"Uh… is anybody home?" I called out, my voice echoing against the quiet hall.
For the past few days, I had been working as a pizza delivery boy. The job wasn't easy, but it paid. And I needed every coin I could save.
Money was the key to stepping into the First God's Sanctuary. Even the compulsory training of 15 days came with a price. Nothing here was free.
I was turning sixteen in just two months. Time was moving fast, but I wasn't unprepared. I had already 67k Levo dollars.
The vocational school covered my basic needs, so I didn't have to worry about food or shelter. That gave me room to save. With all the free time I had, this part-time job was perfect.
I set the pizza box down by the door. "Uh… I'll just leave the package here, sir. Please check it when you can."
Snapping a quick photo for proof, I straightened up and headed back down the hall. Another delivery done. Another small step closer to my goal.
I knew a simple photo wasn't really enough as proof. If the customer complained, my job could be on the line. But honestly, I didn't care. Two months. That was all I needed to wait.
By the time I finished, the streets were already dark. I stopped by the pizza shop to check in, then headed back to the vocational school.
When I finally reached my room, I dropped onto the bed with a heavy sigh. "Haa… damn, this is tiring," I muttered, raising a hand to block the light shining down from the old bulb above me.
'I wonder what Mom is doing right now,' I thought, my eyes tracing the cracks in the ceiling.
In this world, I had no one I could call family. The thought weighed on me more than I wanted to admit.
I wanted to make friends, but every time I tried, something went wrong. Sometimes I stuttered when speaking, other times the words just wouldn't come out right.
It always ended with me standing there, awkward and silent, while the other person walked away.
'What is even the goal of my life? Do I want to become stronger? If yes, then why? What do I even desire? There's only one answer—I don't know.' The thought echoed again and again in my head.
"What's going to happen when I finally step into the First God's Sanctuary? What comes after that?" I whispered into the still air. My voice sounded small, even to myself.
Somewhere along the way, I had lost track of the reason I was doing all this. At first, I told myself it was survival. But now? Survival felt empty.
Was I chasing strength so I could live a better life? Maybe. Or was it just so I wouldn't feel weak anymore? That sounded closer to the truth.
I remembered how people in this world looked at the powerless. Like they were invisible. Like their existence didn't matter. I hated that feeling more than anything.
"Do I want to be feared? Respected? Or… just seen?" I muttered. The words felt heavy, dragging something out of me that I hadn't realized was there.
Strength wasn't just about muscles or powers. It was a way to make sure I wasn't ignored. A way to make sure when people saw me, they didn't just turn away.
"Maybe that's it," I said softly, staring at the cracks in the ceiling. "Maybe I just want to matter. Even if it's only to myself."
The thought calmed me a little, but it also left a hollow ache in my chest. Two months until the Sanctuary. Maybe then I would find my answer.
My eyes stayed fixed on the ceiling, but my thoughts wandered far away.
I tried to imagine what the First God's Sanctuary looked like. A place where people fought, struggled, and rose above their limits. A place where your worth was measured by strength alone.
My body ached from the day's work, but my mind refused to settle. Doubts, hopes, and questions swirled together, pressing heavy on my chest.
I closed my eyes and let out a long breath. Slowly, the weight started to ease. The darkness behind my eyelids felt softer, safer.
And before I knew it, sleep pulled me under.
---
"Ah, fuck, for real?" I groaned, throwing an arm over my face. The sunlight poured straight through the window, heating my skin until I couldn't ignore it.
It was already morning, the sun standing tall in the sky. Judging from how bright it was, I was late—way too late.
'As far as I remember, I don't really have any assignments today. I guess… I should just train,' I thought, dragging myself up from the bed. A quick wash, some stretches, and I was out the door.
Outside, the city was alive. Cars zipped down the road at breakneck speed, the loud hum of engines filling the air. People hurried along the sidewalks, each one looking like they had somewhere more important to be than me.
There weren't any trees, not even a patch of green. Just metal, glass, and concrete stretching out as far as I could see.
I took a deep breath and started to run. My feet hit the ground in steady rhythm, faster and faster with each step. The air wasn't fresh even in the slightest.
Sweat dripped down my forehead as I pushed harder. I dodged between pedestrians, weaved around a delivery bot, and ignored the curious stares people threw my way.
When my legs started to burn, I dropped to the ground near an empty corner and began push-ups. One after another, my arms trembled, but I kept going. Then squats, then sit-ups, until every muscle in my body screamed.
By the time I finished, my shirt clung to my skin, soaked through. My breaths came ragged, but there was a strange satisfaction in the ache.
I walked back toward the vocational school slowly, my legs heavy. The noise of the streets faded the closer I got, replaced by the dull chatter of students gathered outside.
Pushing open the gates, I slipped back into the building, took a quick shower and was done with my training.
And for the next two months, it was my daily routine, no changes.