3/3/2030

The weekend is quiet. Han Juho sits on the sofa in his apartment, alone at home, phone in hand, his eyes are fixed on the small screen.

Currently, he is rereading his favorite novel, Villain Overkill, which he discovered four years ago, back when he was still a middle school student.

It was one of the most exciting and promising fantasy stories that he had always been waiting for every week. But one day, the updates stopped suddenly, leaving him and other readers on cliffhanger.

"Four years..." he muttered, scrolling past 363 chapters, finally stopping at the last update. "If only the author were still active, maybe the novel would have an ending by now."

To him, four years was more than enough to finish a full length novel, that is, if one were consistent enough.

Then, his gaze fell on the author's note at the very beginning of the first chapter. His expression grew a little more thoughtful. It was a line he had read countless times, and yet, each time he revisited it, an ache always bloomed in his chest. No matter how much time had passed.

"Even if no one reads this, I'II still write. Because maybe, someday, someone will need this story. Even if that someone is... me."

- 무명¹

When he reread the line for the umpteenth time this month, Juho stared at it in silence for a moment. Before he closed his eyes, letting out a quiet sigh.

Back then, perhaps the author thought their work wouldn't attract much attention when they first started. Just a quiet hope written at the beginning of the story.

But if only the star had known. Someone, although it's just one, is still waiting for the continuation of their story, even now.

For years, Juho had the hope that someday, the story might update again. He frequently scrolled through the comment sections for news, checked the site regularly just in case it suddenly updated, and reread each chapter to reignite the excitement.

But with each visit, his disappointment seemed to deepen. The author went on hiatus, with their last update explaining that they were struggling with real life issues, so they then decided to take a temporary break.

They also promised to return once things settled, but to this day, there had been no updates from them.

Yet it wasn't the first time this had happened. The same author had written a virtual reality themed novel a few years before this one.

How had that one ended again? Oh, right, it didn't. Some time after Villain Overkill was published, the author stated they wanted to remake and continue their previous work once that story was finished, but... it never came true.

He had thought about that one from time to time, though not as much as his favorite. It seemed writers had a talent for disappearing on their audience, didn't they?

Juho let out a soft sigh and leaned back on the couch, eyes fixed on the ceiling. He tried to be understanding. It's okay, he told himself. Even amazing writers had their own lives.

Still, it was unfortunate to see such incredible work abandoned, especially considering how deeply a story can leave a lasting impression on its readers.

And yet, no matter how much he told himself to move on, he couldn't.

The world building was rich, the characters were flawed and complex, qualities that only made them feel more human in the readers' eyes. The protagonist's struggles were also written so vividly that one couldn't help but feel immersed in the story.

Juho also remembered one particular scene, somewhere in the final chapters before the story stopped updating, where Seo Seonwoo, the protagonist of Villain Overkill, was betrayed by someone referred to in the novel as the woman in a blue dress. Somehow, it felt too sudden and... cruel.

She had accompanied him through a significant part of the story, so sometimes he thinks, why would she abandon Seonwoo in the middle of the trial? There was still no clear reason, and perhaps, there would never be one.

"Tsk." Juho clicked his tongue, his forehead furrowing as he dwelled on the thought. It bothered him, that lack of closure.

With a deep sigh, he set his phone down on the coffee table, his mind drifting toward his own dreams, buried beneath the harsh reality.

"Writing a novel..." Juho whispered bitterly to himself. He had once dreamed of being a writer, inspired by his love of reading.

Unfortunately, life always had a way of pushing his dreams further out of reach. His parents wanted him to be a lawyer, a stable, respectable future, and as a good son, he tried to follow that path.

Writing? That was always something for later, and with each passing day, that later felt more distant than ever.

'But what if he had pursued writing back then?' Juho wondered, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Maybe somewhere in another timeline, things would’ve turned out differently.

He kept staring at the ceiling for a moment longer before finally closing his eyes, pushing the thought aside. He reminded himself not to dwell on it too much.

With a quiet sigh, he glanced around the room before reaching for his phone. But just as his finger brushed against it, a sharp sting shot through his hand. He hissed and reflexively threw it to the ground, instantly regretting it as it hit the floor with a loud thud.

