Izak rubbed his eyes in disbelief. “He was just standing there a second ago,” he thought, staring at the top of the trash heap.

The landfill he found himself in looked like a battlefield of discarded waste. Massive piles of garbage loomed around him, forming grotesque mountains that glinted with fragments of metal and plastic. Rusting car wrecks, abandoned furniture, and shattered electronics were scattered between the mounds. The air was heavy, laden with the stench of decay, chemicals, and damp rot. In the distance, a sorting machine hummed steadily, while mutated rats scurried among the debris, searching for scraps.

The silence was interrupted by a familiar, slightly mocking voice.

“Looks like you’re in good spirits, so let’s get started with the training.”

Before Izak could respond, he felt a powerful kick hit him square in the back. The force sent him flying several meters forward, landing face-first in a pile of trash. He choked on dust and fragments of plastic, struggling to get his bearings.

“What the hell...?!” he croaked, pushing himself up on trembling arms. Spitting out something that might once have been a chip wrapper, he turned to face the director. “Couldn’t you at least give me a warning first?!”

Filip descended the trash heap with an unbothered expression.

“I did warn you. I said the training was starting.”

Izak squinted, wiping his face with his sleeve.

“Yeah, sure. But what was that? Some kind of motivational technique? Kick the student in the back to make him listen better?”

The man merely shrugged, a faintly smug smile playing on his lips. Izak sighed, trying to steady his breathing, then shot him a suspicious look.

“Okay, but seriously. How did you even get here?”

The director raised an eyebrow, as if the question amused him.

“I have clearance. Like every Awakened who’s passed the special test.”

The student froze, his fists clenching as his irritation reached its peak.

“You have clearance?! Then why the hell couldn’t we just come here together?! The wall guards almost caught me! I thought I was going to shit myself from fear!”

Filip’s grin widened, and a familiar glint appeared in his eyes.

“It was more entertaining this way.”

Izak stared at him, dumbfounded, before letting out a deep sigh.

“Entertaining?! Man, I thought I was going to end up in some lab where they’d cut me into pieces!”

Nowak shrugged nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal.

“But you didn’t, did you? At least now you can say you know how to avoid guards. That’s progress.”

Izak took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “He’s actually enjoying this,” he thought. After a moment, his anger gave way to pure frustration.

“Fine, but next time you’re the one sneaking past the laser wall. Let’s see how funny you think it is then!”

The man chuckled briefly before replying, “Dream on.”

The dust around them began to settle as Filip suddenly reached into his blazer pocket and pulled out a thick stack of documents. With a theatrical flourish, he unfolded them and handed them to Izak.

“This is your application for the entrance exam to our school.”

Izak frowned, eyeing the stack of papers filled with dense, official text. It all looked overly complicated and far too formal. He sighed, turning his gaze away from the print.

“I’m not even going to read this. I’ve already decided I’m taking part.”

“I thought as much,” Nowak replied with a smirk. “But you should know, the deadline for submissions was yesterday.”

“What?!” Izak stared at him in horror. “So why are you giving this to me if it’s already too late?”

Filip scratched his chin, feigning a moment of contemplation.

“Because, my dear boy, I’m the director of this school. All it takes is a little ‘smile’ at the secretaries, and the deadline magically shifts. Trust me.”

Izak rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress the wave of relief washing over him. Without much thought, he signed all the documents, ignoring the fine print and official clauses.

“I hope your ‘smile’ actually works,” he muttered, handing the papers back.

The director tucked the documents away, a satisfied expression on his face.

“Don’t worry. It’ll work. Now, let’s get back to training. You’ve got a long day ahead.”

Izak brushed off the lingering dust, feeling a strange resonance in his chest from the earlier blow. But before he could utter more than a few words, a wave of weakness swept over him.

“I feel... weird,” he admitted, clutching his head. “Like I’m about to pass out.”

THE DIRECTOR, STANDING A FEW STEPS AWAY, LOOKED AT HIM WITH A BROAD SMILE AS IF EVERYTHING WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL.

