In front of me lay a small, unshaped blue stone, a gift from Jay Flynn.
"The reason I'm willing to take this risk with the mana stone is because of..."
"Store."
---
**#1 - PARALYSIS PILL**
**Rating:** E
**Explanation:** Upon ingesting this pill, your entire body will be paralyzed for the next 12 hours. None of your organs will function, including your heart, but you won't die.
**Cost:** 3.5
---
This pill, this gamble, was the very reason I was putting my life on the line.
From what I could recall, Lucas had only awakened after turning 23, right after his university graduation. His awakened skill and status had been E-rank, and his overall potential had been a mere C rank. It was laughable for a graduate to lag behind so much. In the end, he had met his demise at the hands of Kay Siegel.
"This time, it'll be different," I assured Ana, who stood by the bed, worry etched across her face.
"Master, are you sure about this?" Her concern was palpable.
I smiled and replied, "I have a way to prevent my death and become a hunter at the same time."
Despite my words, her expression remained skeptical. After all, to anyone else, my plan would seem like a ridiculous lie.
"If I remain the same Lucas as before, I'll eventually be trampled. I might even lose you," I teased with a playful smile.
Her worried face flushed crimson. "F-fine, Master. If anything happens, please press the switch by the bed."
She pointed toward a switch embedded in the wall next to my bed.
"I'll rush in immediately."
"Very well."
Ana left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. I sighed and patted my cheeks.
"Now, let's focus."
From my time at the orphanage, I possessed an exceptional ability to concentrate. It had always been an advantage. Even when I shared a dorm room with classmates who preferred to play and laze around after university classes, I remained highly focused.
A feeling I hadn't experienced in a long time welled up in my heart. Even though my physical body had changed, my mental strength remained intact. With my legs crossed, eyes fixed on the wall, I reached out for the mana stone without moving my body.
The blue, unevenly shaped stone, no larger than my palm, appeared in my hand. It was nothing more than a pebble, but it seemed to mock me.
-Why am I in the hands of this wretch?
"..." I remained silent.
'Damn it, even a stone ridicules me.'
I quickly pushed the stone into my mouth and swallowed it whole. For the first few seconds, I felt nothing; my body remained unchanged. Then, a hot tingling sensation began at my nape and quickly spread throughout my body.
"Keuakk..."
Without wasting time, I summoned the paralysis pill and swallowed it as well. In the next instant, my body lost control. Limbs went numb, and I collapsed onto the bed with a soft thud. Thankfully, it cushioned my fall.
'I can still feel the pain.'
My body burned intensely, as though I were being cooked in a fiery furnace.
"Haa... Haa..."
Next, my muscles convulsed, and excruciating pain coursed through me, as though I were being dissected by a knife.
A few moments passed—seconds, minutes, or hours, I couldn't tell.
Before I could register the next wave of agony, my eyes slowly closed, rolling back into my head, and I lost consciousness.
---
"Hahaha... Hahaha..."
What was that? Childish laughter?
The dark vision before me gradually brightened, revealing a beautiful garden. It was adorned with roses of various colors, reminiscent of the one in front of my mansion.
"Hahaha... Hahaha..."
Again.
'I'm sure of it this time. That's definitely a child's laughter.'
My gaze wandered, and there he was—a young boy, perhaps eight or nine years old, in the garden. Milky-white skin, blonde hair, sky-blue eyes, and a sharp jaw that added to his charm.
He plucked a rose from the garden and said, "Hmm... It smells nice."
"Luca, you can't leave mommy behind like that."
A beautiful woman, resembling the boy, appeared.
"I'm sorry, Mommy. Look, this rose is as beautiful as you."
"Aw... Thank you, dear..."
Before she could finish, the garden shook violently. The woman grabbed the boy and tossed him into the air.
"LUCA..."
She tried to move away, but it was too late.
"BOOM..."
Flames erupted into the sky, leaving mushroom-shaped clouds of smoke.
"MOM!"
...
"Haa... Haa..."
My breathing was rapid, my body in a state of panic.
'Are these... memories of the real Lucas?'
"Haa... Haa..."
'First, let's calm my breathing.'
After a few moments, my breathing steadied, and my body ceased its frantic state. My gaze regained its composure.
I had returned to my normal state.
Simultaneously, I felt a tug on my shirt—it was Ana, leaning on my bed, fast asleep. She appeared exhausted.
With careful movements, I lifted Ana from the chair and gently placed her on the bed.
Zzzz... Zzzz...
'She's tired.'
Then, strange words filled my mind.
[YOU HAVE AWAKENED.]