System Failure: Level Zero

The Awakening Hall was louder than usual. Voices overlapped from every direction—some filled with excitement, others with quiet anxiety. Students stood in clusters, whispering among themselves, stealing glances at the glowing platform at the center of the hall. That platform decided everything. Your rank. Your future. Your place in the world. Kai Draven stood at the far end of the hall, leaning slightly against one of the cold pillars. His hands rested in his pockets, his posture relaxed, almost indifferent to the energy around him. Almost. Names were being called one after another. Each student stepped forward, placed a hand on the crystal sphere, and waited. A brief moment would pass— Then light would burst from within the crystal, forming symbols in the air above it. A rank. The reactions were immediate. “D-Rank!” A round of applause followed. “Not bad.” “You’ll do fine with that.” The boy who had just awakened stepped down with a smile, already being surrounded by others. Kai watched quietly. Another name was called. “C-Rank!” The cheers grew louder. “Nice!” “That’s a solid start!” A girl stepped down from the platform, her expression bright with relief. Kai’s gaze didn’t linger. It moved back to the crystal. The glowing sphere hovered slightly above its stand, pulsing faintly as if it had a life of its own. It looked calm. Controlled. Reliable. Everything about it felt… certain. Unlike him. “Kai Draven.” The voice echoed clearly across the hall. For a brief moment, the noise dipped. Then came the whispers. “Him?” “He actually showed up?” “I thought he’d skip today.” Kai pushed himself off the pillar and stepped forward. The crowd parted, but not out of respect. There was no admiration in their eyes, no anticipation. Just curiosity. And something else. Something heavier. His footsteps were steady as he made his way toward the platform. He didn’t rush. Didn’t hesitate. But he could feel it. The weight of their gazes. The quiet judgment. Some people already had their expectations. Others didn’t care enough to form any. Kai stepped onto the platform. Up close, the crystal sphere felt different. Larger. Brighter. Its soft glow reflected faintly in his eyes. For a moment, he just stood there. Then he raised his hand and placed it against the surface. The hall fell silent. Nothing happened. A second passed. Then another. A faint flicker appeared inside the crystal. It was weak. Unstable. Like a light struggling to stay alive. Murmurs began to spread. “What’s going on?” “Why is it taking so long?” “Is something wrong with it?” Kai frowned slightly. Something didn’t feel right. The energy inside the crystal shifted again. Then— It glitched. The light flickered violently, distorting in a way no one had ever seen before. Strange symbols flashed for a split second, broken and unreadable. Kai’s eyes narrowed. He felt it. A strange sensation, crawling beneath his skin, like something was trying to connect… and failing. The crystal pulsed one last time. Then everything stopped. A cold, flat voice echoed throughout the hall. “Level… Zero.” Silence. For a moment, no one reacted. The words hung in the air, heavy and confusing. Then— A laugh broke out. Short. Uncertain. Followed by another. And another. “What did it say?” “Level Zero?” “That’s not even a rank.” “I’ve never heard of that before.” The laughter spread, louder now. Some people looked confused. Others didn’t bother hiding their amusement. Kai slowly lowered his hand. Level Zero. Not F-Rank. Not even the lowest category. Zero. It didn’t make sense. The examiner standing nearby frowned, quickly checking the device in his hand. “This… shouldn’t be possible,” he muttered under his breath. But the result was already displayed. Clear. Unchangeable. Level 0. A voice from the crowd spoke up. “So he’s basically useless?” More laughter followed. Kai didn’t react. He stepped down from the platform without saying a word. No applause. No acknowledgment. Just whispers trailing behind him. “Pathetic.” “Why did he even come?” “Waste of time.” Kai walked through the crowd, their voices brushing past him like cold wind. Some moved aside. Others didn’t bother, forcing him to weave his way through. None of them mattered. At least, that’s what he told himself. But his hands had already tightened into fists inside his pockets. Level Zero. The words echoed in his mind. Not weak. Not low. Just nothing. He reached the exit and pushed the doors open. The noise behind him faded instantly. Outside, the air felt different. Cooler. Quieter. Kai stepped forward, the sunlight hitting his face as he paused just outside the hall. For a moment, he didn’t move. Didn’t think. He just stood there. Then he exhaled slowly. “…Figures.” His voice was low. Calm. But something about it felt heavier than before. Behind him, the hall erupted again as another name was called. Another future decided. Kai didn’t look back. He started walking. Each step felt steady, but his thoughts weren’t. Level Zero. The more he repeated it, the more unreal it sounded. He had expected something low. Maybe F-Rank. Maybe worse. But this— This wasn’t even on the scale. It was like the system had rejected him entirely. As if he didn’t belong. Kai’s jaw tightened slightly. He walked past groups of students who were still talking about their results, their excitement filling the streets outside the academy. Some noticed him. Most didn’t. A few pointed. “Isn’t that the Level Zero guy?” “That’s rough.” “I’d probably quit if I were him.” Kai kept walking. He didn’t stop. Didn’t respond. Their voices faded behind him. The further he went, the quieter everything became. By the time he reached the empty road leading toward his house, the noise was gone completely. Just the sound of his footsteps remained. Slow. Steady. Alone. The sky had begun to shift, the bright blue fading into softer shades as the day moved on. Kai glanced up briefly before looking ahead again. His expression hadn’t changed. But something in his eyes had. Subtle. Quiet. Unsettled. “If this is where I start…” His voice barely rose above a whisper. He let the words linger for a moment. Then continued walking. “…then I’ll just have to move forward.” No anger. No frustration. Just a simple statement. But the way his fingers clenched slightly at his side said more than his voice ever could. The path ahead stretched on. Empty. Uncertain. Kai didn’t slow down. He walked straight into it