The screen flickered.
One line appeared.
Status: Awakened.
A quiet murmur swept through the stadium.
Then—
Rank: —
...
Nothing followed.
Tia frowned.
His eyes remained fixed on the screen.
It isn't finished.
Another line would appear.
It had to.
The silence stretched.
Power Type: —
His heartbeat faltered.
No...
One final line appeared.
Core Trait: —
The stadium became strangely quiet.
Someone whispered,
"...What does that mean?"
Another answered.
"I think it means... nothing."
A laugh broke the silence.
Then another.
"What kind of awakening was that?"
"The orb almost exploded for this?"
" I thought I was gonna see an elite awakening."
The chief examiner stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
"Candidate Ming Tia Xu."
A brief pause.
"You may step down."
Tia didn't move.
His fingers remained against the crystal.
Cold.
Lifeless.
Exactly like before.
His hand slowly slipped away.
So...
Nothing changed.
Not the world.
Not fate.
Not even me.
Tia stared at the screen one last time.
He waited.
Maybe it hadn't finished.
Maybe another line would appear.
Maybe the lines would change.
It didn't.
A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"What a waste."
He turned and walked off the stage.
Behind him, the whispers only grew louder.
Later—
Home.
The apartment door clicked shut.
The smell of soup drifted from the kitchen.
"Ming ming?"
His mother's voice was as gentle as ever.
"You're home."
Tia answered with a quiet hum.
Nothing more.
She noticed immediately.
"You didn't even complain about the smell today."
Silence.
She smiled sadly.
"So..."
"It didn't go well?"
Still no reply.
"Come."
"Help me."
He obeyed.
She handed him a bowl of raw meat and a pair of gloves. Tia slipped them on and began washing the meat while she quietly chopped vegetables.
For a while no one spoke.
The kitchen filled with its sound.
Then,her gaze moved to tia
his hands were trembling.
quietly she takes the knife away.
Tia didn't say anything neither did she.
"Ma."
His voice came shaking.
"I failed."
He looked down at his hands.
"I failed you and dad."
"I'm useless."
The vegetable slipped from her hands the moment she Heard those words.
Tia!
Her voice sharp.
Don't you ever say those words again.
" You failed
"So what?"
Tia blinked.
"You think one exam decides who my son is?"
"I've watched you fail before."
"I've watched you get back up too."
"So why are you giving up now?"
"You're my son. Don't ever call yourself useless."
A small smile appeared.
"To me, Tia..."
"You're just a late bloomer."
"Don't mistake this failure for the end."
"Let it become your beginning."
Tia didn't say another word.
His mother didn't press him again.
They finished preparing dinner together.
The kitchen felt strangely quiet.
Neither of them mentioned the examination again.
...
By the time the dishes had been washed and the
lights downstairs were turned off—
Night had already settled over the city.
In Tia's Room.
Moonlight slipped through the curtains.
He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Sleep refused to come.
His mind Lost in thoughts.
'I thought a second chance would change everything.
'But it had all been a lie i chose not to see.
I just wanted —
He sighed.
How am I supposed to protect you?
How do I finish what I started?
Why was I brought back only to face the same humiliation again?
The room offered no answers.
Only silence.
Tia closed his eyes.
His voice was barely more than a whisper.
"...Would it be easier..."
A long pause.
"...to die this time?