episode_0001

Beep beep beep

A monitor-like beeping sound, the kind you’d hear in a hospital room, echoed around me. What the hell is that noise?

So damn annoying.

Irritated, I forced my eyes open.

The first thing I saw was a white—yet unfamiliar—ceiling.

Am I in a hospital?

Why am I here? I was definitely just in my studio apartment… Wait, no. Hold on.

I distinctly remember stepping outside to get some fresh air, then ducking back in to cool my head. So why am I here right now?

What the hell happened?

“Ugh… My head hurts… Huh?”

Clutching my throbbing skull, I muttered to myself—when suddenly, an overwhelming sense of unease washed over me. A stifling discomfort. And a voice that didn’t sound like my own.

That voice just now… It didn’t sound like me.

“Huh? Wa—Wha? WHAAA—?!”

A distinctly feminine voice burst out of me. I hurriedly tried to sit up—No, wait, what the hell is this IV drip?!

Anyway, as I scrambled to get my bearings, I spotted something that could reflect my appearance.

The window.

And when I caught a glimpse of myself reflected in it, I couldn’t help but gasp.

Because there, staring back at me, was a girl with horns.

Not just any girl, either—an absurdly beautiful one.

Silky black hair, smooth as satin—if I had to describe it in clichés—and golden, reptilian-slitted pupils.

But the most shocking part?

That girl moved exactly as I did… and atop my head were coiled, jet-black horns.

What… the hell is happening?

Soon after, nurses and doctors rushed in, explaining the bizarre situation to me.

The moment I—and apparently countless others—witnessed a strange, starlike burst of light, our bodies had begun to… reconstitute themselves, as if shedding old skin.

Hundreds had undergone physical transformations like mine—some changing genders, others not.

And the most crucial detail…

Three months had already passed since that day.

Three months?! That’s enough time for the semester to end—hell, I could’ve taken a leave of absence by now!

What about my assignments? My grades?!

“…Three months?”

“Yes.”

“I’m screwed.”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, I was in the middle of the semester… Guess I gotta retake everything now.”

The doctor stared at me, bewildered, as I sighed deeply.

“Uh, yes. I suppose that’s… important. But, Ms. Seohyun?”

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you… disoriented?”

I shook my head at the doctor’s question. Disoriented?

Not particularly.

Maybe it’s because I’ve never been one for extreme emotions. Or maybe it’s because what’s happening feels too surreal to process properly.

But weirdly enough, I was taking this all in stride. No idea why.

“Yeah. It’s strange. Normally, in a situation like this, I should be bawling my eyes out, throwing a tantrum, maybe even grabbing you by the collar.”

“Haha. True. I wish all Variants were as composed as you, Ms. Seohyun.”

“Oh, am I the odd one here? Also—Variants? What’s that?”

“Three months ago, a sudden burst of light engulfed the world. Those exposed to it… Their bodies burned, then began to mutate. Just like yours.”

“Ah.”

“We call them Variants. And usually… they struggle to accept the situation. Honestly, we were startled when we walked in earlier too—there are security personnel stationed outside.”

“Security?”

“Yes. Typically, Variants experience dramatic physical enhancements. If they were to act out… Well, it’d be disastrous. So now, we have guards posted near Variants as a precaution.”

“I see…”

Right then, it occurred to me—if physical abilities are enhanced, does that mean bullets won’t work?

“So… Does that mean bullets don’t affect us?”

“Haha. Well, novels and comics might give that impression, but no. Not even close. Most Variants are subdued with tasers. At the end of the day, Variants are still fundamentally human—just with unique physical traits. If a human dies from electrocution, so does a Variant. Ah, though some do develop tougher skin due to their altered biology… But even then, they can’t withstand military-grade firepower.”

Military-grade firepower…?

Was there some kind of Variant-related terrorism or something?

I’ll ask about that later.

“Ah. But from what you’re saying, does that mean I took unusually long to regain consciousness? You mentioned other Variants waking up earlier… Sounds like there’ve already been major incidents.”

“Correct. Among confirmed Variants worldwide, you’re the last one to complete the mutation. And as you guessed, there have indeed been many incidents—Variant-related crimes, for example.”

“I see.”

“Honestly, we were quite worried. While most Variants can be restrained, the longer the mutation takes, the more drastically their physical abilities improve.”

“Wow.”

“Now then, do you feel any discomfort? Or pain anywhere?”

Pain…? None, really.

“No, not really.”

“In that case… Could you come this way? Let’s start with the examination.”

After the checkup, they began testing the extent of my physical abilities.

The doctor led me to a room lined with reinforced walls and various structures—sturdy enough to withstand serious punishment.

They have places like this in hospital basements?

It felt like a scene straight out of a secret organization movie, and I couldn’t help but whistle in amazement.

“By the way, do hospitals normally need facilities like this?”

“It’s for physical testing. Medical checks, you might call them. Since Variants must eventually return to society, it’s crucial they understand the extent of their strength. Admittedly, I never expected hospitals to install structures like these.”

“Ah… Makes sense. One wrong move, and it’d be a disaster.”

“There have already been similar cases. Early on, when there were no guidelines, a Variant accidentally struck someone with a careless swing—resulting in severe injuries.”

“That could’ve been way worse.”

“Exactly. So please, take this seriously.”

The tests went smoothly. And through them, I confirmed one thing:

“If I mess up strength control, I could leave behind a pile of corpses.”

“Hahaha… Really, it’s a relief you’re not violent. This could’ve been a catastrophe.”

“Yeah. Maybe this weird calmness of mine is some kind of failsafe against reckless strength.”

“Could be.”

The doctor chuckled dryly while staring at the aftermath I’d left behind.

I followed his gaze.

The reinforced wall—made of what the doctor claimed was an incredibly durable alloy—was deeply dented from a single, casual punch.

Even I was baffled.

If I’d been tossed back into daily life without these tests, I might’ve ended up a wanted criminal.

All it took was a light swing to do this much damage.

Speaking of which…

What kind of creature’s horns are these curled, jet-black things on my head anyway? I touched them absently as I spoke to the doctor.

“Hey, what kind of animal do these horns belong to? They look like something from fantasy—like a dragon’s.”

“Ah, well… They likely are a dragon’s.”

“Huh. Seriously?”

“Yes. During your transformation, scales kept shedding, wings sprouted, and a tail grew. Then, after the final change—or rather, molting—your wings and tail disappeared, leaving you in your current stabilized form.”

“Wait… Wings and a tail?”

“Yes.”

“Wow.”

I was speechless. A dragon? In the year 2018?

It felt like the world around me had turned into a fantasy.

No—it had turned into one.

A dull ache pulsed in my head.

Somehow, it finally hit me—this transformation was staggering, regardless of how calmly I was taking it.

Can I even live normally like this?

“Will I be able to live a normal life…?”

“Let’s work on it together. Many Variants have worked hard to reintegrate into society.”

“…Alright. Ah—how do I figure out my other abilities?”

“That’ll come naturally. All Variants learn on their own.”

“Got it.”

Right after returning to my room from the tests, I encountered an unexpected visitor.

A man in a black suit—far too imposing to be mere security—grinned the moment he saw me.

“Pleasure to meet you, Yoon Seohyun. I’m from the NIS.”

“…National Intelligence Service?”

“Correct.”

The NIS? Out of nowhere?

Shouldn’t you be off catching spies or something?