The central auditorium of the Bio-Gene Warrior Academy in Administrative District 10 buzzed with chatter. An important announcement from the Global Federation lit up the digital screen:
"The selection exam for the Bio-Gene University preparatory program will take place tomorrow at Training Field 04-C. The latest standard GEU (Gene Energy Unit) scanners will be used. Please be prepared."
"Whoa... Field 04-C? That means we're facing the real deal!" Hyun-joo said through a mouthful of snacks.
"The real deal? More like you're excited about wearing the special gear that won't squeeze your belly," Seung-woo teased with a faint smile.
"Of course! If my belly fits into the gear, there won't be any space left for the mutant beasts! Hahaha!"
Laughter echoed across the room, but it quickly fell silent as Min Jae-hyuk entered — a tall, well-groomed boy with polished shoes and styled hair.
"Seriously? You're taking the test too, Seung-woo?" he sneered.
"It's open to everyone," Seung-woo replied calmly.
"Sure... but with your face, you should be on a runway, not in a combat field with metal-jawed monsters." Some classmates chuckled.
Hyun-joo quickly chimed in, "Better be careful, Jae-hyuk. If you lose to a pretty boy from the lower caste, you'll be the joke of the year."
"And what about you, fatty? What's your GEU score?"
"Doesn't matter. I'm just here for the soup after the test... and to laugh when you fall on your face! Hahaha!"
Jae-hyuk scoffed and walked away, annoyed.
That night before the exam...
In a small, worn-out room, Seung-woo sat on a faded wooden floor, gently cleaning his old training shoes — the soles nearly worn through, yet tightly laced.
He placed his patched training suit beside him, lovingly sewn by his mother, and picked up an outdated wrist strap, making small adjustments. He was used to preparing with limited resources. He had no choice but to be ready.
"These shoes... thinner every year. But I can still keep walking," he murmured, glancing at the family photo on his desk.
The next morning
Training Field 04-C had been upgraded to a simulated Tier-2 danger zone. The area was filled with artificial forests, real-time GEU tracking, and flying recon drones.
Seung-woo, Hyun-joo, and Min Jae-hyuk were assigned to "Group 7."
A staff member displayed a 3D map to the instructors. "Seven training zones. Five fake power cores scattered."
Instructor Han-min nodded. "These kids aren't just test-takers. They're the hope of District 10. If we choose wrong... they could die in a real Rift."
"Group 7, enter the test zone."
Mission: Evade mutant simulations and locate hidden "Fake Cores."
At first, everything seemed normal. Seung-woo moved silently, staying out of sight. But then... he sensed something.
A whisper in his mind. A flicker from the left. He instinctively dodged — even though "nothing" was there.
A heartbeat later, a simulated mutant burst from that exact spot.
"How did you know that!?" Hyun-joo yelled.
"I didn't... I just felt it," Seung-woo replied, pale.
The training system glitched. Jae-hyuk tried to snatch a fake core from a combat drone, but the system malfunctioned. The mutants moved erratically. The drone's lasers fired off target.
"System error... evacuate immediately."
Hyun-joo slipped, caught in a drone's mechanical grip. Jae-hyuk backed away, unwilling to help.
"Help me!"
Seung-woo rushed forward without hesitation. Everything slowed in his vision...
Time itself seemed to stretch. The drone's movements became crystal clear.
"Move... fast..." the voice echoed again.
He lunged, dodging the laser in a blink, striking the drone's external sensor with precise force. The lock system disengaged.
Beep
The drone froze, motionless, as if overridden by a master command.
But it wasn't over — another drone emerged from the trees and fired a bio-round.
Seung-woo dodged at the last second, rolling behind a rock as dust exploded from impact.
"Seung-woo, watch out!" Hyun-joo shouted.
Seung-woo grabbed a rusted metal rod nearby and leapt forward, clashing with the drone's mechanical arm. The impact screeched — but he held firm.
His eyes were steel. He drove the rod into a gap in the drone's armor, whispering in a double-toned voice:
"Power down."
The circuits sparked. Lights flickered. The drone collapsed.
The field went silent. Even Jae-hyuk was stunned.
"That boy's GEU... it spiked from 210 to 537 in 0.6 seconds before dropping," Han-min muttered.
The technician beside him gasped. "That energy surge... matches awakening-level combatants."
After the chaos subsided...
"Did you see their faces? Hahaha! Jae-hyuk looked like someone stole his ice cream in summer!" Hyun-joo laughed.
"I don't even know what I did... it all just happened," Seung-woo whispered.
Inside a secret meeting room...
The principal and technical staff reviewed the footage.
"That wasn't normal perception..."
"He didn't control the power. He connected directly to the system... even the drone responded."
"That boy... Kang Seung-woo, right?"
"Yes. His GEU isn't high, but his reaction and biosignals... aren't human."
"Keep him under surveillance. No one must know he's awakened."
That night...
"How was the exam?" his father asked.
"It was okay... a bit crazy, but I made it."
His little sister hugged him. "Are you strong like a Bio-Gene Warrior now?"
"Not yet. But if you eat your veggies, I'll grow stronger too."
His parents smiled.
"No matter how the world changes... never stop moving forward," his father said.
A thought stirred in Seung-woo's heart: "Even if the world turns into hell... I won't let Nara cry."
That's why... he wanted strength.
In a secret lab...
"Student No. 10-7-048 — Kang Seung-woo. Psychic signals unstable, but registered high-density resonance during emergency response."
"Initiate Class-B surveillance."
The screen faded to black...
And in Seung-woo's mind, the voice returned:
"Awaken... bearer of the cosmic power."
End of Chapter 2