Lee Han was just an ordinary university student, spending most of his time studying and working part-time at the nearest convenience store.

  He lived alone in an apartment. His parents had died in a car accident ten years ago. It was the worst moment of his life.

  His grandpa had taken him in until he turned eighteen, and then he started living on his own. His life had been full of ups and downs, but he knew that effort bore fruit.

  Well, at least that was what he thought—until his professor said to him.

  "Lee Han, I know you worked hard for the scholarship. But Kang Jinseok did better than you."

  Lee Han clenched his fist as he listened to the disgusting bastard who called himself a teacher. He knew the truth.

  Kang Jinseok.

  He was the youngest son of the third-generation chaebol family of the Jinseok Group, the conglomerate that sponsored Hanseong University.

  Everything was just bullshit.

  Kang Jinseok and his friends were laughing in the corner, clearly enjoying the scene.

  "I understand, professor. If there's nothing else, I'll excuse myself."

  Lee Han left the room without hesitation. He heard the ridiculing voice of his professor but decided to ignore it. He slammed the door shut.

  Bam!

  "Fuck! I worked my ass off for that scholarship, and that bastard just took it from me to humiliate me. I'll never forget this humiliation."

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  After leaving, he headed to his apartment. It was on the third floor of a building, and the rent was cheap. He had been living there for years.

  It was his day off, so he spent his free time reading a web novel to relieve his stress. The fantasy novel was called The Infinite Regressor.

  "I wish life was interesting like this novel. I miss my parents... Why? Why did you have to die and leave me alone?"

  Tears started to fall from his eyes, and he eventually fell asleep. Despite everything that had happened in his life, he looked calm.

  As his phone lit up, a red alert notification popped up on the screen.

  [Emergency Alert! National level Crisis!]

  [(Gangnam, 10:46 pm) Towers have appeared all around the world. The government has declared martial law. All citizens are required to stay indoors immediately. Stay inside for your safety. Further instructions will follow. Stay alert.]

  The next morning, Lee Han woke up to the sound of his ringtone. He hurriedly fixed his bedsheet, brushed his teeth, and took a cold shower.

  After putting on his school uniform, he locked the door to his apartment.

  The air outside was cold, and the eerie silence gave the streets an unsettling feeling.

  The street was empty—no cars, no people. He checked his phone and saw the message sent at 10:46 PM—the exact time he had fallen asleep.

  "No wonder it's so quiet," he thought, grumbling.

  Just as he was about to turn back, a growl came from a distance. A massive beast stood far away, glaring at him with hostility. He turned toward it, his expression stiffening.

  "Shit! Are you fucking kidding me? Where the hell did that monster come from? Am I seeing things? What’s that above its head? A name and level?"

  Bloodhound (A basic monster, undead)

  LV. 5

  HP: 300

  His instincts told him he would die if he didn’t act quickly. Without hesitation, he threw his bag at the bloodhound and ran toward the nearest building.

  The bloodhound growled, chasing him with insane speed.

  "Damn it! This thing’s faster than a normal wolf. One wrong move, and I’m dead."

  He panted heavily, his legs shaking as he ran. His heart pounded in his chest, and his thoughts raced.

  He reached the entrance of an old, abandoned building, slammed the door shut, and locked it with an iron pipe he found on the floor.

  This construction site had been abandoned for years and was scheduled for demolition this week.

  After catching his breath, he cautiously looked around the dark interior of the building. He then glanced at the monster outside through a small crack in the door.

  He picked up his phone and tried calling the police, but to his surprise, there was no signal. It felt as if he’d been completely cut off from the world.

  "Fuck! I should’ve stayed at home and waited for rescue. At a time like this, I need to think. Think, Lee Han. Think."

  He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, when suddenly, a hologram-like screen popped up right in front of him.

  Ding!

  [A few selections of classes are now available. Please choose a basic class to ensure your survival.]

  He was confused. A class? Is this some kind of game?

  [Pick your class]

  [Warrior]

  [Thief]

  [Ranger]

  [Swordsman]

  [Mage]

  [Cleric]

  He quickly picked the swordsman class. The sword was something he was familiar with since he was a national-level Kumdo practitioner.

  It’s ironic that swordsmanship in the 21st century would still come in handy in this kind of situation.

  “Not bad,” he thought as he picked up the sword that came with his class.