The alarm buzzed, slicing through the quiet of the cramped apartment. Jin Woo groaned, slapping the clock with enough force to send it clattering to the floor. He stared at the cracked ceiling above him, his chest rising and falling with the weight of another day.
The sunlight filtering through the grimy window didn't bring warmth—it only highlighted the peeling wallpaper and the mess of books and clothes scattered around the room. He sat up, his black hair a tangled mess, and looked at his reflection in the cracked mirror by the door.
A skinny frame. Dark circles under his eyes. A face that didn't stand out in a crowd.
This wasn't the look of a hero. It wasn't the look of someone who could make a difference in the world. But here he was, Jin Woo, a student at Seoul Academy for Awakeners—the most prestigious training school for those with supernatural powers.
He grabbed his bag and muttered under his breath, "Echo Sense."
A faint ripple of translucent energy pulsed from his body, spreading out in all directions. It was a pathetic power, barely strong enough to sense energy within a few meters. No offensive capabilities, no flashy visuals. Just a weak pulse that even kids could imitate in schoolyard games.
But it was all he had.
---
Seoul Academy was a sprawling complex of modern architecture, its sleek buildings and high-tech facilities designed to nurture the best awakeners in Korea. The massive gates, etched with the academy's crest, loomed before Jin Woo as he trudged forward.
Students streamed through the entrance in groups, their chatter and laughter filling the air. Most were from high-ranking classes—A-Class, B-Class, even the occasional C-Class. They carried themselves with the confidence of future heroes, destined to battle the monsters that still threatened humanity.
Jin Woo wasn't one of them.
As he passed the courtyard, a group of A-Class students stood by the fountain, laughing loudly. Their leader, Kang Min Jae, spotted him and smirked.
"Well, look who it is," Min Jae called out, his voice loud enough to draw attention. "The pride of F-Class himself!"
The others laughed as Min Jae sauntered toward Jin Woo, his fire abilities flaring faintly around his fists.
"You know, Jin Woo, maybe if you tried a little harder, you could move up to E-Class," Min Jae sneered. "Oh, wait—you'd still be useless."
Jin Woo kept his head down and walked past, gripping his bag tightly. He'd learned a long time ago that responding only made things worse.
Behind him, the laughter followed him all the way to the F-Class building.
---
The F-Class wing of the academy was a stark contrast to the rest of the campus. The walls were faded, the paint peeling, and the desks mismatched. It was as if the school wanted to remind the students here of their place.
Jin Woo slid into his usual seat at the back of the room, pulling out a battered notebook. The other students barely acknowledged him. In a way, that was a blessing—he preferred being ignored to being singled out.
Professor Min entered the room, her sharp gaze sweeping across the sparse class. She was a stern woman, her silver hair tied back in a tight bun, and she wasted no time in starting the lesson.
"Today, we'll be discussing dimensional gates," she said, writing the words on the board. "The greatest mystery and threat of our time."
Jin Woo half-listened as she explained the origins of the gates, the rifts in space that had unleashed monsters upon the world eight years ago. He'd heard it all before: how humanity had been pushed to the brink, how the awakeners had risen to defend the world, and how the **Awakener's Association** maintained control over the gates today.
None of it felt real to him. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't someone who could fight monsters or close gates. He was just a guy with a useless ability, trying to survive in a world that didn't want him.
---
The day passed in a blur until the afternoon combat training session. Jin Woo found himself paired with Kim Soo Jin, a cocky classmate who never missed an opportunity to humiliate him.
The instructor gave the signal to begin, and Soo Jin lunged forward, his enhanced strength propelling him across the training arena. Jin Woo barely dodged, his Echo Sense warning him just in time.
The fight was one-sided from the start. Soo Jin's attacks were relentless, and Jin Woo had no way to fight back. His classmates watched from the sidelines, some snickering, others openly laughing.
A heavy punch to the stomach sent Jin Woo sprawling to the ground.
"Pathetic," Soo Jin spat, standing over him. "Why are you even here? You'll never amount to anything."
The words stung more than the punches. Jin Woo lay there, gasping for breath, as the laughter of his classmates echoed in his ears.
---
That evening, Jin Woo walked home alone, the weight of the day pressing down on him. The streets were quiet, the neon signs of Seoul casting long shadows on the pavement.
Then, his Echo Sense flared.
He froze, the faint ripple of energy brushing against his consciousness. It wasn't like anything he'd sensed before—cold, dark, and ancient.
Curiosity pulled him toward an alleyway. There, in the dim light, he saw it: a faint, glowing crack in the air. A gate.
But this gate was different. Its energy pulsed erratically, radiating a strange, unnatural rhythm. As Jin Woo stepped closer, he felt something tug at him, pulling him toward the gate.
A voice echoed in his mind, deep and resonant:
"Arkanis... the Gatekeeper... you cannot hide forever."
Jin Woo stumbled back, his heart pounding. The gate flickered and vanished, leaving only silence behind.
He stood there, trembling, as the words repeated in his mind.
"Arkanis... the Gatekeeper..."
For the first time in his life, Jin Woo felt something stir deep within him. It wasn't fear or anger—it was something else.
Something dangerous.
---
*End of Chapter 1*