The next day began like most days for Jade.
Early in the morning, before the city had fully awakened, he had already finished his daily training. The training grounds he used were not far from his home, a quiet open area where he could push his body to its limits without distraction.
His muscles were sore, and his breathing was still heavy even after resting for several minutes. Sweat clung to his skin, and his training clothes were damp from the effort he had put into his exercises.
Jade believed that if he wanted to grow stronger, he had to remain disciplined. Training had become part of his daily routine ever since he was a child.
Running, striking, endurance drills, and control exercises filled most of his mornings.
By the time the sun had climbed higher into the sky, he decided to stop for the day.
After finishing his training, Jade headed toward his mother's restaurant.
The restaurant was already open and lively when he arrived. The sound of customers talking filled the room, plates clinked together, and the smell of freshly cooked food drifted through the air.
His mother, Seraphine, was extremely busy.
She moved quickly between the kitchen and the dining area, speaking with workers and making sure every order was prepared correctly.
Jade didn't want to disturb her while she was working.
Instead, he walked over to one of the empty seats near the corner of the restaurant and sat down quietly.
The restaurant felt unusually warm today.
Perhaps it was because of the number of customers inside, or maybe it was simply the heat from the kitchen.
Jade wiped a bit of sweat from his forehead before removing his T-shirt, leaving only a simple singlet and plain trousers.
He leaned back in the chair and relaxed.
For the first time that day, he allowed his muscles to rest.
His body still felt heavy from the intense training earlier.
As he sat there quietly, his mind began to wander.
He started recalling memories from his childhood.
Back then, life had been simpler.
He remembered playing outside for hours with other children in the neighborhood. Sometimes they would run through the streets, pretending to be heroes from their favorite stories.
Other times, he would spend the day training with his father or helping his mother in the restaurant.
He had learned how to cook basic dishes when he was still young.
At first, he had only helped with small things like chopping vegetables or carrying ingredients.
But eventually, he had learned how to prepare entire meals.
Those childhood days felt distant now.
Jade let out a quiet breath and closed his eyes.
He was so relaxed that he almost started dozing off.
But suddenly, the sound of chairs scraping against the floor pulled him back to his senses.
Two teenage girls had just entered the restaurant.
They walked over and sat at the table directly opposite Jade.
Neither of them seemed to notice him at first.
One of them raised her hand slightly and called the waiter.
They ordered their meal and began chatting while waiting for the food to arrive.
Jade didn't pay much attention at first.
He simply sat there quietly, trying to relax.
But after a moment, he noticed that the girls had started whispering to each other.
Curious, he kept his eyes closed and listened quietly.
The two teenagers were named Vera and Sarah.
Vera leaned slightly forward and looked toward Jade.
"Isn't this teenager handsome?"
Sarah glanced at him briefly before answering.
"Yes, he is, but if he is surely infected by the system, he would be dead, considering the dangerous trial brought by the system."
Jade frowned slightly.
His eyes were still closed, but he was now fully awake.
He hadn't meant to listen to their conversation, but since they were speaking so close to him, it was impossible not to hear them.
Vera continued speaking.
"I think I told you before... my friend's cousin was infected by the system two years ago. But unfortunately, she died last week."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"She didn't even achieve a rank at all."
Sarah sighed softly.
"I also heard about my friend's trial. It was quite dangerous."
She leaned closer as she continued.
"She was immediately tossed into a volcano the moment she entered the trial."
Vera's eyes widened.
"A volcano?"
Sarah nodded.
"Yes. But thankfully, a teenage boy with wings saved her."
Vera blinked in disbelief.
"Wings?"
Sarah shrugged.
"That's what she said. She just came back yesterday and was showing off her new powers."
Jade's expression remained calm, but inside he felt uneasy.
The system.
It was something everyone in the world knew about.
Some people called it a blessing.
Others called it a curse.
The system would randomly infect people, forcing them into dangerous trials.
Those who survived gained abilities beyond ordinary humans.
But those who failed...
They died.
Vera leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.
"Thank God I had completed my own trial. I don't even want to get involved with the system anymore."
She laughed lightly.
"Besides, a monster cannot just break out here all of a sudden."
Sarah immediately looked around nervously.
"Be careful when you say that."
Vera raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
Sarah smiled slightly.
"You know if you were in a webtoon or in a fantasy story, such events would have occurred right now."
Vera laughed again.
"Yeah, I know."
She then looked at Sarah more seriously.
"But when will you be sent to your own trial? I heard you have been infected."
Sarah's expression changed slightly.
"I think at midnight today."
She forced a small smile.
"So wish me good luck."
She paused for a moment before adding quietly,
"Besides... this will be my last meal."
Vera looked surprised.
"Why?"
Sarah shrugged.
"Today is my birthday."
Vera's face softened.
"Good luck."
Then she added,
"And happy birthday."
Just then, the waiter arrived with their food.
The girls stopped talking and began eating.
Jade remained silent with his eyes closed.
He pretended to be asleep, but his mind was restless.
After finishing their meal, Vera and Sarah paid for the food and left the restaurant.
The sound of the door closing echoed softly.
Only then did Jade slowly open his eyes.
For a moment, he felt strange.
It was as if he had been asleep and awake at the same time.
His thoughts felt heavy.
His chest tightened slightly with unease.
The conversation he had just overheard kept replaying in his mind.
The system.
The dangerous trials.
The deaths.
This wasn't the first time Jade had heard people talking about it.
Stories about the system had spread throughout the entire world.
Some people returned from their trials stronger than ever.
Others never came back at all.
Even someone in Jade's own extended family had died during one of those trials.
That memory alone made him uneasy.
Jade leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
He didn't want anything to do with the system.
Not now.
Not ever.
But strangely enough, his heart felt restless.
He couldn't explain why.
The feeling wouldn't go away.
Maybe it was because his sixteenth birthday was approaching.
Or maybe it was simply because the world itself had become unpredictable.
Either way, Jade couldn't relax anymore.
He stood up from the chair slowly.
His mother was still busy working.
Customers continued entering and leaving the restaurant, and the staff moved quickly between the tables.
There was nothing for him to do there.
Not wanting to disturb anyone, Jade quietly left the restaurant.
The sunlight outside felt warm against his skin.
He took a deep breath and began walking toward home.
All he wanted now was to rest his nerves.
But deep inside, he couldn't shake the strange feeling that something important was about to happen.
Something that might change his life forever.