1 The arrival

Inside the cramped confines of a dormitory room at Louvre University, a young student was frantically typing away at his computer. The clock was ticking, and he had less than thirty minutes to complete his tasks. To make matters worse, a deluge outside made it almost impossible to concentrate. Despite the distractions, he knew he couldn't afford to fail.

Enzo let out an exasperated sigh as he stared out the window at the relentless downpour outside. "Why does it have to rain so hard?" He complained, his frustration growing as the minutes ticked by and the internet connection slowed to a crawl. The task at hand was already challenging enough without having to deal with the added headache of a sluggish connection.

For nearly two years, the world's weather patterns had become increasingly erratic and unpredictable. One day would be scorching hot, the next would be plagued by endless rain. But the strangeness didn't end there. Deserts were suddenly inundated with water, while the ice caps at the poles melted at an alarming rate, their frozen masses disappearing in a matter of days. It was as if the Earth's climate had gone completely haywire, and no one knew what the future held.

To make matters worse, these bizarre weather patterns defied scientific explanations. The abrupt climate changes were simply too extreme to be attributed to natural causes alone. As the world's most powerful nations grappled with this unprecedented crisis, they urged citizens to be vigilant about pollution, recognizing that human activity might be contributing to the disruption of the Earth's delicate ecosystems. After all, it seemed that the only plausible explanation for the chaos was a malfunction in the planet's protective layers, and time was running out to find a solution as the natural disasters were more violent as the months passed.

Enzo let out a frustrated sigh, his eyes glued to the computer screen. "As if this weren't enough, I have to rush to work as soon as I upload this assignment," He muttered to himself. He couldn't help but wonder when he would find time to eat, given his busy schedule. With a shake of his head, he tried to refocus on his work, determined to get it done despite the numerous obstacles in his path.

Enzo was a typical college student, just 21 years old, and trying to make his way in the world. His father worked for a small company, while his mother was a homemaker. It was no secret that money was tight for his family, and they often struggled to make ends meet. Despite the financial challenges, Enzo remained determined to pursue his dreams and build a better life for himself and his loved ones.

Moreover, Enzo's parents made a life-changing decision: they brought home a young boy who needed a family. At first, Enzo didn't quite understand their choice, but over time he grew to love and cherish his little brother as if he were his own flesh and blood. Despite the challenges that came with being a big brother, Enzo was grateful to have someone to share his life with, and he knew that his family's bond was stronger because of it.

And while his parents wanted to provide equal opportunities for both their sons, they also recognized the importance of investing in Enzo's education so that he could attend the prestigious Louvre University. Despite the financial strain it placed on the family, Enzo was determined to succeed on his own merits and refused to rely on his parents' financial support. Like this, they could focus on his dear little brother who was even smarter than him and would soon join his university as well.

The competition to enter Louvre University was indeed intense, with students from around the world vying for a coveted spot in its hallowed halls. With its reputation came a high price tag, but Enzo was willing to work tirelessly to earn his place there.

Although he was proud of his decision, Enzo knew that his journey was far from over. He still needed to maintain good grades and stay focused to succeed in this challenging academic environment. But he was determined to make the most of this opportunity and fulfill his dreams, no matter the obstacles that lay ahead.

But right at that moment when he focused again on his assignment, without warning, the entire male dormitory building began to shake violently as if an earthquake were rumbling through the very foundation. Enzo let out a curse under his breath. "Not again," he muttered, as he quickly scrambled under his desk, seeking shelter from whatever was causing the disturbance. Even his heavy wardrobe was shaking violently, threatening to topple over at any moment. With a sense of dread, he braced himself for the worst, hoping that the shaking would soon subside.

Thankfully, the earthquake eventually subsided, but the aftermath was clear: Enzo's room was a complete mess. He crawled out from under his desk and surveyed the damage, but his relief was short-lived. Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over him, and he felt his stomach lurch. Gasping for breath, Enzo cursed under his breath and realized that he was about to retch.

Just as Enzo was about to retch, the nausea inexplicably subsided, leaving him feeling shaky and disoriented. He took a deep breath, thankful that the earthquake had not caused him any harm, and decided to open his window for a breath of fresh air. To his surprise, the rain had stopped, and he felt a glimmer of hope that the worst was over.

However, his relief was short-lived as he gazed out the window and saw a sight that chilled him to the bone. A strange and eerie mist had descended over the campus, obscuring the buildings and casting an ominous shadow over everything in its path. Enzo felt a knot form in his stomach as he realized that this was not a natural occurrence and that something truly sinister was happening.

