Rain fell hard on the shattered rooftop of what used to be a government facility, now turned training ground for Coreborn initiates. Steam hissed from the cracks in the concrete as water met residual energy burns—signs of a recent encounter.
"Why does it still feel like a dream?"
A rookie muttered, arms shaking slightly, his cheap gauntlets still humming faintly from his first core resonance.
"Because it hasn't become a nightmare yet."
Said the older man beside him, gaze fixed on the fogged horizon. His suit was battle-worn, edges scarred from claw marks and kinetic blasts. On his shoulder was etched a symbol: a spiraling shard embedded within a circle—emblem of the Coreborn.
The younger one flinched.
"You're Park Kang-Suk, right? They say you fought six Abyssal Creatures solo last month."
Kang-Suk didn't respond immediately. He ran a hand through his soaked hair, then sighed.
"Yeah. I fought them. Didn't win, though. Just survived."
The rookie blinked.
"But… isn't that the same thing?"
Kang-Suk finally turned, his eyes cold and grounded.
"Not when you're staring into an eye that used to be of a human... something twisted by the Abyssal Fragments."
The rookie swallowed.
"So the rumors were true… that the fragments don't just give us power."
"They corrupt."
Kang-Suk said flatly.
"The Giant Rock didn't just scatter hope. It scattered risk. Every fragment that fell—jungle, kingdom, ruins, slums—didn't choose. It just embedded itself. Some of us were lucky. We became Coreborn. Others…"
He trailed off.
The rookie looked down at his palm. A thin yellow vein still pulsed faintly under his skin from when the shard entered him.
"And the Abyssal Creatures?"
"Coreborn too," Kang-Suk said. "Once."
The wind howled over the edge of the rooftop. Silence returned for a breath.
"Why do we call it 'The Giant Rock'?" the rookie asked suddenly. "It sounds so... harmless."
Kang-Suk chuckled darkly.
"Because naming a divine monolith or stone that burned powerful sages into dust and lit the skies over India with a rainbow bolt doesn't sell very well on training posters."
The rookie half-smiled, uneasy.
"But that's why we fight," Kang-Suk
said, standing fully, his silhouette tall against the neon skyline.
"We weren't chosen to be heroes. We were given cores. What we do with them is what makes us human."
He started walking away.
"You've got five minutes to catch your breath," he called over his shoulder. "Then I'm teaching you how to kill something ten times your size."
'EHHHHHHHH?!'
he shakes his head before speaking
"U-uh… Sir?"
The rookie finally called out, jogging a few steps to catch up. His voice cracked slightly.
"…Don't call me 'sir.' Just call me Kang."
The rookie blinked.
"O-Oh. Yes, Kang— I mean, got it, Kang."
Kang gave the faintest smirk before turning around again.
They walked for a few more paces before the rookie spoke up, still trying to push through his nerves.
"So… um. I heard about these… groups? Like the squad's coreborn fight in? Are they called guilds or…?"
Kang stopped again, this time with a slow exhale. "Covenants," he said.
"Formed by seasoned Coreborns. Most of them have years of combat behind them, but what really matters is the amount of core energy they've awakened. The more stable and dense it is, the more influence they carry. That's what gives them the right to lead."
"Core energy…?" the rookie asked, glancing sideways at Kang. "That's the stuff we all have now, right? From the Giant Rock?"
Kang turned his head slightly, eyes narrowing just a bit. "You really don't know, huh?"
"…No, not exactly."
Kang stared at him for a bit. Then, almost reluctantly, he stopped walking again.
"Core energy isn't just power," Kang said, slowly.
"It's the measure of how much your body — your very being — has changed since you made contact with the fragments. It's not magic. Not spirit. It's pressure. Density. The more core energy you develop, the more reality bends for you. That's why some of us move like shadows, while others hit like tanks. It all depends on how your core grows."
He pointed at the rookie's spine, the very base of it.
"It starts here. But where it ends? That's on you."
The rookie looked down, then up again — this time, with a little less fear.
Kang started walking again.
"You'll see. If you survive your first Abyssal."
"Oh...forgot about that."
Kang-suk smirks at how innocent the rookie really is
The silence between them stretched as the city lights of Busan flickered below like fireflies trapped in glass.
Then Kang gave a soft chuckle, hands tucked into the pockets of his worn combat jacket.
"You ask a lotta questions for someone who nearly cried when I pulled out my blade."