"Good grief..." he muttered, shaking his head as he imagined the damage on his phone right now. "Just what's going on?"

He was about to pick up the phone again when he felt a strange vibration outside. His movements halted as he slowly glanced toward the source of the disturbance. What's going on?

Before he could investigate, a loud noise came from his television. The screen flickered to life, making him freeze.

It wasn't a show or a commercial, it's an emergency government broadcast. The emblem of the Republic of South Korea appeared on the screen, followed by a serious looking man in front of the camera.

“Attention, citizens of the Republic of South Korea,” the man began, his expression firm.

“This is a national emergency broadcast. A global cyber attack has caused massive data corruption, resulting in extensive data loss.

Online systems, including critical infrastructure, have been severely compromised. The event appears to have been caused by an unknown force.”

The camera cut to another location, high above, a zoomed in footage of a large monster rampaging through the city area.

Juho recognized it immediately, Seoul?! Was that the reason why he seemed to hear many strange noises in the distance?

Panicked screams filled the background of the television. The camera flickered again, now focusing on a figure in a black hood, judging by the angle and how windy it is, it seemed to be recorded from a helicopter.

The figure moved like a shadow through the city, dragging a bloody crowbar. Their faces were hidden, yet their presence was unusually calm amidst the chaos.

Despite the violence in their move, there was a strange, almost graceful motion caught on the camera.

"Reports indicate that many areas have been invaded by many unidentified creatures," the man continued, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the edge of the podium. "Additionally, there are reports of a mysterious individual in a black hood, captured on camera earlier. They have been confirmed at multiple locations and are believed to be teleporting rapidly between areas."

"This person, was seen carrying a crowbar, and has been observed attacking innocent lives. Citizens are strongly advised to remain cautious when leaving their homes and to avoid any suspicious individuals."

Suddenly, loud sirens wailed in the distance, startling Juho. He subconsciously clenched his fists, feeling a bit worried. At a time like this, his gaze shifted slightly to the window, as if thinking about his parents, wondering if they were safe.

He took a shaky breath, his hands hovering over his chest as he tried to steady himself. In his 18 years of life, he had never heard a siren like this before, and he had to admit, it was terrifying. Meanwhile, the broadcast continued.

"We urge you to stay tuned and wait for further instructions. Please prioritize your safety and cooperate with local authorities. The Republic of South Korea is currently in contact with other countries to address this crisis. Until further notice, keep on the alert, and most importantly, stay safe."

The broadcast cuts to a motionless screen, showing an emergency number and an instruction for citizens to follow.

Han Juho tried to make sense of the man's words and frowned, data corruption? Monsters? Someone in a black hood? This sounded like something straight out of a story. No, this had to be some kind of prank, right?

The blaring sirens outside, however, suggested otherwise. He narrowed his eyes as a sudden thought crossed his mind. 'Wait, what about the novel? The stories... Have they been affected too?'

He tried to calm himself down and bent down to pick up the phone from the floor. Brushing it lightly to make sure the phone's okay, he unlocked it, expecting to find the novel right where he had left off.

Instead, it's now back to the home screen. He frowned and reopened the light novel site, somehow, it loaded slower than usual. He had a bad feeling about this.

After a few moments of waiting... It was empty, there were no recommendations for plenty of novels like he had always seen before, only a blank page, but there's still a search bar. Hesitant, he types in the title that has been on his mind: Villain Overkill

As he hit enter, the website loaded, and what appeared next made his heart race, his worst fear happened before his eyes:

"The novel you are looking for is... unavailable?"

 ***

무명¹: Mu-myeong

Eng translation: Nameless

"Huh?" Juho was shocked as his eyes darted back to every word on the screen, he clicked the refresh button repeatedly. But no matter how many times he tried, the result remained the same.

His heart pounding as his mind tried to process that Villain Overkill is gone on the website. Is this really happening?

His fingers trembled as he gripped the phone tighter, his gaze sweeping across the screen. He had imagined something like this happening years ago as a dreamer, but never truly believed it would. Now that it had, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Who would have thought?" Juho murmured, his lips curving into a small smile as he continued scrolling through his files. There it was, his carefully maintained copy of Villain Overkill in FDP. A total of over 3,448 pages...

