The sound of wooden swords echoed through the dojo.
Tak. Tak. Tak.
Han Jiwoo moved in rhythm, breath steady, sweat rolling down his neck. Each strike sliced the air cleanly. Years of training made the movement natural.
"Focus your breath, Jiwoo," his instructor said. "Speed without rhythm is wasted."
Jiwoo adjusted his stance, inhaled, and swung again. The bamboo sword cut through the air with a sharp hiss.
"Good. That's enough for today."
The moment his grip loosened, the ache in his arms caught up. Around him, classmates laughed and packed their gear. Their voices filled the room, mixing with the sound of the cars outside.
"Heading to the Association now?" his coach asked.
"Yeah." Jiwoo wiped his forehead.
"Big day, huh? Remember—the Awakening's all luck. Don't stress."
"I'll try," Jiwoo said, smiling faintly.
His coach clapped him on the shoulder. "No matter the rank, you're still our best kendo player."
***
Outside, sunlight hit hard. Jiwoo slung his bag over his shoulder and walked down the street. The scent of asphalt and warm air filled his lungs.
Today's the day. The National Awakening.
Thousands of students testing their fate with one touch of a crystal. Some got glory, others got nothing. Either way, it decided everything.
The Association towered ahead—glass, steel, and glowing runes thrumming beneath his feet as he entered. Lines of nervous candidates filled the hall. Parents hovered, whispering encouragement or worry.
"Candidate forty-two, Han Jiwoo," a staff member called. "Resonance Chamber Six."
Jiwoo stepped forward. The circular room pulsed faint blue, the Resonance Crystal floating at its center.
"Place your hand on it," the examiner said, bored voice echoing. "Focus your mana. Breathe steady."
Jiwoo pressed his palm to the surface. It was warm.
Nothing happened.
The examiner sighed and scribbled something. "Next—"
Suddenly the crystal flared. Pale blue. Then white. Then deep violet streaked with black.
Runes on the floor ignited. The chamber vibrated. The hum turned into a roar.
"Mana overload!" someone shouted.
The air thickened, pressing against his chest. Pain lanced through him. His vision blurred as the pressure built—something massive moving beneath his skin.
"What's happening to me?"
The crystal cracked.
Light exploded.
The force knocked him backward, color and sound vanishing into white. Then—silence.
When it cleared, Jiwoo was kneeling on the scorched floor. The crystal was gone, replaced by drifting ash. His breath came shallow, his pulse erratic.
The examiner's hand trembled. "R–Resonance complete?"
The console flashed.
[Resonance Result][Primary Attribute: Combat Class][Secondary: Unknown][Rank: E][Status: Unstable. Dual-Core anomaly detected.]
"E-rank?" the examiner whispered.
Outside, whispers spread fast."An explosion for an E?""Guess he broke it himself."
"Poor guy… he probably got penalized after breaking the crystal"
As Jiwoo walked past the jubilant candidates celebrating their results, the weight of his own disappointment hung heavy on his shoulders. The sun blazed down, but he felt the chill of uncertainty creeping into his heart.
"E-Rank. Dual attribute. Unknown power. What a joke."
Every glance stung — pity from some, mockery from others.
"He's the one who caused the explosion, right?"
"Figures. Waste of a spectacle."
He tried to ignore them. But their voices followed him down the marble steps, clinging like a shadow.
He exhaled sharply, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Maybe the crystal wasn't the only thing that broke."
***
At home, he dropped onto his bed without turning on the lights. The dull gray rank card sat on his desk,
The ceiling blurred. "E Rank and Unknown huh... Wonder what's that Unknown thing."
A half-laugh, half-groan escaped him.
"All that effort for a pity Rank."
Sleep dragged him under before he realized his eyes had closed.
His phone buzzed. He hesitated, then answered.
"Jiwoo!" his mother's voice came through, warm and worried.
"How did it go?"
"…I awakened."
A pause. "That's wonderful! What rank?"
He hesitated. "…E."
A pause. Then softly, "That's still something, sweetheart. You can train—"
"There's more," he interrupted. "They said I have dual attributes. Combat and… something unknown."
"What do you mean?"
"They said I have a dual attribute. Combat class… and something unknown."
His mother's voice dropped lower, serious now. "Unknown? Did they say what that means?"
"They said the data was unstable. That's all."
A quiet sigh. "I see." She tried to sound light, but the worry slipped through.
"Don't let it bother you too much, alright? Just rest tonight."
He nodded faintly. "Okay."
"Jiwoo?"
"Yeah?"
"We're proud of you. No matter what rank they say you are."
His throat tightened. "…Thanks, Mom."
When the call ended, the city's hum returned. For a moment, faint golden lines flickered beneath his skin—then disappeared.
He lay back, eyes on the ceiling.
Sleep came slow, heavy, uneasy.
***
Across the ocean, in a private Hero Association lab, Jiwoo's parents stared at the Resonance data flickering on the monitor.
As they requested a copy of his data from the Seoul Hero Association, the tension in the room thickened. Han Mirae turned from her monitor, her eyes locking onto Seojin's.
Above them, the Association's database flickered to life—Resonance Record #42: Han Jiwoo.
"The request just came through," Mirae murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Here's the resonance data."
On the screen, twin mana wavelengths shimmered, entwining in a breathtaking yet terrifying pattern. Mirae's expression shifted to one of grave concern.
"Seojin… this energy signature—it matches the Monarch of Oblivion's core."
Seojin's heart raced. "That's impossible. The core was destroyed years ago…"
"Or maybe," she said, voice low, "it wasn't. Look—the flow's stable. It's merged."
"You're mean…?"
"I think it became his power" she whispered, awe mixing with fear.
"Not a mere fragment or possession—this is fully his."
Silence fell between them, punctuated only by the steady hum of mana stabilizers.
The weight of their discovery hung heavily in the air.
"Still," Seojin said, breaking the silence, "if that's true, we can't ignore this. Contact Kain. We need to ensure Jiwoo gets into his academy. We'll monitor him there closely."
"And if the energy resurfaces?" Mirae's eyes remained glued to the glowing spirals, uncertainty etched on her face.
"Then let's hope he's strong enough to control it… before anyone else notices."