"W-what is that?" Enzo stuttered as he heard people screaming. They were coming from inside the mist and sent a shiver down his spine.

Enzo's voice quavered with fear as he gazed out into the mist, hearing the sound of people screaming from somewhere within. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and he felt a chill run down his spine. "W-what is that?" he whispered to himself, his eyes wide with terror.

The screams grew louder and more frantic, and Enzo felt his heart rate increase as he realized that the people within the mist were in danger.

But suddenly, Enzo's eyes widened in shock as a strange, translucent screen materialized in front of him. He took an involuntary step back, his mind racing with questions. "What's happening? What is that?" he muttered to himself, unable to tear his gaze away from the video game-like display.

[The Eden has arrived on planet Earth. You can now view your status window whenever you wish.]

"Status… window?" Enzo muttered as another screen appeared in front of him. He noticed that it seemed to be displaying some kind of information. He couldn't make sense of it at first, but as he studied it more closely, he began to discern patterns and data points. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before, and he couldn't shake the feeling that it was somehow connected to the strange mist outside.

[Name: Enzo Vermillion

Level: 0

Race: Human

Class: None

Title: None

Stats point: Strength: 10 / Dexterity: 10 / Health: 8 / Stamina: 11 / Magic Power: 50]

Enzo's eyes flicked nervously over the screen's myriad of data points, his brow furrowed in confusion. He couldn't make heads or tails of most of it, but one thing caught his eye: a statistic labeled "Magic Power." His stomach twisted uncomfortably at the mention of such a fantastical concept. Magic was the stuff of fairy tales and fantasy worlds, not something that existed in the real world.

Despite his skepticism, however, Enzo couldn't deny the eerie sense that something supernatural was at work here. He glanced out the window again, wondering what lay beyond the mist and what sort of strange powers it might hold.

And as if to answer his questions, the mist dissipated in an instant, revealing a gruesome scene. Lifeless bodies lay on the ground, with pools of blood slowly spreading around them. People were running in all directions, trying to escape what looked like crazed dogs and slow-moving figures with rotted skin, resembling zombies.

"What's that?" He couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was like a nightmare had come to life right in front of him. Enzo's legs gave out, and he fell back onto the ground, his mind racing with fear and confusion. "Why is this happening? What's going on?" he muttered to himself, his hands shaking as he covered his face. The reality of the situation hit him hard, and he knew deep down that this was unfortunately not a dream.

Enzo barely had time to lament his situation before he heard a strange noise start approaching his window. With a sense of urgency, he shut the window and rushed to the end of his room, grabbing a chair for protection. Although he wasn't sure if the chair would be enough to defend himself, it was still better than nothing.

Enzo's quick action proved to be the right one, as a giant bird slammed into his window with great force, shattering it instantly.

The bird tumbled to the ground, its body pierced with fragments of glass. But despite its injuries, the bird's wings remained functional, and it began to flap them furiously, attempting to take flight once more.

But before it could, without hesitation, Enzo charged towards the monstrous bird, intenting on crushing it with the chair. "Ahhh!" he shouted, summoning all his strength as he swung the makeshift weapon towards the creature, striking it squarely and sending it hurtling towards the wall with a resounding crash.

Leaving the bee no time to breathe, Enzo rushed toward it again and started slamming the chair before a screen appeared once again in front of him.

[You gain 4 Monstrous bird Eden. Dexterity +2; Stamina +2]

[You have reached level 1. You gain two stats points to distribute freely]

Enzo was surprised by the message but was even more surprised by the sudden rush of energy coursing through his body. It was as if he became stronger by killing the bird.

But it wasn't the end of his surprise as there was something by the bird's corpse. "What is that?"

Enzo picked up the black scroll, immediately sensing an ominous aura emanating from it. Although he couldn't quite put his finger on it, he couldn't shake the feeling that this object exuded an aura of death. If he had to put it into words, he would say that it seemed to be shrouded in dark, foreboding energy.

[Butterfly Extraction (Mythic Grade skill) Level 10: Enables the user to extract a random butterfly from the corpse of any defeated creature the user killed. The butterflies obtained through this skill are of low-grade quality. The user can only carry up to ten butterflies at a time.]

[Would you like to learn the Mythic Grade Skill: Butterfly Extraction Level 10?]