"Twenty… twenty-one… twenty-two… thirty—ha!"
A skinny boy collapsed onto the floor, gasping for air. Sweat poured down his face like he had just walked out of a bath without drying off. He had only managed thirty push-ups, while others could reach two hundred, three hundred, even five hundred with ease.
"Still can't push past thirty… not even fifty," he muttered, annoyed. "Four years since the test, and I still haven't awakened anything."
Frustration burned in his chest. He sat there for a moment, staring at the floor, before forcing himself up to get ready for class. He was already late.
Just as he reached for his shirt, a soft knock came from the door. The sound was gentle, calm like that of an older man.
Kerry opened the door quickly. Standing before him was a man with golden-yellow eyes and black hair, holding a staff that clearly wasn't ordinary.
"Mr. Fireborn," the man said, his tone respectful. "Master Kael wishes to see you."
Kerry nodded, closing the door behind him. It had been four years since he entered Obsidian Star Academy, and in that time, he had learned much.
At Obsidian, first-year students wore blue cloaks, second-years wore green, and third-years wore black. Each color marked their rank and experience. The academy was known for producing exceptional warriors and gifted awakeners. Every student was called an Obsidian once they stepped foot inside.
The academy dorms were shared by six students per room, and training wasn't just theory. Each year, they were sent into hunting grounds to face beasts and creatures ranked by tier. The hunts were dangerous, but necessary.
Following orders without hesitation, Kerry made his way to where Kael sat under a large tree, quietly observing the trainees nearby.
"Kerry, have a seat," Kael said without looking away.
Kerry sat beside him. "Master Kael, I heard you were looking for me."
Kael gave a short nod. "Yes. I called you here to give you some advice regarding the next hunt you'll be joining."
Kerry blinked, startled. "Wait, another hunt? But this will be my fourth one, and I couldn't even handle a tier one beast last time."
Kael smiled faintly at his words. Deep down, he believed Kerry's potential was far from ordinary.
"This time, you'll be facing a tier three beast," Kael said evenly. "You need to be careful. Hunting isn't just about fighting, it's what strengthens your vitality, agility, and skill. Keep working hard, Kerry."
Kerry lowered his gaze, recalling what his mother used to tell him: Hard work.
He nodded. "Alright, Master Kael. I'll prepare, then."
He turned to leave but paused, hesitating. "Master Kael… when does the hunt begin?"
Kael's expression stayed calm, his hands folded neatly behind his back. Wisdom lingered in his eyes as he answered, "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Kerry repeated, shocked. He hadn't expected it to be so soon. His sword was still dull, it had only ever cut wood, never a beast.
Class had finally ended, and students were already heading back to their dorms. The academy wasn't for boys alone, both genders trained here but the boys' dorm was set a little farther from the girls'.
Kerry was walking toward his dorm when a familiar voice called out. It was Claude, his closest friend. Claude was just as skinny as he was, but unlike Kerry, he had awakened a fire element. Still, he was too scared to use it, which made him nearly as powerless as a null. His black spiky hair stuck out messily above a pair of glasses that gave him an oddly innocent look.
Claude ran over, clutching a large book titled Fire Concept Techniques against his chest.
"Hey, Kerry! I didn't see you in class today, at the null class."
"Yeah, I skipped," Kerry replied dryly. "It's boring. All they ever make us do is fitness training. There are only four of us in that class anyway."
Claude grinned, his excitement obvious. "Oh, great. Then I've got news for you."
Kerry raised an eyebrow. "What news?"
"My name got added to the next hunting team," Claude said proudly. "And so did yours."
Kerry sighed, rubbing his neck. He already knew what was coming.
"Yeah, I know that already."
Claude blinked. "You do?"
"Mm. Master Kael told me earlier," Kerry said, his tone heavy. "Honestly, I'm not thrilled about it, because…"
He stopped himself. If he mentioned that they'd be hunting tier three beasts, Claude would probably panic and refuse to eat for days. Kerry decided to leave that part unsaid.
"You know what, Claude? Head to your dorm first. I'll catch up later, I've got something to do."
Claude nodded, still holding his book, and turned to leave.
He didn't notice Serik, who had been lurking on top of one of the academy's stone statues, waiting for him to pass. Serik was a lightning elementalist, one of the rarest elements and he used that power to bully others, especially the weak.
The moment Claude walked by, Serik dropped down and grabbed him by the collar, slamming his back against the statue.
"Where's the phone I told you to bring from the principal's office?" Serik growled.
Claude trembled. Earlier that day, he had tried to steal the phone, but the principal had been there. He couldn't risk it. The phone originally belonged to Serik, but it had been confiscated by a teacher when he was caught using it during class and it was Claude who accidentally exposed him.
"P-please, just give me another chance," Claude begged. His glasses slipped off and hit the ground. "I'll get it tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Serik's eyes flashed with irritation. "I'm going on the hunt tomorrow! You think I'll wait that long?"
Before he could hit Claude again, two elders passed by the hallway. Serik quickly dropped him and slipped away before they could notice.
Claude sat there, panting, trying to gather himself.
Meanwhile, back in his room, Kerry sat on his bed, staring at an old picture of himself with his mother. His voice was quiet, almost a whisper.
"Mom… I haven't forgotten my promise. No matter what happens, I'll become strong even without a system. I'll make you proud, just like Dad wanted."
He clenched the photo tightly. Then came a sudden noise outside, the sound of laughter and footsteps. His roommates were finally back.
"Guys, did you notice Taren when he was trying to control the water today?" one of the boys said, his voice echoing down the hall.
"Yeah, yeah!" another replied between bursts of laughter. "He was like, 'Aaargh—damn it! The water won't listen!' Then instead of moving left, it just shot straight up!"
Their laughter grew louder as they neared the room. A moment later, the door swung open, and the four of them stumbled in, still laughing. Kerry lay on his bed, motionless, his eyes closed.
"Waa, look at him," one of them said with mock irritation. "This guy's so lazy. All he ever does is sleep."
Kerry wasn't actually asleep. He just didn't want to deal with them right now. Every time they came back from class, they would talk endlessly about what happened that day, and it always drained him. There were five people in this dorm, including Kerry himself.
He opened one eye slightly, watching them as they talked without even taking off their uniforms. But his luck ran out when Taren noticed the movement.
"Hey, guys! Kerry's not asleep, he's faking it!" Taren shouted.
The others turned immediately, grinning. They rushed over, grabbing Kerry's arms and legs, trying to drag him off the bed.
Kerry sighed, his voice tired but calm.
"Okay, okay, fine. You got me. Now can you put me back down?"
They dropped him gently back onto the bed, waiting for him to say something more. He only muttered one word, half-buried in his pillow.
"Talkative."
The room filled with laughter again.
----------
Far away from the academy, in a quiet park beneath a pale moon, a man stood suspended in the air. His build was massive, muscles hard as stone beneath his long black coat. His hair, pure white, swayed with the wind. In his hand, he held an old photograph, a picture of himself, his wife, and a small boy.
He stared at it in silence, his thumb tracing the baby's face. His expression softened for the first time in years.
"I miss you… both of you," he murmured. "By now… he should be sixteen."