The banquet eventually drew to a close. After receiving a final wave of congratulations from the remaining dukes and nobles, the guests began to filter out. One by one, the powerful families thanked the Royal Family for their hospitality and departed for their respective estate regions, leaving the grand hall in a ringing silence.
Aether returned to the Royal Palace with his family. The walk back was a blur of golden hallways and polite nods. After saying his goodbyes, he finally reached the sanctuary of his private chambers.
The moment the door clicked shut, the weight of the day crashed down on him.
He sat on the edge of his bed, his mind racing. In his previous life, he hadn't awakened any mana at all. He had been "manaless." But now, not only had he awakened a Mana Core, he had awakened a Mana Heart as well. He closed his eyes and recalled the moment he touched the Awakening Stone—the strange sensation of something inside his body hungrily absorbing the stone's energy.
Driven by a sudden hunch, Aether stood up and moved toward the tall, ornate mirror in the corner. He quickly removed his upper garments and stared at his reflection.
There, etched across his chest, was a strange, Ancient Rune. It was glowing with a faint, ghostly light.
As he stared at the mark, memories from two different lives collided:
First Life (The Prince): He remembered using ancient artifact. When he touched it, the artifact had vanished, leaving this very mark stuck to his chest.
Second Life (Earth): He remembered the moments just before he was transported back to this world. That same rune had been glowing brightly on his body on Earth.
"It's because of this rune," Aether whispered to himself. "This is why I awakened so powerfully today."
A surge of excitement replaced his exhaustion. With this power, he wouldn't just follow his original plan—he could become stronger much faster than he had ever dreamed.
A Lingering Shadow
But as his excitement grew, a darker thought surfaced. He remembered the visions he had seen during the awakening process—glimpses of destruction and chaos. He thought of his father, the King, and the overwhelming power he possessed.
"If Father was kill by them" Aether's expression darkened, "then thats why he didn't come to help when those people were destroying the kingdom in my past life?"
The mystery of his father's absence felt like a cold stone in his stomach. He looked back at the glowing rune in the mirror. He had the power now, but he also had more questions than ever. To protect the kingdom this time, he would have to find the truth behind the rune, the tournament, and his father's hidden motives.
Soon after, Aether forced his racing thoughts to calm. He sat cross-legged on the floor, closing his eyes to look inward. He began to sense his body again, feeling the dual pulse of energy within him. Once more, he felt a surge of pure excitement as his internal vision found them: the Mana Core, steady and solid, and the Mana Heart, beating with a vibrant, raw power.
As he focused on the two together, a strange sensation prickled at the edge of his consciousness. It wasn't just mana; it was something structural, something logical.
His senses began to prompt him toward a specific point in his mind's eye. He focused his intent on that glowing sensation, and suddenly, the air in front of him seemed to fracture.
A translucent, shimmering System Panel flickered into existence, hovering silently in the air before his eyes. It was filled with lines of glowing text, displaying his personal information, his stats, and the true extent of the legendary power he had just unlocked.
Aether stared at the floating blue screen, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.