Chapter 1: The Age of Eighteen
In this world, there was no coming-of-age ceremony.
No celebration.
No blessing.
No prayers for the future.
There was only awakening.
The moment a person turned eighteen, their life was no longer their own.
From that day onward, their worth would be measured in rank and stars.
F rank—trash.
E rank—laborer.
D rank—ordinary soldier.
C rank—respected.
B rank—elite.
A rank—genius.
S rank—legend.
SS rank—once in a generation.
SSS rank—a lie people told children.
Everyone knew the hierarchy.
Everyone feared it.
And today… it was his turn.
Kiran stood barefoot on the cold stone floor, waiting.
The Awakening Altar loomed ahead—an ancient structure older than written history. Its surface was carved with divine symbols, each representing a god that had once answered humanity's call.
No one knew who built it.
No one knew when it appeared.
Only that it worked.
Rows of elders stood in silence, their expressions indifferent. To them, awakenings were routine. Hope was common. Disappointment was expected.
Kiran inhaled slowly.
He could hear his heartbeat.
"Eighteen already…"
There was no family behind him.
No one wishing him luck.
No one whispering encouragement.
He had grown up watching others awaken—some crying with joy, others collapsing in despair.
He had seen an F-rank boy dragged away by guards after screaming in denial.
He had seen a C-rank girl instantly surrounded by recruiters.
This was not a fair world.
It never pretended to be.
A calm voice echoed.
"Step forward."
Kiran moved.
Each step toward the altar felt heavier than the last.
He placed his palm on the stone.
It was warm.
Almost… alive.
🔔 SYSTEM ACTIVATION
[God Awakening System Initiated]
User detected
Age verified: 18
Soul integrity: Stable
Golden light erupted from the altar, rushing into the sky like a pillar connecting heaven and earth.
The crowd murmured.
"This is a normal reaction." "Probably D rank at best." "He doesn't look special."
Kiran closed his eyes.
A pressure descended on his soul.
Not pain.
Not warmth.
But weight—as if something ancient was observing him.
🔍 SOUL SCAN
Analyzing compatibility…
Matching divine signatures…
One by one, divine symbols appeared in the air.
Gods of strength.
Gods of flame.
Gods of wind.
Gods of light.
These were the known gods—recorded, studied, ranked.
The golden light intensified.
Then—
It stopped.
Abruptly.
As if the system itself hesitated.
Error detected.
Re-scanning…
The divine symbols trembled.
Several shattered.
Gasps echoed through the plaza.
"What's happening?" "Why are the symbols breaking?"
The elders stiffened.
"This has never happened…"
The sky darkened.
Not with clouds—but with absence.
The light collapsed inward, forming a single symbol.
Black.
Cracked.
Incomplete.
It did not glow.
It absorbed light.
Silence consumed the plaza.
⚠️ SYSTEM ALERT
Unknown divine presence detected
Data unavailable
God record: MISSING
The elders' calm shattered.
"That symbol…" "It's not in the archives." "No—this can't be—"
The altar trembled violently.
Kiran's vision blurred.
And then—
The world went quiet.
Inside his mind, he stood in a vast, empty space.
No sky.
No ground.
No direction.
Then a presence emerged.
Not a form.
Not a voice.
A will.
Ancient.
Heavy.
Tired.
"So… the system still functions."
Kiran's breath caught.
"Who… are you?"
The presence laughed—slow and cold.
"Once, they carved my name into the world."
"Then they erased it."
A pressure slammed into his soul.
"I was sealed."
"Forgotten."
"Denied."
Kiran fell to one knee.
"You are weak," the presence continued.
"But weakness is honesty."
"Grow."
"Then decide…"
"Will you awaken me… or fear me?"
Kiran's eyes snapped open.
He was back at the altar.
Sweat drenched his body.
The system screen flickered.
🔥 AWAKENING RESULT
Awakened God: ???
Status: SEALED
Rank: UNDETERMINED
Star Level: LOCKED
A moment of stunned silence—
Then laughter erupted.
"Undetermined? So useless." "Not even F rank?" "Did the altar break?"
An official frowned and waved his hand dismissively.
"Mark him as incomplete awakening."
Just like that, it was decided.
Kiran stepped down from the altar.
No celebration.
No pity.
No interest.
He was invisible.
