Adam sat in the taxi silently, his gaze drifting aimlessly through the window, chasing buildings and passing faces without truly seeing them. His mind was consumed by the day ahead—another day at the university, which had become a permanent stage for ridicule and whispers.

  Twenty minutes ter...The car stopped in front of the university gate. Adam stepped out hesitantly, as if each step toward the entrance weighed his chest down with memories of rejection and failure.

  As soon as he entered the campus, a familiar mocking voice rang out:

  Ahmed:"Oh, look who decided to show up! The only human among us who still hasn't awakened!"

  Adam ignored the comment and kept walking without saying a word. But inside, he was boiling.

  Adam (inner voice):"He's right… Everyone's awakened, even those who never trained a day in their life. And me? Nothing... Just failure and disappointment."

  ? [Fshback – One Year Ago – Awakened Association Headquarters]A massive hall glowed with a soft blue light emitted by a giant crystal at its center. Adam stepped toward it, dozens of eyes silently watching him.

  Examiner (coldly):"Adam, pce your hand on the crystal."

  Adam reached out hesitantly, and the moment his fingers touched the surface…Nothing. Silence.

  Examiner:"No reaction. It seems you're not awakened."

  ? [Back to the present]Adam continued walking in silence, trying to bottle up his disappointment. He didn't expect to be interrupted again, this time by a voice more venomous:

  Issam:"Hey Adam… how's your sist—"

  BOOM!

  Adam couldn't control himself. He punched Issam with furious force, knocking him to the ground.

  Adam (furiously):"Don't you dare mention my sister."

  Issam stood up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, smirking.

  Issam:"Forgot who you're dealing with? Want to die?"

  Fmes began forming in his palms.

  Ahmed (ughing):"Burn him! Let's see him beg!"

  Students started to gather, some ughing, others pulling out their phones to record.

  Just as the tension was about to explode…

  ???"What's going on here?"

  Students (whispering):"The Student Council President…!"

  President (sternly):"Enough. Everyone to your csses. Now."

  The crowd quickly dispersed. Issam sneered as he passed by Adam.

  Issam:"I'm off to the Awakened Academy… Oh wait, I forgot—you're just a burden."

  He left, leaving Adam standing alone, rage twisting inside him.

  Adam (inner voice):"They all see me as dead weight… Even when I try to hide my pain, they won't leave me alone. How can I become awakened? How?"

  ? Later that dayAdam exited the university, drained—physically and emotionally.

  Adam (whispering):"That's enough for today… I just want to go home."

  He stepped to the curb and hailed a taxi.

  Adam (in the taxi):"What can I even do? How can I save my sister? There's no hope without a healing crystal… But where can I find one?"

  He looked at his phone, searching for any lead—until an unexpected notification appeared from the Awakened app.

  Adam (surprised):"A notification? A team of awakened seeking a porter… for a mission inside… a Monster Dungeon?"

  ? [General Information – dispyed on screen:] "Monster Dungeons: Mysterious zones visible only to the awakened. They appear randomly around the world, each cssified by a rank. Only dungeons ranked S or higher are capable of unleashing powerful monsters into the real world."

  Adam (inner voice, eyes lighting up with hope):"Maybe… this is my chance… I can't enter the dungeon or see it, but… there are always exceptions."

  ? [At the hospital – Evening]Adam sat on a small chair beside his sister's bed, her breathing slow under the monitor's steady rhythm. Her pale face and frail hand resting on the white sheets tightened the knot in his chest.

  He took her hand in his, lowered his head, and whispered softly:

  Adam (voice trembling):"I'm sorry, Lay… I've taken too long. But I've found a thread of hope. I'll enter that dungeon. I'll find you a healing crystal… no matter what it takes."

  She didn't respond… but her fingers moved slightly, as if she had heard him.

  He looked up at her again, a sad smile forming on his lips.

  Adam (inner voice):"For her alone… I'll risk everything."

  ? [At home – Midnight]Adam entered his small apartment and closed the door behind him quietly. The pce was modest, but familiar.

  He took off his jacket and stood before the mirror. He stared at his reflection for a long moment. Pale face. Tired eyes. But behind those features, something new was stirring.

  Adam (whispering):"I'm going into a Monster Dungeon… with nothing but willpower."

  He sat at his desk, opened his ptop, and began a frantic search:

  "How do non-awakened survive inside a dungeon?""Types of monsters in early dungeon levels""Difference between normal and healing crystals"

  Then suddenly, he found something crucial:

  "Some teams allow non-awakened individuals to join, if given a portion of mana—allowing them to see and interact with the dungeon as assistants."

  He smiled, as if that's exactly what he had been searching for.

  He walked to his small closet, opened it, and pulled out a small bag. He began packing it:

  Water bottle

  First aid kit

  Small knife

  Fshlight

  A small notebook

  A photo of Lay

  Adam (while packing):"No one expects me to come back alive… But I'll prove to them all that real weakness… is giving up."

  He turned off the lights and y down without changing his clothes. His eyes closed... but his heart remained wide awake.

  End of Chapter Two.