Aether stood on the rooftop of the damaged building, staring at the city below.
The place he had known his entire life was almost unrecognizable.
Fires burned between buildings. Smoke covered the streets. Car alarms screamed continuously, while distant roars echoed through the darkness.
People were running in every direction, searching for somewhere safe.
Some were carrying injured family members.
Others were desperately calling people they could no longer reach.
Aether remained silent.
Just a few hours ago, the world had been normal.
Now, monsters were roaming the streets.
He looked at the transparent screen floating in front of him.
[ORIGIN SYSTEM]
Host: Aether Draven
Cultivation: None
Physique: Infinite Origin Physique
Physique Development: 0.01%
Origin Energy: 3
Origin Rings: 0
Contracted Beasts: 0
Abilities: None
Aether frowned.
"Cultivation..."
He had seen the word in countless stories, but seeing it attached to his own status felt completely different.
"How do I actually use this power?"
The system remained silent.
Aether waited several seconds.
Nothing happened.
"Of course."
He sighed.
"It isn't going to explain everything for me."
That realization was strangely reassuring.
If the system simply handed him everything, surviving this world would probably become meaningless.
Aether looked toward the street.
Several creatures were moving through the darkness.
Some were attacking people.
Others were fighting among themselves.
He focused on one of the smaller creatures.
[Origin Analysis.]
The system responded immediately.
Species: Bloodfang Rat
Rank: F
Attribute: Blood
Ability: Blood Scent
Weakness: Eyes
Potential: Low
Aether narrowed his eyes.
"So that's how it works."
He could analyze creatures before fighting them.
That alone could save his life.
But the C-rank creature detected earlier was still somewhere nearby.
Aether looked toward the direction of the roar.
He had no intention of fighting it.
Not yet.
"Knowing when not to fight is probably more important than knowing how to fight."
He turned away from the city.
His first priority was finding somewhere safe.
Food.
Water.
Weapons.
Information.
And most importantly—
Other survivors.
He descended through the damaged building and reached the street.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he heard movement behind him.
Aether turned.
Three Bloodfang Rats emerged from an alley.
Their bodies were almost the size of small dogs, their mouths filled with sharp teeth.
One charged.
Aether stepped aside and swung the metal rod.
BANG!
The rat crashed against the pavement.
The other two attacked together.
Aether backed away, watching their movements carefully.
One jumped toward his chest.
He ducked.
The second attacked from his left.
He raised the rod and blocked its jaws.
The impact forced him backward.
"Stronger than they look."
Aether kicked the creature away and immediately attacked its eyes.
THUD!
The rat collapsed.
The remaining creature hesitated.
Aether didn't give it time to escape.
He rushed forward and struck its head.
Silence returned.
[Three F-Rank Origin Beasts defeated.]
[Origin Energy acquired.]
[Current Origin Energy: 6]
Aether stared at the notification.
"So killing beasts gives me Origin Energy."
He looked at his status.
Nothing else had changed.
"But how do I use it?"
This time, a new notification appeared.
[Origin Energy may be used for cultivation, physique development, ability evolution, and other functions.]
Aether's eyes sharpened.
"Show me cultivation."
The screen changed.
[Cultivation System]
Origin Awakening — Initial Stage
Requirement: 10 Origin Energy
Current Energy: 6
Remaining: 4
"So I need ten."
Aether clenched his fist.
Four more.
He didn't know what would happen after reaching the requirement, but he knew one thing.
He needed power.
Not for glory.
Not to become famous.
Because if the world continued like this, weakness would eventually kill him.
A loud roar suddenly echoed through the city.
ROOOAAARRR!
The ground trembled.
Aether immediately looked toward the source.
The C-rank beast.
It had moved closer.
People screamed in the distance.
Then another sound followed.
A human voice.
"HELP!"
Aether froze.
He looked toward the sound.
Someone was trapped inside a damaged vehicle.
A large beast was approaching them.
Aether's eyes narrowed.
He could run.
The beast wasn't his responsibility.
He didn't know the person.
But he also knew that if the creature killed them, the same thing could happen to anyone else.
He studied the beast.
[Origin Analysis.]
Species: Ironhide Boar
Rank: E
Attribute: Earth
Ability: Iron Skin
Weakness: Joint beneath the front leg
Threat: Moderate
Aether looked at the trapped survivor.
Then at the approaching beast.
"E-rank..."
He tightened his grip around the metal rod.
"I can probably handle that."
Probably.
He moved.
The boar charged.
Aether didn't attack immediately.
He watched its movement.
Ten meters.
Five meters.
Three.
At the last moment, he stepped sideways.
The beast passed him.
Aether swung the metal rod directly into the joint beneath its front leg.
CRACK!
The beast stumbled.
Aether attacked again.
BANG!
The boar collapsed.
The survivor stared at him in disbelief.
Aether extended his hand.
"Can you walk?"
The person nodded.
"Y-yeah."
"Then move. More beasts are coming."
Aether didn't wait for thanks.
He turned toward the street.
[E-Rank Origin Beast defeated.]
[Origin Energy acquired.]
[Current Origin Energy: 9]
Aether stopped.
"Nine?"
He needed one more.
Somewhere in the distance, something moved.
Aether smiled faintly.
"One more."
He began walking into the darkness.
He didn't know what waited ahead.
He didn't know why Origin had come to Earth.
He didn't know why he possessed the Infinite Origin Physique.
He didn't even know whether humanity would survive the first night.
But he had learned one thing.
The world was no longer something he could simply live in.
It was something he would have to understand.
And for the first time since the sky shattered, Aether felt something other than fear.
Curiosity.
He wanted to know how far this world went.
How strong he could become.
What existed beyond the cracks in the sky.
And most importantly—
why had Origin chosen him?
Aether disappeared into the darkness.
Somewhere ahead, another beast roared.
The first step had been taken.