But the system spoke again.
This time, only to him.
📌 HIDDEN SYSTEM MESSAGE
Unique Host Confirmed
Nameless God Bound
Condition-based Awakening Enabled
First Mission:
Achieve F Rank ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ without divine exposure
Warning:
Premature awakening may result in annihilation
Kiran clenched his fist.
His hands trembled.
Not from fear.
From excitement.
"So this is it…"
"A sealed god."
"A broken system."
"A world that decides everything by rank."
He smiled faintly.
"Fine."
"I'll start from the bottom."
"And when you awaken…"
His eyes darkened.
"This world won't be able to forget you again."
Chapter 2: Lowest Rank, Highest Risk
The moment Kiran stepped away from the Awakening Altar, the world made its judgment.
It was fast.
Cold.
Final.
No one stopped him.
No one questioned the result.
No one cared.
"Incomplete awakening," the officials recorded, already moving on to the next name.
The altar glowed again.
Another life decided.
Kiran walked down the stone steps slowly, his ears ringing with whispers that weren't even meant to be quiet.
"Undetermined rank… what a joke." "At least F-rank trash can work as labor."
"He doesn't even have that." "Probably dead within a year."
Dead.
The word echoed in his head.
He had heard it before—spoken casually, as if it were a natural outcome.
In this world, death was the destiny of the weak.
A WORLD THAT MEASURES WORTH
Kiran exited the plaza and entered the lower district.
The difference was immediate.
The streets here were narrow, cracked, and crowded. Old buildings leaned against each other like they were barely standing. Vendors shouted. Children ran barefoot. The air smelled of metal, sweat, and dust.
This was where low-rank awakeners ended up.
F-rank one-star carriers.
Failed awakenings.
Those who couldn't survive the first year.
People who were useful only until they broke.
Kiran blended in perfectly.
"Nothing changed," he thought.
"Except now, even hope is dangerous."
As he walked, translucent screens appeared in front of his vision.
📊 SYSTEM STATUS
Host: Kiran
Age: 18
Rank: LOCKED
Stars: LOCKED
God: SEALED (UNKNOWN)
Physical Condition: Below Average
Below average.
He let out a short breath.
"So even my body is trash."
But then another line appeared.
Hidden Modifier Active:
Soul Stability: EXCEPTIONAL
Kiran stopped walking.
Exceptional?
The word didn't belong with the rest.
"That's because of you… isn't it?" he thought.
The presence inside him did not respond.
But he felt it.
Watching.
Waiting.
THE REALITY AFTER AWAKENING
That night, Kiran returned to the shared dormitory assigned to "unranked awakeners."
The room was small. Eight beds. Thin blankets. One dim light.
Six beds were already occupied.
The moment he entered, eyes turned toward him.
Someone scoffed.
"So you're the altar failure."
Kiran didn't respond.
Another boy laughed bitterly.
"Undetermined is worse than F rank. At least F rank means you're alive."
A tall boy with scars on his arms leaned back against the wall.
"Tomorrow, they'll assign us work. Or throw us into training zones."
Training zones.
Everyone here knew what that meant.
Low-level monster-infested areas where casualties were expected.
No one trained F-rank trash to succeed.
They trained them to die usefully.
Kiran sat on an empty bed and lay down, staring at the cracked ceiling.
Sleep did not come.
SYSTEM INTERRUPTION
At midnight, the system activated again.
Daily Survival Assessment Initiated
A new screen appeared.
📌 QUEST GENERATED
Quest Type: Mandatory
Objective: Survive your first combat encounter
Time Limit: 72 hours
Reward:
– Rank Unlock (F Rank)
– Star Progression Enabled
Failure Penalty:
Death
Kiran's fingers tightened.
Mandatory.
No refusal.
No delay.
"So this is how it works…"
"The system doesn't care if I'm ready."
He swallowed.
"It only cares if I survive."
THE NEXT MORNING –
ASSIGNMENT
The following day, guards gathered the unranked awakeners.
A large iron gate opened.
Beyond it lay wasteland.
Broken terrain. Twisted trees. Dark mist crawling across the ground.
A sign stood crookedly at the entrance.
BEGINNER TRAINING ZONE
The guard spoke flatly.
"You have three days."
"If you kill monsters, you earn points."
