"Chul, come eat."

  At my mother's voice, I slowly walked to the dining table. It was an ordinary morning just like three days ago, but everything was different. Each of my footsteps transmitted vibrations to the floor more clearly than before, and the smell of kimchi stew from the kitchen reached me far more intensely and complexly than usual.

  It felt as if every scent touching my nose was being analyzed layer by layer. The fermented smell of kimchi, the savory richness of pork, even the deep umami flavor of soy sauce.

  'Still strange...'

  I sat down at the table and looked down at my hands. They appeared ordinary on the surface, but I couldn't ignore the subtle difference in strength I felt when picking up chopsticks. It felt like I might break them if I wasn't careful enough.

  The stainless steel chopsticks felt as light as pencils between my fingers.

  "Oh? I should turn on the news."

  Mother picked up the remote and turned on the TV. Normally she would have put on a morning drama or variety show rerun, but today the news channel came on first.

  "...The rampage incident involving an unidentified assailant in the Gangnam Station area has been making headlines for the third day. Police officers who responded to the scene expressed their amazement, saying 'the destructive power was unimaginable.'"

  My chopsticks stopped in midair. I could hear even the sound of a single drop of kimchi stew falling from the tip of my chopsticks as my attention became completely focused.

  "But even more surprising is the mysterious hero who subdued this assailant. According to eyewitness testimonies..."

  The screen changed to show an interview scene. The young girl I had saved was standing there, holding her mother's hand tightly.

  "I was really scared, but suddenly someone appeared and defeated the bad man! He was like a hero!"

  The girl's clear voice warmed my heart. At that moment, memories from three days ago came flooding back vividly.

  The image of the girl's small hands trembling among the debris, the relief I felt when I moved her to safety, and her small whisper of 'thank you.'

  'I... I really saved that child.'

  A sense of pride washed over me. The reality that I had actually saved someone was finally hitting me completely.

  At that moment, I felt GNOM's warm presence deep in my chest. It was as if he was saying 'well done.'

  But that pride was short-lived, and soon anxiety began to surface.

  "Analysis of CCTV footage reveals that while this mysterious figure was wearing a hood making facial identification difficult, based on build and behavioral patterns, he is estimated to be a male in his early to mid-twenties."

  'Damn... that's too detailed.'

  I tried to maintain my composure while eating the kimchi stew. But when I saw the blurry CCTV footage on the TV screen, a chill ran down my spine.

  Although the face wasn't visible, it was definitely me. The shoulder line of the figure on screen, the walking gait, even the habit of putting hands in pockets... everything matched me perfectly.

  "Chul."

  Mother suddenly spoke to me.

  "Uh... yes?"

  "Where did you go that time?"

  "When?"

  "That evening three days ago."

  My heart began to race. It felt like drums were beating inside my chest, and I worried that even mother might hear the sound.

  "Oh... I just went out briefly. There was something urgent."

  "What kind of urgent matter that you didn't even call? And when you came home, your clothes were somewhat torn."

  Mother's sharp gaze pierced into me. Perhaps thanks to her years of experience in the insurance industry, mother had an uncanny ability to detect people's lies. She was especially good at catching my lies. Since childhood, there hadn't been a single thing I could hide from her.

  'What should I say?'

  I quickly racked my brain. Lying felt uncomfortable, but telling the truth might make mother faint. I couldn't exactly say 'Mom, I actually developed superpowers.'

  "I got into a brief fight with a friend. It was nothing serious."

  "A fight? With whom?"

  "Just... an old classmate."

  Mother stared at me intensely for a moment, then nodded. But her eyes still held suspicion. It was like a silent warning that said 'I'll let this pass for now, but I'll keep watching.'

  "Next time, contact me in advance. Do you know how worried mother was?"

  "Yes, I understand."

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  I let out a sigh of relief and focused on the TV again. But the news was still covering that incident.

  "Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation into this mysterious individual and announced they are receiving tips from citizens."

  'Tips...'

  My anxiety grew even more. But at the same time, a strange thought occurred to me.

  'I didn't do anything wrong, so why am I so nervous?'

  ##########

  After finishing breakfast, I headed to the bathroom. I stood in front of the mirror to brush my teeth, but paused when I saw my reflection.

  'Something... is different.'

  There were definitely changes compared to three days ago. My shoulders seemed slightly broader, and I had a more masculine impression overall. My eyes also looked sharper and more penetrating than before. I thought they resembled a hunter's eyes.