Juho sighed in relief, his shoulders relaxed as a smile appeared on his face. He ran a hand through his hair and chuckled softly. "Thanks to my paranoid self." he murmured, grateful that his favorite novel hadn't disappeared.

Looking back, he couldn't help but feel like a fool. Who in their right mind would go through the hassle of writing everything down manually when copy and paste already existed?

But then again, some people on the internet would argue that putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, made them feel more connected to the story, like they were part of it somehow.

Even so, he doesn't change the larger problem. The continuation of the story was beyond his control, and it depends entirely on the recovery of the broader data system.

So, even if the author decided to come back one day and update the story, it wouldn't be possible until the corrupted data was restored.

The government had already announced that a massive amount of data had been compromised. Juho hoped that was all that happened, but the question is... Who in their right mind would dare to do something like this on a global scale-

-Boom

Juho was snapped out of his thoughts, cursed under his breath. What else is that sound? He adjusted his glasses, then went to the window and peered through the glass.

It looks like chaos has formed outside. He can faintly hear someone screaming, desperate cries faintly reaching him even though he's on the seventh floor. If help was coming, he sure that it didn't sound like it.

For a moment, Juho swallowed and slowly backed away, his breath catching in his throat as he squinted down at the chaotic scene below.

In a split second, his eyes caught something moving among the blurry crowd, a single figure whose movements looked unnaturally smooth.

One by one, bodies collapsed in the distance, struck down by the same person whose face was hidden beneath a low-slung hood. Wait... that hood... it looks just like the Void Hood from the novel.

Juho's body tensed, a frown forming on his forehead as his mind struggled to process the bloody scene before him. "What the...?" he muttered, his heart quickening. Was that the same person who appeared on television? Would they notice him next?

Suddenly, the figure snapped their head in Juho's direction, sensing his gaze on them.

They tilted their head slightly, their gaze cold and sharp. Though it was unclear, a faint grin was visible on their lips. They turned toward his location and walked, their footsteps unhurried as if taunting him.

Juho stiffened, a shiver runs down his spine upon realizing that they're aware of his gaze and immediately went to crouches down and looks at his hands, which are trembling at the mere sight.

His heart almost dropped. "I shouldn't have jinxed it in the first place..." Juho whispered, his expression turning solemn as he forced himself to stay calm.

With a careful motion, he stiffly shifted his position to sit on the floor. This was more serious than he had thought, he needed to find a way out, he couldn't just stand here and wait for danger to come to him.

But before that, he gave his cheeks a hard slaps to make sure this was just a dream, but all that remained was the pain on his cheeks.

He stared at the phone in his hands, his mind racing as the realization hit him. The events before him, the chaos outside, the sirens, even the figure in the black hood, were familiar. He was sure about it.

They matched the opening chapter of Villain Overkill. This wasn't just a random attack, it was right out of a story.

Juho closed his eyes to think about the absurdity of the situation. Wasn't the protagonist of Villain Overkill also someone who read a novel that became, just like what was happening now? In other words, was he reading a novel about someone else who read a novel that also became reality?

He become more confused by the words that seemed to be spinning around in his head. The idea was so ridiculous, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry

***

As the sirens outside grew louder, he took a deep breath and decided to step outside to see for himself. When he opened the door, he was greeted by the sight of people running in fear.

His eyebrows furrowed, he couldn't help but become anxious as well. Juho closed the door behind him, locked it first, and took his time walking towards the stairs.

But just as he took a few steps, a hand gripped his shoulder from behind, stopping him from proceeding.

Startled, Juho looked back and saw Seung-ki, the uncle from next door. Panic was clearly written all over his face. His usual calm and stoic demeanor was gone, now replaced by urgency.

"Juho," Seung-ki whispered, his voice cracking. "What's going on? I heard screams, explosions... everyone is running. Is there a riot happening? But on television, they mentioned monsters. What's going on here?" He bombarded Juho with questions he couldn't keep up with.

"That..." Juho whispered, then continued, "Unfortunately, I don't know either." he said honestly, his voice hushed under the commotion. He couldn't possibly tell him that he might or might not know the truth yet.

He glanced toward the stairs. He was supposed to keep moving, but Seung-ki's presence held him in place. After that, Juho asked. "Uncle, you look panicked. Did something happen?"

