[ 3rd POV]
Eden stepped into the unknown, his awakening process causing a flood of feelings that both overwhelmed and captivated him.
The first thing that met him as his consciousness gradually returned from the depths was not the tranquil chamber or the worried faces of his aunt, but an unexpected voyage into the annals of time.
Eden found himself suspended in the midst of a beautiful show, a vision of battling gods—a whirlwind of elements and divine might combining in a chaotic symphony.
A lone man stood in the midst of the chaos, enshrouded in obsidian armor that appeared to absorb the light itself.Every inch of his body was hidden—a living riddle.
His grip on a long broadsword glowed, his face veiled under a mask of the same dark tint.
The man, no older than his thirties, possessed a commanding aura that calmed the storm surrounding him.His silver hair cascaded down his back, held back by a single amethyst bead.
A silent warrior against the storm of gods, Eden watched in awe as the clash of elements resounded in his ears.
The gods of fire and ice, wind and earth, water and lightning, all raged against the lone warrior.
Nonetheless, every movement of his body appeared deliberate, as if it were a dance through the elements themselves.
As dragons swooped down on him with deadly intent, time seemed to pause, allowing Eden to watch the impossible in minute detail.
A glimpse from those intriguing eyes pinned Eden in the midst of the storm, and the universe appeared to stutter.Eden's perception, unlike the gods and dragons, kept up.
The masked man's stare met his, forging a link between worlds that echoed beyond time.
The scene shattered before Eden could comprehend its meaning, disappearing into another domain of battle.
Eden found himself in the middle of another war, this one in white and black.
A guy in armor stood defiantly, commanding even among the onslaught of enemies.
His black hair cascaded down his back like a waterfall, a sharp contrast to the eyes that flashed with flaming crimson intensity through the openings in his mask.
A vision of beauty stood beside him—an ethereal figure with an elegance befitting her divinity.
Her pointed ears and flawless features distinguished her as no mortal, and her gaze was fixated on Eden. Eden's heart skipped a beat as he read the unspoken words on her lips.
Their bond went beyond time and place.
In the midst of the chaos, the enigmatic duo fought a swarm of races and realms—an exquisite dance of death and defiance.
The crimson-drenched ground, the crimson-painted sky—the entire scene appeared unreal and vivid, a memory imprisoned amid the currents of Eden's awakening.
Eden was yanked from the visual, as if reality itself had taken a breath.
His consciousness was wrenched back into the present, the fragments of his glimpses scattered like waking dreams.
The echo of his awakening echoed throughout him as he lay in bed.
"Edda,"
Eden mumbled, addressing his one companion in this world.
[Yes.]
"What was that?"
Eden's voice was barely whispered.
[Your space-time awakening.]
"But what did I see?"
Eden's inquiry hung in the air, causing a minute-long silence before Edda spoke.
[A glimpse of past and future]
―――――――――――――
[Eden's Point of View]
My breathing had calmed down after the awakening as I lay quiet on the bed.
The sense of accomplishment was apparent; my mana core had emigrated into my heart, its presence a soothing rhythm in my chest.
But underlying this newfound strength lies a sudden turn of events.
My space-time affinity had awakened unexpectedly and violently, causing full mayhem in my body.
My mana channels were slowly healing from the previous strain, and it wouldn't be long before I could train with them again,
but a new current, a formless energy, twisted around my heart.It was delicate, almost imperceptible,
but undeniably present—star energy.
As a result of my awakening, I've spent the entire day lying in bed.
Questions flashed through my head like fireflies in the dark as I lay there.
What were those visions from my awakening?
Were they genuine, or were they merely illusions?
Were the scenes I saw from my past, my future, or something else entirely?
The first vision depicted a divine battleground, an ethereal struggle of powers.
But what concerned me was that they were fighting among the dead bodies of thousands of people of many races.
The second scene was in shades of silver and black.
Another armored warrior ruled the battlefield.But he wasn't alone this time; a lovely elf woman stood alongside him.
They were not fighting against gods and dragons, but against mutant monsters born from many races.
'I need to learn the elves' language.'
I thought to myself as I struggled to remember what that woman was trying to say because she wasn't using the language I knew, and elven language is the best shot for that.
Both visions gave me a sense of insignificance.
These people, whomever they were, possessed power beyond my comprehension.
Were these foreshadowings of the past or the future? What did they imply for me?
I had questioned Edda about it, but she said it may be random stuff unrelated to me.
But I wasn't buying that bullshit.
I was aware of how these things operated, and I was certain they had something to do with me.
"Lost in thought, Eden?"
My aunt's voice drew me out of my daydream. Olivia stood by my bedside, assisting Sarah in caring for me.
"Yeah, I'm just trying to piece everything together."
I turned to face her with a tiny smile on my face.
"Your awakening was quite the spectacle. Do you feel better now?"
"Yeah, your healing magic is working its wonders."
I nodded, appreciating how lucky I was to have her by my side.My injured mana veins would have taken a long time to mend, but thanks to her, they are nearly healed.
"So, do you know what happened in the end?Your awakening was over, but just as it ended, your mana veins were damaged, and your body was torn apart," she inquired, her surprise palpable, as what happened to me was not typical of an awakening.
The interesting thing was that, while they could feel the disturbance in space, they couldn't sense when time paused for a second.
They didn't ask about it, so I guessed that I was the only one who saw the little pause in time.
"Honestly, I don't know myself."
I provided a brief response, seeming to be as dumb as they were.
"Oh well, we'll find out about it eventually.My turn has arrived, and I'll be leaving right now."
She began to go toward the door as she talked, but then stopped and returned, leaning down to speak in my ear.
"And if you're considering running away, do it after the awakening ceremony. It will be easier for your father and me to clean up after you."
She quickly kissed my cheek before turning around and walking away.
'So they are aware.'
I thought to myself, stroking the region where she had kissed me.
[It wouldn't have taken a genius to figure out your scheme.]
Edda chimed in, taking every opportunity to mock me.
'I don't want to hear that from a useless system,'I shot back at her.
[Is that so? I guess you don't want to know about the new features that have been upgraded.]