After returning home, Hex headed straight for a hot shower. The warm water relaxed his stiff muscles, washing away the blood, grime, and tension from the brutal fight the night before. As soon as he dried off and crawled into bed, exhaustion overtook him. Sleep came almost instantly.
The next morning, Hex woke up feeling refreshed, his body lighter, his mind clearer. He walked into the kitchen and made himself a hearty breakfast: pan-fried eggs and crispy bacon. His appetite had never been this good. It was as if awakening had not only boosted his physical strength but also stimulated his metabolism and senses.
After finishing breakfast, he sat at the small table and pulled up his digital balance.
80,000 credit points.
It was a lot. Enough for rent, food, and modest living for years—if spent carefully. But after browsing through the galactic dark net and seeing the prices of gene crystals, AI chips, and black-market equipment, Hex couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment.
"A single E-rank crystal costs 300,000…" he muttered, scrolling. "Even low-end hacking gear is around 50k."
He leaned back in the chair and sighed.
" Iwish I could keep fighting. The arena pays well especially if I win consistently. And with enough wins, I'd probably get promoted to the veteran tier... but that's where the real monsters are."
He had watched a few veteran matches already. Those weren't street brawls. Those fighters moved like trained predators fully disciplined, vicious, and deadly. Hex could tell most of them had formal training. Some even had military backgrounds.
However,he had none.
No instructor and no mentor to teach him.
Everything he knew came from hours of watching tutorial videos on the internet and moves he had practiced alone on punching bags or shadows. He had tried sneaking into elite training classes a few times, but was always caught and punished. They made sure he understood his place.
He looked down at his hands which were still faintly bruised.
"Maybe I got lucky in that fight," he whispered. "I shouldn't push it too much and die."
With that thought, he put away his worries, grabbed his phone, and noticed a missed call from Ben.
They had a plan to meet today.
...
Later, in a small corner café, two boys sat near the window, sunlight filtering through the glass and landing softly on their faces.
"Since today's lunch is on you, I won't hold back!" Ben grinned, already digging into a big bowl of noodles.
He slurped noisily, then set the chopsticks down with a satisfied sigh. "Too good. What a happy occasion, man? Got a windfall?"
Hex smiled and leaned back. "Actually, I do have some big news."
Ben raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"I've awakened."
Ben froze mid-chew. He stared blankly, then slowly lowered the bowl. "Wait… what?"
"I said, I've awakened."
Ben blinked rapidly, then let out a loud whoop of joy. "Holy shit, bro! Are you serious?"
He leaned across the table and grabbed Hex's shoulders, shaking him. "Damn, finally! I knew it.My nurturing hadn't been in vain!"
Hex chuckled, not saying much. Ben had always helped him, especially during their academy days. As class monitor of the support division aka the "Sidekicks",Ben had been the glue that held their struggling batch together.
His family wasn't poor, either. They had their hands in local business circles, but sadly, Ben had never awakened.
If he had, with the backing of his family, he could've soared far.
Ben laughed for a while longer, rambling on about how Hex was going to become a star and how he'd ride on his coattails.
Then, his expression gradually darkened.
"Wait... if you've awakened... doesn't that mean you're going to join the Federation Army?"
Hex nodded, sipping his drink. "Yeah. That's how it works."
Ben leaned forward, his voice dropping. "Then won't you run into that bastard John?"
Hex paused. The moment that name was spoken, his gaze turned cold. Unpleasant memories surfaced like dark stains in clear water.
John.
A gifted student from the Elite Division. Aerokinesis user from wealthy family.
He was popular and untouchable.
The whole feud had started over something stupid.It was so stupid that he found it unbelievable.
It was a rugby match.
Sidekicks vs. Elites.
It was supposed to be just a friendly, graduation celebration game.
But Hex went all out. It wasn't out of need; rather he just wanted to enjoy himself. For once, he wanted to see how far he could push himself.
They won. And that win shattered the fragile pride of the Elite class.
John humiliated, confronted Hex. A scuffle turned into a fight. Hex held his own, broke a rib or two, even cracked John's nose—but ended up in the infirmary with a fractured skull.
In the aftermath, it was Hex who paid the price.
He was almost expelled. His graduation was withheld. And John?
There was no action on him.
Hex couldn't help but laugh.It was utterly childish.
Ben's voice pulled him back. "John's probably still out there… He won't forget."
Hex looked out the window, calm but firm. "Maybe. But there'll be thousands of new recruits. The chance of meeting him is small. Even if I do… who knows what state either of us will be in."
Ben sighed. "Still, be careful. I heard life in the Federation boot camp is brutal. And once you're inside, your past doesn't matter. All that counts is power and who's willing to use it."
Hex didn't reply. He just looked up at the sky through the café window, watching the distant hum of air-cars and cargo drones zip across the clouds.
He had taken the first step. But the road ahead?
It was lined with danger, enemies, and choices that could either make him a legend… or bury him in silence.
Ben looked at Hex with a melancholy look.
'This might be the last time I see him."