Zev smiled as he saw Lauren rushing toward him.
"Lauren?"
She was his sister—the one he loved most.
Why? Because in his previous life, during his lowest moments, she was the only one who convinced their father to let him stay in the mansion. She did everything she could to keep him from falling out of favor. But in the end, all her efforts had been in vain.
Tears welled in her eyes as she threw her arms around him. She was overwhelmed with relief to see him safe and whole.
"Brother, are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling as she gazed into his eyes.
Zev gently patted her head.
"You have nothing to worry about, Lauren. Your big brother is perfectly fine," he said with a warm smile.
Relief washed over Lauren's face at his reassuring words.
They sat together on the bed while Harin stood nearby, quietly observing. Noticing his presence, Zev looked up and gave a polite nod.
"You can leave us for now, Harin."
Harin bowed slightly. "Just call me if you need anything, Sir Zev, Lady Lauren," he said in his deep, composed voice before stepping out.
For a moment, the room fell into a calm silence.
Then Lauren spoke, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
"Brother… I'm afraid. Do I really have to go through the awakening?"
She looked down, her hands clenched in her lap. "After seeing what happened to you… it scares me."
To be honest, if Lauren truly wished to live a normal life, she could avoid the awakening process altogether. But that was the ideal—not the reality.
She was Lucan's daughter.
And more than that, she was living in a world overrun by monsters. Sooner or later, she would need the strength to defend herself.
Zev gave a small nod.
"You have to, Lauren. We need to prepare for the worst," he said quietly, then added,
"But don't worry. I'm here. I'll help you through it—I'll make sure your awakening goes smoothly."
Lauren suddenly looked up, her eyes bright with hope. Of course, she'd heard the rumors—how Zev had learned to control his spiritual energy at a young age. If anyone could guide her through the awakening, it was him.
"Really? You're going to teach me?" Lauren asked, eyes wide with hope.
Zev nodded without hesitation.
"Of course, Lauren. And as your big brother, I'll always be here to protect you."
A broad smile lit up her face.
"Thank you, brother."
The two of them spent the next hour talking like any ordinary siblings, their conversation light and full of warmth—something rare in their often-dangerous world. Eventually, Lauren stood up to leave.
"I'll take my leave, brother. See you later!" she said cheerfully, then hurried out of the room and down the hall to her quarters.
Zev waved after her with a small smile.
"See you later."
During their time together, he had mentioned he would let her know when it was time to begin her training in spiritual energy. But for now, he had other priorities, goals he needed to pursue before that day came.
First, he needed to gather information about his mother.
Second, he had to learn more about his mysterious skill [Manifestation].
Third, he had to prepare for the Mutant Academy.
There was more, of course, like uncovering the identity of the one who hired assassins to kill him. But Zev knew he couldn't tackle everything at once. He would take it one step at a time.
I'm not strong enough yet... not strong enough to protect the people I care about, he thought. Once I leave the mansion, I'll finally be out from under my father's watchful eye.
He sat in silence, deep in thought. But as the minutes passed, his body—still recovering from the awakening, could no longer fight the exhaustion.
Before he realized it, Zev drifted into sleep.
The next day, Zev dove into his training without hesitation.
His regimen still included physical conditioning to improve his strength, but his primary focus was swordsmanship. In his previous life, he had studied various sword styles—but this time was different. His current body was still underdeveloped, unfamiliar with the techniques his mind remembered. He had to make adjustments, retraining himself from the ground up.
The second thing on his mind was his skill set. After awakening, he had only acquired a buff-type ability, one that temporarily enhanced his physical strength. But he had no offensive skills yet, no techniques that could truly turn the tide in a fight.
"I'm lucky I already know how to wield a sword," he muttered to himself, gripping the hilt tightly.
Thankfully, Lucan had granted him a private space where he could train undisturbed, a preparation ground meant only for him.
Dark Energy.
Zev activated one of his skills. Instantly, one of his eyes turned a glowing violet, and a surge of power rushed through him. His muscles bulged with newfound strength, but almost immediately, a sharp pain rippled through his body.
