Awakening: The Dinosaur That Shouldn't Exist (Prologue)
In the beginning, when the first crack appeared in the sky, the world started to change. People called them Gates. Rifts in space that opened without warning in the middle of cities, over the ocean, deep in the mountains—anywhere. Inside lay worlds unbound by the laws of reality, spewing out creatures dubbed monsters.
The chaos dragged on, but humanity adapted faster than anyone expected. It hadn't been long since the rifts began when some people started changing. Awakeners. Those who reacted to the power of the Gates and gained special abilities. They wielded fire, bodies hard as steel, healing, lightning strikes—and became humanity's shield. At the same time, they formed a new profession, a new class in society.
Now the world revolved, bit by bit, around Awakeners.
Gates were disasters, but also opportunities. And most people desperately wanted that chance.
There were conditions for awakening: usually age fifteen or older, and probability. Not too low, not too high—just ambiguously middling odds. So everyone wondered at least once: What if it's me?
In classrooms, during academy breaks, on internet forums—awakening talk never stopped. "Heard someone awakened." "What ability did they get?" But reality was harsh. Most times, nothing happened. Awakeners remained a rarity.
I wasn't an Awakener. At least, not until that morning.
My family was ordinary. Not rich, not struggling. Dad was always cracking jokes, Mom insisted on family dinners despite her busy schedule, and my little sister laughed at the smallest things. Honestly, I was already plenty happy.
But sometimes I wondered: How long could this happiness last?
Gates were multiplying. The world was shifting toward Awakeners. What if something happened? Wouldn't I need to protect them?
I just wanted to get a little stronger. So my family wouldn't have to worry.
And I'd loved dinosaurs since I was a kid. The fact that they were extinct made it even better. Gone forever, impossible to see again—that somehow drew me in. At museums, I'd linger by the fossils. I'd memorize names, assemble bone puzzles, rewatch documentaries endlessly.
"You like useless stuff."
I'd heard that who-knows-how-many times. Didn't matter. If I liked it, I liked it.
But that day was different.
Even chatting with friends at school, the topic circled back to Awakeners. Everyone dreamed of awakening and attending the National Awakener Central Academy, exclusive to them from age fifteen. Complete the three-year program, graduate as a state-recognized Awakener. Just getting in meant government subsidies—life got a lot easier.
More than anything, I wanted the support money to ease my parents' burden, give my sister more opportunities. Everyone's goal was to awaken and get in there.
We were bullshitting about it when the bell rang. I packed up and headed out.
On the walk home. Down an ordinary alley—never a Gate, no construction, no accidents.
Then a weird little rock by the roadside caught my eye. The kind I'd normally ignore. But it grabbed me. My heart raced oddly.
I approached like I was mesmerized. Gray with brown flecks. Tiny surface cracks. Unthinkingly, I picked it up.
My heart thundered. A cold sensation spread from my palm.
Not a rock. A fossil. I knew it instantly. That texture I'd seen countless times. The smooth sheen unique to egg fossils.
And then—my mind went white.
Awakening conditions fulfilled.
It wasn't a voice. No text appeared. I just knew.
Dinosaur lineage ability, first awakening.
My breath caught. Dinosaur? Lineage? Never heard of such an ability. Not summoning, not transformation.
But the fossil in my hand glowed. Warm. Alive.
And finally, a sensation bloomed in my mind. A dinosaur. Tiny, fragile life, somewhere.
Raise it.
No one commanded it. Not an order. Just... what I had to do.
I gripped the fossil tight.
That day, a life that shouldn't exist in the world began to breathe again.
And I had no idea this choice would upend my life—and the world's common sense.
Right then, a translucent window overlaid reality.
· Dinosaurs are provided in 'egg' state.
· Entities can only communicate with the user.
· Abilities unlock based on growth and affection.
🎁 Items
Dinosaur Egg Gacha Ticket ×1
A translucent window, out of place in reality, floated before my eyes.
[ Awakener Status Window ]
Name: Park Sung-jun
Age: 17
Awakening Lineage: Ancient Life Series (Unconfirmed)
Sync Target: Dinosaur Fossil — Reacting
[ Unique Ability ]
▶ Dinosaur Gacha System (Unlocked)
[ Guide ]
· Dinosaurs are provided in 'egg' state.
· Entities can communicate only with the user.
· Abilities unlock with growth and intimacy.
[ Items ]
· Dinosaur Egg Gacha Ticket ×1
At the bottom, the final line slowly appeared.
Dinosaurs are not summons. They are 'lives and family' that you must raise.
I swallowed hard. The status window before me glowed softly.