“Oh, it’s starting. Welcome to your first training session.”

Izak struggled to lift his gaze.

“What? What are you talking about?” he asked, trying to focus on the director despite the growing dizziness.

“Radiation,” Filip said, spreading his arms wide like he was unveiling some grand secret. “These aren’t just regular piles of trash. It’s a special mix of radioactive materials and other technological marvels that should’ve been buried far away from humanity long ago. But hey, who cares about that, right?”

Izak groaned, leaning against a rusted car wreck.

“And this is your idea of training? Killing me with radiation?”

The man chuckled softly, as though it was the most absurd question he’d ever heard.

“Don’t worry, you won’t die… probably. But if you want to become a real Awakened, you need to learn how to block this stuff from affecting your body.”

“How?” Izak asked, feeling his knees start to buckle.

“It’s simple. You just have to want to.” Filip shrugged. “I learned because I wanted to. So you’ll have to want it, too.”

Izak stared at him like he was looking at someone completely unhinged.

“That’s it? That’s your advice? Just ‘want it’?”

“Yes.” Filip nodded with absolute conviction. “Want not to pass out.”

Izak wiped his face with his hand, trying to suppress his growing frustration.

“Fantastic. Maybe you’ll also tell me to think of butterflies and happy thoughts?”

The director smirked mischievously.

“That’s not a bad idea, actually. But no, focus on your core. Awakened individuals can block things like radiation because they can control the flow of energy within themselves. You have that power, too—you just need to feel it.”

Izak collapsed to his knees, then sat heavily on the ground.

“How am I supposed to feel anything when I feel like I’m about to puke up my lungs?!”

Filip looked down at him.

“That’s the beauty of training. The more you suffer, the more you learn. But fine, maybe I’ll help a little.”

He walked closer and sat down on the wreck next to Izak.

“Try to imagine your body as a dam. See this pressure—this radiation? You need to build a wall to block it.”

Izak closed his eyes, trying to focus on Filip’s words. But every attempt to concentrate was interrupted by another wave of nausea.

“It’s… not working…”

The director sighed dramatically.

“Alright, let’s try a different approach. What pisses you off the most?”

Izak furrowed his brow.

“You.”

“Perfect!” Nowak clapped his hands together. “Focus on that irritation. Use it to build a barrier. Picture yourself blocking me out, just like the radiation.”

Though the absurdity of the suggestion nearly hurt, Izak had nothing to lose. He clenched his teeth and tried.

Darkness. Everything around him felt cold and alien. Izak sensed his body breaking apart, his mind drifting somewhere beyond reality. With every moment, he felt an invisible weight pressing down on him, as though the air itself wanted to crush him.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

He saw no light, but he heard sounds. Strange, incomprehensible noises that seemed to pulse in his head. Each note, each hum was like a needle stabbing into his mind, bringing pain and confusion.

“Am I… dead?” he thought, but then something within him stirred. Suddenly, as if from the depths of his soul, a warmth emerged. It was faint, barely noticeable, but undeniable.

Don’t give up.

It wasn’t Filip’s voice, nor anyone else’s. It was his own voice, coming from a place within him that had been dormant until now.

Slowly, the warmth began to spread through his body, pushing out the cold. Izak felt his heartbeat grow stronger, his breathing steady. The sounds that had been unbearable before started to fade, as though being driven back by something more powerful.

“I need to… wake up,” he whispered.

Everything stopped.

He opened his eyes and saw the sky—a dull gray with clouds lazily drifting by. A cool breeze brushed against his face.

“Finally awake, Sleeping Beauty?” he heard a familiar, mocking voice.

Izak propped himself up on his elbows, his whole body aching. Nowak stood nearby, holding an energy drink in one hand and a sandwich in the other.

“What happened?” Izak asked, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

“Well, for a moment, I thought we’d have to leave you behind in pieces. But no, you pulled through,” the man announced, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“How… how long was I out?” the student asked, his heart beginning to race.

