Awakening

A sterile hospital room. The soft beeping of medical equipment and the low hum of an air conditioner fill the space, creating a monotonous rhythm that feels almost suffocating. Akira lies in a hospital bed. He opens his eyes groggily, disoriented, the world around him blurry and unfamiliar.

Akira groans, struggling to focus. His voice is weak, barely audible.

"Where... where am I?"

The door to the hospital room opens, and a doctor and nurses enter. The doctor, an older man with a kind but weary face, approaches Akira's bedside. His voice is gentle, almost soothing.

"You're in the hospital. You've been unconscious for a week. Some Stars found you outside the dungeon and brought you here."

Akira's brow furrows in confusion. His mind races, trying to piece together fragmented memories.

"The Stars... they found me? How did I get out of there? I was at the deepest part of the dungeon. I don't understand."

The doctor nods, his expression calm but tinged with concern.

"Yes, some high-ranking Stars found you. Warned by the disturbance in the dungeon, they managed to retrieve you. You don't have any physical damage, but for some unknown reason, you didn't respond to anything to wake up—even when everything was okay."

Akira's eyes widen in shock. His voice trembles as he speaks.

"But how could I have ended up outside? I remember falling into the darkness, and then it all went black. I can't remember anything beyond that."

It was as if his memory and the conversation he had with the unknown figure of light never took place his memory was wiped clean.

The doctor's expression softens, his tone compassionate.

"We don't know everything. Maybe the Stars who found you felt something and intervened. You were found at the entrance of the that dungeon."

Akira tries to sit up, his movements frantic, but the doctor gently pushes him back down.

"I have to know what happened. I was in such a terrible condition."

The doctor's voice is soothing but firm.

"Unfortunately, we cannot know the whole story of how you were saved. The Stars who found you didn't have much to say. What matters is that you are safe and well now."

Akira's head is full of questions and frustration. He tries to recall the fragmented memories of his ordeal, but the encounter with the figure of light remains elusive. The memories of the betrayal, however, are as clear as crystal glass.

Akira mutters to himself, his voice low but filled with determination.

"If I survived, there must be a reason. I won't waste this chance."

The doctor hesitates for a moment, his brows furrowed in thought. He glances at Akira, whose eyes remain distant, sharp with an inner turmoil the doctor can't quite place.

"I—" He pauses, choosing his words carefully. "Never mind. Rest for now."

Akira doesn't respond, his gaze fixed out the window, lost in his own storm of thoughts. The doctor sighs, turning toward the door, motioning for the nurse to follow him out of the room.

Once they're in the hallway, the nurse's voice is low but laced with curiosity and concern.

"Doctor… did you notice? He seems… off. Like he's lost his memory or maybe even his mind. His eyes are pure dark, like they're lost. What was a normal human even doing near a dungeon alone?"

The doctor stops abruptly, turning to face her, his expression stern.

"Normal? What makes you to think of him as normal?"

"He's an awakened."

The nurse's eyes widen, her curiosity now tinged with unease. The doctor's words hang in the air like a thunderclap, their weight undeniable. He hesitates, as if debating whether to continue, then adds grimly,

"And I don't know why, but—the STAR who brought him said something strange. He claimed the dungeon that was there is… gone. No trace of it. Nothing left at all."

The nurse glances toward Akira's room, her unease growing. The doctor's expression softens slightly, though his tone remains serious.

"Don't underestimate him. No matter how fragile or young he may appear now, humans who have awakened are the most dangerous beings on this planet. Just focus on helping him."

Nurse 2 enters the room, holding a small plastic bag with Akira's belongings.

"Mr. Shoto, we found this with your clothes when you were brought in. It's your phone. You'll probably want this back."

She sets the bag on the table beside him and steps back, giving him space. Akira's gaze falls on the bag, his voice low and distracted.

"My phone…?"

He reaches for it, pulling the device from the bag. It's cracked and dirty, but when he turns it on, the screen flickers to life, the soft glow illuminating his face.

The Nurse gently adds,

"It was damaged, but it seems to still work. We've charged it for you."

Akira murmurs, his voice barely audible,

"Thank you."

Two Days Later

Akira steps out of the hospital, greeted by the crisp bite of the early morning air. The wind carries the faint scent of dew as the first rays of sunlight break over the horizon, painting the city in gold and amber. For one instant, the stillness of the morning seems to offer a fleeting sense of peace—a brief respite from the storm brewing inside him.

But peace is not what he seeks.

The quiet street is abruptly interrupted by a shimmering light materializing in front of him, hovering with a soft, otherworldly glow.

DING!

It's a status window. His steps falter for just a second as his eyes narrow, focusing on the detailed contents within.

[Status Window:]

[Name: Akira Shoto]

[Level: 1]

[Attribute: None]

[Strength: 1]

[Stamina: 1]

[Agility: 1]

[Endurance: 1]

[Intelligence: 1]

[Quest: The Path of Vengeance: A Legacy of Blood and Fire]

[Purpose:] Seek out those who have hurt you and marshal the will to exact vengeance. On this path, will and strength are forced upon you.

[Reward:] Increased power with clarity of purpose.

[Added Active Skill:]

[Soul Infusion]

[Description:] Temporarily infuse the body with residual energy of the soul, greatly increasing physical strength and speed, as well as magical energies. It will also provide stamina and fast regeneration while active.

[Duration: 10 minutes]

[Cooldown: 30 minutes]

[Passive Skills Added:]

[Rapid Growth]

[Description:] Your growth rate is higher compared to the other STARS and enables you to gain experience from combat and challenges more quickly.

[Effect:] Gain 200% more experience rate from all the combat and challenges you face.

