The steady drone of the ceiling fan was the only thing Min-ho heard. To him, it sounded like the distant hum of a mana engine. His forehead was pressed against the cool wood of the desk, his white hair fanned out like a messy halo.
SLAM!
A heavy textbook hit the desk next to his ear.
"Min-ho! Since you find my lecture so exhausting, why don't you enlighten the class?"
Min-ho jerked awake, his eyes bleary. The teacher stood over him, face reddening. "What is the history of the Great Outbreak? Or is that too 'boring' for The Likes of you?"
A few students snickered. Min-ho rubbed his face, his voice raspy from sleep.
"Three centuries ago, the skies didn't just change color; they shattered," Min-ho began, his gaze drifting toward the window. "Monsters poured through the rifts, and humanity was on the brink of extinction. Martial arts and modern weapons were useless... until the First Awakener appeared. He held the line alone before vanishing, but he left behind a sparked evolution. Humans began to awaken, mana began to flow, and we stopped being prey."
The teacher stared, annoyed that Min-ho actually knew the answer. "Sit down. And stay awake."
'Easier said than done,' Min-ho thought, leaning back. 'Every time I close my eyes, I'm running from things that make those history books look like fairy tales.'
When the bell finally rang, a hand slapped Min-ho's shoulder. It was Jung-su, one of the few people who didn't look at him like he was a lost cause.
"Hey, Min-ho! New raid-boss expansion dropped today. You coming over to my house to play? My setup just got a mana-core upgrade," Jung-su grinned.
"Not today," Min-ho said, swinging his bag over his shoulder. "I've got stuff to do at home."
"Always 'stuff' with you, man. You're gonna sleep your life away," Jung-su joked, waving as he headed toward the subway.
As Min-ho walked, the afternoon sun felt fake. For the past month, the same dream had haunted him. It wasn't just a dream; he could feel the grit of the sand in his teeth and the smell of ozone in his lungs. He was always running, always being hunted by shadows in a ruined world.
'It feels too real,' he thought, clenching his fist. 'Like I'm living two lives, and this one is the lie.'
The smell of stew hit him as he opened the door. His parents were in the kitchen, chatting about their day at the local Hunter Association. They were average C-Rank Awakeners—enough to keep the lights on, but nothing legendary.
"I'm home," Min-ho called out.
"Brother! You're back!"
A blur of movement dashed into the hallway. His younger sister, Min-ah, stopped just inches from him, a spark of blue electricity dancing between her fingers. At only fourteen, she was already being scouted by the top academies. She was the "New Generation," a prodigy.
"Did you sleep through math again?" she teased, her eyes bright.
"Mind your own business, sparky," Min-ho muttered, though he offered a small smile.
He headed straight to his room. He didn't turn on the computer or grab a snack. Instead, he dropped to the floor and started doing push-ups. Fifty, a hundred, two hundred... his muscles burned, but his "Level" never budged. In a world of Awakeners, he felt like a glitch in the system.
Exhaustion finally took over. His vision blurred, and he collapsed onto his bed, still in his workout clothes.
'Just a quick nap,' he thought as his eyelids grew heavy.
The world shifted. The warmth of his room vanished, replaced by a biting, unnatural cold. Min-ho opened his eyes. He wasn't in his bed anymore. He was standing on black sand, and for the first time, a screen flickered in the darkness.
[Notice: The Slumber Realm has recognized your growth.]
[Time Dilation: 110x Flow Speed Activated.]
"Finally," I whispered, looking at my hands. They weren't shaking anymore.