He woke up half an hour later.
Cold concrete pressed against his back. His head throbbed, and his vision swam as he slowly forced himself upright.
"…What was that?"
His voice came out weak.
The last thing he remembered was the Rift—screams, collapsing buildings, and a strange pressure crushing his chest. Then everything went dark.
He checked his hands.
Nothing looked different.
No glowing symbols. No surge of power. No miracle.
Just the same fragile body he had always had.
He let out a tired breath.
Must've passed out from exhaustion.
That was the only explanation he could accept.
He'd never been healthy. Skipping meals was normal. Rest was a luxury. Since his parents died in a Rift incident years ago, survival had mattered more than comfort. His uncle did what he could, but money was always short.
So he convinced himself it was just lack of energy.
And he moved on.
The next two days passed quietly.
Too quietly.
His body felt heavier than usual, and sometimes his heart would beat strangely fast, but he ignored it. He had more important things to worry about.
In two days…
He would be sent to the academy.
Hunter Academy.
The place where Awakened were born.
It wasn't a choice.
Every sixteen-year-old was required to attend the evaluation. If you awakened during the test, you earned the right to train as a Hunter.
If you didn't—
You were sent away.
Assigned to factories, construction zones, or Rift cleanup crews.
People called it "support work."
Everyone else called it exile.
On the morning of enrollment, his uncle walked him to the transport gate.
"You'll be fine," his uncle said, forcing a smile. "Just do your best."
He nodded.
That was all he could promise.
The academy stood like a fortress on the edge of the upper district—tall walls, shining towers, and armored guards stationed at every entrance. Expensive vehicles lined the front gates, dropping off kids dressed in luxury uniforms.
He stepped out of the transport pod and felt instantly out of place.
Most of the students around him were confident. Some were excited. Others already radiated faint traces of Universe Energy.
He felt nothing.
Inside the main hall, hundreds of teenagers were gathered.
A holographic screen lit up above them.
AWAKENING EVALUATION – DAY ONE
A tall instructor stepped forward.
His voice echoed through the chamber.
"Listen carefully."
"Only those who awaken today will be allowed to stay."
Murmurs spread across the crowd.
The instructor continued.
"This academy exists for one purpose—"
"To create strong Hunters capable of killing Rift Monsters."
"We don't train the weak."
"If you fail to awaken, you will be reassigned to civilian labor immediately."
No comfort.
No encouragement.
Just reality.
One by one, students were called forward.
They placed their hands on a crystal pillar in the center of the room.
Some pillars flared with light.
Those students were escorted to the right.
Cheers erupted.
Others triggered nothing.
They were escorted to the left.
Silent.
Broken.
With every failure, his chest tightened.
He watched boys and girls his age lose their futures in seconds.
Then—
His name appeared on the screen.
He swallowed and stepped forward.
The crystal was cold beneath his palm.
He closed his eyes.
Please…
Nothing happened.
No light.
No warmth.
No awakening.
The instructor glanced at the monitor.
"…No reaction."
A staff member moved toward him.
"Step aside."
His heart sank.
So this was it.
Powerless.
Just like everyone said.
As he turned to leave—
A sudden pressure exploded in his chest.
His vision blurred.
For a split second, something deep inside him stirred.
Not Universe Energy.
Something darker.
Older.
But before anyone noticed—
It vanished.