"Dammit," James cursed, slamming another bottle down as he took a long gulp.
The bar was a stylish pub located in the heart of Zone B—one of the more polished districts of the Capital. Bright neon signage bathed the interior in warm hues, and ambient music hummed quietly in the background. But none of it mattered to James.
He sat hunched at the counter, drowning his failure with drink after drink. It was already his sixth bottle.
The people around him had started to take notice. They whispered among themselves with thinly veiled disgust.
"Tch… looking at his state, he's definitely from Zone C."
"Pfft!— I bet he finally realized how much of a failure he is."
"Jackasses who can't afford to live without government aid should just drop dead already."
James overheard every word. The voices weren't subtle. Their glares burned into his skin.
He sighed, ignoring them, and tapped his wristband.
CP Balance: 2,978
"Sarah and Amara will have to go to college soon… and rent's almost due," he thought, his chest tightening. "I blew this entire year's savings trying to awaken. What the hell do I tell them now?"
While Zone C offered government aid, it only reduced the cost of living by sixty percent. With tuition looming, his sisters might be forced to drop out—and face even harsher discrimination.
He felt like he had hit a dead end.
Just then, the bar door swung open. A tall young man stepped inside, heading to the counter with ease. He placed his order before turning and spotting James.
"Conor!" the man called, his voice friendly.
James turned sluggishly. "Jonathan." His voice was dry.
"I knew it was you. How's it been?" Jonathan pulled out a chair and sat opposite James. "It's been years since I last heard anything about you."
James forced a weak smile, trying to hide the weight in his eyes.
"Yeah, we haven't seen each other since middle school. Do you live around here now or something?"
Jonathan's gaze flicked to the empty bottles on James's table. His eyes narrowed.
"Something wrong, Conor?" he asked in a quieter tone.
James tried to hold his smile. "What do you mean? Everything's fine… Just needed to blow off steam."
Jonathan leaned in, not buying it.
"Conor… you never call me by my full name unless you're upset. I can tell something's going on."
James looked down, defeated.
"It was that obvious?" he muttered.
Jonathan placed a comforting hand on James's shoulder.
"Come on, man. We were friends back in middle school. You can tell me."
James sighed.
"I live in Zone C now."
Jonathan flinched but kept his expression neutral.
"That means… your family didn't make it?" he asked, voice softer.
James nodded. "Yeah."
They talked for a while, slipping back into old memories. Slowly, the tension in James's shoulders eased, and his mood brightened.
Then Jonathan brought the conversation back.
"But I never asked… is that really all that's bothering you?"
James hesitated, then answered honestly.
"I just took the Awakener Exam. Got evaluated as a Null Rank."
Jonathan's brow furrowed. "Null Rank? What's that?"
"It's a rank below level 1. Doesn't even manifest an ability."
Jonathan crossed his arms, taking it in.
"That does suck," he said. He paused. "I know it might sound crazy… but why don't you join my party for our next raid?"
"Huh?" James blinked, unsure what he'd just heard.
Jonathan smiled. "I know it's dangerous, but if you're up for it, come with us. Who knows? Maybe you'll reawaken into a higher rank."
James's eyes widened.
"How could I be such an idiot… I practically gave up the moment they ranked me." He looked at Jonathan — there was no judgment in his eyes, only sincerity.
"He still believes in me," James clenched his fists. "The least I can do is believe in myself… it's not over yet. I refuse to quit."
Jonathan caught the change in James's eyes. He didn't even need confirmation.
He grabbed a napkin and scribbled an address, sliding it across the table.
"The raid starts at 9 a.m. See you then."
James looked up—but Jonathan was already gone.
He smiled.
---
The next morning, James woke up early. He made breakfast for his sisters, then packed up and headed out.
After a long walk, he reached the edge of a massive translucent dome barrier. It shimmered faintly, pulsing with void energy.
He approached quickly and spotted Jonathan dressed in combat gear—similar to the outfit James remembered from his Awakener exam.
"I'm glad you made it," Jonathan said, waving.
James waved back. His eyes shifted to the four individuals standing behind Jonathan.
"Allow me to introduce you to my party," Jonathan said.
He gestured to a smiling woman. "This is Wanda, our Support."
Then to a towering man with a massive axe. "Robert—our Damage Dealer."
Next, a girl gripping a spear. "Amanda, our Melee Fighter."
And finally, a man clad in full armor. "Kelvin, our Tank."
"It's a pleasure to work with you all," James said, bowing slightly.
"Did you seriously awaken without an ability?" Amanda asked, stepping closer.
"Y-yeah," James muttered, avoiding eye contact.
"Captain, are you sure this is a good idea?" Kelvin asked, glancing at Jonathan.
"Yeah, seriously," Robert added, eyeing James's casual clothes. "He doesn't even look ready. No gear, no weapon… are we really taking him into a void break?"
Void gear wasn't cheap. Even the lowest-grade equipment cost 10,000 CP.
Jonathan waved them off. "It's just a mid-level City Break. We'll be fine." He slung an arm over James's shoulder. "Plus, he's got me. I won't let anything happen to my buddy."
The party sighed. They knew better than to argue. When Jonathan made up his mind, he didn't change it.
A suited man approached—the overseer. He was responsible for confirming entry into the break.
"You may proceed," the overseer said, gesturing to the barrier.
James walked behind the group. As he did, Wanda came up beside him and handed him a small dagger.
"You might need this in there."
James took it, surprised. "Thank you."
He unsheathed it briefly. The blade shimmered faintly—a true void weapon.
The overseer began briefing them. "Once you pass through the barrier, there's no coming out until every monster is defeated. Is that clear?"
Everyone nodded.
The overseer tapped a device against the dome. It shimmered blue.
One by one, they passed through.
James followed last. He touched the device, and the dome shifted back to red.
Then—
Zzzsst!
The barrier sparked. The overseer's Jaw tightened.
"It can't be…"
He turned and ran from the dome.
Wuum!
Reality itself cracked. Space bent unnaturally around the dome's edges. A vortex of shifting energy began to ripple outward.
The overseer scrambled for his phone, fingers shaking.
"Sir… a singularity has manifested."
He stared at the distortion in awe—and fear.