His expression tightened.
My body still isn't used to this…
Gritting his teeth, he shifted his weight onto his right foot and launched forward, dashing toward one of the robotic targets. The moment he closed the distance, Zev swung his sword with precise, fluid motion.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The target was sliced cleanly into multiple pieces, each fragment falling to the ground with almost surgical precision, as if he were cutting through butter.
Then came the chain reaction.
A small explosion ignited within the training room, tearing through the shattered remains and triggering a cascade that disabled the other approaching robots.
Zev held his stance, breathing steadily, the violet glow still faintly visible in his eye.
When it was over, Zev stood at the center of the training room, staring down at his trembling hands. His arms shook slightly, muscles tense from the aftereffects of the Dark Aura skill. The boost had increased his strength by 15%, but the strain on his body was evident.
"My hands are shaking from the excess force," he muttered. "I need more training."
Swish! Swish! Swish!
And so he trained—day after day.
Over the course of two intense weeks, Zev honed every aspect of himself. He focused on mastering his spiritual energy, refining his swordsmanship, and strengthening his body. Every hour pushed him closer to control, discipline, and raw power.
And now, the two weeks were over.
Today was the day he would leave the mansion.
"Everything is prepared, Sir Zev. All the supplies you need have already been loaded," Harin said in his deep, steady voice as he escorted Zev toward the mansion's gate.
"Thank you, Harin," Zev replied with a nod. Then his eyes shifted to the figure waiting near the entrance. "Lauren? What are you doing here?"
"I came to say goodbye," Lauren said softly, stepping forward. "And… to give you this."
She held out a small pearl bracelet—delicately crafted, clearly made with care.
"I hope you like my farewell gift."
Zev smiled gently as he accepted it, then patted her head.
"Thank you, Lauren. I'll wear it proudly. When I come back, I'll bring you new clothes and some souvenirs too."
Lauren beamed. "Thank you, Brother. I'll be waiting for you to come home."
Zev nodded once, firmly.
"For sure."
Soon, Zev climbed into the car, casting a final glance at Harin, who gave a slight bow.
"Please keep an eye on Lauren," Zev said. "And let me know if you find any clues about my mother."
He knew there was a way to track her down, he just had to trust Harin to do the groundwork while he was away.
Harin nodded solemnly, fully understanding the weight of the task.
"I'll keep a close watch, sir. And please, take care of yourself."
Zev gave a firm nod.
"I will. You can count on it."
Just like that, Zev left the mansion, his chance to escape his father's watchful eye had finally come.
To reach the Mutant Academy, they faced a six-hour journey. The academy lay beyond the city limits, in the wild lands where monsters roamed freely. Danger was inevitable.
Tall skyscrapers towered over Brimar City, but Zev didn't focus on them. Instead, his gaze rested on the massive barrier that protected the city from the monster-infested wilderness beyond.
Zev was accompanied by two rank-four mutants, assigned to ensure his safe passage. The moment they crossed the city's protective boundary, the two guards tensed, alert for any sign of an ambush.
Four hours had passed easily. Zev traveled through dense forests where towering trees flooded the landscape, and fortunately, no monsters had dared to attack—speeding up their journey.
Screech!
The sudden sound of brakes filled the air as the car came to an abrupt stop. One of the guards, dressed in a black suit and sunglasses, opened the door for Zev.
"As per the Mutant Academy's requirements, this is as far as we can escort you, Sir Zev," the guard said calmly.
Zev nodded—he had known this from the beginning. More specifically, they had stopped at the forest's edge, where students were required to enter the academy barefoot.
It was a test—a way to assess the potential of each applicant. The forest was crawling with monsters, and to pass, they had to prove themselves by killing at least a few. Another part of the challenge was to find the location of the Mutant Academy hidden somewhere within.
"I can take it from here. Thank you for your service," Zev said firmly.
The escorts nodded and quickly departed, leaving him alone at the forest's edge.
Now standing before the dense thicket, Zev had plenty of time ahead of him. He strapped his sword to his waist and slung his bag over his shoulder.
"Shall we start the hunt?"
Manifest!