I woke up before dawn.
The dorm was quiet. Too quiet. My heart thumped like it wanted to escape my chest. I stared at the ceiling. Last night's voice… it wouldn't leave me.
Weakness is not the end. Weakness is the start.
I rubbed my eyes and swung my legs over the bed. My body ached from falling yesterday. My face burned every time I remembered the laughter.
"Not this time," I whispered to myself. "I'll show them."
I left the dorm. The halls were empty. The air smelled cold, like metal and wet stone. My fingers itched, my palms sweaty. I tried to focus on the system, the voice, anything.
"Hidden System Activated: Weakest to Strongest."
I muttered the words, almost laughing at how ridiculous it sounded. But then… a menu appeared in my mind. Tiny letters glowing:
[Weakest to Strongest Protocol]
Level 1 Unlocked: Survival Spark
Stat Points Available: 5
I blinked. Stat points? Spark? What the hell?
I pressed… something. I don't know what. Instinct. And suddenly… heat. A warmth, tingling in my chest. My hands. My fingers. Something alive, pulsing.
I clenched my fists. Nothing. Then, a spark. Tiny. A flicker. Not much. But it was mine. I could feel it. My first power. My first spark.
I gasped. My chest pounding. Could it be… real?
Before I could think too much, a shadow appeared.
"Hey! Weak kid!"
The jerk from yesterday. That same bully who whispered "pathetic" behind me during class. His eyes glinted, cruel and sharp. "What are you doing alone? Trying magic again? Bet you'll fail."
I swallowed hard. My hands shook. My heart screamed. But the spark… it was there. Flickering, alive. I focused. My fingers tingled. A small flame danced over my palm. Tiny, almost invisible.
His laugh froze.
"What…?" He frowned, stepping closer.
I panicked. My hand flailed. The spark jumped, brighter this time. A tiny flash hit the ground. Smoke curled. My chest heaved. My face burned.
He stepped back, eyes wide. "What the hell—"
I didn't stop. My fear turned to something sharper. Anger. Hurt. Every laugh yesterday, every whisper, every shove—I shoved it into the spark. My hands burned. The flame grew. Brighter. Bigger. I didn't know how. I didn't care.
The bully stumbled back, almost falling. "Stop it! What are you—"
And then it happened.
A bigger spark. Not big enough to burn him, not yet. But it danced, alive, angry. His eyes widened, fear creeping in. I couldn't believe it. Me… making him afraid.
I dropped my hands. The sparks faded. My chest heaved. I felt dizzy, weak, but… alive. Powerful. A tiny rush of victory.
He stared at me. Silent. Confused. Angry. Fearful.
"Don't… you touch me again," he whispered, stepping back.
I nodded, still shaking. My body trembling from excitement, fear, adrenaline. I… did it. I actually did it.
After he left, I sat against the wall, chest heaving, tears threatening to spill. Not from pain. Not from fear. But from… hope. Something inside me had changed. Something that had been broken my whole life… just cracked open a little.
I touched my hands. The sparks were gone, but the feeling stayed. My heart, my blood, my chest—all alive. I could do this. I could fight back. I could… survive. I could be stronger.
The system menu appeared again. Tiny letters, glowing softly:
[Level Up Available: 5 Points]
[Skill Unlocked: Survival Spark]
I stared. Fingers trembling. Stat points. Skills. System… maybe this was real. Maybe this was my chance. My first real chance.
I spent the points instinctively. Some instinct I didn't understand. The spark returned. Warmer. Stronger. My heart leapt.
I could hear laughter in the hall again. Students moving about. Life going on. And me… I smiled. A real smile. Messy, small, but mine.
Tomorrow, I'll train more. I'll control this spark. I'll show them. Not just the bully, not just the class, not just the teachers… everyone.
And for the first time in my life, I felt ready.
I'm Kai.
The weak kid? Not for long.
Tomorrow… they'll see.
Tomorrow… I'll show them.