Seung-ki ran a shaky hand through his hair. "My daughter," he muttered. "She went to a store to get something. I told her to be quick, and now... this situation is happening. I tried calling, but it went to voicemail." He stopped, clutching his phone tightly. "I have to find her."

Juho hesitated. "But the streets aren't safe. Maybe you should wait..."

Before he could say anything else, Seung-ki shook his head and interrupted him. "I can't just wait. What if something happens to her? I..." His voice faltered as he took a step back, his face pale.

Juho wanted to say something to stop him, but in the end, no words came out. He couldn't even convince himself that everything would be fine.

"Just.. make sure to be careful." he finally said.

Seung-ki nodded, his expression still tense but more composed than before. He patted Juho's shoulder and spoke. "Thank you. Remember to take care of yourself too, Juho. If you want, you can come with me to look for Seung-ji. It's dangerous to wander alone in times like these," he offered, tilting his head while waiting Juho's answer.

Juho turned his head sideways to clear his throat and politely declined his offer. "I'm sorry, but I... I have to go somewhere first," he said, avoiding Seung-ki's gaze. He couldn't admit that he was too anxious to run into Seung-ji outside the school, it just felt awkward.

Seung-ki studied him for a moment, sensing that something was off but didn't question it. His expression softened, and he let out a sigh. "Alright. Just promise me to be careful, okay? Your parents would have my head if something happened to you."

"I promise. You too, Seung-ki nim. Don't forget to take care of yourself." Juho smiled slightly.

They exchanged one last word before Seung-ki moved past him and hurried off. Juho exhaled, running a hand through his hair. 'Why does it feel like he just let him walk into disaster?'

He stood there for a moment until hurried footsteps snapped him out of it.

Juho continued to move cautiously, a bit worried as people ran from the upper floors, pushing each other hastily to get out of here.

He walked down from the seventh to the first floor. By the time he reached the bottom, nearly fifteen minutes had passed. He didn't dare to rush, especially after almost tripping down the stairs when someone bumped into his shoulder in their panic-stricken state.

When Juho finally stepped outside the apartment, the scene made him feel sick to his stomach.

A woman crouched down on the ground, her body shaking as she cradled what seemed to be her friend's lifeless body, her hands stained with blood. Another person was sobbed in terror, while a man desperately searched for a place to hide.

Juho's heart ached, he couldn't bear himself to watch the scene, but he forced himself to keep moving, trying not to let the panic cloud his mind.

'This chaos... if it's really based on Villain Overkill, then how is that even possible?' he thought. Narrowing his eyes, he stared at the faint blood on the floor.

The story he knew so well was now interfering with his reality, and he knew it was just the beginning of everything that was going to happen next.

•

•

•

To Be Continued.

Han Juho rushed out of the apartment, knowing it wouldn't be safe to stay there for much longer as he started running towards the central city of Seoul, where the area would be more expansive.

Around him, buildings started to crumble. Some were now also on the verge of collapse, making it dangerous to stay near them.

His mind spun with questions. A monster, like the one from the novel? The thought was ridiculous. Something like that shouldn't be possible in real life.

The scene around him was in total chaos as Juho tried to avoid bumping into someone. Several police officers were present, trying to calm and evacuate the civilians to a safe place, but as the crowd grew larger, their efforts became increasingly difficult.

"Kyaaa-!"

A sharp, sudden scream from nowhere snapped Juho out of his thoughts. He stopped and turned, following the onlookers' gazes. Then he spotted a young woman frozen in fear, clutching her grandmother, while a monster was heading straight... towards them?!

His heart was racing. The monster loomed large, its bloodshot eyes and twisted appearance sending shivers down his spine.

A police officer rushed forward to move the woman, while others backed up, shouting and waving their batons, but even they hesitated when the creature bared its fangs to intimidate them.

"Hey! Move!" Juho shouted, stepping forward and waving his arms to get her attention. Still, there was no response, the woman seemed completely blank, while the grandmother...

He paused. He wasn't sure why, but something about her unsettled him. Shouldn't she be panicking? Juho scratched his neck, glancing repeatedly between the woman and the monster, which was slowly getting closer.

