Ever since Shadow became aware of the cursed mark on his face, one question had been clawing at his mind.
'What is this curse?'
It wasn't just curiosity.
It was obsession.
The kind that didn't let you sleep.
The kind that turned thoughts into knives.
'Why does it feel like something else is inside me?'
His fingers tightened slightly.
'Like another being… breathing where I breathe… thinking where I think.'
A pause.
'Do all cursed people feel this?'
Shadow leaned back slightly, eyes half-lidded.
'According to testimonies… cursed individuals gain immense power during an unconscious state.'
His thoughts sharpened.
'They lose control. Sanity disappears. Mana erupts uncontrollably.'
Images flashed through his mind—stories he had read, whispers he had overheard.
Massacres.
Uncontrolled destruction.
People dying without even understanding why.
'And yet…'
His gaze darkened.
'They're still easy to kill.'
A faint scoff escaped him.
'Because they're brainless in that state.'
A monster without control.
Power without direction.
Useless.
A beat.
Then—
'And me?'
Silence.
'No mana.'
His fingers curled tighter.
'Zero.'
'Empty.'
'Vacant.'
"…Fucking nothing."
The words slipped out quietly.
Cold.
Sharp.
Real.
'If I can find the trigger…'
His eyes narrowed slightly.
'If I can force the curse to activate—then I take my first real step forward.'
Unlike other cursed individuals, whose bodies awakened at the age of nine when they fused with the world's mana…
Shadow had nothing to fuse with.
No connection.
No bridge.
No reaction.
He was born cut off from it all.
And no matter how many methods he tried—
Nothing changed.
---
A faint glow caught his attention.
Shadow's gaze shifted.
The cup of tea in front of him shimmered softly.
Then—
steam rose.
The liquid heated itself.
Automatically.
Rune magic.
Shadow watched it quietly.
Rune magic was considered one of the most complex branches of magic.
Not because it required raw talent—
But because it required precision.
Symbols.
Structures.
Understanding.
Unlike traditional magic, it didn't rely on the user's internal mana.
It drew from the mana scattered in the surroundings through carefully constructed runes.
And Shadow…
was already deeply familiar with it.
For years, he had studied rune structures, memorized countless symbols, and experimented with their interactions.
If there was one field where his lack of mana didn't hold him back—
It was this.
But that didn't mean it solved his problem.
His goal was never just to understand rune magic.
It was to fuse it with his body.
To make it his own.
And no matter how many methods he tried—
That part…
never worked.
---
It was the night before the awakening ceremony.
For everyone else, it was a night filled with anticipation.
For Shadow—
It was just another failed day.
He stood up slowly.
'Mr. Hunter is probably bored.'
A small pause.
'Maybe I should visit him.'
Not kindness.
Not cruelty.
Just… continuation.
---
Hours later.
Inside the hidden hut deep in the forest—
A scream tore through the silence.
Raw.
Broken.
Endless.
By the time the sun began to rise, light creeping through the cracks of the wooden walls—
The man tied to a wooden table had stopped resisting.
"Please…" his voice cracked weakly. "Just kill me…"
His head hung low.
"I'm no longer useful to you…"
Shadow didn't stop what he was doing.
"Don't sell yourself short," he said calmly.
A slice.
Another note written.
"You're still very useful."
The man trembled.
"How… how am I useful…?"
Shadow tilted his head slightly.
"The absence of results… is still a result."
A pause.
"It eliminates possibilities."
The man stared at him.
And for the first time—
He didn't see a child.
He saw something else.
Something far worse.
Shadow was about to continue—
When suddenly—
A distant roar echoed through the forest.
Deep.
Powerful.
Not human.
Shadow froze.
Then moved instantly.
He stepped outside—
And looked up.
A massive blue dragon soared through the sky.
Its wings cut through the air like blades.
Its presence alone was enough to suffocate the surroundings.
Shadow's eyes narrowed.
"…Oh."
For a brief moment, he just stared at it.
"Oh shit."
He turned immediately.
"They're already here."
Without wasting another second, he started running back toward the Stormgard estate.
---
The dragon belonged to the royal family of the Riverend Kingdom.
A symbol of authority.
Power.
Dominance.
As one of the kingdom's pillars, the Stormgard family hosted their awakening ceremony as a grand event.
Every major power was invited.
Not just to witness—
But to measure.
To judge.
To remember.
Because today's children…
Were tomorrow's threats.
Or allies.
Mounts began appearing across the skies.
Beasts.
Carriages.
Flying constructs.
Each one representing influence.
Each one carrying eyes that came to watch.
---
Elsewhere within the Stormgard estate—
Mia stood in a long corridor.
She wore a white dress that perfectly complemented her gray eyes.
Her black hair flowed freely down her back, untouched.
Her skin—pale, flawless—
made her look less like a child…
And more like something carefully crafted.
Something meant to be admired.
Shadow stood beside her.
Quiet.
Observing.
Waiting.
Footsteps approached.
Elena.
Thorn.
Selene.
All three walked toward them.
Thorn was the first to speak.
"Don't be nervous," he said, placing a hand on Mia's shoulder. "Let your talent speak for you."
Selene crossed her arms.
"Go in there and silence them."
Elena smiled softly.
"Just be yourself. You're more than ready."
Mia nodded confidently.
"Don't worry. I know I'll be fine."
A small smile appeared on her face.
"I trained for this. And besides…"
She glanced at Shadow.
"Brother already helped me."
"The clarity pill makes sure nothing goes wrong."
Shadow didn't speak.
He just smiled faintly.
Because there was nothing left to say.
---
"Shadow…"
Elena's voice softened slightly.
"I know you want to come inside… but you shouldn't. Only participants are allowed."
A lie.
A careful one.
There was a member of the Eternal Light among the guests.
And those people…
Saw too much.
Shadow nodded.
"I know, mother."
He didn't question it.
Didn't push.
Didn't expose the truth he already understood.
Because he knew why she was doing this.
To protect him.
From them.
From the truth.
From time.
---
"Let's go," Thorn said.
They moved forward.
And entered the hall.
---
The moment they stepped inside—
Murmurs spread.
Gasps followed.
Eyes turned.
Mia stood out instantly.
Her beauty.
Her presence.
Her calm confidence.
She drew attention without trying.
Thorn.
Elena.
Selene.
Names that carried weight.
Power.
Fear.
Respect.
They approached the center and bowed slightly toward the royal family.
King Riven sat at the center.
Beside him—Queen Elara.
And their children.
Kael.
Seraphine.
Both around Mia's age.
Both watching her closely.
Interested.
Curious.
Measuring.
---
An elder of the Stormgard family stepped forward.
His voice echoed clearly.
"We are honored to welcome His Majesty and our esteemed guests to witness the awakening of our new generation."
A pause.
Then—
"The process is simple."
He gestured toward the center.
A large rune-inscribed projection platform stood there.
"Each participant will place their right hand upon the projector."
"It will reveal your elemental affinity… and your class."
Silence settled.
Anticipation thickened.
The elder raised his hand slightly.
"Without further ado…"
A small smile formed.
"Let us begin."