Before I knew it, I was back in the reception hall, moving toward the exit when the Awakeners around me suddenly stirred. Conversations halted. Every gaze in the room snapped toward the entrance, their reactions almost theatrical.
"Is that really him? One of the Five Gods, SS-Ranker Cain Sungrave?!"
"Oh my god! It really is him! I heard his daughter is also a Natural Awakener like him! He must be here for her evaluation!"
"She's so young! I bet she's at least S-Rank potential."
There were two types of Awakeners — Forced and Natural.
Forced Awakeners needed Evolution Portals to unlock their Genetic Codex which was responsible for granting them an Evolution Class.
Natural Awakeners, on the other hand, were born with theirs already unsealed. Under the right conditions, they could acquire an Evolution Class without any external help.
They were destined to walk farther along the Evolution Path than most, and history had yet to record a Natural Awakener with potential lower than A-Grade… proof of their inherent superiority.
I didn't know much about the Genetic Codex, but from what I'd learned online, it was a dormant structure embedded deep in every living being—unique like a fingerprint, but locked away. Before Awakening, we only partially unsealed it, like barely 0.01%. Only once someone reached C-Rank and underwent their Second Transformation would they even begin to sense the Codex.
Under the awed gazes of the Awakeners and my bloodlust filled glare, a man strode into the reception hall.
He was nearly eight feet tall, and looked no older than his twenties, though his true age was far beyond that. He didn't flaunt his aura, but his mere exhale was enough to suffocate everything near him. SS-Rank Awakeners weren't just powerful—they were calamities in human form, beings capable of reducing entire stars to their crucibles.
They were called Gods for a reason.
Unfortunately for me, this particular calamity wore a face similar to mine.
He was Cain Sungrave—one of only five SS Rankers in the entire Hyperion Galaxy. Following just behind him was a girl barely fifteen, Evelyn Sungrave, his only daughter. Her crimson hair barely covered the shy, ferocious fire in her eyes.
I tensed. I had no desire to get entangled in this mess. Without hesitation, I turned on my heel, facing the nearest wall, hoping to hide. Maybe if I stayed still, no one would notice me.
But how could an F-Ranker hide from a God while practically radiating bloodlust?
Cain didn't even scan the room. The moment he stepped in, he walked straight toward the only idiot oddly stood facing the wall.
Yeah. That idiot was me!
I cursed under my breath. Don't you dare walk toward me, you insensible freak! Can't you see I'm trying to avoid you?
I didn't want attention. And more importantly, I didn't trust myself to hold back the flood of emotions if I opened my mouth.
"Did you come here for an evaluation too?" Cain's voice was indifferent, but his gaze sharpened as he studied me.
I didn't respond.
"Your strength has almost tripled. You must have awakened a unique Class to advance this quickly in just a few hours."
Cain was genuinely taken aback. The last time he'd seen Lucian, his stubborn son. The boy had been gaunt with a frail body. But now, he stood with a solid frame, carrying a quiet strength that rendered him almost unrecognizable. The only plausible explanation for this change was that Lucian had awakened a powerful Class. Strangely, Cain couldn't sense even a trace of Mana from him, and that made it all the more satisfying, as his son had stepped onto an Evolution Path so unique that even SS Ranker like him couldn't sense it. A flicker of pride crossed Cain's face.
Meanwhile, I could feel the weight of the crowd's stares, their unspoken speculations:
"Did he just glare at Cain Sungrave?"
"Is he suicidal or just stupid?"
"Wait, are they… related?"
"Must be another disgraced heir…"
I wasn't affected by it. Not really.
But for some reason, a memory flashed in my mind.
In the memory, I was kneeling before a distant ivory villa, massive enough to be seen across miles. Minutes bled into a freezing night, but I didn't move as I endured. Just when it felt like I might freeze to death, the villa gates finally opened.
Still shivering from the cold, I looked up, but before I could speak—before I could beg Cain, my father, to save my mom—he uttered, "Your mother has passed away. Go and complete what must be done."
That was it.
That was all a father said to his kneeling son.
This bastard could have saved her. A simple D-Rank potion would have been enough. But he chose to let her die, and now he had the audacity to stand before me, with what? …pride in his eyes?
FUCKING HELL!! My mind roared.
I will take everything from him. Ruin everything he built after leaving us in the streets… Even if it means crossing every line!
Cain gently nudged Evelyn forward. "This is Evelyn. She's your—"
"Sir," I cut in flatly, "you must be mistaken. I'm just a lowly D Grade Awakener from Helix Academy—hardly worth your attention."
I had no desire to look at that face a moment longer.
I darted away from the lobby, leaving everyone baffled. But no one would dare speak of today's incident. None of them were reckless enough to entangle their Karma with an SS Ranker.
Cain's eyes trembled slightly as he sensed overwhelming hatred coming from his own son.
He just stood there like a statue for a second and finally sighed as he knew he wronged his son.
Evelyn stood quietly beside him, her crimson eyes glassy, her smile gone. The only reason she had come for her Evaluation here was to see her brother—just to catch his eye, maybe hear him say her name. But he hadn't even looked at her… and that hurt more than she'd ever thought it would.