Darkness.
That was all he knew for what felt like an eternity. No sound. No breath. No body.
And then—
"Initializing Consciousness…"
A dull voice echoed in the void like a system booting up. A flicker of light pierced the nothingness. His awareness surged back.
"You have entered the Genesis Archive. Welcome, Administrator—"
"—Ngh." He groaned and sat up.
His eyes fluttered open to a soft golden glow spilling through tall cathedral-like windows. He wasn't in his bedroom, or his apartment, or even anywhere remotely familiar.
White stone walls surrounded him, etched with archaic symbols that pulsed faintly with mana. Wooden desks were neatly arranged in rows, filled with other students dressed in navy uniforms trimmed with silver. A blackboard floated midair, glimmering with rune-etched letters.
And he was seated in the back row.
"What the hell…?"
He looked down at his hands—thinner, paler, younger than his real ones. No scars, no calluses. Not his body.
A wave of memories not his own surged forward. He gasped.
—Name: Kaleid Ashvale.
—Age: 16.
—Student ID: #7401.
—Status: Mundane Class, Rank F.
—Magic Affinity: None.
—Family: Deceased.
—Affiliation: Lirian Grand Academy.
The realization hit him like a thunderbolt.
> He was inside a novel.
Not just any novel, but Arcadia Sovereign, the same fantasy saga he'd obsessed over in his old life. Hundreds of chapters, sprawling kingdoms, godly powers… and this body he now inhabited?
A background character.
An NPC so insignificant that he was only mentioned once—and that too, as "the fainted boy during the mock battle."
> What kind of sick joke is this?
He had dreamed of reincarnation, sure—but as a hidden bloodline heir, a demon prince, or even the villain. Not some useless, magicless extra.
Before panic could fully take hold, a translucent blue screen flickered in front of his eyes.
---
[GENESIS ARCHIVE: SYSTEM BOOTED]
Welcome, User. You are now synced with the Genesis Archive.
Initializing: Soul Link… Complete.
User Class: Hidden Administrator [Locked]
Mission Protocol: Observe. Adapt. Awaken.
---
His breath caught.
A system. A real one.
> Genesis Archive… wasn't that the rumored god-level AI interface from the author's developer notes?
The one never shown in the actual chapters but hinted to control the flow of fate? His heartbeat quickened. A sliver of hope bloomed in his chest.
He tapped at the air instinctively, and more information unfolded:
---
[Starter Bonus Available]
> Claim reward?
⟶ [YES]
⟶ NO
---
He didn't hesitate.
[Claiming Reward…]
Congratulations! You have obtained:
—◆ System Function: "Observe Reality" (LVL 1)
—◆ Stat Awareness Unlocked
—◆ Inventory: Empty
—◆ Title Acquired: The Forgotten One
System Note:
"You are the one who was never meant to be. So change everything."
---
Kaleid—no, he—stared at the message.
The Forgotten One?
How dramatic.
Still, something clicked in his mind. In the story, the hero, Serian, didn't awaken his power until Chapter 12—some weeks from now. The academy arc had just begun.
That meant he had time.
He closed the window and looked around. No one else reacted to the floating interface. Meaning…
> Only I can see the system.
A voice interrupted his thoughts. "Ashvale. Are you listening?"
He turned. A girl with fiery red hair glared at him from two seats away. Elira Vermont—noble daughter of the Duke of Flames. Top of the class. A future heroine.
"I asked you to pass the mana crystal." She scoffed and turned away.
He blinked. Then passed the glowing blue orb on the desk.
> Right. I'm an NPC to them. No one will notice me unless I stand out.
And he planned to. Just… not yet.
Observation Mode: ON
A faint shimmer lit his vision. Numbers and descriptions floated above heads.
—Elira Vermont [Rank A]
—Magic: Fire Elemental (High-Grade)
—Affinity: 89%
—Status: Healthy, Mild Irritation
—Potential Threat Level: Medium
He quickly looked around.
The entire classroom lit up with data—mana readings, danger levels, emotions.
> This… this is just the beginning.
---
That Night
In his assigned dorm room, Kaleid stared at his reflection in the mirror.
Slender frame. Ash-brown hair. Pale eyes. Nothing remarkable.
"I'm not supposed to matter. Not in the plot. Not in the world."
But he did now.
He clenched his fists. The system. The title. The truth.
> There's no way all this is random.
He pulled up the system interface again.
---
[Genesis Archive]
User: Kaleid Ashvale
Class: Hidden Administrator [Locked]
Soul Memory: Suppressed (97%)
Quests: None
Energy: 0
Next Unlock: Unknown
Title: [The Forgotten One] – "You were erased before the story began. Reclaim your legend."
---
Something stirred in his chest at those words. He didn't know what the system meant by "suppressed memory" or why he was chosen, but he knew one thing.
> He would not remain forgotten.
Not in this academy.
Not in this world.
Not in this story.
And as he stared into the midnight sky beyond the dorm window, something whispered back.
"Awaken…"
His eyes widened. The system glitched for a second, then flashed a new line.
---
[WARNING: Catalyst Detected. First Fate Divergence Event Approaching in 3 days.]
---
His journey had begun.