Damon barely slept that night.
Every time he closed his eyes, thoughts of the Birthground surfaced.
Spirit elementals.
Rare treasures.
Opportunities.
For the first time since arriving in this world, he was genuinely excited about something.
Eventually sleep won.
But it didn’t last long.
The next thing he knew, sunlight was pouring through the window.
At the same time, movement filled the room.
Servants walked in and out carrying buckets of hot water. Some arranged fresh clothes while others placed breakfast on the table before quickly leaving again.
Damon blinked.
Then immediately sat upright.
"Wait..."
His eyes widened.
"What time is it?"
He jumped out of bed.
The servants looked startled.
One of them quickly answered.
"Young Master, the gathering should begin soon."
That was all Damon needed to hear.
"Great."
He rushed toward the bath.
Fortunately, everything had already been prepared.
The servants weren’t particularly friendly anymore, but at least they still did their jobs.
Compared to the treatment he received during his first few days, the difference was obvious.
Back then everyone practically worshipped him.
Now they acted like he was another piece of furniture.
Still.
Hot water was hot water.
Damon wasn’t about to complain.
A few minutes later he finished washing up and threw on the clothes waiting for him.
Thankfully they weren’t some stiff noble outfit.
The clothes were light, comfortable, and easy to move in.
For once, the maids had excellent taste.
Damon grabbed breakfast and started eating while walking.
Not exactly noble behavior.
But neither was arriving late.
A few servants watched him disappear down the hallway with bread hanging from his mouth.
One maid sighed.
"He really doesn’t act like a young master."
Another nodded.
"Not even a little."
Meanwhile Damon was already gone.
Following the memories of the previous owner, he moved deeper into the mansion.
Toward one of the oldest sections.
The area surrounding the Birthground.
Normally this part of the estate remained sealed.
Very few people were allowed near it.
But today was different.
Even before arriving, Damon could hear voices.
Excited conversations.
Laughter.
Boasting.
The atmosphere was lively.
When he finally entered the gathering hall, dozens of young awakeners were already present.
Most belonged to the Calloway Family.
Others were invited talents and direct descendants.
The moment Damon appeared, the noise dropped noticeably.
Not completely.
Just enough.
Enough for him to notice.
Some people looked surprised.
Others looked amused.
A few openly looked down on him.
Damon wasn’t stupid.
He understood exactly what they were thinking.
The White Core genius.
The boy without an element.
The disappointment.
The failure.
He simply ignored them.
Finding a nearby pillar, he leaned against it and waited.
Their opinions weren’t going to help him get stronger.
A few moments later, a familiar figure stood up.
Kane.
The blonde youth immediately spotted him.
And unlike before, Kane smiled.
Not a friendly smile.
The kind that usually came before trouble.
Damon sighed.
"Here we go."
Kane walked over confidently.
The crowd immediately paid attention.
Nobody interrupted.
Everyone knew something was coming.
Truthfully, Kane didn’t hate Damon.
At least not originally.
Before the ceremony, Kane had admired him.
Even envied him a little.
A White Core was something out of legends.
But for a brief period, Damon had stolen everything.
The attention.
The praise.
The spotlight.
People barely acknowledged Kane despite his Violet Core.
Then everything flipped.
Now Kane was back on top.
And Damon had become the laughing stock.
Naturally, Kane wanted to enjoy that reversal.
Damon pushed himself away from the pillar.
Standing straight.
Calm.
Relaxed.
The movement alone surprised a few people.
Most expected him to avoid confrontation.
Not face it directly.
Kane stopped a few steps away.
The hall gradually fell silent.
Everyone watched.
Kane crossed his arms.
"I’m surprised you’re here."
Damon nodded.
"I’m surprised you’re talking to me."
A few people snorted.
Kane’s smile twitched.
"You still haven’t accepted reality?"
"What reality?"
"That this place isn’t for you anymore."
The hall remained quiet.
Kane continued.
"The Birthground is for talented awakeners."
His gaze swept over Damon.
"Not people without an element."
A few people chuckled.
Others nodded.
Damon simply shrugged.
"Strange."
Kane frowned.
"What?"
"I don’t remember hearing that rule."
The laughter stopped.
Damon continued casually.
"I was invited."
"I’m qualified."
"I’m here."
"So unless you suddenly became the family head, I don’t see the problem."
Several people exchanged looks.
Kane’s expression darkened.
Damon wasn’t shouting.
He wasn’t angry.
And somehow that made it worse.
Kane took a step forward.
"Qualified?"
His voice rose slightly.
"You think reaching Resonant Rank makes you special?"
The crowd nodded in agreement.
Then Damon smiled.
"Well..."
"I did reach it."
The next moment, he released his Aether.
A heavy pressure swept through the hall.
The atmosphere instantly changed.
Kane’s eyes widened.
His body reacted before his mind did.
He actually stepped back.
Just one step.
But everyone saw it.
The hall went completely silent.
Kane froze.
Realizing what had happened.
Realizing everyone had seen it.
Humiliation flashed across his face.
Meanwhile Damon remained standing exactly where he was.
Calm.
Unmoved.
His Aether flowed naturally around him.
The pressure wasn’t violent.
But it was dense.
Far denser than anyone expected.
The reactions around the room changed immediately.
"He’s Resonant?"
"Already?"
"How?"
Several awakeners looked stunned.
Some of them had spent enormous amounts of Aether crystals.
Others trained with personal instructors.
A few had cultivated in specially prepared Aether chambers.
Yet they barely managed to reach Resonant Rank.
Damon had received nothing.
And somehow he still got there.
The realization hit everyone at once.
White Core.
Even without an element.
It was still terrifying.
Kane’s embarrassment quickly turned into anger.
The veins on his forehead bulged.
His fists clenched tightly.
"You think this changes anything?"
Purple lightning suddenly crackled around his fingers.
The air grew tense.
The nearby awakeners immediately backed away.
Nobody wanted to get caught in the middle.
Kane released more Aether.
The pressure intensified.
Purple arcs danced across his arms.
The rare lightning looked dangerous.
Wild.
Violent.
It suited him perfectly.
Damon narrowed his eyes slightly.
His own Aether continued circulating.
Neither side backed down.
The atmosphere became heavier by the second.
For a moment, it genuinely looked like a fight might break out.
Then a calm voice cut through the tension.
"Young Master Kane."
The pressure instantly weakened.
Everyone turned.
An elderly butler stood nearby.
His posture was straight.
His expression calm.
Yet his presence alone demanded respect.
The senior butler looked directly at Kane.
"I would advise saving your Aether."
The old man’s gaze shifted toward the sealed entrance leading deeper into the Birthground.
"After all."
"The spirit elementals won’t care who wins an argument."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"But they may care who still has enough Aether left to form a contract."
The hall immediately fell silent.
And for the first time since approaching Damon...
Kane had no response.