THPUD 01

Chapter 1 …

“Okay, so… the test results are out now. Sir, don’t be shocked when you hear this, alright?”

“…Why? Is something wrong?”

“No, no, nothing like that. It’s just— this kid, seriously… how can something like this happen?”

“Ah! What is it then? Is Gwang-Hwi sick somewhere?”

“No, not that! I’m saying— this kid’s awakening potential came out as… 99.9%.”

“…?”

“I don’t know what kind of miracle this is. This is seriously a celebration-worthy event.”

The grandfather, who had been listening seriously, clicked his tongue.

“Tsks tsk. Damn it. You suddenly show up and start spouting nonsense— do you not even know how old my Gwang-Hwi is? If you’re going to joke, at least make it believable, you brat.”

“I know! He’s three. But look here. The test result’s right here. His awakening potential is real!”

“…This is the test result?”

On average, awakening potential manifests at age 16.

Once someone awakens, they are ranked between F and S-class.

And those who get high rank awaken earlier— usually between ages 7 and 13.

The younger you are, the better the grade.

But me? I’m only three.

Ridiculously early.

“I knew that kid wasn’t ordinary from the moment I first saw him. Even his face looked different. Those sparkling eyes— I just knew he’d be someone.”

“What kind of nonsense is this? Is the test wrong?”

“It was done by the Hunter Association. You think they make mistakes?”

The village chief pulled out a pamphlet from his bag.

“Sir. This isn’t the time to sit around. If you look at this pamphlet? It says that if he enters the Hunter Gifted Academy, he’ll get a scholarship.”

“Scholarship?”

“Let’s see~~ Whoa? 1.2 million won a month? He just has to go to school and they pay him?”

“…”

“If he awakens as A-class, they give him 2.8 million won a month until he graduates! Ha! For our kid, A-class is nothing!”

The grandfather clicked his tongue again.

“Tsk tsk tsk. Damn scam! How could that make sense? Since when is there free money in this world? This test must be a scam too!”

“Ayy, sir! You’ve lived being tricked too much. Look, it says right here: no cost, all free. Dorm included. Free room and board— written right here. Why would the Hunter Association lie?”

“…The Hunter Association?”

The grandfather leaned in and studied the pamphlet closely.

“…He gets paid for just attending school?”

“Yes! That’s how valuable gifted hunters are! And your grandson is a genius among geniuses! Later, he’ll be making billions a year like nothing!”

“They give him a room and meals too? Then… he has to live there?”

“…Well… yes. Until he graduates.”

“……………”

My grandfather lives off a tiny farm and a basic pension.

When my parents died…

When every relative turned their back on me…

He took me in without hesitation, but he always worried.

What would happen to me after he died?

Would I end up in an orphanage?

“…So how does he get into this school?”

**

Hunter Community.

A place where hunters share the latest info, guild announcements, and job postings.

Recently, a legendary hot topic was posted.

Title: Short story about a “dunce” attending the Hunter Gifted Academy (Views: 6.59 million)

Hunter_No1: I go to the Hunter Gifted Academy, and there’s a senior here who hasn’t awakened for 16 years.

└ Stop lying. No such human exists.

└ Cut the BS already.

└ FACT Check: Average time from potential appearance to actual awakening is 3 years. (Source: Rock Kiwi)

└ You’re not talking about K.H. are you? 10 years ago he was unawakened. No way he’s still there?

└ Pretty sure it’s him. I graduated 3 years ago and he was still enrolled.

└ OMG. Why is this real?

└ Delete this. You’re ruining the school’s image. Kids these days have no manners.

└ Idiots— at least make the lie make sense. How can juniors graduate before seniors?

└ FACT Check: The academy uses a cohort system. Older students can graduate after younger ones.

└ I’m a current student. Yup, that senior is K.H. He gets ignored, kinda pitiful.

└ Is it even possible to not awaken for 16 years?

└ K.H. was a genius prodigy who entered at age three with the youngest awakening potential ever. I was older but respected him. Just goes to show— life can flip in a second. …Serves him right. lol.

**

“Oh dear God. Please~~!! Please let me awaken. If I awaken, I’ll live a really, really good life!”

It’s been 16 years since I failed to awaken.

When I entered, I was the prodigy of prodigies.
Now, I’m the school’s burden.

“Please, I beg you~~!! I’m not lazy anymore! I’ll work harder and behave. Okay?”

When the older students started awakening, I didn’t worry.

I was the genius.
I was the youngest.
Naturally, my time would come.

Six years later…

Until the juniors who entered after me awakened first.

**

When I turned nine…

Still unawakened…

I started shadowing another genius junior like a stalker.

I had to see what made others different from me.

I ate what he ate.
Took the same classes.
Even barged into his dorm and slept there.

There were infinite complaints,
but back then, I was unstoppable.

I was the senior— by seniority, I could crush anyone.

After a year of following him…

I learned:

He wasn’t different from me at all.

But six months later, he awakened.

And I didn’t.

**

If living the same as everyone else still leaves me behind—

‘Then I just won’t live the same.’

I ate the most at the cafeteria,
took the most classes,
woke up two hours earlier than everyone,
trained until the latest hour.

In swordsmanship alone, I was two–three tiers above the teacher.

Even the teachers admitted it.

But despite everything…

I still didn’t awaken.

**

Do everything you can, and leave the rest to heaven.

I realized effort alone couldn’t do it.

A clap needs both hands.

I was clapping alone.

So I prayed.

“God, please let me awaken! I’ll live a good life, I swear!”

Every night.
Rain or snow.
Never missed a day.

I even fasted because I heard it made prayers stronger.

I collapsed once.

Still… silence from above.

People say you hear a “sound” the moment you awaken.

I heard nothing.

Instead, another soundless reply—

My scholarship stopped coming.

I’d hit the time limit.

**

I couldn’t just give up.

I increased training.

10,000 vertical slashes
10,000 thrusts
10,000 horizontal cuts
10,000 jump ropes
1,000 push-ups
1,000 pull-ups
1,000 sit-ups
20 laps around the track

I repeated this every day, for five years.

My body turned into a statue of lean muscle.

‘At this point, I should at least be able to scratch an F-rank monster.’

**

Ding!

I was wrong.

It didn’t even leave a mark.

Meanwhile, chubby juniors awakened left and right.

Slash.

They cut F-class monsters like tofu.

“…Ha.”

It was empty.

**

I learned the opposite of happiness is comparison.

So I stopped.

No more looking at others.

‘Am I better today than I was last year?’

Yes.

‘…Then that’s enough.’

I felt peace.

**

Then awakened juniors started mocking me.

“Please, like that’ll help. You need actual awakening.”

“If I were him, I’d have quit from embarrassment.”

“He’s just staying for free food and dorm, right? I heard he’s an orphan.”

Fine. Talk all you want.

You’re you, and I am me.

Then—

“How about you consider withdrawing?”

The principal— like a mother to me since age three— suggested I quit.

School rules meant they couldn’t expel me,
so they wanted me gone voluntarily.

I hesitated for a moment.

“…No. I’ll never give up.”

I refused.

**

Teachers became more cold.

Later I found out why.

My record was damaging the school’s performance score.

Just existing was harming others.

Even so…
I couldn’t stop.

No one could awaken for me.

No one could stop me either.

Only I could end myself.

Only I could drag myself down.

So if I just don’t give up—

I win.

Thankfully,
I never gave up.

“God helps those who help themselves.”