Zhua slowly looked around, realizing that he was lying inside what appeared to be an infirmary.
Several IV drips were connected to his body.
He heard footsteps approaching.
Instinctively, he raised his guard, his muscles tensing, but he quickly abandoned the action.
His mind was too damaged, too exhausted.
He slowly lowered his hands, his eyes filled with nothing but despair.
A nurse with chestnut-colored hair and brown eyes entered the room.
The moment she saw that he was awake, her expression turned to one of surprise.
“You’re finally awake! Do you know your name, or have you forgotten it?” she asked in a panicked tone.
“My name is Zhua Rengui,” Zhua replied in a dark, emotionless voice.
“How long have I been here?”
“One week. And my name is Han Luen,”
the nurse answered, studying him with a puzzled expression.
“You should rest for now, Mister Zhua. According to the examinations, you’ve only recently awakened to the rank of Semi-Awakened, and you’ve also just awakened your Dao.”
I must look absolutely pathetic for her to think that, Zhua thought bitterly.
His hair, which had grown longer, now reached his shoulders.
It bothered him, and for a moment he felt the urge to cut it short.
But in the end, he decided against it.
Zeuna had liked long hair.
so did he, even if he found it annoying to take care of.
Han Luen looked at him once more before speaking.
“Well then, I have to report to my superiors. In the meantime, you should take a walk. Even if it’s already late.”
Zhua looked through the window and noticed that night had already fallen.
Following Han Luen’s advice, he wandered outside beneath the dark sky.
Eventually, he sat down alone on a bench and quietly gazed up at the moon.
It wasn’t an accident.
That monster…
that Fallen…
that Monarch…
No, it wasn’t a coincidence.
The King would never have allowed such a threat to appear, not even in a low-ranking city.
Was it all staged?
But by whom?
Certainly not the King, nor the royal family as a whole.
They were far too busy dealing with their own affairs and with the other nations.
Then it has to be one of the nobles…
The list of suspects was short.
Only the Eight Dukes and their allies…
the Grand Duchess…
or the Grand Duke of this country.
But I need more strength.
More allies.
I have to become stronger.
Stronger…
and even stronger than that.
The Awakened Academy…?
Yes.
That was the best option.
In this world, a person was only recognized as an adult in one of two ways: either by reaching the age of twenty-five, or by graduating from an Awakened Academy, regardless of their age.
But I need power.
I need to rise through the ranks not only to recover the memories of my previous life, but also to become strong enough to uncover the truth behind that “accident.”
Yes…
my two goals are clear, and they align perfectly.
I can’t afford to drown in grief and self-pity.
Deep within his soul, an incandescent white flame ignited once more, ready to devour everything that stood in the way of his goals.
This is the beginnig of all.