14th Birthday

The year was 2017, and Seoul's skyline had seen six more years of progress and transformation since that fateful day when Kim Tae-Sik's world had been forever altered. As time flowed inexorably forward, it carried with it the weight of change and a future filled with uncertainties.

On this particular day in the heart of Seoul, the sun bathed the city in its warm, golden glow, and the bustling streets teemed with life. Tae-Sik, who had been a boy robbed of his voice and vitality, was now just moments away from his 14th birthday. It was a day that had been marked in his heart as one filled with both anticipation and dread.

The city itself had transformed in these six years, reflecting the relentless march of progress. Towering skyscrapers seemed to touch the heavens, and the city's heartbeat pulsed with a rhythm that resonated with change. Seoul, a metropolis that straddled the line between tradition and modernity, was a symbol of South Korea's vibrant future.

As the minutes ticked away, Tae-Sik was on the cusp of a new chapter in his life. He knew, perhaps better than anyone, that time was a precious commodity, and it could both heal and wound. It had been six long years since that tragic experiment, and he had grown physically, but the scars of his mute existence remained.

In his modest room, as the clock's hands approached the fateful hour, Tae-Sik sat in contemplation. The weight of the years he had carried, the silence he had endured, had molded him into a different person. The laughter and carefree curiosity of childhood had given way to a profound understanding of his limitations and the world's mysteries.

Tae-Sik's parents, who had once harbored dreams of greatness for their son, had witnessed the transformation of their child. Guilt and regret had etched lines upon their faces, but they had also watched their son's spirit evolve. He had become a young man with a quiet determination, a thirst for knowledge, and a silent strength that defied his mute existence.

The world outside, oblivious to the trials and tribulations within Tae-Sik's room, carried on with its relentless pace. People bustled through the streets, lost in the currents of life, chasing dreams and ambitions. But for Tae-Sik, this day held a significance that transcended the ordinary.

As he approached his 14th birthday, a revelation shook the very foundations of his world. It had come to him as a whisper, a hidden secret that had been concealed from the world. Just ten minutes before he would turn 14, Tae-Sik discovered a glimmer of hope, a lifeline to a different future.

The source of this revelation lay within a place that had recently become enigmatic and mysterious. In the year 2000, when Tae-Sik was just a child, the world had changed. Dungeon cracks had inexplicably appeared across the globe. These fissures in the fabric of reality had opened doorways to a realm unknown to mankind.

These dungeons, strange and foreboding, had captured the imagination of people worldwide. No one had been able to explain their origin or their purpose. However, the most perplexing aspect was that while these dungeons were accessible to humans, no monsters from within could emerge onto Earth. It was a puzzling paradox that had perplexed scientists and scholars alike.

One of these dungeons, an F-rank dungeon, had become a point of fascination for those who sought to uncover its secrets. Hidden within this dungeon, there was a hidden pond of healing water, rumored to possess miraculous properties. Tae-Sik had heard whispers of this place, a beacon of hope in his silent world.

Just as he was on the cusp of turning 14, his curiosity and determination led him to discover this hidden treasure. The revelation was both a promise and a cruel twist of fate. The healing water in the F-rank dungeon had the potential to undo the damage of the experiment, to restore his voice, and to grant him the vitality he had been robbed of.

Tae-Sik, in the silence of his room, had prepared meticulously for this moment. He had acquired the knowledge and the resources needed to access the dungeon. His resolve was unwavering, and as the seconds counted down to the momentous hour, he felt a mix of anticipation and urgency.

With each tick of the clock, his heart beat in sync with the passage of time. The world outside continued its ceaseless motion, unaware of the pivotal moment that was about to unfold. Tae-Sik was poised on the precipice of hope, a hope that had carried him through the darkest days of his existence.

The world itself seemed to hold its breath as the clock's hands neared the hour that would mark his 14th birthday. The weight of anticipation hung in the air, and the future seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see if destiny would grant him a second chance.

Yet, the cruel hands of destiny had other plans. As the clock struck the hour of his 14th birthday, Tae-Sik, standing on the threshold of the dungeon, felt the life within him slipping away. The very moment he had longed for, the opportunity to heal and regain his voice, slipped through his fingers.

The realization struck with a cruel finality, and Tae-Sik's world faded to black. The hope, the determination, the silent strength he had carried with him into the dungeon, all dissolved in an instant. The world lost one of its silent souls, and Seoul continued to pulse with life, oblivious to the tragedy that had unfolded within the depths of the dungeon.

Tae-Sik's journey was far from over, and this pivotal moment was just the beginning of a story that would be etched in the annals of time. The mysteries of the dungeons, the silent determination of Kim Tae-Sik, and the world that had changed in the year 2000 were all threads in the tapestry of a destiny that was far from ordinary.