Snapshots of moments where he felt a little off while the old man talked flashed in his mind and he had a startling realization.
Taking a breath, he asked, "Grandfather… Uncle Mark and others, they also don't have a chance of undergoing the awakening, do they?"
Robert's eyes snapped open and he looked at him in surprise.
"You are a very sharp kid." He said, a bitter smile on his face. Then, he shook his head and said, "They can undergo the awakening, but that's only if they have enough time, at least a few days, to acclimate with the Mana. However…"
The old man didn't finish his sentence, sighed and closed his eyes once again.
Max didn't need him to because he understood. Before they were done acclimating with the Mana and were ready to undergo the awakening, the radiation would have claimed their lives.
Max was silent for a while, his eyes flickering in thought.
Then, he curiously asked, "Grandfather, earlier, how did you determine that I was not an Awakened?"