  When did my eyes change like this?

  I took off my shirt and observed my body carefully. My muscles had definitely become firmer. Especially my shoulders and chest area had noticeably developed.

  My fingers also seemed thicker than before. The veins on the back of my hands were more prominent, and overall they had become more masculine hands.

  I flexed my arm to check the changes in my biceps. They were definitely firmer and larger in size.

  It was amazing that such changes had occurred without any exercise at all.

  'With these kinds of changes... will people notice?'

  But soon I felt GNOM's warm presence deep in my chest. It was as if he was saying 'It's okay, it's a natural change.' GNOM's messages were always warm. It felt like an old friend comforting me.

  I looked at my reflection in the mirror and smiled slightly. I definitely looked more confident than before.

  No longer a powerless job seeker, but someone who could really protect others.

  'Yes, I've changed. I've become stronger, better.'

  But that thought was brief, and anxiety washed over me again.

  'But if other people notice these changes too... how will I explain them?'

  ##########

  At 2 PM, I started my part-time job at the convenience store as usual. But problems arose from the very first task.

  "Chul, arrange some beverage boxes."

  Following the manager's instructions, I brought beverage boxes from the storage room. But the moment I lifted the box, I was startled.

  'Huh? Was it always this light?'

  The 12-pack beverage box that normally would require both hands to lift with difficulty felt light as a feather. I was afraid I might throw the box if I used too much force. The text on the box reading 'Total weight 15kg' felt like a lie.

  I carefully moved the box to the display shelf, inwardly amazed.

  'Was the effect of the liquid absorbed from Tiger Tattoo this significant?'

  Arranging the beverages one by one was the same. I unconsciously handled them carefully because it felt like the cans might get crushed with just a light grip. The aluminum cans felt as fragile as eggshells between my fingers.

  At that moment, GNOM's message reached me from deep in my chest. It was hard to express in words, but it was a message of reassurance that I had 'become stronger' along with a warning to 'be careful.'

  'Be careful of what?'

  I looked up and gazed outside the convenience store. It was an ordinary afternoon street scene, but somehow an uneasy atmosphere lingered. The expressions of passersby seemed darker than usual, and their walking pace appeared slightly more hurried.

  'Similar things somewhere in the city...'

  A vague speculation crossed my mind. Could there be other beings like GNOM in other people? And had they changed like me too?

  "Excuse me, checkout please."

  A middle-aged male customer placed ramen and kimbap on the counter. His face showed clear fatigue, and he had dark circles under his eyes.

  "Yes, that's 4,500 won total."

  But when the customer handed over his card, something unexpected happened.

  "Huh? The card isn't working."

  "Should we try once more?"

  No matter how many times we tried, the card wouldn't read. The card terminal kept showing 'error' messages.

  "Strange... it worked this morning. I'll pay cash."

  The customer grumbled while taking out cash.

  "The card system keeps acting weird these days. Yesterday the ATM wouldn't dispense money either."

  Hearing those words, I had a strange premonition.

  'The system is acting weird?'

  Similar incidents continued throughout the afternoon. Card payment errors, internet connection instability, even the refrigerator temperature control occasionally malfunctioned.

  ##########

  At 8 PM, after finishing my part-time job, I boarded the subway. Normally I would have looked at my smartphone or listened to music, but today I felt like observing my surroundings.

  And soon I discovered several strange things.

  Unusually many people were lined up in front of the ATMs near the subway entrance. But their expressions were all filled with irritation and confusion.

  "It's not working again! This is the third time already!"

  "Is there something wrong with my card? I should try a different bank."

  People trying to use the ATMs were giving up and turning away one by one. Some even tapped the ATMs with their palms.

  Similar conversations reached my ears inside the train as well.

  "The internet keeps cutting out. Is it a wifi problem?"

  "Me too. It's been strange since this afternoon."

  "Banking apps don't work either. I can't even check my balance."

  "Systems are really weird these days. Something seems wrong, doesn't it?"

  Two college students sitting next to me were having a similar conversation.

  "Hey, can't you access games either?"

  "Yeah, the servers seem weird. My friends all say theirs aren't working either."

  "Online classes keep cutting out too... isn't something strange?"

  Listening to these conversations, I became increasingly anxious. There were too many people experiencing similar problems for it to be mere coincidence.

  At that moment, GNOM's anxiety was transmitted from deep in my chest. It was a different, more complex and serious warning than before. It felt like the heavy air before a storm, pressing down on me.

