My thoughts were drifting through some distant past when something smacked the back of my head, sending a sharp pain lancing through my skull. A quiet "fuck" slipped out before I could stop it. Unfortunately, the girl next to me still heard. I could feel it — my aura had just gone beyond negative.
"Arishu, where is your mind? Did you hear what I said?" Miss Emily's voice cut through the haze.
"Yes, ma'am." I stood too abruptly, nearly losing my balance. Keep it together, idiot, I told myself. Don't let your aura turn negative on day one.
She tapped a piece of chalk against the desk — her polite way of saying you're on thin ice. "Then tell the class what I just explained."
"You said cultivation starts when someone comprehends the first law they're most connected to," I began, forcing the words out past the throbbing in my skull. "If someone loves the sea, they might have an affinity for the water law. If they love the forest, maybe earth or wood law.
"Once you grasp this first law, you reach Law Awakening. You awaken it inside you, gain control, and pick up traits — like fire users having fire resistance. This first law is the foundation for everything. People pick simple laws because profound ones…" I hesitated, "…can kill. Take on something like Life, Death, or Yin and Yang, and your soul could be crushed — or your mind could shatter forever."
Her eyes stayed locked on mine. "And the second level?"
"Law Manifestation," I answered. "You can wield your law beyond your body. Fireballs. Explosions. Armor."
"Enough." She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Pay attention next time, Arishu. That goes for all of you."
The bell rang, cutting the tension. Students shot from their seats. I slung my bag over my shoulder and made for the door —
— only to crash into someone.
"Sorry, bro," I muttered, trying to sidestep. But a hand like a steel clamp seized my collar.
Brown hair, sharp jawline, eyes like he thought the world was his. Aiden Voss — rich kid, quick temper, and clearly someone who thought gravity itself worked for him.
"What do you mean 'sorry'?" His gaze dropped to his shoes like I'd stepped on a newborn kitten. "You scuffed my new sneakers. Clean them."
Really? On the first day? Shouldn't he be tormenting the actual protagonist?
"Bro, it was an accident. They're not even dirty. But if you want, I can—"
"—pay for them?" he cut in, scoffing. "These aren't just sneakers. They're a limited spiritual edition. Do you think an apology fixes everything? How about I punch you, then say sorry?"
A few classmates stopped to watch, hungry for drama.
I took a slow breath. "Alright, I'll clean them. Just… relax, man."
I pulled out my handkerchief and knelt. I wasn't doing this because I fear him — I was doing it because right now, I wasn't strong enough. If I didn't, I'd be the one getting beaten.
My hand was halfway to his shoe when a firm grip stopped me. I looked up.
Jin Kairo.
He didn't raise his voice, but the words landed like a blade: "That's enough. Let him go."
Aiden's smirk faltered. "Consider it your lucky day," he said, releasing me before turning away.
The crowd melted, disappointed the fight didn't happen.
"Thanks," I told Jin quietly.
"It was nothing." He gave a small smile — the kind that made girls flock to him instantly.
As I left, I glanced back. Sure enough, a group of them was already circling him, giggling. The protagonist shines, I thought wryly.
The day bled into evening, and the noise of the academy faded behind me. By the time I was home, the sky was ink-black, the air cool against my skin.
Later that night, I was lying in my garden, earphones in, staring at the sky. When I do this, all the illusions fade away and only reality remains. My mind was a still pond, but underneath, I was thinking about the important step I was about to take: Law Awakening. I didn't know what to think about. To
comprehend your first law and lay your foundation, you're supposed to focus on something you like or are deeply interested in. But here I was, with nothing. Nothing in this fleeting life truly mattered to me, so what law was I going to acquire?
'Ah Why the fuck are you overthinking this? Just do it, you idiot! We'll see what law you get. What's there to think about?' thought as i shook my head, trying to clear the fog.
I got up and went to my training room. I knew this was dangerous. Normally, a person would always have someone with them when taking this step, in case they comprehend a profound law. But I was going to do it alone.
"You can do this, Arishu. If you can't even do this much, what are you going to do in the future?" I said, trying to encourage myself.
I began to cultivate and think of something I could comprehend, but my mind was a void. The oceans, I thought, were all dried up as time passed. People, they also die. Earth, planets, stars... everything gone. A cold knot of dread tightened in my stomach because I couldn't think of anything. Even the universe itself was eventually destroyed, even space itself was erased from existence. Whenever I thought, only nothingness remained.
An hour passed. Then another. The dread turned to fear. Most people comprehend their first law within an hour. A more profound law could take up to two. But I hadn't even started.
Three more hours passed, and I kept
cultivating, kept thinking, but nothing was the only thing I could think of. Then, suddenly, I began to feel something. The dread stopped, as if it had never existed. My emotions began to calm, as if they were never there to begin with. I felt calmer than ever. The feeling was foreign yet familiar, and I couldn't quite place it.
Then my head started to throb. The pain grew worse with every passing second, a searing heat behind my eyes. My teeth were gritted. I knew now. I had begun to comprehend a law I didn't even know, and a profound one at that. I knew I should stop, but I didn't. A feeling deep inside told me that if I didn't do this now, I would never get the chance again. I wouldn't be able to cultivate. So I pushed forward, knowing I could die, but I didn't care. If I couldn't cultivate, I was better off dead.
The pain in my forehead intensified. It was the worst pain I had ever felt, as if my soul was being devoured by something, and I couldn't resist. As the pain continued, I began to lose consciousness. I grabbed a knife from my bracelet and stabbed myself in the thigh to stay awake. I couldn't afford to faint now, not during the final step.
But the pain was more powerful than I could have imagined. I was losing consciousness. I couldn't do anything. I simply passed out.
Am I going to fail just like that? The thought was the last thing to cross my mind, even after all this inhuman torture.