"Ah, what should I do?" he mumbled under his breath, worried.

'Can't someone just drag them out of the way?' he thought in frustration. 'Why does it have to be so complicated?' Deep down, Juho knew he had no right to say that when he hadn't done much to help, at least not yet.

He should have just run. But... Juho nervously brought a finger to his lips, tapping against them. Something inside told him to help, even as his instincts urged him to flee. He knew stepping in might put him in danger, but he want to try.

Juho looked around, searching for anything he could use against the monster. If he found nothing, he would just stray off, seriously.

After scanning his surroundings, Juho picked up a piece of debris. He took a few deep breaths before launching it as hard as he could at the monster.

Thud

Despite the distance, he managed to land a headshot. Juho wasn't sure if the debris had any effect on the monster at all, considering its massive size. Still, a small smile tugged on his face, he'd never felt so proud of himself until now.

Then, without a word, he turned and fled the scene. Who cares? He had already done what he could. Now, the only thing that mattered was running first!

He ran in the opposite direction from the woman and her grandmother, shouting to the people around him, urging them to get away as quickly as possible. He felt a little embarrassed, but he quickly pushed the thought aside. Surely they wouldn't mind, he just wanted to warn them for their own good, that's all.

Juho had no idea which way he was running now. This was absolutely the craziest thing that had ever happened to him. His heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to explode, and his legs were shaking as he forced them to keep moving.

He couldn't help but think that years ago, back when he was still in 11th grade, he had been known as the fastest runner in every school event.

Especially this one time when he skipped school with his friends to go to an internet cafe... only to get caught by the school's disciplinary team, who apparently had a friend who worked at the cafe. (Professional only, don't try.)

But even with that past experience kicking in, he was on the verge of exhaustion. Does the monster have a grudge against him?

Juho risked a glance over his shoulder, and his heart sank even further as he saw the monster trying to push through the crowd, its bloodshot eyes locked onto him. It was probably vengeful after getting hit by the debris he had thrown.

A resigned smile crept onto his lips. Oh well, if he got caught... at least he gave it his best, and his parents would be proud of him, he knew they would. Fortunately, after what felt like an eternity, the sound of heavy footsteps slowly faded away.

Juho's breathing was shallow and rapid as he stumbled into an alleyway, leaning against the wall to steady himself. The dust in the air irritated his throat as he struggled to inhale.

"Did I really outrun it?" He mumbled to himself, relief washed over him, though his heart still pounded harshly in his chest.

Unfortunately, that relief doesn't last as long as he hoped. A sudden loud crash erupted from above, making him stiffen on the spot. He didn't even have time to enjoy the moment, trouble was following him wherever he went.

When Juho glanced upward, he was dumbfounded. A swarm of drone flew past him, slamming into buildings. Some targeted civilians, spreading chaos wherever they landed.

"...Ridiculous," he muttered as he continued to move forward, forcing himself to look away. His face turned grim as a wave of helplessness washed over him. Don't tell him zombie apocalypse are coming next.

With a shaky breath, Juho pushed himself off the wall and straightened up, preparing himself for whatever was coming next. As if the monster wasn't enough, now these drones were also causing destruction. It almost felt like some kind of coordinated attack.

A lot of debris fell to the ground as Juho continued to move, trying his best to avoid it. After a while, once he was far from the place he had just left, his body stiffened slightly every now and then whenever he was too close to a crowd of people.

Wherever he went, he saw small fires burning, caused by the drones hitting the buildings with a boom and scraping against the surface structures.

Juho was lost in thought, even as the situation around him grew more dire. His body continued to move on instinct, but his mind wandered. Where did these drones come from? They couldn't have just appeared out of nowhere, someone had to be behind this. But how could he be sure?

The air was thick with dust, and the sound of siren echoes everywhere. People shoved past each other as some fell and tripped, crying for help.

He couldn't stop running, at least not yet. With every step he took, his expression became more solemn, fear creeping at the edge of his mind as he wondered if his family was safe or not.

-Half an hour later-

The chaos had disoriented his head so badly, he didn't even realize he'd arrived near the center of Seoul. Suddenly, dizziness hit him, accompanied by a strange pressure that seemed to appear out of nowhere, making it harder to breathe.

