Rael wandered through the island, observing everything around him. The architecture of the place was certainly unusual, but that wasn't what intrigued him most.
What really caught his attention were the plants and animals — for some reason, they were different too.
"Maybe this strange energy has changed them over time as well?"
He didn't know how long such a transformation could take, or if it was even possible, but it seemed like a reasonable theory.
"How many years has it been since the Awakened appeared? Twenty? Thirty? No… maybe even seventy?"
Rael muttered to himself, lost in thought, until he realized he was already standing in front of a hotel.
"It would've been better if I'd bought some disguise items," he sighed.
He had seen a few in the Tower, but they were expensive, and he would've had to abandon the drone — something that would ruin his entire plan to record everything that happened here. One of his main goals was to gather solid proof of what this place really was. Ever since they'd boarded the ship, the drone had been recording.
'It's still bizarre when I think about it'
A drone capable of recording, attacking, defending, analyzing, and even camouflaging itself.
He wondered who could create something like that. In his own world, technology was still far behind — they had cell phones and televisions, but everything was rudimentary compared to this.
Putting those thoughts aside, he stepped into the hotel. Inside, several Awakened were talking and booking rooms. Rael kept his attention on everything being said around him, until something in particular caught his eye.
When one Awakened man paid the receptionist, he handed over a small blue crystal.
"What…"
Rael looked closely and noticed something emanating from it.
"Energy."
The crystal pulsed faintly with energy. He pretended to reach into his pocket, took out a Lumen from the Tower, and placed it on his palm.
The Lumen also radiated energy — different, but unmistakably there.
"So this is probably the same energy that exists on this island, just… solidified. And they use it as currency."
However, Rael didn't see many others using those crystals, which made him think they were rare.
"Man, this year's batch of newbies seems pathetic."
Rael turned his head slightly and saw two young Awakened talking nearby.
"Yeah, we weren't lucky this time. The association's resources will probably go to others."
"Still, we did get a surprise — a gold-level talent. We haven't seen one in years!"
"Yeah… but he's a brat. Doesn't even like it here."
"He's just a kid. A little discipline should fix that."
Rael frowned, pretending to be uninterested while his mind raced.
Gold-level talent? So they have a system to measure it…?
"Sir?"
He snapped back to reality when the receptionist called him again, looking slightly annoyed.
"Ah! Sorry!" Rael apologized quickly and went to choose a room. His eyes widened when he saw the prices.
Daylight robbery!
Still, considering the clientele here, he understood. He sighed and paid anyway.
There goes a few years' worth of salary.
He even tipped the receptionist.
Besides… she looks different. Not a slave — no collar — but also not like the Awakened.
"Thank you, sir!" she said with a brighter tone, handing him his keys.
Rael took them and headed upstairs, deliberately avoiding the elevator.
As he climbed, he mentally mapped everything — cameras, exits, room numbers, blind spots.
"Ah, I miss you already, Axis. With you here, this would be so much easier…"
He paused, hoping to hear that familiar voice again, but silence answered him.
"Well… you said you'd come back," he murmured.
-
-
After mapping the entire floor, Rael entered his room and began to inspect it.
"As I thought… cameras here too."
Not only in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom — even the bathroom had them. He moved casually, trying not to look suspicious.
"But this… is really luxurious."
Even the cheapest room here outshone anything he had ever seen.
"Well, let's wait."
-
-
Hours later, at dusk, Kirishima's voice echoed in his head.
> "Rael-san, I found a strange place."
"Huh? What kind of place?"
> "It looks like some sort of prison. There are people inside… even children."
"What?!" Rael's eyes widened, his expression hardening.
> "Rael-san, it's heavily guarded. I can't get close, and it looks dangerous. Maybe we shouldn't—"
"No. We can't just leave them there. I'm heading your way."
> "But—"
Before Kirishima could finish, Rael was already on the move. He slipped through the cameras' blind spots and jumped out the window, landing silently. Pulling a makeshift mask over his face, he began to suppress his aura.
During his training with Siegfried, this was something he'd struggled to master. He still wasn't great at it, but it should be enough to deceive the weaker Awakened.
-
-
In a dark prison, hidden deep within an inaccessible part of the island, several people were locked away in cells. The wind howled through the corridors, adding to the oppressive air of the place.
One cell, however, stood out — far more sophisticated and even slightly luxurious compared to the others. The contrast was jarring.
A man sat in one of the darker cells, staring at the elegant room across from him — and the boy inside it.
Golden hair. Green eyes. A beautiful child — yet what caught the eye most was the glowing golden mark on his neck.
The other prisoners looked at the boy with a mixture of anger and pity.
"I never thought they'd throw a rich kid into this cursed hole," the man said. "Though, looking at that cell, he's not exactly suffering, huh?"
He leaned closer to the bars. "Don't tell me you messed up and they put you here to rethink your mistakes?"
The boy stared back, calm and unbothered. "I just… beat up some classmates."
"HAHAHA! Well, well… those snobs sure hate getting bruised. You're a brat, but I guess too valuable to toss away."
Silence fell for a while — until—
BAM!
A loud noise echoed through the prison, coming from above. The man frowned. "Those bastards again?"
He assumed it was the guards.
"Do you know me?" the boy asked suddenly, ignoring the sound.
"Hm… Reyna, right? Better known as the Golden Child. Yeah, I've heard of you," the man said.
"And you? Why are you here?" Reyna asked.
"Well, that's a long story—" he began, but then the heavy footsteps grew louder outside.
The cell door creaked open.
"This place…"
Rael stepped in — his eyes cold, his face splattered with blood.