“Three days,” Filip replied casually, placing the food next to him. “Your soul was fighting off the radiation. But hey, congratulations, you managed to purge it.”

Izak’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“Three days?! What?!”

The director smirked and handed him the bottle.

“Relax, you didn’t miss anything. Well, aside from looking like a fish out of water. Now drink and eat, because you need to regain your strength quickly.”

Izak grabbed the sandwich, though his stomach was still protesting, and gave the man a suspicious look.

“Something tells me you’re not giving me this out of the goodness of your heart.”

Filip chuckled and turned toward the vast expanse of the junkyard behind them.

“You’re right. It’s time for the next phase of your training.”

Izak stopped chewing and furrowed his brows.

“What now?”

Nowak turned back, his expression serious, though a mischievous glint sparkled in his eyes.

“A thousand laps around this dump.”

The sandwich nearly fell out of the boy’s hand.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. A thousand. Laps.” The director enunciated each word slowly, as if explaining something to a child.

The student glanced at the expanse around them. The junkyard was enormous, stretching so far that he couldn’t see its end.

“This has to be a joke!”

“I’m not joking,” Filip shrugged. “It’s a great way to build your endurance and teach you how to control your breathing after that radiation battle.”

“Control my breathing?!” Izak nearly shouted as he stood up. “This is ridiculous!”

The man gave him a solemn look.

“Ridiculous was lying unconscious in a pile of radioactive trash for three days. And yet, you survived that. Trust me, a thousand laps will be nothing compared to that.”

Izak clenched his fists, feeling a wave of anger rise within him.

“You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?”

The director grinned widely.

“What do you think?”

Taking a deep breath, Izak turned away from Filip and began jogging along the edge of the junkyard.

“Idiot,” he muttered under his breath.

Filip watched him with satisfaction, holding another energy drink in his hand.

“Don’t forget to keep a positive attitude!” he called out before walking off, humming a cheerful tune.

Izak ran. Sweat soaked his clothes, and his heart pounded so hard it felt like it might burst out of his chest. His breaths grew shorter and more ragged, and his legs felt as though they weighed a ton.

“This is impossible… A thousand laps? That guy’s completely insane…” he thought, trying his best not to collapse.

Every time he felt like giving up, he remembered Nowak’s words: ‘Ridiculous was lying unconscious in a pile of radioactive trash for three days. And yet, you survived that.’

“Bastard,” he hissed through gritted teeth, trying to block out the growing pain that coursed through his entire body.

Minutes turned into hours, and hours felt like an eternity. The exhaustion was overwhelming, and his thoughts started to spiral.

“Why am I doing this? I could’ve stayed a regular gamer, sitting at my computer, sipping soda. What made me think getting into this whole Awakened business was a good idea?”

At some point, his vision began to blur. His legs buckled more and more until he finally lost his balance and collapsed to the ground. The last thing he heard before darkness consumed him was the sound of trash shifting under his weight.

When he opened his eyes, the sky was already dark. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious, but it felt like hours had passed.

“I can’t do this…” he thought, trying to get up, but his muscles refused to cooperate.

In the distance, Izak saw a man casually sitting on a pile of trash, munching on chips and waving at him.

“Terrible form! Come on, get up! No time for naps!” the man shouted cheerfully.

“Go to hell…” Izak croaked, but still forced himself to stand.

For the next several days, the cycle repeated. Izak ran, collapsed, woke up, and ran again. Pain became his constant companion. Every part of his body protested against the relentless challenge. Sometimes, Nowak threw rocks at him to wake him up; other times, he laughed, calling him a walking corpse.

By the seventh day, Izak knew this was his final attempt. His body was at its breaking point, and he felt like he couldn’t muster the strength to rise again. But as he looked out over the trash heap and pictured Nowak’s smug grin, something inside him snapped.

“I’m not giving him the satisfaction. Not this time.”

Summoning the last reserves of his energy, Izak pushed himself to start his final lap. Every step felt like his body was on fire. His vision blurred, and the sound of his labored breathing drowned out everything else.

