It's a peaceful afternoon in the Kingdom of Rhoya. People are running about doing their business as usual. Some were studying their craft while others gathers materials from the wilderness. Strange creatures flocked around the bustling streets of Riverfield City.

Teenagers are happily showcasing each other their newly gained attributes, while Calin is just lurking in the corner. He is ashamed for all of his friends have gotten their first awakened attributes right after the ceremony. While he himself still has yet to get one even after his family let him try many different things. Forging, Alchemy, Crafting, Farming,... not even fishing nor gathering could let him awaken his first attribute.

"Maybe, I'm just a trash after all. "

He said as he stood up and walks towards the riverbank.

All this while, he was bullied for his abnormal black hair. He has already been used to being called trash or dark omen for a long time. But then he could still defend his confidence by staying positive to himself.

'Maybe I'm special, so everyone hates me. '

'Maybe I would awaken a really powerful attribute. Something along the line of Noble Shadow or Dark Manipulator would be cool. '

'Hehehe, what if I would end up conquering the world as soon as I awakened my special attribute? After all, I'm more special than the others, right? '

"Sighed, what a childish thought I had back then... "

He sighed, scratching his head.

***

The riverbank is as empty as always. Fishermen have long departed with their boats in the morning. So what's left of it is just a desolate riverbank. The always perfect place for Calin who likes to spend his time alone, doing nothing as he gazed towards the horizon provided by the wide river.

"I might be too lazy after all. The others have already started their accumulation of attributes long before they have any chance to awaken. While here I am, gazing towards nothing just like a fool trapped in a hazy dream without realizing the price for it. "

But then again even if he's like that. His family is still treating him as a good child. Never disappointed in him, even when he acts like a scion who cares about nothing. Even when he's just a burden and another mouth to feed that can't provide anything. Even when he might not be their biological son, while they had a cute and obedient daughter who cares more about them than the stupid raven who knew no gratitude.

"F*ck, why they all being so good to me? "

"Why! Why don't they ever scold me so that I might have some sense? "

"Why, why after all this time they still keeping me well-fed? After all... "

Calin's voice cracked as he couldn't utter the last line before bursting into tears.

Sniff, sniff-

His ugly cry continued as there are no one there who could make him feel embarrassed. There's only a big rock accompanying him beside where he sat.

Unknowingly, he's been considered the rock as his friend for a long time. Ever since he first found this hiding place, only this rock would quietly listen to all of his complaints. It just sit there silently, listening to all of his crap or so how he always felt.

"Rock, maybe I am insane already. If not why would I even talk to you right? "

"How long has it been? Three years? Oh yeah, it must have been five years since we first met. "

...

"You know rock, it's not that I don't want to talk with the others. It's just, whatever I had in mind talking to them would always go wrong by the time I truly approached them. "

"Maybe they think that I'm weird? Yeah, that must be it. Their glance, I couldn't take it. Every time any one of them tries to talk to me, I could just feel their pity and compassion. "

"...No one has ever considered me as equal... Not even my little sister, who takes care of me like I'm her little brother instead. "

"I know, pathetic right? Yeah... It's really pathetic. "

...

"You know rock... I think that everything should be equal. "

"Huh? You don't agree with me? The world is always unfair you said? Well, you might have been right. "

"However, if we look past the worldly value... Don't you think everything the same? Like you and me. "

"Huh, you don't understand what I said? ...What I mean by that is, whatever we are eventually there's going to be an end for us. Just like you and me, someday I would die like any other person. While you as a rock, will eventually be broken, either it's by a person or a disaster. "

"Huh? you said that a rock couldn't cease to exist? Hahaha, I don't know... But I think that might not be the case. You see, when we look up at the heaven above there's nothing worth mentioning for everything is the same up there. "

"If you still don't understand what I mean, then to put it simply, it would be... "

"Under the heaven, everything would be the same. Below the heaven, everything would be the same. Why would we pursue certain something if something is the same as others? "

"Even the matter of us is composed entirely of the same basis one and another... "

"We are our own consciousness, but other than that we are entirely the same. So why would we be jealous of each other? We- "

*Ding!

"Gyah! "

Suddenly, a light screen appeared before Calin's eyes. Startled he instinctively leaped from his place. But then again he's shocked that he soon feels weak.

*Drop

He falls onto his butt violently. The pain however nullified by the fact that he's seeing something he's been yearning for so long. Especially,

[Congratulations! You have realized the truth of the world. ]

[Congratulations! You have awakened the secret attribute 'Enlightened']

['Enlightened' is your first attribute, Advancement is possible, retrieving information.]

[Please wait... ]

*Ding

[The Advancement quest has been prepared.]

[ The Path of Enlightenment ]

Difficulty : E-

Rewards :

- Basic Communication Skill (E)

Objective :

- Talks with 5 people (0/5)

"Huh????? What the fuck! "