It was early morning.
Haru sat in the break room of the convenience store. He wore his uniform, and his face looked tired. His shift had just ended. He held a warm rice ball in one hand and the TV remote in the other.
The small television on the wall was always playing. Usually, it showed boring shows or weather reports. But today, something was different.
BREAKING NEWS appeared on the screen in red letters.
Haru stopped eating.
A woman's voice spoke from the TV, fast and worried.
"Just this morning, a low-level monster appeared near South Cotabato Line Station. People screamed and ran away. Police and Awakened Fighters were called. Many were injured. Some buildings were damaged. No deaths reported yet."
The screen changed.
It showed video from a phone.
The picture shook as the person ran.
In the video, a strange creature stood in the street. It was tall and thin, with long arms and dark green skin. Its eyes glowed yellow. It growled, showing sharp teeth.
People ran in every direction.
Cars crashed.
Glass broke.
Then, a man with fire powers stepped forward. Flames covered his hands. He shouted something and attacked the monster.
The video ended.
Haru stared at the screen.
"A real monster… in the middle of the city," he whispered.
The news reporter continued.
"This is the third monster appearance this month. Dungeons are spreading. Some say the world is changing too fast. Many people are afraid."
Haru looked down at his hands.
They were still normal.
Still powerless.
But the world outside was changing fast.
The line between normal life and danger was getting thinner.
He turned off the TV and stood up.
"I need to get stronger," he said quietly. "Even without powers… I need to be ready."
He walked out of the store into the morning light.
The sky was cloudy.
And far above the clouds… something watched.
Something waited.
The next day, Haru sat in his classroom near the window.
He was tired. His eyes were heavy, and his body ached. He had worked late again and slept only two hours.
But he still came to school.
The classroom was noisy. Some students talked about games. Others looked at dungeon videos on their phones.
"Did you see the monster attack yesterday?" one boy said. "It was crazy!"
"Yeah, the fire guy burned it fast. I want fire powers too!" said another.
Haru didn't join the talk. He looked outside at the gray sky.
Then, the classroom door opened.
The teacher walked in, holding a paper.
"Everyone, be quiet," she said. "I have an important announcement."
The room became silent.
She held up the paper. "Starting next week, our school will begin a new class. It's called Dungeon Education Program."
The students whispered in surprise.
"Many young people are awakening powers," the teacher continued. "The government wants schools to teach about dungeons, monsters, and safety. If you awaken, you will learn how to train. If not, you'll learn how to survive."
Some students looked excited.
"Maybe I'll awaken next week!" a girl said.
"I'll become a dungeon hunter and make money!" another shouted.
But Haru didn't smile.
He looked down at his notebook.
He already knew what he had to do.
At lunch, he walked to the office.
The staff lady looked up. "Yes, Haru?"
"I want to… leave school," he said quietly.
She blinked. "You mean drop out?"
He nodded. "I have too many jobs. I need money for my sister's hospital bills."
She looked worried. "Are you sure? This new dungeon program might help you."
Haru shook his head. "I don't have powers. I need to work. That's all I can do."
She gave him a form. "Think carefully. Once you drop out, it's hard to return."
"I've already decided," he said.
He walked out of the office with the form in hand.
Other students laughed and played in the hallway.
But for Haru, school was over.
Now, the world outside was his classroom.
And the lessons would be much harder.
It was the last week before Haru would leave school.
He still came to class to finish his paperwork. But something felt different now.
Students who used to ignore him began to look at him with strange eyes.
Some were full of pride.
Some were full of hate.
In the hallway, three boys stood near the wall. One of them, a tall boy with dyed red hair, smirked when Haru passed.
"Hey, powerless," the red-haired boy said. "Still human?"
Haru stopped walking.
He didn't answer.
Another boy with lightning tattoos on his arms laughed. "What's wrong? Lost your tongue? Or maybe you're just too weak to speak."
Haru stayed quiet. He didn't want trouble. He just wanted to go home.
But they walked closer.
The red-haired boy pointed at his own chest. "I awakened last week. Flame magic. Level 2 already. What about you? Oh wait… nothing, right?"
The others laughed.
"Maybe his power is crying," one joked. "Cry, cry, powerless guy!"
Haru's fists tightened.
But he said nothing.
He knew fighting back was useless.
They had power.
He didn't.
He turned to walk away, but the red-haired boy grabbed his shoulder.
"Where are you going? We're not finished."
Haru looked him in the eye.
"I don't have time for this," he said.
"Oh? Mr. Poor Boy is brave now?" The boy raised his hand.
Before he could strike, a voice shouted from the other end of the hall.
"Enough!"
It was a teacher.
The bullies backed away, pretending to do nothing.
The teacher looked at Haru. "Are you okay?"
Haru nodded. "Yes. I'm fine."
But he wasn't.
Not really.
After school, he sat alone on a bench outside.
He looked at his hands.
"No power. No friends. No future here," he whispered.
He looked at the sky.
Clouds were dark.
But deep inside, something was beginning to change.
He could feel it.
A storm was coming.
And next time… he wouldn't be the weak one.
School was over.
The sky was still gray, and the wind felt cold. Haru walked alone on the street, holding his school bag. He didn't talk to anyone. He didn't want to go home yet.
His mind was full of heavy thoughts.
"I'm powerless. I can't protect my sister. I can't fight. I'm nothing."
His heart felt heavy.
But then… something strange happened.
As he passed by the edge of the city, near a quiet bus stop, he stopped walking.
He felt something.
It was not pain.
It was not fear.
It was… a pull.
A strange feeling deep in his chest.
Like something was calling him.
He looked up.
Ahead of him was the city forest.
The trees were tall and dark. Most people stayed away. There were signs that said: "DO NOT ENTER – DANGER"
But Haru could not stop staring.
His feet moved on their own.
Step by step, he walked off the sidewalk and toward the trees.
The wind blew stronger.
Leaves danced in the air.
The deeper he walked into the forest, the quieter the world became.
No cars.
No voices.
Just the sound of leaves and the beating of his heart.
He didn't know why, but he felt something waiting for him.
Something old.
Something powerful.
And yet… it didn't scare him.
It felt… familiar.
He touched the trunk of a tree. It was rough and cold.
Then he heard it.
A soft voice.
Not from outside—but from deep inside his mind.
"Come closer…"
He stopped.
His eyes widened.
"Who… said that?" he whispered.
But no one was there.
Still, the feeling in his chest grew stronger.
His heart beat faster.
He walked deeper into the woods.
The light from the city disappeared behind him.
Only shadows and soft wind remained.
And somewhere ahead… something waited in silence.
But he didn't continue it and just went home.
He thought it might just be fatigue.