The days that followed blurred together.
Every morning before the sun rose, Kyle stood silently before the small grave beneath the floor of his home.
The shack remained as broken as ever.
Rainwater still leaked through the roof whenever storms came.
Nothing had changed.
Except him.
He knelt before the rough stone marker.
Here rests Elara Verion.
The only person who ever believed in me.
He stared at those words for several moments before speaking.
"I'll become stronger."
"I promise."
"I'll make them pay."
After a few minutes, he rose to his feet, grabbed his worn backpack, and left for school.
...
School had become nothing more than another part of his routine.
He listened.
He studied.
He answered when teachers called his name.
Beyond that...
He spoke to no one.
The cheerful boy who occasionally laughed with his classmates was gone.
In his place was a quiet young man whose eyes held an unsettling calm.
Some students noticed the change.
Most didn't care.
To them, Kyle Verion was simply the poor student from the Ash District.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
As classes ended that afternoon, Kyle didn't head home immediately.
Instead, he walked toward the industrial district on the outskirts of Sector 8.
An elderly mechanic had reluctantly agreed to hire him.
The pay was terrible.
The work was worse.
For hours, Kyle carried heavy engine parts, swept metal shavings from the floor, sorted scrap, and cleaned grease from broken machinery.
By the time the sun began to set, every muscle in his body ached.
The old mechanic glanced at Kyle before giving a slow nod.
“You worked hard today.”
He tapped a few buttons on his wrist communicator.
Ding!
+35 Credits received.
“There. Your pay’s been transferred.”
Kyle checked his own communicator. The notification glowed on the screen.
“Thank you,” he said with a slight nod before turning to leave.
...
Most people would have gone to sleep after a day like that.
Kyle didn't.
Instead, he changed into old clothes and walked to an abandoned construction site near the edge of the Ash District.
There, beneath the dim glow of broken streetlights, he began to train.
He ran until his lungs burned.
He did push-ups until his arms gave out.
He performed squats until his legs shook violently.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Eventually, his body collapsed onto the cold ground.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
Every muscle screamed in protest.
Kyle stared at the dark sky.
"What good is talent..." he whispered, "...if I don't even have the body to use it?"
He forced himself back to his feet.
One more set.
Then another.
By the time he returned home, he could barely walk.
Yet before sleeping...
He knelt once more before his mother's grave.
"I got a little stronger today."
"I'll be stronger tomorrow."
...
Weeks passed.
The bruises from the bullies healed.
New ones replaced them.
Yet something about Kyle had changed.
Whenever they cornered him after school, he no longer begged.
He didn't cry.
He didn't plead for mercy.
He simply endured every punch in silence.
The bullies slowly lost interest.
Hurting someone who refused to react was no fun.
Even so, Kyle welcomed the pain.
Each blow reminded him of a simple truth.
He was still weak.
Far too weak.
...
Three weeks later...
The final bell rang.
The classroom quieted as their homeroom teacher gathered her books.
Just before leaving, she paused.
"Oh, before I forget."
Everyone looked toward her.
"Tomorrow, your first period will be taken over by one of the academy's Awakening instructors."
The room immediately erupted with excitement.
"Seriously?"
"Finally!"
"I've been waiting for this!"
The teacher smiled.
"As most of you know, your Artificial Awakening Ceremony is only three months away."
"So from tomorrow onward, you'll begin learning the fundamentals of Awakeners, cultivation, and the ranking system."
Most of the class barely reacted.
Many of them had grown up in Awakened families.
Their parents had already taught them the basics.
But at the back of the classroom...
Kyle slowly raised his head.
His heart beat just a little faster.
This...
This was exactly what he had been waiting for.
For the first time since his mother's death...
He found himself looking forward to tomorrow.
The next morning…
Kyle arrived at New Horizon Academy nearly forty minutes before the first bell.
The campus was unusually quiet.
Only a handful of students had arrived.
Instead of heading to the back of the classroom as usual, Kyle took a seat in the front row.
Today was different.
For the first time since his mother’s death, he genuinely wanted to learn.
Every piece of knowledge about Awakeners could become another weapon for his revenge.
One by one, students trickled into the classroom.
Many were surprised to see Kyle sitting in the front.
“Since when does the Ash District rat come this early?”
“Who knows?”
“Maybe he finally wants to study.”
A few laughed.
Kyle ignored them.
Their words no longer reached him.
Minutes later, the classroom door opened.
Tap… Tap… Tap…
A woman in a fitted black academy uniform walked into the room.
