"Sit," the General motioned for Won to take the seat in front of him.
You look awfully well for someone who just woke from a long slumber, Won thought.
"Your name?" the General asked, leaning back.
"Won."
"Won? Did your parents win something when they named you?" the General asked with a smile.
I can't tell if he's mocking me or being genuinely curious, Won thought, shrugging internally.
"I don't remember my parents, so I have no idea why they named me that."
The General's expression softened.
I suppose that's what they call pity. Back in the squalor, no one ever looked at me like that. Maybe because everyone was too busy surviving their own hell. Won chuckled inwardly.
"You don't have a last name?"
"No. I heard my mother was a mentally unstable woman abandoned on the streets. Someone took advantage of her. That's how I came into the world," Won replied with an unreadable yet oddly relaxed expression.
The General cleared his throat, clearly unwilling to press further. "Alright, Won. Do you know why you're here?"
"You want me to enter a master-ranked veyne."
"How much do you know about veyne rankings, Won?" the General asked.
"That the lowest-ranked Ashen shouldn't be thrown into a high-tier veyne—it could kill all the aspirant kids, put the General out cold for fourteen days, and—" Won leaned forward, his voice dipping into a darker, almost demonic tone, "might even cost someone their head. Isn't that enough knowledge, Mr. General?"
The General studied him for a moment before smirking. "Tough, aren't you?" He stood up and began pacing his office. "In all my twenty-five years of service, no one has dared speak to me in that tone."
"Why? Because you're the General? I'm not just anyone, Mr. General. You should've summoned me to apologize first—not to plan my execution in a fifth-ranked veyne. I nearly died because of your damn nap. I saved your ass in there. I could've left you to die, let that beast rip you apart. No one would've known. But I didn't. I dragged you out of that hell."
"Don't you wonder why I entered that veyne, which was supposed to be the lowest-ranked one?" the General asked.
Won laughed, loud and unrestrained, making the General glance back at him.
"You might think I'm a fool, Mr. General, but I knew the moment I walked into your office why you were really there."
The General's expression faltered, horror flickering across his face.
He didn't expect me to figure it out. Should I play along… or let him off the hook? Won wondered.
"You should be thanking me for halting your execution," the General said, his voice cold and controlled for the first time.
Oh, you don't get to say that, Won thought bitterly.
"And you," he said, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, "should be begging me to keep quiet about your unawakened, dead son—the one you sent into that veyne with your filthy hands."
The General's hands trembled, even though he stared blankly now, nowhere in particular.
That should be enough to shut him up, Won thought.
"Mr. General, I saw your son in that veyne," Won began, gesturing toward the photo frame in the western corner of the room. "Even as the lowest-ranked Ashen, I couldn't help but wonder how that kid was ever marked as awakened. He was completely useless. You saw his condition as a disgrace to your name, so you manipulated the system. You forged his awakening. You entered that veyne just to be with him. Not that I care. You can rest easy—I'm not planning to say a word." He sealed his lips theatrically with his fingers.
The General slowly composed himself, realizing he had lost the upper hand.
"You still have to go through the master-ranked veyne and survive if you want to be admitted to Meter Ashen Technical."
The smirk vanished from Won's face. "That's basically a death sentence."
"No. But if I send you to the Ashen Academy now, people will start asking questions. About where you came from. About your rank."
"My rank won't change just because I walk into a master-ranked veyne."
"No, probably not. That's why I'm invoking a special clause for this operation. You'll go in alone, clean the raid solo. Prove to us you're worth keeping alive."
"So saving your life wasn't enough proof?" Won scoffed.
"Watch your tongue, kid," the General warned, before clearing his throat. "Your survival is already a mystery. If you manage to clear this veyne, we'll draft a different report—say you were missed during the initial tests, then sent to a master-tier with professionals, where you demonstrated your potential."
"What a beautifully forged tale," Won laughed dryly.
Not that I have a choice anyway, he thought.
"Why are you doing this? Out of gratitude that I saved you?"
