Once, in a soldier’s camp, a group of men were asked: if you somehow survived this war, what would you tell your children was the biggest fear of being on the battlefield?
Danger. Hunger. Discrimination. Killing. Loneliness. The constant stench of blood, rotting corpses, and gunpowder. The pain of losing loved brothers. All of them had different answers to the question, but mine was different.
The true fear of being on the battlefield was this: you fight your first battle, survive, start to believe you can make it through it all, only to realize you might not survive another day, and even then, you can’t do anything about it.
Maybe it was because of this mentality, maybe it was my lack of conviction, or maybe I was simply too weak. Soon after that question was asked in my camp, I died on the battlefield.
My death wasn’t heroic in the least. I just died. A simple, meaningless death.
After death, though, I didn’t wake up inside the afterlife that various religious priests had promised us in camp.
Instead, I saw myself in a tunnel, and at the very end of it, a bright light.
Just like that, I found myself inside this new world.
Ten years had passed since that day, and to be totally honest, my life had been shit throughout.
"I’ll take this pack of condoms," a man’s voice shattered my thoughts as he slammed the red pack onto the counter, one arm hooked around a girl in a high school uniform, pulling her against his side.
’Isn’t that the school close to here?’ I tilted my head up, my face resting against my clenched palm, elbow propped on the counter.
The man wore a sneer as he glared at me with a fierce gaze. He was dark-skinned, standing seven or eight feet tall, with a muscular frame and tattoos covering his body.
What stood out the most to me was the crest at the back of his palm. ’So he’s an Awakened.’
I stood up straight and began bagging their items, not even bothering to look at the girl as she continued throwing herself at the rough-looking man.
Even if I’d wanted to step in, he stood more than half a foot taller than me, and he was an Awakened. Besides, risking my neck for complete strangers wasn’t something I did anymore.
"That will be three dollars."
The man frowned. "Three dollars for just this?! You want to scam me, kid?!" His voice boomed across the store, but I didn’t so much as shift my weight under his glare.
"That’s the price, sir. If you don’t want to buy, you can kindly leave my store. Or perhaps," I said with a smirk, "don’t go around carrying minors, unless this is a weird kink of yours... Pervert."
The man’s eyes widened with rage, turning bloodshot. He grabbed me by the collar and drove a straight punch toward my face.
I couldn’t even react before the fist connected, and my jaw cracked to the side.
"You think you got a tongue, kid? Why don’t I tear it apart? Think anyone would care?"
I smiled through the blood smeared across my lips and chin, then spat at his face. "Your breath fucking stinks, you bastard."
"What did you just say?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but my gaze locked back onto the crest on his hand, and my eyes darkened slightly.
’Shit, I’ve done it, haven’t I?’
Crack!
I didn’t even know what had happened. One moment I was standing there; the next, my vision blurred as consciousness slipped away.
When I finally opened my eyes, darkness surrounded me, and every inch of my body ached, as though I’d been hit by a truck.
"Fuck. Just had to do everything but shut up."
The ground beneath me was as cold as winter frost, but even as my body trembled, I remained where I was.
Honestly... I doubted I could even stand.
"So you’ve finally woken up?"
I turned my eyes toward the voice and found a young, handsome guy with blond hair and blue eyes grinning down at me.
"What’s so funny, you bastard?"
The guy, who also happened to be my useless best friend, chuckled, arms crossed loosely over his chest. "Nothing. I just have good news and bad news for you. Actually... it’s two pieces of good news."
I looked away from him, my eyes beginning to ache, and stared blankly at the ceiling. "Can’t you see how fucked up I am? I’m not in the mood to hear anything."
Felix frowned. "So... do you want to hear the news or not, man?"
I rolled my eyes, then let out a sigh. "Just spit it out already. What’s the bad news?"
"Well, someone raided your entire store. But don’t worry, the CCTV caught them, and I’ve already asked my dad for the money to replace everything before your boss gets back."
I let out a sigh. "Thanks, man."
After a brief pause, I decided to ask about the other news.
Since the bad news wasn’t all that bad, the good news had to be really good... right?
My grinning best friend spoke again, his smile somehow growing even wider.
"You know I turned eighteen yesterday, right? That means it’s finally time for our drinking contest. And because I’m your best friend for life, I brought plenty of drinks today."
"The other news, Fel?" I pressed.
Felix didn’t answer right away. Instead, his footsteps echoed across the room as he climbed onto the counter and looked down at me.
"The other piece of good news, which also happens to be the best news, is that..." He paused dramatically, drumming his lips together for effect. "I got you a spot at tomorrow’s Awakening Ceremony!"
The moment I heard the words Awakening Ceremony, I shot upright, ignoring the pain that flared through my body. "What did you just say?"
"Well, tomorrow’s our school’s Awakening Ceremony. It’s our last chance to become true Awakened, to fight the rift creatures and bring glory to humanity."
Felix held out a hand toward me, a grin spreading across his face. "So, my good friend Kaiser... want to save the world with me as Hunters?"
I stared at my best friend for a long moment before letting out a sigh as reality settled over me once more. "I’d rather not go to the Awakening Ceremony. For one, most of our middle school classmates will be there, right?"
After a pause, I continued. "And without any guarantee that I’ll awaken, I’d rather not get my hopes up, or give my father a reason to grow suspicious."
Felix frowned.
"So trying to build yourself a better future instead of working in a convenience store to fund his gambling and drinking is suspicious now?"
I slowly pulled myself to my feet, a sharp ache spreading through my body as blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.
"You know what kind of family I live in, right? That bastard would kill me if I tried to run or go against him. Unless I’m certain I’ll awaken, I’d rather not provoke him... or mom."
Felix raked a hand through his hair in frustration. "God, you’re driving me insane, Kai! Can’t you just call the police or something?"
I shook my head, my gaze drifting across the wrecked store.
The shelves had been knocked over, and everything of value had been taken by that rough-looking Awakened.
"Guess I’d better find a new job," I muttered, forcing out a laugh that sounded fake even to my own ears.
To some, transmigration was heaven’s way of giving them a second chance at life. To others, it was an opportunity to fix the mistakes and regrets of their past.
For me...
It was hell.
This world where dungeons, rifts, and monsters existed. A world where humanity hid behind colossal domes, terrified of whatever lurked beyond those towering metal walls.
A world where people awakened Classes and Traits, a world countless Earthlings fantasized about in their childish daydreams.
For them, it was a wonderful dream.
For me, it was my worst nightmare.
I was about to pull out my phone and call my boss when Felix grabbed my shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze.
"Kai! I have the perfect plan! What if you wear a mask to the Awakening Ceremony? That way, whether you fail or awaken, nobody will know it’s Michael Kaiser, the son of an abusive, gambling-addicted father and a mother everyone looks down on. You’ll just be... X, the mysterious Awakened."
’What’s gotten into him? I know he’s a good guy, but why does he seem more excited about my awakening than I am?’
I lowered my head for a moment, avoiding his gaze before finally looking back at him.
"I’ll think about it."
"Really?"
I nodded, stepping away from the counter as I pulled my phone from my pocket.
If it were up to me, I’d keep living this quiet life instead of chasing expectations. After all, there was no pain quite like watching hope crumble into disappointment.
But maybe...
Just maybe...
I could become a Hunter.