"If you survive, good."
"If you die, your body will be collected later."
Someone shouted, "What rank monsters?!"
The guard smiled thinly.
"F-rank."
Laughter erupted—nervous, hollow.
Everyone here knew the truth.
Even F-rank monsters kill F-rank awakeners.
FIRST STEP INTO HELL
The gate closed behind them.
Silence followed.
Then movement.
Groups formed quickly.
Strong-looking awakeners gathered allies.
Weapon users checked their gear.
Kiran stood alone.
No weapon.
No rank.
No visible ability.
"Alone is safer," he decided.
"At least no one can stab me in the back."
He moved deeper into the zone.
The mist thickened.
Every sound felt louder.
Crunch.
Something stepped on dry bone.
Kiran froze.
Red eyes appeared in the fog.
A shape emerged.
🐺 MONSTER IDENTIFIED
Name: Feral Hound
Rank: F
Stars: ⭐⭐
Threat Level: Moderate
The creature snarled, saliva dripping from jagged teeth.
It lunged.
Kiran reacted on instinct.
He rolled aside, barely avoiding its fangs.
Pain exploded in his arm as claws tore skin.
Blood.
Real blood.
"So this is combat…"
The hound turned, ready to strike again.
Kiran's heart pounded.
He had no skill.
No weapon.
No blessing.
"System!"
SYSTEM RESPONSE
Combat detected
Emergency Function Unlocked
Temporary Skill Granted:
Basic Evasion (Passive)
His body moved—unnaturally smooth.
The next attack missed.
Kiran grabbed a sharp stone from the ground.
The hound leaped.
He thrust upward.
The stone pierced its throat.
A wet sound followed.
The body collapsed.
Kiran fell backward, gasping.
🔔 KILL CONFIRMATION
Feral Hound defeated
Experience Gained
Star Progress: 12% (F Rank)
He stared at the screen.
"Progress…?"
Then another message appeared.
⚠️ WARNING
Nameless God reacts to bloodshed
A pressure surged through him.
Not pain.
Not pleasure.
Approval.
"Good," the voice whispered.
"You chose survival."
Kiran stood slowly.
His hands trembled.
Not from fear anymore.
From realization.
"I can do this."
"I just have to keep killing."
THE DIFFERENCE BEGINS
As hours passed, Kiran hunted carefully.
Ambush.
Retreat.
Strike.
He avoided groups.
Avoided attention.
Each kill increased his progress.
📊 STATUS UPDATE
F Rank Progress: 67%
Stars: Unlocking…
Hidden Effect:
Nameless God Influence +1
Something inside him was changing.
His reactions sharpened.
His fear dulled.
His mind grew colder.
NIGHT IN THE ZONE
By nightfall, screams echoed in the distance.
Someone cried for help.
Then silence.
Kiran sat against a rock, blood drying on his clothes.
He looked at his hands.
"This is the world…"
"And this is what it takes to live."
The system pulsed one final time.
🌑 SYSTEM ANNOUNCEMENT
F Rank ⭐ UNLOCKED
God Awakening Path: ACTIVE
The sealed presence stirred.
"This is only the beginning," it said.
"Climb."
Kiran closed his eyes.
Tomorrow, the zone would get worse.
But for the first time—
He wasn't helpless.
Chapter 3: When Humans Become More Dangerous
Night inside the training zone was different.
During the day, monsters hunted with hunger.
At night, humans hunted with intent.
Kiran understood this the moment the screams stopped sounding like panic—and started sounding controlled.
Someone was killing efficiently.
And it wasn't a monster.
THE SILENCE AFTER SCREAMS
The fog thickened as darkness settled in.
Kiran crouched behind a broken stone formation, slowing his breathing. His body ached, his arm throbbed where the hound had clawed him, but he didn't dare rest fully.
Not here.
Not now.
"Nightfall increases monster aggression by at least thirty percent,"
"But humans…"
Humans didn't need system alerts to grow dangerous.
They just needed opportunity.
A metallic clatter echoed faintly.
Footsteps.
More than one.
Kiran pressed closer to the stone, peering through the mist.
Three silhouettes appeared.
Teenagers.
Awakeners.
One carried a crude spear. Another held a short blade. The third dragged something behind him.
A body.
Kiran's stomach tightened.
