Standing up with a determined look, Lyra motioned for Azrael to hop into the car.
"Come on, get in," she said casually, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder.
Azrael stared at the strange metallic contraption, confusion clouding his golden eyes. So... this is called a car? he thought, tilting his head. Perhaps I just... jump onto it? Hesitation rooted him in place as he watched Lyra.
Lyra, growing impatient, simply opened the driver's door and slid inside, moving with a smooth, confident grace. Azrael blinked and turned to the second door, attempting to mimic her actions. But when he faced the reflective glass, he let out a startled scream, stumbling back in shock.
The passersby were already beginning to notice. Lyra, mortified, rushed back out of the car, grabbed the door handle, and flung it open for him. Azrael, still paralyzed by fear and confusion, was shoved unceremoniously into the seat. His head bumped against the dashboard with a soft thud.
Lyra sighed sharply, slamming the door shut in his face with a loud clunk, her expression twisted in frustration.
"God, if only he wasn't so handsome..." she thought bitterly, a soft pink hue blooming across her cheeks before she even realized it.
Azrael, oblivious to her internal struggle, was too busy gawking at everything inside the car — the steering wheel, the flashing buttons, the soft leather seats. It was like he had entered a new world entirely.
Shaking her head, Lyra started the engine with a roar that made heads turn all around them.
"Oh my God, is that the latest Tesla Model X?" a voice in the crowd gasped.
"I heard it hits 0 to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds! And it crushes the quarter-mile at 11.4 seconds!" another exclaimed.
"She must be loaded!"
"But who's the guy? Looks like a caveman!"
"Ha! Cave man 2.0! Hurry up, or you'll miss your bus, dumbasses!" someone jeered, drawing laughter.
Inside, Azrael regretted his decision immediately. The car's acceleration slammed him back into the seat, and he screamed at the top of his lungs, clutching whatever he could find.
In mere moments, the Tesla screeched to a halt, performing a near-perfect drift into a parking lot.
Lyra, trying to suppress a laugh, glanced over at him. "So? How was it?" she asked mischievously.
Azrael stared at her like she was the devil herself, his face pale. Without a word, he fumbled at the door handle, burst it open, and leaned out just in time to throw up dramatically onto the pavement.
"Bluhhhrrgh!"
"I am never entering a car again," he muttered between gags.
Lyra rolled her eyes but waved him forward. "Come on, we've got somewhere to be," she barked, dragging him along.
Azrael staggered after her, still dazed, but the sight in front of him froze him solid.
A massive building loomed above — clean white walls, steel structures, glass shimmering under the sunlight. It was unlike anything he had ever seen.
What the hell is this? he wondered. Is this the afterlife?
And then, oddly, a strange word echoed in his mind: WTF.
What's a fuck? he pondered absently, not sure where the word had even come from.
Soon enough, they emerged from the hospital after a few quick tests.
Lyra handed him a cold bottle of water and leaned casually against the Tesla, her long legs crossed effortlessly.
She was stunning — breathtaking, even.
A young woman in her early twenties, Lyra had a sculpted beauty that made heads turn. Silky raven-black hair framed her delicate face; her sharp, playful eyes hinted at mischief behind long lashes. Her slim waist, toned thighs, and generous curves were hugged perfectly by her fitted jeans and leather jacket. She was elegance mixed with danger — and Azrael noticed, even if he didn't understand it yet.
"So," she said, flashing him a smirk, "is there anything you'd like to know? Seems like your amnesia wiped everything clean. I can't tell you who you are... but I can fill you in on the basics."
Azrael nodded eagerly. "Well, first... what is this place?"
Lyra smiled. "That, I can answer easily," she said, tossing the car keys into her jacket pocket.
"This is Seoul. South Korea."
Azrael blinked.
"So this isn't... the afterlife?"
Lyra laughed, a musical sound that made several men nearby sneak a glance.
"Hell no! You ain't dead, buddy."
He hesitated, then asked, "Then... can you tell me how to get back to Aleria? At Willow Creek?"