[Perfected Symmetry]

[Description:] This passive skill balances your stats as you grow to ensure no stat becomes too weak. As your overall power grows, this skill spreads experience more evenly across all attributes, ensuring well-rounded growth and avoiding any critical deficiency in battle.

[Skill: ????]

[Condition: Locked]

Akira's mind races as he stares at the translucent screen hovering in the air. His first thought is disbelief.

"What… is this? Is this some kind of hallucination? Am I still dreaming?"

He blinks rapidly, but the window remains, its soft glow unwavering. The numbers and words are clear, almost too clear, as if etched into his vision. He reaches out tentatively, his fingers brushing through the light, but it doesn't dissipate. It's real. Somehow, it's real.

"A status window? Like in those games I used to play? But… how? Is this part of being awakened?"

His eyes scan the details, his heart pounding in his chest. The numbers are abysmally low—Strength: 1, Stamina: 1, Agility: 1. It's almost laughable. He feels a pang of frustration.

"Level 1? Is this some kind of joke?"

But then his gaze falls on the skills section, and his breath catches. Soul Infusion. Rapid Growth. Perfected Symmetry. The names alone send a thrill through him. He reads the descriptions carefully, his mind working to process what they mean.

"Soul Infusion… Temporarily infuse the body with residual energy of the soul. Increased strength, speed, and stamina. Fast regeneration. This… this could change everything. If I can use this, even for just 10 minutes, it might be enough to turn the tide in a fight."

His eyes dart to the next skill.

"Rapid Growth… 200% more experience from combat and challenges. That means I'll grow stronger faster than anyone else. If I can survive long enough to train, I might actually stand a chance."

Then there's Perfected Symmetry.

"Balanced growth across all attributes. No weaknesses. That's… incredible. Most people have to specialize, but this means I won't have any glaring flaws. I'll be well-rounded, adaptable."

But it's the locked skill that catches his attention.

"Skill: ??? Condition: Locked. What does that mean? Is there something more? Something I haven't unlocked yet? What kind of power is hidden behind that question mark?"

His mind swirls with questions.

"How does this even work? Is it tied to my thoughts? Can I control it?"

He focuses on the window, willing it to disappear. To his surprise, it vanishes in a flash of light. He blinks, startled, then concentrates again, and it reappears.

"Okay, so it responds to my thoughts. That's… convenient. But why do I have this?"

The memories of the dungeon are hazy, fragmented. He remembers falling, the darkness swallowing him whole, and then… nothing. But there's a lingering feeling, a presence in the back of his mind, like a shadow he can't quite see.

"What happened to me down there? Why can't I remember?"

He shakes his head, trying to clear the fog.

"No. It doesn't matter right now. What matters is that I have this. This is my chance. My second chance."

His fists clench at his sides, his nails digging into his palms. The frustration, the anger, the grief—it all bubbles to the surface, fueling his determination.

"I'll make them pay. Every last one of them. Eri, Mia, Entoa… they thought they could use me, throw me away like I was nothing. But they're wrong. I'm not nothing. Not anymore."

The weight of his vow settles heavily on his shoulders, but it's a weight he welcomes. It's a reminder of what he's fighting for.

"This is just the beginning. I'll train. I'll grow stronger. And when I'm ready, I'll find them. I'll make them regret ever crossing me."

DING!

Another notification appeared, pulling him from his thoughts.

[System Notification:]

[Skills granted by the system, rather than earned through personal effort or training, will have a mana consumption of 0 when activated. However, be warned: the connection between your soul and the system will bear the toll of using these skills. Overuse may strain your mind and body, leading to fatigue, disorientation, or even temporary loss of consciousness.]

[Proceed with caution.]

Akira's eyes scanned the glowing text, his expression unreadable. The words "strain your mind and body" and "temporary loss of consciousness" lingered in his vision, but he didn't dwell on them for long. His jaw tightened, and a flicker of resolve passed through his dark eyes.

"So, the system gives me power, but it comes with a price," he thought, his voice low and steady in his mind. "Fine. If it helps me get stronger, if it helps me crush those who took everything from me… then it's worth it. I don't care what it costs."

He clenched his fists, feeling the faint hum of energy coursing through him, a reminder of the skills now embedded in his very being. The thought of overusing them and the potential consequences barely registered. The current Akira wasn't one to hesitate, not when vengeance was the only thing driving him forward.

With a dismissive shake of his head, he closed the status window. The holographic display flickered and vanished, leaving him standing alone in the dim light of his surroundings.

"No point overthinking it," he muttered under his breath. "I'll use what I have. If it breaks me, so be it. As long as I take them down with me."

Now, the hunt was on.

A quiet, somber hospital room. Akira stands beside his mother's bed, his face etched with grief. His mother lies still, her body frail, tubes and wires connecting her to the machines that keep her alive. The lighting in the room is low, casting long shadows that seem to mirror the heaviness in Akira's heart.

Akira looks at her lifeless form, and his heart aches. His voice trembles, tears streaming down his face.

"Mom... I finally awoke powers. I think I'm different from the others. I never heard of anyone having a status window explaining their growth rate and current level."

He pauses, his voice breaking as he recalls a memory.

"Remember when I told you I dreamt as a kid to become the most kind hero?? That's no longer my goal. Now, my only purpose is to destroy. Destroy those who did this to you."

Akira's face firms with resolve as his gaze bores into his mother. He frowns, taking a deep breath, trying to steel himself against the overwhelming sorrow. Tears continue to fall, mingling with the pain in his heart.

He whispers, his voice quivering but filled with determination.

"I'm really sorry, Mom."

"I Decided I must go train. I need to become stronger. I will make them pay for doing this to us. I don't know how long I'll be away... but I swear, I won't stop until I've avenged you and Dad."

Akira takes one last look at his mother before leaving the hospital. The weight of his vow settles heavily upon his shoulders, a burden he carries with grim determination.