### **Chapter 2: The First Mission**
The morning light streamed through the cracks of Jae-min's curtains, but his eyes snapped open long before the sun had risen. Sleep had been impossible. The words of the system replayed in his mind like an echo:
**"Your current star power is insufficient. Complete missions to increase it."**
Sitting up in his small, bare room, Jae-min glanced at the faint blue screen that still hovered in the air before him. It was surreal—something straight out of a dream. He rubbed his eyes, half expecting it to vanish when he looked again. But it remained. The mission was clear.
**Mission 1: Complete the basic training session.
Reward: +5 Star Power.**
"Basic training session?" he muttered. "What does that even mean?"
The moment the words left his lips, the system responded.
**"A virtual training field will be initiated. Please prepare."**
Before he could ask what that meant, the world around him shifted. His apartment blurred and warped, dissolving into a shimmering void. The floor beneath him vanished, replaced by solid black glass reflecting a starry sky. Around him, a vast expanse of emptiness stretched infinitely, broken only by a single glowing figure ahead. It was a humanoid shape, featureless and glowing faintly blue, standing with a weapon in hand.
**"Welcome to the training field. Your goal: Defeat the combatant."**
Jae-min blinked, his pulse quickening. "Wait—combatant? What do you mean defeat? I don't even have a weapon!"
As if on cue, a sword materialized in front of him, floating weightlessly in the air. Its sleek, futuristic design shimmered with faint light. Hesitantly, he reached out and grasped it. The moment his fingers closed around the hilt, the weapon felt warm, almost alive. It was far lighter than he expected.
The glowing figure ahead of him raised its weapon—a staff glowing with the same blue light—and took a combat stance. Jae-min barely had time to register its movement before the system chimed again.
**"The training session begins. Fight!"**
---
The glowing figure dashed forward, faster than Jae-min thought possible. His instincts screamed at him to move, and he stumbled backward just in time to avoid a downward strike from the staff. The impact cracked the glass-like floor, sending shards of light scattering.
"Are you serious?!" he yelled, panic creeping into his voice. He raised his sword clumsily, holding it like an amateur. He wasn't a fighter—he barely passed the academy's combat training. How was he supposed to win this?
The figure advanced again, its movements fluid and precise. Jae-min swung wildly, hoping to keep it at bay. His sword clashed against the staff, the impact sending a jolt through his arms. The force was far greater than he expected, and he nearly lost his grip.
He scrambled back, his breathing ragged. His thoughts were chaotic, his mind racing with a single realization: he was going to lose.
But then the system's voice cut through his panic.
**"Reminder: Victory is achieved through strategy, not panic. Observe your opponent."**
"Observe?" Jae-min muttered, clutching his sword tightly. He forced himself to focus. The glowing figure wasn't moving randomly—it was precise, deliberate. Its attacks were calculated, aiming for his weakest points.
The figure lunged again, swinging its staff in a wide arc. This time, Jae-min sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blow. His movements were clumsy, but the figure hesitated for a fraction of a second. It was enough for him to strike.
With a desperate shout, he swung his sword at its exposed side. The blade connected, slicing through the glowing form like a hot knife through butter. The figure staggered, its glow flickering.
Jae-min didn't wait for it to recover. He lunged forward, his sword striking again and again. Each blow seemed to weaken the figure further, its movements slowing.
Finally, with one last swing, his sword cut through the figure entirely. It shattered into a cascade of blue light, dissolving into nothingness. The training field fell silent.
**"Mission complete. Reward: +5 Star Power."**
---
Jae-min collapsed to his knees, his chest heaving. Sweat dripped down his face, his arms trembling from the effort. The sword vanished from his grip, and the training field began to fade. Slowly, his apartment reappeared around him, solid and real.
He sat there on the floor, his mind reeling. The system's voice chimed again.
**"Star Power increased. Current total: 5."**
He blinked, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "It... worked?" He opened his status screen, a new feature provided by the system. The glowing interface displayed his current stats:
**Name: Jae-min
Star Power: 5
Status: Weak**
The word "weak" stung, but he ignored it. For the first time, his star power had increased. It wasn't much, but it was something—a small step toward his goal.
The system spoke again.
**"New mission available. Would you like to accept?"**
Jae-min hesitated. His body was still sore from the fight, but the fire in his chest had been reignited. For the first time in years, he felt a glimmer of hope.
"Yes," he said firmly. "What's the mission?"
---
**Mission 2: Complete three consecutive training battles.
Reward: +10 Star Power.**
Jae-min's breath caught. The challenge was clear, and the reward was tempting. If he completed it, he would be halfway to the minimum star power required for awakening.
But three battles? Back-to-back? He wasn't sure if he could handle it. Still, his determination burned brighter than ever.
He stood, stretching his sore muscles. "If this is what it takes to awaken... then so be it."
---
As the system initiated the next training session, Jae-min's resolve hardened. He wasn't the strongest, the fastest, or the most talented. But he had something now that he didn't have before—a way forward.
For the first time in years, the future didn't seem so bleak. And he was ready to fight for it.
**To be continued...**