The rookie blinked, startled — then awkwardly laughed.
Kang glanced sideways, smirking.
"Relax. I prefer people who question things. The ones who don't? They're usually dead in a week."
They resumed walking through the winding metal pathway that overlooked the Covenant: HOLLOW's lower training grounds.
"You wanted to know about teams, right?" Kang began.
"Coreborns aren't all the same. Our fragments—hell, they manifest in ways that match our instincts. Personalities, even."
The rookie nodded, soaking in every word.
"Speed types,"
Kang continued,
"Move like shadows. Their reflexes outpace their thinking sometimes. Good for recon.
He tapped his temple.
"Tank types? Bricks. Pure muscle and defense. They take the hits the rest of us can't and keep walking."
"And precision types—" Kang looked up as if watching distant memories flicker across the stars, "—sharpshooters, scouts, sometimes assassins. Their control over their fragment energy is insane. Every motion is calculated."
The rookie muttered.
"And seasoned hunters like you…?"
Kang didn't break stride.
"We adapt. Grow into all three. Eventually, your body syncs with your core. The best of us—usually Covenant leaders—can manipulate elemental energy on top of that. Fire, ice, gravity, lightning... nothing crazy like anime or those cartoons you see or read, but enough to change a battlefield."
The rookie's eyes widened. "Wait, elemental stuff's real?!"
"Real," Kang said. "But rare. Requires insane control over core energy. And trust me—one mistake with that kind of force, and you'll atomize your own lungs."
"…Oh."
Kang smirked again. "But hey, no pressure."
"I may be a seasoned Coreborn, but those elements must really hate me, huh...can't use them...buzzkill if you ask me."
They kept walking. Night wrapped around them, the buzz of neon lights humming below like the breath of something ancient.
And somewhere deep within the rookie's spine, his core pulsed—like it was listening to everything being said.
****
The clang of impact echoed faintly through the air.
Kang-Suk and the rookie stopped mid-stride. Grunts and heavy breathing filtered in from a training bay down below. Kang leaned over the railing, his eyes narrowing.
"Someone's still training this late?" he muttered.
Down in the pit, a boy in his early twenties stood barely upright, sweat pouring down his face. He was wiry—almost frail—with long black hair brushing his cheeks, a pair of cracked glasses clinging to his nose, and a black hoodie soaked in sweat. A weighted practice staff had just struck him square in the gut. He didn't cry out, only doubled over slightly, fists trembling as he forced himself upright again.
Kang raised an eyebrow. "You know him?"
The rookie nodded.
"Yeah. That's Han Jaemin."
"Coreborn?"
"No… not yet. Just a trainee. But he's always here. Pushing himself way beyond the schedule."
Kang's gaze lingered on the boy below.
"He's the sole breadwinner for his family,"
the rookie continued.
"His sister's in college, and their mother's got spinal discoordination."
Kang's eyes shifted slightly.
"That condition… blocked core flow down the spine. Leaves a person in a coma, right?"
"Yeah. They don't die, but… they're stuck between. He's paying for everything. Training during the day, taking assignments outside protocol at night. And still…"
The rookie's voice trailed off.
"…They treat him like crap. Because he's weak."
Kang looked back at Jaemin as the boy braced for another strike.
"People forget," Kang said quietly, "that strength ain't just in your fists."
The rookie didn't respond, watching as Jaemin stood his ground and took another blow without falling.
Kang turned, walking on.
"Come on. Let's leave him be. He's fighting a war we can't even see."
Jaemin just stood there after the strike; he leaned and open his mouth as stream of blood flew
"damn"
he muttered as he fell and puked more.
"Why even try, kid? you can't win against regular Coreborns like us."
"The abyss will fuck you up, haaha"
"useless kid"
"Hey, we are looking out for you, man. We don't want you to hurt yourself; it's our job to protect twinks like you."
This is all Jaemin could hear from the people who were "supposedly" training him
He wipes off the blood with the sleeves of his black hoodie and gets up with a soft smile.
"Right...I'm sorry...I'll TRAIN HARDER, SIR."
He says with uneven breath...ready to faint any moment and right after that he wobbles unconscious on the ground, his eyes shut
"AISH, this scum!"
"Get him to the healing room."
A few people gather and carry Jaemin to the healing room. the nurses give him some meds and lets him rest
****
In the healing room, Jaemin is still unconscious.
"He is beaten up so badly."
"He isnt even a Coreborn; why are we even treating him?"