The General cleared his throat, ignoring him and acknowledging the statement.
"One more thing—this instance veyne won't be typical. It's saturated with illusions. Kill what needs killing. Trust your instincts—and whatever little brain you have left."
Dying might be easier than this, Won thought grimly.
"When do I leave?"
"After midnight."
***
As soon as Won stepped inside the veyne, something coiled around his feet—a snake-like creature. He wouldn't call it a snake exactly.
Just let me have a look around before you try to snuggle up, bastard.
They didn't even give me a weapon or anything!
As the creature slithered up toward his torso, a translucent screen flickered into existence before his eyes.
Codex Map! Won recognized it instantly. Every Awakened received this after passing the veyne test and being selected for Ashen Academy.
Ashen Name: Won
Ashen Rank: Flinthshade
Boons: Sense 1
Bearing: Sensari
Bearing Rate: 1
Skills: Not used yet
Vitality: 10
Vault: Item 1
[Welcome to the Ashen Codex Map]
"Vault! Show me the vault," Won shouted, twisting to get away from the creature.
Sensari Sword: Use to slash the creature by focusing on your sensari. Remain calm and synchronize with the sensari.
What the hell is Sensari? Never heard of any ability like this! The sword emerged from the vault and flew into his hand by itself. Whatever, Won thought, closing his eyes and drawing a steady breath.
Slash!
He severed the creature's head in a single clean strike.
It worked!
The sword vanished from his grip. So it's automatch, Won realized.
Finally, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. It seemed like the inside of a massive hollowed hill. Sunlight barely reached this place. It should've been pitch-dark—but it wasn't. He could see everything as if lit by a dim, hidden glow.
Won walked silently, careful not to make a sound. He could already hear monsters in the distance. He also kept checking behind him.
Good thing I got this ability to see behind me. Thanks to those humanoid monsters, he mused.
"Oi, kid!"
What? Was that a human voice?
"Oi, kid! Wait up!"
Again.
His eyes scanned the space around him. Nothing.
Where is that voice coming from? I thought I was supposed to clear this veyne alone.
Suddenly, from the front left, a head popped into view.
"What are you doing here, kid? Boss has been looking for you since last night."
What is this lunatic talking about?
Won examined him from head to toe.
He doesn't look like a caveman. Not that cavemen even exist anymore.
The man looked oddly polished—handsome, even. His physique was sharp, like one of those lead actors from TV dramas. He wore a long overcoat, dusty but well-fitted.
What's he doing here? Won thought. And who's this 'boss' he's talking about?
The man walked up, clapped him on the shoulder, and said, "By any chance, were you lost?"
Won shook his head. "No. I was just walking."
Let's just see how this plays out. I have a feeling that I might be put into danger if I don't, Won thought, choosing to go along.
"We've been worried every time you leave the camp since we lost your brother," the man added, his tone softening with a hint of sorrow.
Brother?
"Let's head back. We're moving camp tonight—there's going to be a monster raid. We need to leave now."
Blood? Won's nose caught the metallic scent.
Is he mistaking me for someone else?
Without a word, Won followed.
At the camp, a group of men dressed similarly to the handsome stranger eyed Won with thinly veiled hostility.
One of them approached, his aura reeking of villainy straight out of a romance drama. He licked his lips, eyeing Won darkly.
"I was wondering where the snack wandered off to."
Snack? Ew. What the fuck— Won grimaced internally.
Another man came from behind—clearly the leader—striking Won on the back of the head with enough force to drop him to the ground.
"Sneak off one more time, and I'll hunt you down myself."
Won clenched his jaw. It wasn't anything new to him—but he felt an urge to kill both of them now.
"Master, he was just wandering around," the handsome one intervened.
The so-called Master glared at him one last time before turning away and disappearing into the camp.
Won forced the thoughts from his head, remembering what the General had told him. Casting a murderous glance toward the Master and others, he thought:
An illusion, huh? Then I'll be the one to end you all.