from top to bottom.
⚙ OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT ⚙ [Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters Official Announcement] 09:00 Release / Ministry of the Interior and Safety – Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters Title: Safety Guidelines for Nationwide Body Transformations and Monstrous Creatures The Ministry of the Interior and Safety and Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters hereby announce our official stance on the anomalous phenomena spreading nationwide. 1. Game-Based Body Transformation Phenomena Around 04:00 today, reports emerged nationwide of individuals' bodies rapidly transforming to reflect the appearance and traits of their playable characters from the VR game Season Off Fantasy. Changes are involuntary. No contagion or infectivity confirmed thus far, though some cases involve mental distress and high-risk behavior. The government has provisionally classified this as a "mutation reaction from structural collapse between reality and virtuality." Relevant agencies—including the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, Ministry of Science and ICT, and Ministry of National Defense—are jointly investigating causes and impacts. 2. Warnings on Sky "Rifts of Light" and Monstrous Creatures Materializing At the same time, stationary "rifts of light" were observed over major cities and high altitudes nationwide. From these rifts, lifeforms resembling monsters from Season Off Fantasy have materialized and invaded real space. Reported monstrous creatures exhibit the following traits: – Physical entities capable of autonomous thought and movement – Highly aggressive; direct threats to civilians confirmed – Some wield ranged magic, high-speed movement, etc., mirroring in-game abilities – Unknown biology; accompanied by unrecognizable language or cries The government classifies these as "aberrations" and has initiated nationwide containment and extermination operations with the Ministry of National Defense and police. 3. Citizen Conduct Guidelines and Recommendations Citizens must strictly adhere to the following: – Cease all outdoor activity immediately; shelter in place or nearest indoor location. – Do not approach aberrations or rifts of light. – If body transformation symptoms appear, avoid exertion or self-experimentation; proceed to nearest public health center or hospital. – To prevent conflicts among the transformed, exercise calm judgment in personal interactions and follow government directives. – Spreading rumors, videos, or unverified information is strictly prohibited; violators face legal action. The government prioritizes citizens' lives and safety, continuously monitoring and responding. All official updates via Disaster Safety Countermeasure Headquarters homepage and public broadcasts. "......"
The government's announcement contained several shocking revelations.
If this wasn't some massive hidden camera prank, then I wasn't the only one transformed into a Sio-pan character. It seemed every player—past or present—in the real world was affected.
I had no idea why I'd become December's stage boss Selverion instead of my player character, but the announcement's follow-up quelled even that doubt.
...Monsters from Sio-pan emerging from rifts of light in the sky, attacking indiscriminately.
Not just people turning into their characters. Where there are heroes, there are villains. Sio-pan monsters were pouring from sky rifts, assaulting civilians without mercy.
The government claimed to have mobilized military and police for suppression, but could modern weapons handle Sio-pan's powerful monsters—their overwhelming numbers and firepower? I doubted it.
Missiles and asymmetric forces would be restricted in cities full of civilians, leaving real-world troops hard-pressed to halt their advance.
- Kyaaaaaaaah!!
- Kieeeek!!
"..."
Our neighborhood was no exception to the monstrous threats. Just leaning toward the window, I heard eerie cries echoing from all directions.
They perfectly matched the savage, piercing shrieks I'd only heard in virtual reality.
"......"
I gazed blankly at the scenery outside—Seoul, now a battlefield.
The transformation had begun. Perhaps humanity's next evolution.
Players becoming their Sio-pan characters, game monsters raining from sky rifts.
And me, transformed into the December final boss that no one had ever cleared: Selverion.
I couldn't predict or even imagine what lay ahead. But one thing I knew for sure.
Everything was about to change. Dramatically.