Chapter 3: The Awakening
Tae-Hyun's eyes snapped open, the world coming back to him in a disorienting rush. The sterile, white ceiling above him blurred into focus, its harsh fluorescent lights making his head spin. He blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the confusion, only to find himself lying on a cold, metallic bed in a sterile room. His heart pounded in his chest, and a strange dizziness gripped him as the remnants of the dream—or was it a vision?—faded into the recesses of his mind.
The room was quiet, save for the soft beeping of a machine next to him. He turned his head to the side and found himself in what looked like a medical ward, the walls lined with screens and monitoring equipment. But something felt off—he wasn't in a typical hospital. The air had a strange metallic taste to it, and the quiet hum of energy was different from the usual hospital atmosphere.
Before he could make sense of it, the door to the room swung open, and a man in a lab coat stepped in, his gaze sharp, professional. He was middle-aged, with dark circles under his eyes, as if sleep was a luxury he could no longer afford.
"Ah, you're awake," the man said, his voice clipped but not unkind. He pushed his glasses up his nose. "How are you feeling? Any pain?"
Tae-Hyun tried to sit up, but his body felt sluggish, his muscles weak, and his mind still foggy from the events that had unfolded. He had no memory of how he had ended up here, only a vague recollection of the chains, the strange power that surged through him, and the mysterious voice that had told him of his destiny.
"I... I feel fine," Tae-Hyun said, his voice raspy as he tried to process what was happening. "Where am I? What happened?"
The man sighed, lowering his tablet and approaching his bedside. "You're in a special facility. We found you after the Shardstorm. You collapsed, and we brought you in for observation. You've been unconscious for several hours now, but... well, you're lucky to be alive."
Tae-Hyun frowned. "The Shardstorm... I don't remember much of it."
The man nodded. "You're not alone. After the storm passed, we were able to scan the area for any survivors. You were the only one who showed... signs of anomaly. We've been running tests on you ever since."
"Tests?" Tae-Hyun's brow furrowed. The memories of the strange power within him came flooding back—the golden chains, the Shatterstep, and most terrifying of all, the Distortion ability that had seemed so natural, so powerful.
Before he could ask more questions, the door opened again. This time, it wasn't just the doctor who entered. A group of individuals, all dressed in tactical gear, walked into the room. They were tall, imposing, with an air of authority that made Tae-Hyun feel small and insignificant. At the head of the group was a woman with striking features, her long black hair tied back in a tight ponytail, her eyes sharp and calculating. She had the look of someone who had seen too much of the world's darkness, and Tae-Hyun instantly felt uneasy under her gaze.
She stepped forward, her eyes scanning him critically.
"Is this him?" she asked, her voice cool and professional.
The doctor nodded. "Yes. Subject shows unusual Aether signatures. Far beyond anything we've seen before."
Tae-Hyun's heart skipped a beat. The word "Aether" hung in the air like a weight, and he instinctively shifted uncomfortably on the bed.
"What do you mean... unusual?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The woman glanced at the doctor before turning her gaze back to him. "We've never seen anything like it," she said bluntly. "You're not just a Shardbreaker. Your Aether readings are off the charts. In fact... they're off the scale entirely."
Tae-Hyun's mind raced. What did she mean, "off the scale"? Was this some kind of mistake?
The woman walked closer, her eyes narrowing as she leaned over a console at the edge of the room. "Let's run the final diagnostic," she muttered, tapping a few buttons.
A soft humming sound filled the room as a large screen blinked to life in front of Tae-Hyun, displaying a series of numbers and charts he couldn't quite comprehend. There were lines, waves, and patterns that all seemed to connect to his own being, an intricate web of data surrounding him. But one thing was painfully clear—the numbers weren't normal. They were far, far too high.
The doctor, who had been observing the data, let out a sharp breath. "This... this can't be right."
The woman's lips curled into a thin smile, though it held no warmth. "It's right. He's not just a Shardbreaker. He's a new class entirely."
Tae-Hyun felt his blood run cold. "What class?"
The woman straightened, her eyes glinting with something like admiration—and fear. "An XS-rank."
There was a stunned silence.
An XS-rank?
Tae-Hyun tried to wrap his mind around the implications of that. Shardbreakers were classified based on their power, their ability to harness Aether. The ranks ranged from F to A, with A being the highest classification for most elite Shardbreakers. There were rumors of an S-rank, a mythological level of power that few, if any, had ever reached.
But XS? That was something else entirely.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the woman held up a hand, cutting him off. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. This is unprecedented. But the fact is, your Aether levels exceed anything we've ever recorded. You're a living anomaly."
Tae-Hyun felt his head spin. He was a normal guy—just a delivery boy—until a few hours ago. And now... now, they were calling him something unheard of. XS-rank.
The woman's gaze softened, but there was still that calculating look in her eyes. "This is a very dangerous situation for you, Tae-Hyun," she said, her voice no longer just clinical. "We don't know what the full extent of your abilities is yet, but if you're truly what the data suggests... there will be others after you. People who will want to control you, or worse, eliminate you. You're a weapon now, whether you like it or not."
Tae-Hyun swallowed hard, his mind reeling. A weapon? He had no training, no experience with whatever power was coursing through him. And now, they were telling him he was the most powerful Shardbreaker—no, the most powerful being—alive?
"What do I do now?" he asked, his voice shaking despite his best efforts to keep it steady.
The woman paused for a long moment, as if weighing her words carefully. Finally, she spoke.
"You're going to learn how to control it. And then, you're going to make a choice."
Tae-Hyun glanced up at her, the weight of the situation settling heavily on his shoulders. He had no idea what was coming, but deep down, he knew this was only the beginning.
The beginning of something far greater. Something far darker.
And the question was no longer if he could survive this power, but whether he could control it before it consumed him completely.