"Why is everyone so cruel to me, man? Am I freaking cursed? Just when things were bad for me, you made it even worse, Dad! I wanted to complete college and find a passion and a job, even then, you would've chosen a job for me rather than letting me do what I want for once!"
He knew that the family was not doing well, so he had to sacrifice his studies and comfort.
He slept with a heavy heart, which could burst literally anytime.
The next day, he gave his dropout application and left from there while seeing other students hang out and laugh, which was not something he ever actually did.
He was a quiet child and never had any real friends, maybe one or two were close who promised to keep in touch, but never did.
He was 'unfamiliar' with the feeling of being understood and being loved.
His parents favoured his little brother Ji-Ho more because they thought he was more capable and smart in studies.
For the next couple of days, he looked for jobs, but he got rejected everywhere because he was just a high school graduate.
But there was still one hope-to go through the assessment process of finding out if you're a predator.
The next day, he headed to a nearby assessing station to determine if he's a predator.
He opened the door hesitantly and saw many people waiting to get their predator identity check, some to reassess their ranks.
He asked a staff member to tell him how to get his rank assessed, and he guided him.
He sat in the waiting room and waited for his turn.
"Next"
It was his turn; he was feeling nervous. This was his last hope.
The assessor then took his blood sample and tested it in the lab.
Si-Hun was waiting impatiently, subconsciously fidgeting with his fingers.
"Here are your results, Mr Si-Hun. You qualify to become a predator."
"I do?"
He was ecstatic; finally, he could take part in portal raids to earn a few bucks.
He checked his qualification paper, and when he saw the rank, he sighed.
"Novis? Yes, it had to be since I'm the most unfortunate person alive, tchh."
He said, scoffing.
He left the assessment centre and headed home.
As soon as he opened the door, he saw his father sitting in the living room.
This was it...another time he would not be able to live up to his father's damn expectations.
"So..did you pass the qualification?"He said.
"Yes."
"What rank?"
"Novis."
"Novis?Seriously! The lowest rank? Son, I couldn't have expected more than this. But whatever it is, you know how things work in this house now."
He saw his brother looking at him.
"Life doesn't seem to get better." He thought.
"Hyung! Are you qualified to be a predator? Wow! I always wanted to be a fighter, but couldn't; maybe I can learn something from you? I can't believe it! My big brother is a predator! I will tell my friends at school!"
"Hmm."
Si-Hun smiled faintly; his younger brother was the only one who ever appreciated him.
Not recognized him by strength and how "successful he was in life," but by what he really saw in him.
This was just the start of a man whose conflict would leave the world a better place.
This was just the beginning.
He only had two abilities to start with: Fireball charge and teleportation.
But, he couldn't even execute them properly.
At least, he wasn't as fucked up mentally as he was physically.
That rainy night alone cracked something inside him...something he couldn't name.
He was tangled; he was trying to figure out how to start.
[In his room, alone]
He sat near his table on his movable chair with a pen in his hand.
"How exactly can I upgrade? Maybe I should start working out, wait – yes, working out..I can become stronger like that, the only option with the resources I have. From today, I will work out four times a week, and that alone wouldn't do much; I will also practice fighting every single day."
He thought about it and decided that he would wake up at 4 a.m. every day for a workout and magic, and fighting training and drills.
He wanted to be seen, he wanted to belong. This decision was indeed made out of desperation to be seen and typically impress others.
Little did he know that this decision would shape his entire life – literally.
He has changed his fate himself – it is not in its most original form, but it will be, later.
What started as something like this will end differently.
A mindset, not born from pure, but from the life of a man who was broken to a point where he could even give up his own life if one last spark of hope hadn't stopped him.