"Ugh, Im wasting my break for this."
A few nurses whisper amongst themselves
****
"Where...where am I?"
Jaemin mutters to himself, everything was pitch black around him
"Scum"
"Not even CoreBorn."
"Useless piece of shit."
"Weak"
"Twink"
Jaemin starts hearing voices from all the sides
"Hey, your Rent is due. It's been 7 months. pay up or l'll kick ya out."
"Oppa....It's time to pay my uni fees..."
"Hello sir, its time to for the monthly payment of your moms hospital bills"
"i...wait...wait"
Jaemin falls to the ground, overwhelemed by everything pouring from every direction
"WAIT...GIVE ME A DAMN SECOND TO BREATHE!!!"
He says as bursts into tears
"son?"
he hears a soft and familar voice
He looks up and sees a women facing away from him, with long black ebony locks wearing a long white veil.
"If anything happens to me...youll take care of it right...like your dad?"
he looks with teary eyes as the women turns around to face him with a smile.
"Mo-mo-mom????"
"My little Jaemin...youve grown so muc-"
Gasp
Jaemins eyes flutter open as he jerks up
he looks around the room, breathing heaveliy as if he woke up from a nightmare.
"The healing room..."
he says to himself quietly.
The door opens as a nurse enters
"you're awake?"
Thank the god, took you long enough, do you have any idea how much of my time you just wasted staying unconscious?"
Jaemin gets up quickly and gives respectful bow.
"Sorry ma'am for such a inconvenience"
He quickly cleans up the bed which was the nurses job and quickly changes his hospital clothes to his own
In the mirror, he caught a glimpse of himself—frail frame, back marred by bruises, abdomen wrapped in plain bandages. Not even from an Abyssal…These scars were from training. From Coreborn who should've had his back.
Jaemin's phone buzzes which has him snap out of his thought
[Notification :Amount depostited to your Bank Account: ₩3,200,000.
Take the quick survey and rate your Banking Experince!]
{"Freelancer pay came in—scouting jobs, late-night supply runs, and running intel through the back channels, turning rift dust to crystals. The kind of work a Coreborn wouldn't even blink at."}
[Notifcation:Amount deposited to your Bank Account: ₩1,100,000.
Take the quick survey and rate your Banking Experince!]
{"The café gig... barely pays minimum wage, but it covers scraps. Just a mop, a cracked basin, and a manager who never remembers his name."}
He quickly opens the his bank's app on his mobile phone to see his total amount
[Total Amount:₩4,300,000]
He navigates through the tabs to his outstanding Bills
[Craddle Public University Tuition (installment): ₩2,500,000]
[Busan Hospital Bill: ₩4,000,000]
[Rent (1-room unit): ₩850,000]
"My moms hospital bills, my sister, Han Nari's Uni bills and...ugh"
He mutters to himself, exhausted from the start.
Jaemin sat under the flickering fluorescent light, the ₩4.3 million he earned already carved up in his mind. Tuition, bills, and not a single won left for rent. Again.
"Maybe if I skip dinner this week... and next."
His phone buzzed.
[Reminder: Rent overdue. 7 months pending. Eviction notice next.]
Jaemin eyes widen in frustration
"Damn!!, what do i do now"
He says as he dials the landlords number on his phone
"You Again??"
"Good morning sir...Please, im begging you, just a few more months...ill catch up to the rent soon"
"Thats what you said two months back you brat"
"I mean for real now!!"
"Look, you may not be paying rent cuz you have your own shit to deal with, but you not paying the money puts me into financial problems...SO QUIT acting like your the only one with problems"
"..."
"Im letting it slide for just two more months now...After that pay up or get the fuck out!"
"YES SIR! i promise ill pay up... Thank you soo much!!"
The phone ends abruplty...insufficent balance.
Jaemin sits down and ruffles through his hair. He takes a deep breath and gets out of the room and walks towards the reception...the least he could do is thank them.
The receptionist print a paper...a bill
"A bill?"
Jaemin asks as he fixes his glasses
"I thought the medical services is free"
"It is...for coreborns...we practically wasted our time and resoources on you... so pay up"
Uni fees due, Rent due, His mothers Hospital bills due, and now this...
He takes a look at the bill
Healing Room Charges – Not Covered (Non-Coreborn)
Medical Attention & Bandaging: ₩80,000
Nurse Care Time Deduction Fee: ₩25,000
Facility Use (Room, Bed, Basic Meds): ₩110,000
Non-registered Coreborn Penalty Fee: ₩35,000
Admin & Processing Charges: ₩15,000
Total Outstanding: ₩265,000.