Lyra's face froze for a moment. She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly.
"Uhh... you might want to slow down a bit," she said gently. "This isn't a game. This is real life.
How about we grab a coffee and sit down properly? Maybe it'll help jog your memory."
Azrael agreed reluctantly, though deep down, he was beginning to accept the truth:
This wasn't his world anymore.
Somehow, someway... he had reincarnated.
The café they entered was cozy, sunlight filtering through the glass panels.
"Welcome to Sung Yun Café! What can I get you?" chirped the barista.
After ordering, Lyra leaned closer to Azrael across the table, lowering her voice.
"Alright, listen carefully.
This world — Earth — has changed.
There are only five nations left: Japan, Nigeria, South Korea, the United States of America, and Europe.
They're the last strongholds of humanity."
Azrael leaned in, fascinated.
"Twenty years ago," Lyra continued, "Earth was pushed out of its original orbit. Don't ask how. The rifts and gates started appearing not long after."
"Rifts?" Azrael repeated.
"Yeah. Gates are minor stuff — manageable. But Rifts? They're nightmares. Deadly beyond imagination. From Rifts, the Top Ten Monsters emerge — sentient beings of horrifying power. It takes two or three S-Rankers just to kill one of them."
She shuddered slightly at the memory.
"Not only did the Rifts unleash monsters, but they also changed us — humans. The energy that leaked out mutated our genes. We call it mana now. Some people awakened abilities.
We call those people Variants and Warlocks."
"Variants have a single ability," she explained. "Warlocks? They can wield double elemental affinities. Very rare. Only about 20 exist."
Azrael absorbed everything in silence.
"In South Korea," she added proudly, "we have 12 S-Rank Variants, 1 S-Rank Warlocks, and... 1 X-Rank Warlock.
The ranks go:
X-rank the peak of power all beings are below them.
S-rank almost to the peak but strong enough to destroy nations.
A-rank powerful packs a lot of power and often recognised by the people as beings with immense power too.
B-rank your average rank but powerful enough to clear a black gate.
C-rank normal you exist with power greater than an average human but you don't also exist at dissame time.
D-rank personnel that are just strong personnel they don't matter in the society but they are pretty strong.
E-rank absolute trash weaklings like a normal human can beat the fuck out of them.
"And once you're awakened?" Azrael asked.
"You're stuck at the power level you awaken at," she confirmed. "Oh, and next week there's an Awakening Ceremony at Central Park. I'm aiming to become a Warlock myself!"
Azrael nodded gratefully, thankful for the flood of information. Thier Ranks was dissame with his world.
"Umm..." he said hesitantly, "I don't remember where I live. Could I maybe stay in your barn?"
Lyra laughed heartily, shaking her head. "Barn? What is this, 1700?
Relax, I live alone. You can crash at my place — but it's an apartment, not a barn."
They got up to leave...
...completely forgetting to pay for their coffee.
As Lyra reached for her car keys, the air suddenly grew heavy, buzzing with unnatural energy.
Sparks crackled in midair, bright and green.
People screamed and scattered, recognizing the phenomenon instantly.
"A gate!" someone yelled. "A green gate!"
Lyra's heart dropped.
Shit. Where's Azrael?
Spinning around, she spotted him — standing way too close to the forming gate, blinking at it curiously.
Panic gripped her. She bolted towards him, yelling, "AZRAEL, MOVE!"
But before she could reach him, her high heels caught on the curb, and she tripped hard, slamming into Azrael.
Both of them tumbled helplessly — right into the heart of the portal.
The world spun violently.
Azrael groaned, pushing Lyra off him gently. She blushed furiously as she scrambled to her feet.
When they looked around, their mouths went dry.
They stood in a lush, foreign forest, the trees massive and ancient, stretching high into a misty green sky.it was like his world but the sky was green which was different from his.
But it wasn't the beauty of the place that made them freeze — it was the gleaming eyes staring at them from the shadows.
Not one pair...
Two.