She appeared to be in her late twenties.
Her long chestnut hair rested neatly over her shoulders, and her sharp amber eyes carried the confidence of someone who had seen countless Awakeners rise and fall.
The room instantly became lively.
Several boys straightened their uniforms.
Others whispered among themselves.
“She’s even prettier up close…”
“She’s the Awakening instructor?”
Only Kyle remained focused.
His eyes never lingered on her appearance.
He was waiting for the lesson.
The woman placed a digital tablet on the teacher’s desk before smiling.
“Good morning, everyone.”
“Good morning, Miss!”
“My name is Mrs. Campbell.”
“For the next three months, I’ll be teaching you the fundamentals of the Awakening Path.”
“As your homeroom teacher informed you yesterday, your Artificial Awakening Ceremony is only three months away.”
“So today’s lesson is the foundation upon which your future will be built.”
The room became silent.
Mrs. Campbell tapped the smart board behind her.
A glowing diagram appeared.
At the top were nine circles connected by ascending lines.
“First…”
“Let’s discuss the ranks of an Awakener.”
“There are nine major ranks.”
She pointed at the first circle.
“Rank One.”
Then the second.
“Rank Two.”
She continued until the final circle.
“Rank Nine.”
“The difference between each rank is enormous.”
“A single Rank Two Awakener can easily overpower several Rank One Awakeners of equal talent.”
“The same principle continues upward.”
A student raised his hand.
“Ma’am, is there anything inside each rank?”
Mrs. Campbell smiled.
“Good question.”
“Each rank is divided into three stages.”
“Low Rank.”
“Mid Rank.”
“And High Rank.”
“When you master the High stage, you’ll have the opportunity to break through into the next major rank.”
Kyle listened without blinking.
Every single word was engraved into his memory.
Mrs. Campbell continued.
“Now…”
“How does an Awakener become stronger?”
“There are two primary cultivation paths.”
She raised two fingers.
“The first is Mana Cultivation.”
“Mana exists naturally throughout the world.”
“By meditating and drawing mana into your body, you strengthen your core and increase your supernatural abilities.”
“If your Awakening grants you control over fire…”
“Mana allows your flames to become hotter, larger, and easier to control.”
“If you awaken a wind affinity…”
“Mana strengthens your command over wind.”
She paused briefly before raising another finger.
“The second path…”
“Body Cultivation.”
Unlike Mana Cultivation, Body Cultivation required no meditation.
“No lotus position.”
“No gathering mana.”
“You strengthen yourself through relentless physical training.”
“Running.”
“Weightlifting.”
“Endurance.”
“Combat practice.”
“Pushing your body beyond its limits.”
“Body Cultivators possess incredible physical strength, speed, endurance, and durability.”
“Even Mana Cultivators benefit from training their bodies.”
“So never neglect your physique.”
Kyle lowered his eyes.
Every morning…
Every evening…
Without realizing it…
He had already begun walking that path.
Mrs. Campbell folded her arms.
“Many people think only awakened abilities matter.”
“They’re wrong.”
“A weak body limits a powerful ability.”
“A strong body amplifies it.”
She looked around the classroom.
“Now…”
“How many of you have already stepped into Rank One?”
Nearly a third of the class stood.
Kyle’s eyes widened.
So many?
Mrs. Campbell nodded.
“Excellent.”
“Brandon Vale.”
A handsome young man with neatly combed black hair stood confidently.
He was one of the academy’s most admired students.
Girls often stole glances at him whenever he walked by.
Boys respected him.
Or envied him.
“Please give the class a demonstration.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Brandon walked to the front.
Resting there was the teacher’s heavy steel desk, stacked with textbooks, electronic equipment, and several storage cases.
He bent slightly…
Placed one hand beneath it…
And lifted.
The entire desk rose effortlessly into the air.
One hand.
No strain.
No shaking.
The classroom erupted.
“Incredible!”
“So that’s Rank One?”
“I can’t even move that desk!”
Brandon smiled faintly before setting it back down.
Thud.
Mrs. Campbell nodded in approval.
“That…”
She looked toward the stunned students.
“…is merely the strength of a Low Rank One Body Cultivator.”
Kyle remained frozen.
His heartbeat quickened.
The Void Serpents…
They had possessed this kind of strength.
No…
Perhaps even greater.
His fists slowly tightened beneath the desk.
Power.
He finally understood what that word truly meant.
And for the first time…
The path toward revenge no longer felt like an impossible dream.
It had become a mountain.
One he swore he would climb.