Then, as if a switch flipped inside him, the pain began to subside. The exhaustion that had weighed him down became less oppressive. His body seemed to move on its own, each stride more fluid and purposeful.

He completed the last lap at a speed he’d never thought possible. The wind whipped against his face, and the trash parted beneath his feet as if the world itself were clearing the path for him. When he finally reached the starting point, he fell to his knees, gasping for air.

Nowak approached slowly, clapping in mock approval.

“Well, well, you actually did it. I have to admit, it was pretty impressive.”

Izak lifted his head, his eyes burning with anger.

“You… you’re a goddamn psychopath.”

Filip chuckled and handed him a bottle of water.

“Maybe. But I’m a psychopath who knows how to turn you into someone stronger. Now rest up. In three days, the real training begins.”

Izak’s jaw dropped.

“This… this wasn’t real training?!”

Nowak shrugged and began walking away, calling over his shoulder:

“This was just the warm-up. Welcome to hell, Izak.”

The student barely made it back to his room. This time, Nowak, in a surprisingly generous mood, allowed him to pass through the barrier legally using his pass.

“Well, who would’ve thought? Turns out you can actually be useful,” Izak muttered sarcastically, wiping sweat from his brow.

Filip simply shrugged.

“Don’t get used to it. That was a one-time courtesy.”

Once he got to his room, Izak took a quick shower and collapsed onto his bed, barely managing to kick off his shoes. He wanted to sleep for three days straight, ignoring the world entirely.

But reality had other plans.

At seven the next morning, he woke up feeling… strangely good. For a moment, he lay there, staring at the ceiling, stunned by the fact that his body wasn’t rebelling after a week of hellish training.

“What the…?” he murmured, sitting up and stretching. He felt energized, as if someone had plugged him into a fresh power source.

Not wasting any time, he headed downstairs to the kitchen and prepared himself a hearty breakfast. Egg and cheese sandwiches tasted better than ever, and a cup of coffee gave him an extra boost.

“Let’s see if my game still remembers me,” he thought with a grin as he sat down at his computer. Logging into his favorite game, he was greeted by a flood of messages from his guild.

(8Supplier8): Still alive, Alpha, or has work killed you off? 😉

(Hero112): We miss you, Alpha! Come back soon, we suck without you!

Izak typed back a short response:

(AlfaSigma69): Don’t worry, I’m alive and kicking. Got three days off, so I plan to make the most of it.

After a few hours of gaming, Izak felt restless. Something in his body craved movement. He decided to head outside and go for a run through the city.

It was like nothing he’d ever experienced.

With every minute of running, he could feel how differently his body operated. He was faster, more agile, and more resilient. People on the streets stared at him in astonishment as he flew past them like a gust of wind.

“Is this really me?!” he thought, sprinting across one of the city’s plazas. He felt like he could run forever.

Three days passed in a flash. Izak used the time to recover, train, and reconnect with his guild. But he had a plan.

He wouldn’t give Filip any more reasons to laugh at him. This time, he would be smarter.

On the fourth day, he woke up early—at three in the morning. He ate breakfast, prepared himself, and arrived at the entrance to the junkyard zone by four o’clock sharp. He stood there, waiting.

When Nowak finally showed up, stretching lazily, Izak greeted him with a triumphant smirk.

“I’ve been waiting for you. This time, we go in together. No tricks, no risks.”

Filip looked at him, a mix of surprise and amusement crossing his face.

“Well, well, someone’s prepared. Looks like all that running did pay off.”

Izak shrugged.

“I’m just trying to avoid stupid situations.”

The man raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, letting him pass through the barrier with the pass.

“Don’t think this means you’re getting off easy,” he called out with a grin as they entered the junkyard.

“I could say the same to you,” Izak shot back with a faint smile, though his eyes gleamed with determination. This time, he was ready to take control of his destiny. He braced himself for another grueling day of training, knowing full well that Filip would push him to his absolute limits once more.