The body was still bleeding.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF HUNT
"Check his pockets," one of them said casually.
"He was F rank, two stars. Should have had something."
The boy with the blade kicked the corpse.
"Tch. Weak."
Kiran clenched his jaw.
They're looting the dead…
No system message appeared.
No warning.
The world didn't care how awakeners died—only that they did.
"If they see me…"
He didn't finish the thought.
The answer was obvious.
SYSTEM STATUS (SILENT MODE)
F Rank ⭐
Star Progress: 71%
Stamina: Low
Low stamina.
Low margin for error.
Kiran waited.
Minutes passed.
The group finished looting and moved on, laughing quietly.
Only when their presence vanished did Kiran exhale.
"This zone isn't training…"
"It's filtration."
Those who survived weren't the strongest.
They were the most adaptable.
THE SECOND HUNT
Kiran moved cautiously, changing direction often.
He avoided open ground.
Avoided noise.
He spotted another monster—a F-rank crawler with hardened skin.
Instead of attacking immediately, he watched.
Two awakeners rushed it together.
One misstepped.
The crawler's tail pierced his chest.
The other screamed and ran.
The monster roared.
Kiran waited until it fed.
Then struck.
Stone blade to the eye.
The body fell.
🔔 SYSTEM UPDATE
Kill Confirmed
Star Progress: 88%
The system paused.
Condition Met
Star Advancement Available
Kiran's vision blurred for a moment.
A subtle warmth spread through his muscles.
🌟 F RANK ⭐⭐ UNLOCKED
Physical Enhancement: Minor
Reaction Speed: +5%
He clenched his fists.
"Two stars…"
It wasn't much.
But it was proof.
WHEN HELP BECOMES A TRAP
As dawn approached, Kiran heard a weak voice.
"Help… please…"
A girl lay near a fallen tree, blood staining her leg.
F rank.
One star.
She looked terrified.
Kiran stopped at a distance.
Too easy, his instincts warned.
"Please," she cried. "I can't move."
He scanned the surroundings.
Fog.
Stillness.
No monsters.
No system alerts.
That alone was suspicious.
"Where are your teammates?" he asked calmly.
"They… they ran."
Her eyes flickered.
Just for a second.
Enough.
Kiran stepped back.
The ground behind him exploded.
A blade shot upward where his neck would have been.
Three figures emerged.
Same group from earlier.
"Sharp bastard," one muttered.
"So you noticed."
HUMAN MONSTERS
"Give us your points," the spear-user said. "Or die."
Kiran's heart pounded.
Three against one.
All F rank.
One of them was at least two stars.
"Running won't work…"
The system remained silent.
No emergency skill.
No help.
Only choice.
THE NAMELESS GOD STIRS
A pressure rose inside him.
Cold.
Focused.
"They chose predation," the voice whispered.
"What will you choose?"
Kiran inhaled.
Then smiled.
THE FIGHT
He threw dust into the air.
Charged left.
Rolled right.
The spear missed.
He slammed a stone into the blade-user's knee.
Bone cracked.
A scream.
The girl lunged—but hesitated.
That hesitation cost her.
Kiran stabbed her throat.
Blood sprayed.
The third boy froze.
Fear replaced confidence.
Kiran didn't hesitate.
He never let fear recover.
🔔 MULTIPLE KILL CONFIRMATION
Three awakeners defeated
Star Progress: 100%
The system pulsed violently.
🌟 F RANK ⭐⭐⭐ UNLOCKED
Passive Skill Unlocked:
Blood Calm – Fear reduction during combat
Kiran stood over the bodies, chest heaving.
He felt nothing.
No guilt.
No triumph.
Only clarity.
"This is what it means to climb."
DAWN
The fog thinned.
The gate would open soon.
Kiran washed the blood from his hands in a shallow stream.
He looked at his reflection.
His eyes were different.
Colder.
Sharper.
The system spoke one last time.
📌 SYSTEM NOTICE
Survival Quest: COMPLETE
Progress Exceeds Expectation
Hidden Reward Pending
The sealed god's presence stirred again.
"You didn't hesitate," it said.
"Good."
"Next time…"
"I will give you a choice worth fearing."
Kiran straightened.
As the gate opened in the distance, he walked toward it calmly.
He entered the zone as nothing.
He left it as something dangerous.