{"Fuck...what do i do now, if i dont pay my moms bills for even one month they will stop treating her...im sorry Nari...ill catch up to your fees soon enough}.
Jaemin pays up the amount and bows at the receptionist and leaves with a lifeless expression.
His phone suddenly buzzes again, he grabs it out of his pocket and looks at.
[Job alert: Freelancer Coreborn or non-Coreborn required for an abyssal raid]
Jaemin's eyes widen, a perfect opportunity to earn more money.
He quickly arrives at the location and...all of them are Coreborns...ALL OF THEM.
"Oye, lost your way in?"
He hears a voice from behind him as he turns towards a man in his battle armour all over him except his face
"I'm the team leader for this raiding team. What are you here for, boy?"
He asks, as he looks up and down, trying to see what Jaemin exactly was...
"I'm hoping to join the raid... but I'm a Non-Coreborn."
Even though he has said the same phrase over and over again for almost his entire career, it always leaves him embarrassed.
"I see, you're in luck kid, we can use an extra pair of hands, just stick close to us, aye"
Jaemin's eyes soften as he agrees.
"We have 20 mins left before we head in the Abyssal rift, take a look at the board and familiarise yourself with how a team works"
Jaemin nods at his words, even though he knew how things worked, he still went and took a look just in case.
He gets close to the board and reads the raiding information in his mind. There is fully detailed information on how everything works:
CORE ENERGY SYSTEM – "The Corewheel"
All living beings generate Core Energy, but only a few can awaken it after coming in contact with the fragments or shards of the giant rock. Coreborn are those who have formed a complete Corewheel—a metaphysical construct that aligns their mind, body, and soul with elemental or combat traits.
CORE TYPES:
Each Coreborn forms a Corewheel with one of the following Core Types at its centre. These types are vital in building team dynamics:
Velocity Core (Speed):
Enhanced movement, reflexes, and agility.
Can manipulate kinetic force at higher tiers.
Bastion Core (Tank):
High endurance, pain suppression, defensive aura generation.
Can harden the body or redirect damage.
Precision Core (Strike):
Accuracy, ranged weapons mastery, enhanced vision and spatial awareness.
Can manipulate micro-core threads (used for sniping, surgical attacks).
Auxiliary Core (Support):
Healing, buffs, sensor abilities.
Can tune into the Corewheel of allies to enhance efficiency.
Flux Core (Hybrid):
Rare. Capable of switching aspects in battle (speed to tank to strike, etc.)
Very unstable in lower tiers. Requires high mental stability.
ELEMENTAL OVERRIDES:
Only seasoned Coreborn can imprint Elemental Signatures into their Corewheel:
Cryo Corewheel – Ice manipulation, stasis, freezing aura.
Volt Corewheel – Electricity, speed boosts, electromagnetic disruption.
Inferno Corewheel – Flame bursts, area denial, heat pressure zones.
Terra Corewheel – Earth-based defense, terrain control, quake pulses.
Aether Corewheel – Rare. Manipulates soul essence, illusions, and afterimages.
"Hmm, so these elemental overides are only used by seasoned hunters, and by looks of it, it seems like no one on this team has an elemental signature in their corewheels"
Jaemin scans the board, mentally piecing everything together like second nature. He'd studied raid formations so many times, it almost felt like muscle memory — even if his body couldn't yet match it.
The team is made of 12 Coreborns and 1 or 2 Non-Coreborns if needed:
The teams are divided into:
3 Tanks,
6 Dps or damage Dealers and,
3 Supports or healers
The team leaders by-Default are tanks, should another Coreborn step forward for the role of tank, then voting should be done.
"Oye! Non-Coreborn"
Jaemin looks back with a surprised face and sees all the members are decked up in light to heavy armour in front of Abbyssal crack on the floor, which forms an upwards moving rift to the abyssal world.
The Abyssal crack pulsed with a dim, violet glow. From the outside, it looked like a tear in the world — but to Jaemin, it was a lifeline. Or a death trap.
"cmon, it's time"
Jaemin looks at him with a determined face and grabs a Dull sword with him since that was free, and acts as an extra sword in case.
"Stay close, kid, we are aiming for zero injuries or death"
The leader of the team, who is a tank says as they all step forth into the abyss.