Juho stumble forward, his knees nearly buckling as his vision blurred. He coughed, one hand supporting against his knee to steady himself.

For a brief moment, everything stopped. The drones in the sky, which had been attacking relentlessly just moments ago, abruptly came to a stop. Then slowly, they began to withdraw, moving toward another part of the city.

Juho watched in bewilderment as he followed their movement until the drones disappeared from view. Were they... retreating? That didn't make any sense.

He stood still for a moment, catching his breath. Then he slowly straightened up after steadying himself, brushing the dust off his clothes with a quick pat.

With a sigh, he rubbed the bridge of his nose, shaking his head slightly. To him, moments like this always meant one thing:

Something worse was coming.

Nearby, a man's panicked voice broke the silence. "What the hell is happening?!"

His friend stepped in, gently placing a hand on his shoulder. "You need to calm down, people are looking at us," he said, trying to reason with him.

But the man shoved his friend away. "Get off me!" he snapped, his eyes darting around in panic.

The sharp tone caught Juho's attention. Curious, he cast a glance at their interaction. The man looks like he was too shaken to register help, and honestly, who could blame him?

For some reason, the sun shone brighter than usual, casting an almost unnatural light over the burning city. Juho shielded his eyes and squinted against the sunlight. But despite the brightness, he noticed that the atmosphere seemed to grow heavier.

A faint murmuring brought him back to his senses. He looked around and saw several people whispering and pointing nervously to the sky.

"Look! Up there!" One of them shouted.

Juho followed their gaze, trying to see through the thin fog as well, adjusting his glasses. At first he thought it was a drone or some kind of monster. But then he froze.

It wasn't like what he thought about. It was... a person?

No wings, no wires that are usually used in a movie, and no machine to hold it up. Just a figure floating in the sky, dressed in a flowing white robe with intricate patterns on it, untouched by the chaos below.

Suddenly, a rich laugh reverberated across Seoul, and people who were shocked by it turned their heads toward the source of the sound.

A haunting smile spread across their lips as they examined the chaotic world like a twisted stage created especially for them. Their skin was pale, almost glowing, contrasting with the black hair that framed a captivating-like face.

Out of sudden, the nearby billboards flickered without warning.

Bzzt-bzzt-zzrrt.

The sound of the disturbance was like a surge of electricity before it finally stabilized. And there it was, that same face, now displayed on every glowing screen, on every panel that still survived the flames and havoc.

Hundreds of identical faces flashed across the city's screens, each of their smiles are all the same. Mocking.

Juho's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't out of admiration, but fear. Though something about the sight kept him from looking away.

The figure above tilted their head slightly, surveying the chaos with what looked like amusement. Even from this distance, their presence was magnetic and... otherworldly.

The figure clapped their hands to catch everyone's attention and spread their arms wide. "Welcome, my dear guests," he hummed, his voice sounding strangely pleasant in one's ears. "Before we begin today's... activities, it would be rude of me not to introduce myself."

He paused, letting the silence make everyone hold their breath. With a graceful motion, he placed a hand over his chest, savoring the moment. "Lucian Caelum," he finally said, smiling with his eyes. "A pleasure to be your host in this delightful pandemonium."

Juho froze. Hold on a second... He looked up at the man once more. Lucian Caelum? He gulped and instinctively took a step back. Something about that name felt eerily familiar to his ears

Isn't he the main antagonist of Villain Overkill?!

The sound of birds flapping their wings passed through the sky. With that, Lucian chuckled, a low, sinister one. A lazy smile tugged at the corner of his lips as his gaze swept across the crowd. "I trust the journey has been... thrilling."

"But this," he said, gesturing to the confusion around them, his head tilted ever so slightly in amusement. "Is only the beginning. Shall we dive deeper into this beautiful nightmare together?" His chest rumbled with a dark laugh, relishing the fear he was causing.

It is him. Juho clenched his fists, frowning. A sense of dread churned in his stomach. He had a really bad feeling about this.

Lucian's dramatic entrance, the chilling aura. It was all too familiar, like what he'd read in Villain Overkill. Especially that unforgettable entrance that had captivated both the characters and the readers.

And now, Juho realized that he wasn't just a reader anymore, but part of the story he had once read on his phone.