Orin woke up before sunrise.
The room was still dark, and the air felt cold. For a moment, he stayed still on his bed. Slowly, he stood up and opened his door and went towards his father's room. He opened the door just a little. He could see Hilton lying on the bed, passed out and many empty beer cans on the floor. Orin didn't feel anger or pity anymore. Just emptiness.
He quietly went back to his room and wore a black hoodie and black track pants. He didn't eat anything. After one last look at the apartment that never felt like home, Orin unlocked the door and stepped outside.
He walked down the stairs. Floor after floor, his footsteps echoed in the empty stairwell. When he finally stepped out of the building, he saw that the sky was still dark blue, and the streetlights were on. The city was quiet.
Orin walked alone toward the Player Association building.
It took him a long time. His legs hurt, but he didn't stop. When he finally reached the tall, white building with the Association symbol carved into the front, his heart sank. The doors were closed. It was still too early.
He sat down on a bench across the street. The cold wood pressed into his back, but he didn't care. Slowly, exhaustion caught up to him and his eyes closed slowly.
But after some hours as the sun rose, Orin opened his eyes as sunlight hit his face.
He saw that the Player Association doors were open now. People were walking in and out—young men and women, some nervous and some excited. Orin stood up quickly, wiped his face, and crossed the busy road. His heart was beating fast as he stepped inside.
The lobby was large and clean. Screens on the walls showed announcements, ranks, rankers, and guild advertisements. Orin walked to the reception desk, feeling small.
"I… I applied for the Player awakening test," he said quietly.
The receptionist typed his name into the system. Her eyes moved across the screen, then she nodded. "Orin Grey. Go to the first floor, Room 103."
Orin thanked her and walked toward the stairs. He ignored the elevator and climbed up, step by step, trying to calm himself. When he reached Room 103, he opened the door and stepped inside.
The room was filled with people.
Young men and women were standing in a long line. Some were talking loudly about what rank they hoped for. Others laughed, confident. Orin went to the back of the line and waited silently. Time was passing slowly. One by one, people went forward and placed their hands on a large shining pearl in the center of the room. Some left with smiles and some with disappointment.
After more than an hour, Orin was the only one who was left.
An examiner was standing near the pearl, wearing a formal uniform and an ID card hanging on his neck. He looked at Orin and spoke calmly. "Place your hand on the awakening crystal. The System will judge you."
Orin took a deep breath and placed his hand on the pearl.
And then the light exploded in the rainbow colours, shining in mid-air.
And a holographic screen appeared in front of him, glowing softly.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Name: Orin Grey
Gender: Male
Level: 0
Rank: EX+++
Role: Barrier Monarch
Stats:
Strength: 6
Agility: 7
Endurance: 6
Mana: 15
Perception: 8
Control: 4
Luck: 2
Skills: Barrier Making (G)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
The examiner's eyes widened for a second—but then his face returned to normal, and moments later, Orin was handed a small card.
"G-rank," the examiner said.
Orin froze. "G-rank?" he asked. "But… my role—"
"Barrier making is common," the examiner interrupted. "From G-rank to S-rank, anyone can create barriers. Plus your stats are less than G-rank humans, where they have their stats in two digits, in all except your mana. Now demonstrate your skill."
Orin nodded quickly. He focused and pushed his mana forward, and tried to create a barrier.
But nothing happened.
He tried again. His head started to hurt. His mana was reacting, but no barrier was appearing.
Silence filled the room.
The examiner sighed. "Your player card will be sent to your home," he said. "You may leave."
Orin didn't say another word. He turned around and walked out.
He walked for hours.
Through crowded streets, past guild buildings and past the people, who are living their life like he wanted. His feet hurt. His chest felt him heavy. By the time he reached home, it was early night.
Orin unlocked the door and stepped inside and then a shout echoed from inside the apartment.
"Orin?!?!!"