Bing!
The large screen flicked to life
Figures appeared slowly
Status: Awakened
The next....
Rank: –
Power Type: No power detected
Core Trait: No core detected
Tia stood frozen, fingers still pressed against the lifeless orb, his mind in chaos.
It's just like before.
I should have known.
What was I expecting?
For a moment, no one spoke. Everyone was still trying to process the results.
Then voices exploded.
"Hahaha!"
"Honestly, I thought something big was gonna happen."
"Yeah, what a waste of time."
"Poor guy. He doesn't even have a core trait. At least you are awakened, right?"
"Hahaha!"
"Please get out of there before your failure affects the rest of us."
"Hahh…"
"What a waste of time," the officer murmured.
"Next!"
Tia stumbled back.
It's fine.
It's alright.
It's not your fault.
Yeah… nothing to worry about.
I was so foolish, thinking that everything was going to go well just because I got a second chance.
Damn…
Damn it…
Damn it all.
That thing…
The thing that brought me back.
It would have been better if I had just stayed dead.
Tears blurred his vision.
I've felt this pain before…
So why…
Why does it still hurt like hell?
His shoulders trembled slightly.
At first, no one noticed.
Then—
"Heh…"
A small laugh slipped out.
Soft.
Dry.
"Heh… haha…"
The sound grew.
"Hahaha…"
Students nearby froze.
Some stared, whispers building.
"Is he… crying?"
"No. I think he's laughing."
"What's wrong with him?"
"Did he lose his mind or something? He's somehow pitiful."
"Pitiful my ass."
"Don't come close to me."
"Laughing at a time like this—you must be crazy."
"But he looks somehow pitiful."
"Pitiful my ass. If I were him, I would bury myself alive."
Tia wiped the tears from his eyes.
A crooked smile slowly formed on the corner of his lips.
Yet his eyes remained empty.
Without another word, he turned on his heels.
Without looking back, he walked away.
Each step slow.
Unhurried.
His laughter faded into silence.
Then he spoke quietly.
"…What a pointless waste of my time."
By the time Tia returned home, his mother was already there.
The door handle clicked softly as he stepped inside.
"Ming Ming? You're back already?" his mother called from the kitchen.
The smell of soup drifted through the house.
"Well, that's good. Come help me in the kitchen. It's been a while since we talked."
She wiped her hands on her apron as he walked in.
"I'm making soup, rice, and dumplings. The dumplings are for you."
She handed him a pair of gloves and a bowl of raw meat.
"So help me wash this."
Tia said nothing.
He slowly put on the gloves, placed the bowl under running water, and began washing the meat.
The sound of water filled the kitchen.
His mother continued cooking for a moment.
Then she paused.
Her eyes briefly lingered on his face.
That grim expression.
She didn't mention it.
Instead, she spoke casually.
"You know, Ming… your father and I used to do this too."
Tia's hands slowed slightly.
"Whenever something was bothering him, he'd come to the kitchen and help me cook," she continued.
"He said doing something made it easier to talk."
She stirred the pot slowly.
"So if something is troubling you…"
She glanced at him.
"I'm always ready to listen."
Silence filled the kitchen.
Only the sound of running water remained.
Seconds passed.
Then—
"Ma…"
Tia finally spoke.
His mother smiled slightly, as if she had been waiting for that moment.
"What is it?"
Tia lowered his head.
"I… I failed my Evolution Exam again."
His voice trembled.
"I failed, Ma."
"I failed."
"I failed both you and Dad."
"I'm such a useless son."
For a moment, she said nothing.
Then she walked closer and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Tia…"
"Everyone has their own path in life."
"Just because yours is slower doesn't mean it leads nowhere."
She smiled softly.
"Your father used to say something similar."
Tia looked up slightly.
"He believed that people who bloom late… sometimes shine the brightest."
She turned back to the stove, gently stirring the pot.
"So don't look at the world like it owes you success."
A small pause followed.
Then she added quietly,
"As long as there is life… there is always hope."
Another small pause followed.
"Besides…"
"If your father were here, he'd probably laugh and tell you to try again."
"Each trial is a step to success."
Tia froze slightly.
His mother didn't look back.
And she didn't say anything more.
After dinner, Tia quietly returned to his room.
The door closed with a soft click.
The house was silent.
He sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the floor.
Failed again…
A bitter smile formed on his lips.
Outside, the night wind brushed softly against the window.
He lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
His chest tightened slightly.
Ma, you said there is hope when life is present…
But right now, I feel like I'm on a loop—reliving my worst day over and over and over again.
How am I supposed to protect you?
Do I even have the power to survive in this world?
Where did you and Dad disappear to back then?
And the legend…
There are too many mysteries surrounding it.
What secrets are tied to it?
How do I finish the journey I started in my previous life?
What am I supposed to do now?
Hope…..a luxurious lie.
But for someone like me…
I can't afford it....
A long silence filled the room.
Tia slowly closed his eyes.
His fingers slowly tightened into a fist.
Would I be foolish…
to choose death over life?