The dimly lit training arena of Seoul's Elite Awakener Academy echoed with the sound of steel clashing against steel. Jin Woo's breaths came out in short gasps, his body battered and bruised from yet another sparring session. His opponent, Min Jae, smirked from across the arena, his C-class aura flaring menacingly.
"You call yourself an awakener, Jin Woo?" Min Jae taunted, spinning his blade effortlessly. "You're nothing but dead weight. Why don't you just quit and save yourself the humiliation?"
The other students watching from the sidelines laughed, their mocking voices cutting through Jin Woo like a blade.
But Jin Woo didn't reply. His hand tightened around the hilt of his training sword, the callouses on his palms a reminder of the countless hours he had spent trying to keep up with the others.
"Come on, Gatekeeper," Min Jae sneered, using the nickname that had become a cruel joke among the students. "Show me that so-called power of yours."
Something stirred within Jin Woo at those words. A faint echo of a voice, deep and commanding, resonated in his mind.
"Why do you lower yourself before them? You are not one of them."
Jin Woo shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Not now. Not here.
"Focus, Jin Woo!" shouted Instructor Lee from the sidelines. "You're leaving too many openings!"
Min Jae lunged forward, his blade aiming for Jin Woo's exposed side. Jin Woo barely managed to block, the force of the impact sending him skidding backward. His grip on the sword faltered, and he fell to one knee.
The crowd jeered louder, their laughter ringing in his ears.
"You don't belong here," Min Jae said, standing over him. "You'll never be a hero."
The words struck a chord, but not in the way Min Jae intended. Jin Woo felt something deep within him crack, and in its place, a strange, overwhelming presence surged forth.
The air around him grew heavy, oppressive. The jeers of the crowd faded into silence as an unnatural stillness filled the arena. Min Jae stepped back, his confident smirk replaced by a look of unease.
Jin Woo rose to his feet, his movements slow but deliberate. His once dull eyes now glowed faintly with a golden hue, and the air around him seemed to ripple with an unseen force.
"You think heroes are the pinnacle of strength?" Jin Woo's voice was calm, but it carried an edge that made even the most arrogant students flinch. "You think monsters fear heroes?"
Min Jae stumbled back, his sword trembling in his hand.
"No," Jin Woo said, his voice growing colder. "Monsters don't kneel to heroes."
He stepped forward, the oppressive aura around him intensifying. Min Jae dropped his weapon, his legs giving out beneath him.
"They kneel to kings."
The golden hue in Jin Woo's eyes flared, and for a brief moment, the faint outline of a crown shimmered above his head. The entire arena was silent, every student frozen in place, their instincts screaming at them to run.
Jin Woo blinked, and the aura vanished as quickly as it had appeared. He looked around, confused, as if waking from a dream. The oppressive silence lingered, broken only by the sound of Min Jae scrambling to his feet and running out of the arena.
Instructor Lee cleared his throat, his usually stern expression unreadable. "That's enough for today," he said, his voice unusually soft. "Dismissed."
The students filed out in stunned silence, stealing wary glances at Jin Woo.
As he stood alone in the now-empty arena, Jin Woo clenched his fists. The voice in his mind whispered again, its tone almost amused.
"You're beginning to remember, aren't you?"
Jin Woo didn't answer. He didn't need to. Deep down, he knew the truth.
The Gatekeeper was waking up.