Alexander slowly stood from his chair.
"Mana?"
Serena's black eyes widened in disbelief.
"Antonio... you awakened?"
Antonio remained perfectly calm despite the mana surrounding him.
"Yes."
Silence filled the dining hall.
For several seconds, neither of his parents spoke.
Then Alexander's expression became serious.
"When?"
"Yesterday."
His mother's eyes widened even further.
"Yesterday?! And you didn't tell us?"
Antonio calmly withdrew his mana.
The pressure disappeared instantly.
"I wanted to confirm that the awakening was successful before telling anyone."
His parents exchanged a glance.
Both were clearly happy and relieved that their son had finally awakened his mana. However, their expressions also carried a hint of worry and concern.
Serena looked at him with a gentle but concerned gaze.
"You should have told us, Antonio. You didn't have to go through the mana awakening alone. We could have helped you."
Alexander nodded.
"Your mom is right. Awakening mana can be dangerous, especially without proper guidance."
Antonio remained silent for a moment.
"I understand."
Despite their concern, neither parent could hide their happiness.
Their son had awakened his mana.
And that alone was enough to make them proud.
Serena's expression became more concerned.
"But how did you do it alone, Antonio?"
Her voice carried genuine worry.
"Mana awakening isn't something you should attempt without proper guidance. One mistake while opening your mana channels can cause severe damage."
Alexander's expression also became serious.
"She's right. The awakening process is extremely dangerous. If the mana isn't controlled properly, your mana channels can rupture or become permanently damaged."
He paused, his eyes fixed on Antonio.
"In the worst case, the damage can leave a person crippled for life, unable to use mana ever again."
Serena's hands tightened slightly around her teacup.
"That's why you should have told us before attempting it. We could have arranged a proper awakening procedure and made sure you were safe."
Antonio remained silent for a moment.
He understood their concern.
After all, he had already experienced mana awakening in his previous life. Having once stood at the pinnacle of power, he knew exactly how the process worked.
There were simply some things he could never tell them.
The existence of the system was one of them.
"I was careful," he finally replied calmly. "I wouldn't have attempted it if I wasn't confident."
Alexander frowned slightly.
"Confidence isn't enough when you're dealing with something this dangerous."
Antonio simply looked at his father.
"I awakened successfully, didn't I?"
The dining hall fell silent.
Serena sighed softly.
"That's not the point, Antonio."
Her expression softened.
"We're just glad you're safe."
Antonio remained silent for a moment before answering calmly.
"I wasn't completely alone."
His parents looked at him.
"Tiffany was with me. She guided me through the awakening process."
Tiffany, who was standing nearby, was slightly surprised by his words.
Young Master...
She lowered her gaze.
That's not true. He went through the entire awakening by himself.
She clearly remembered what had happened. Antonio had handled the entire awakening process without her assistance.
He didn't need my guidance at all.
The way he controlled the mana, opened his mana channels, and stabilized his mana core...
Tiffany's eyes narrowed slightly.
He did everything with such precision, as if he had already experienced the awakening process before.
There had been no hesitation in his movements.
No wasted mana.
Not a single unnecessary mistake.
It was almost as if he'd done this countless times before.
A faint blush appeared on Tiffany's cheeks as she realized she was about to receive credit for something she hadn't done.
I'm taking credit for something I didn't even do...
She glanced at Antonio from the corner of her eye.
He remained completely calm, as though nothing unusual had been said.
And now he's using my name to cover up the truth.
Alexander turned toward Tiffany.
"You helped him?"
Tiffany immediately bowed.
"Yes, Master. I stayed nearby throughout the awakening and made sure there were no complications."
Serena's worried expression softened.
"Thank you, Tiffany. I'm relieved you were there to guide him through the awakening. Without proper guidance, things could have gone terribly wrong."
Alexander nodded.
"You did well. Awakening mana is dangerous, especially for someone experiencing it for the first time. I'm glad Antonio had someone he could rely on."
Tiffany's expression became even more awkward.
"You're welcome, Master. Madam."
She lowered her head, hiding her embarrassment.
They're thanking me for something I didn't actually do...
