"Manageable. I will pass."
He turned to his brother, Morca, and uttered a simple sentence:
"Let go."
From start to finish, he never held back. his dominance was absolute.
Morca wondered: What exactly was his brother's true identity?
Surely, he was the one gaining something from all this. Otherwise, why would he even bother thinking about such trivial matters?
With that, the brothers walked away, unfazed.
.....
The crowd stood frozen, their expressions a mix of shock and awe.
The power they had just witnessed was beyond anything they had imagined.
Today, they learned something new.
Emmett Lee was no ordinary figure in the Sherman family, he was a big shot, so much so that even the First Elder had to bow before him.
Yet, amid the stunned silence, one person remained unsurprised by Emmett Lee's display.
Denis Sherman.
The young master of the Sherman family.
As the heir, or future head of the family, he knew things others didn't.
And what had just happened here?
This was one of those things he know.
"No wonder Father told me I shouldn't provoke him."
Denis thought to himself.
Emmett Lee had shown no mercy to those he considered enemies.
Denis frowned.
"If someone like him isn't completely devoted or loyal to the family, he'll cause a lot of trouble to me in the future."
But how would he handle that?
Only Morca could be of help.
Either he tamed that fool, or he kill hi…
Denis stopped thinking about it.
That was a problem for the academy to solve.
.....
"Cough, cough."
The First Elder cleared his throat, his voice carrying authority as he addressed the youths.
"Alright, this will mark the end of today's gathering."
"For those of you who failed to awaken, remember, this is not the end."
"Before the Apocalypse, some of our ancestors. those who fought back against the monsters and ensured humanity's survival, were not even Awakened."
"They were Cultivators."
"So what if you didn't awakened? You can still walk the path of a Cultivator!"
At these words, the crowd stirred, murmuring among themselves as they headed back to their homes, preparing for the trials ahead.
.....
In the study room, the brothers sat across from each other in silence.
Morca was the first to speak.
"Thank you, brother."
Emmett Lee shook his head, his tone serious.
"Morca, you must remember this, never let anyone look down on you in the future, which I know you won't.
With the speed you used to cut Grant's hand earlier, I know you've awakened. Show me your class."
Morca stared at his brother, unable to suppress his thoughts.
'How does he change so quickly? That silly, playful smile he always has when talking to me, gone. Now, he's all serious and expressionless, like a completely different person. And all in less than 30 minutes. What a freak.'
Shaking off the thought, Morca released his talent aura.
A black abyssal blade materialized behind him, swirling in a circular motion, exuding an aura of oblivion. an aura that seemed to erase everything in its path.
Emmett Lee frowned as he studied the blade.
Countless thoughts raced through his mind.
"This… this is too powerful. It's beyond an S - rank talent. It might even rival the aura of an SS - rank talent. What a monster."
As far as he knew, there were only two SS-rank talents in all of Eden Star; one belonged to the Headmaster of Eden Domineer Academy (EDA), and the other to the mysterious daughter of the Voidspace Family, the strongest ancient family in Eden.
If his brother had truly awakened such a talent, it was something to be proud of.
But it was also dangerous.
If others found out or even suspected it, they would stop at nothing to eliminate him.
Unless Morca stayed by his side, which he knew was impossible, Emmett's ability to protect him was limited. He had influence, yes, but only within the Sherman family. Outside of it, there were plenty who could easily ignore him and go after Morca when the opportunity arose.
And if that enemy was one of his enemies?
Morca would be in even greater danger.
That was why Emmett Lee was frowning so hard.
He looked at Morca again.
"Retract your talent aura."
Morca nodded, pulling back his power. He didn't seem worried at all.
If he knew what Emmett was thinking, he would have laughed.
Not because he was arrogant, but because, with the system's help, he would only reveal what he wanted others to see.
Emmett's eyes sharpened.
"Morca, as much as I want you to be fearless. maybe even a little arrogant, all I truly want is for you to be safe. But now, things have changed. I don't want you to reveal your talent to anyone until you're already at the academy. If you do, you'll be in danger."
Morca smirked slightly.
"As much as I don't want my life constantly hanging by a thread… I mean, as much as I don't want to be in danger, I won't hide my strength just because someone might come after me. If they want my life, let them try. I'll just entertain them."
A small, confident smile played at the corner of his lips.
Emmett sighed.
"Good. Take this."
He tossed a small, metallic card toward Morca.
The moment Morca caught it, an icy sensation spread through his fingers. The object was extremely cold, radiating a dark aura.
"What is this?" Morca asked.
Emmett shrugged.
"Oh, I forgot to mention, it's a technique. Both Awakeners and Cultivators can use it to unleash their power with minimal mana."
As if it were nothing, he brushed it off.
Morca narrowed his eyes.
"What else is he hiding from me? It seems like I shouldn't rely on him too much."
Emmett, clearly exhausted, tossed another item toward Morca.
"That's the compensation the First Elder gave you. Use it as you see fit. Now go, I've said enough for today. Don't disturb me for a while. I need some rest."
Morca didn't argue.
He also needed time alone, to check the system updates, which had already flooded him with notifications.
After Morca left the study room, Emmett Lee, despite his fatigue, stood up.
He walked toward a shelf filled with documents, tapping a transparent panel in front of him.
Muttering to no one in particular, he said;
"Come with me inside."
Instantly, he was transported into a mysterious room, glowing white like an interrogation room.