  'Is something... really big about to happen?'

  I looked out the window, lost in thought. The city lights seemed dimmer than usual, and several signs between buildings were turned off.

  'Systemic problems... and GNOM's warning... could these be connected?'

  When the subway arrived at the station near my home, my premonition had become almost certainty.

  'Something big is going to happen. And again... I might need to step forward.'

  ##########

  When I arrived home and opened the front door, I immediately sensed a strange atmosphere. The TV in the living room was louder than usual, and I could hear mother's voice.

  "Oh my, what is this..."

  When I entered the living room, mother was standing in front of the TV holding the remote. Her face showed clear bewilderment, and she had a much more serious expression than usual.

  "Chul, come look at this. There's chaos."

  The TV screen displayed a large 'Breaking News' caption. Red text blinked to emphasize the urgency.

  "This is breaking news. Starting at 6 PM today, an unprecedented situation has occurred with simultaneous paralysis of banking networks nationwide."

  The news anchor's tense voice filled the living room. Even the usually calm anchor's voice was trembling today.

  "Currently, ATMs, internet banking, and mobile banking services of all major domestic banks have been suspended, and the government has convened an emergency response meeting."

  I slumped onto the sofa.

  'As expected... my premonition was right.'

  At the bottom of the screen, damage status was being updated in real-time. The number of paralyzed banks, affected ATMs, and the list of inaccessible online services kept growing.

  But then, suddenly the TV screen flickered and red text appeared on a black background.

  [No more digital.]

  [72:00:00]

  Mother and I stared at the TV in silence. In the center of the screen, a giant digital clock began ticking down with a countdown.

  72:00:00... 71:59:59... 71:59:58...

  Each time the numbers changed, a mechanical sound rang out, making the entire living room feel cold.

  "What... what is this? A hack?"

  Mother said in a trembling voice. I could see her hand gripping the remote tightly.

  After a few seconds, the screen returned to the news, but the anchor's expression had completely changed. His face had gone pale, and the hand holding the script was trembling slightly.

  "Just now... just now, an unidentified message was transmitted to all broadcasting stations nationwide. 72 hours... what this means is still..."

  ##########

  At that moment, my heart suddenly began to race. No, more precisely, not just my heart but all the blood in my body seemed to be boiling.

  GNOM's presence deep in my chest was felt with completely different intensity than before. It wasn't simple wariness, but desperation close to survival instinct. It was like a massive alarm was ringing inside me.

  'This time... it's really dangerous.'

  GNOM's message was clearly transmitted to me. A threat of completely different dimensions from the confrontation with Tiger Tattoo three days ago was approaching.

  And what was even more surprising was that this time, GNOM was transmitting not just simple emotions but more complex information to me.

  "Chul, are you okay?"

  Mother looked at me with a worried expression. My face must have gone pale.

  "Uh... yes, I'm fine."

  But I wasn't fine at all. The fact that GNOM's reaction was this intense meant that what was about to unfold would be serious beyond my imagination.

  The news continued to convey the gravity of the situation.

  "Due to the banking network paralysis, card payment systems have also been suspended nationwide. Citizens without cash are currently flocking to convenience stores and marts..."

  The screen changed to show scenes from various parts of the city. Convenience stores that would normally be quiet had long lines, and people all had anxious expressions. Some convenience stores had even put up 'Cash Only' notices at their doors.

  "Online shopping malls have also suspended services due to payment system errors, and the economic damage is estimated to reach hundreds of billions of won per hour."

  The screen displayed real-time damage scale in numbers. The number of paralyzed transactions, suspended online services, and the list of affected companies scrolled endlessly.

  Watching TV, I gradually realized the seriousness.

  'This isn't simple hacking. They're trying to paralyze the entire society.'

  And the 72-hour deadline... what would happen when that time was up?

  "Additional news has come in. Reports are continuously arriving that hospitals are experiencing emergency situations due to inability to access patient record systems."

  '72 hours... I need to find some solution within that time.'

  GNOM's presence deep in my chest grew even stronger. It was as if he was saying 'prepare.'

  'Again... do I need to step forward?'

  I looked at the countdown on the TV screen and steeled my resolve. The red numbers were relentlessly decreasing, and each number squeezed my heart.

  71:45:23... 71:45:22... 71:45:21...

  Time was flowing mercilessly. And inside me, battle preparations had already begun.