Her gaze shifted toward Antonio again.
Young Master... he's truly a genius.
She had known for years that Antonio was exceptionally intelligent. His learning ability, memory, and understanding were far beyond that of an ordinary child.
But what she had witnessed yesterday was something entirely different.
I knew Young Master was a genius... but I never imagined he was this much of a genius.
Even she, an A-Rank Hunter, had rarely witnessed someone handle mana with such perfection.
Her mind returned to everything that had happened since yesterday—the awakening, his flawless control, and the subtle change in his aura.
After what I witnessed yesterday, I can no longer judge Young Master by what I knew about him before.
Tiffany quietly lowered her gaze.
His talent... is far beyond what I ever imagined.
Despite her thoughts, she decided not to reveal anything.
Whatever Antonio was hiding, she would respect his decision.
Serena's concerned expression soon turned into a warm, motherly smile.
"My dear son, you've finally awakened your mana. We should celebrate tonight."
Her eyes brightened with excitement.
"What do you say? I'll prepare your favorite dishes, and we can have a proper family dinner."
Alexander immediately became interested.
"That's a good idea. We haven't had a proper family celebration in quite some time."
He looked toward Antonio, clearly excited by the prospect.
"We should invite a few close friends as well. This is something worth celebrating."
Antonio listened quietly.
For a moment, he considered their words.
Celebrating my awakening would only draw unnecessary attention.
He had no intention of revealing his SSS-Rank bloodline or the abilities granted by the system. For now, even his mana awakening was something he wanted to keep as quiet as possible.
"There's no need," Antonio said calmly.
Serena's smile faded slightly.
"Why not, dear?"
"I don't want a celebration."
Alexander frowned.
"Antonio, this is an important moment. You should at least—"
"I'd rather keep my awakening private for the time being."
His tone remained calm but firm.
The room fell silent.
Serena looked at her son for a few seconds before sighing.
"Alright. If that's what you want."
Alexander wasn't entirely satisfied, but he eventually nodded.
"Fine. We'll respect your decision."
After a brief silence, Serena suddenly remembered something.
"What about your grandfather? Shouldn't we tell him? He'll be very happy to hear that you've awakened your mana."
Antonio immediately shook his head.
"No."
Both of his parents looked at him.
"I'll tell Grandfather myself."
His voice remained calm, but there was a firmness in his tone that left no room for argument.
"I don't want anyone else telling him before I do."
Serena studied her son's expression before gently nodding.
"Alright, dear. You can tell him yourself."
Alexander also nodded.
"Then we'll leave it to you."
Antonio simply nodded.
For now, the fewer people who know about my awakening, the better.
Antonio lowered his gaze, his crimson eyes calm and unreadable.
So this is only the beginning.
He clenched his fist slightly.
I'm only an F-Rank right now.
But with the Abyssal Devourer Bloodline... every enemy I defeat can become another step toward the top.
A faint glint flashed in his eyes.
In my previous life, reaching the higher ranks took me years of bloodshed and countless battles.
This time, I won't need to follow the same path.
I'll devour my way to the top.
F-Rank is merely where I begin.
SSS-Rank... that's where I'll eventually stand.
Hunter Ranking System
In this world, Hunters were classified into seven ranks, starting from F-Rank and reaching the legendary SSS-Rank.
F → E → D → C → B → A → S → SS → SSS
A Hunter's rank was determined primarily by two factors:
Mana Core Rank — the quality and strength of the Hunter's Mana Core.
Combat Capability — a Hunter's ability to perform against monsters and survive within dungeons of comparable rank.
For example, an A-Rank Hunter was expected to possess the strength necessary to operate in A-Rank Dungeons.
At the very top stood the SSS-Rank Hunters.
They were the strongest known Hunters in the world, and only ten SSS-Rank Hunters existed.
For ordinary Hunters, reaching S-Rank was already considered an extraordinary achievement.
SS and SSS-Rank existed on an entirely different level.
And now, among the countless Hunters in the world, a fifteen-year-old boy had just taken his first step onto that path.
Antonio Drake Crimson.
Current Rank: F.
Potential: Unknown.