With an anxious, troubled expression clouding his young face, Arthur looked up at Ethan and asked nervously, "Big Brother... the little girl you took outside earlier... is she going to be alright?"
Ethan offered a reassuring, gentle smile, his eyes masking his deep calculations. "Don’t worry about her, Arthur. She’s completely fine now. Focus your mind—your number is up."
Right on cue, the ceremonial elder’s booming voice echoed across the hall. "Number twenty-seven! Step forward!"
Hearing his number called, a spark of nervous excitement lit up Arthur’s eyes. Casting a bright, eager look back at his older brother, he called out, "Big Brother, watch me! I’m going to awaken a powerful element!"
With that, Arthur sprinted up the stone steps and climbed onto the central awakening platform.
Standing below in the crowd, Ethan watched with a calm, intriguing smile.
Inside, a cold thrill ran through him—he was eager to see if history would repeat itself and how Arthur’s destiny would unfold this time.
"Sit cross-legged at the center and begin sensing the ambient mana," the elder instructed strictly.
Arthur immediately closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing. Within moments, a dense cluster of vibrant yellow mana particles began swirling actively around his small frame.
Seeing his readiness, an attendant stepped forward and handed him the elemental awakening potion.
Arthur drank it down in one go.
The moment the liquid hit his core, his skin flushed a deep, burning crimson. A sudden, violent surge of mana burst forth from his body, creating a shockwave whose intensity far surpassed any of the children who had gone before him.
Swish—! Boom!
Directly in front of Arthur, the towering monolith representing the Fire element flared to life with a blinding, ferocious scarlet brilliance, shining so intensely that it illuminated the entire Grand Hall.
Gasps of absolute shock rippled through the gathered crowd. On the elevated dais, their father, the town’s mayor, broke into a wide, triumphant grin, his eyes gleaming as if he had just witnessed a divine miracle.
As the blinding light slowly faded, Arthur sat frozen, gasping softly as an immense, overwhelming reservoir of power coursed through his meridians. Before he could even process the profound change within his body, a familiar figure rushed forward.
Their father swept down from the dais, pulling Arthur into a fierce, proud embrace. "That’s my boy!" the mayor laughed heartily, his voice echoing with pride. "He has awakened the highest-grade Flame Element!"
Hearing the declaration, all the town elders stood up from their seats, immediately stepping forward to shower the town mayor with enthusiastic congratulations.
Surrounded by the roaring applause and envious glances of the crowd, a bright, proud smile bloomed on Arthur’s face.
He had done it—he had awakened the most powerful, highest-grade element of the ceremony.
Yet, deep down in the corners of his mind, a strange, lingering chill gripped his heart. As he smiled for the crowd, a heavy, inexplicable sense of loss weighed on his chest, as if at this exact moment of supreme glory, he had unconsciously lost something infinitely precious.
Just as the celebration and applause filled the hall, a sharp, mechanical chime echoed directly inside Ethan’s mind.
A translucent holographic window flickered into view before his eyes:
[The Host has successfully tampered with the destiny of the Heavenly Chosen One, Arthur!]
[Due to the Host’s actions, the Heavenly Chosen One was originally fated to awaken the Supreme-Grade Fire Element. Instead, he has only awakened the High-Grade Flame Element, causing a severe deviation in his destined path!]
[Heavenly Chosen One’s destiny has been impaired by 40,000 points!]
[Transferring stolen destiny into Fate Points...]
[Congratulations, Host! Your total Fate Points have now reached 100,000!]
Witnessing the scene, a cold, knowing smile tugged at the corner of Ethan’s lips.
As the applause died down, their father personally stepped forward, wrapping a proud arm around Arthur and leading him away from the platform to celebrate.
Such preferential, doting treatment had never been afforded to any other child in the entire town. Even Ethan felt a flicker of surprise, though it quickly melted back into calculated coldness.
In my past life, Ethan recalled, his eyes narrowing slightly, even when Arthur failed to awaken any element at all during his first attempt, Father still favored him just like this.
Afterward, he showered Arthur with countless rare spiritual plants, precious pills, and top-tier cultivation resources.
Back then, all those resources were practically wasted because Arthur’s body was already naturally suppressing a terrifying, dormant power—that blue sealing stone was simply sucking away his potential.
But now that Arthur has genuinely awakened a High-Grade Flame Element, history is repeating itself. The only difference is that this time, Father will pour even more absurd amounts of powerful elixirs, rare herbs, and mystic knowledge into him to make him grow stronger.
A dark, self-deprecating smirk crossed Ethan’s face.
And in all of this, just like in my past life, I will be completely pushed aside and ignored.
Not that it matters, Ethan thought, his gaze turning steely and resolute. In my past life, I walked this lonely, brutal path entirely by myself, and I will do the same in this life. I don’t need anyone’s favor.
Suddenly, a familiar mechanical chime echoed in his mind:
[Do not forget, Host... I am always walking this path by your side.]
"Yeah... I know," Ethan muttered half-unconsciously in his mind, acknowledging the cold entity bound to his soul.
With the grand spectacle of Arthur’s awakening finally concluding, the ceremony resumed.
Child after child stepped up onto the circular platform as the remaining numbers were called. A few lucky ones managed to ignite a basic or mid-grade elemental monolith, while many others met with failure, leaving the stage in silent despair.
Soon enough, Ethan’s number was called.