"I'm back."
Gently pushing open the door, a faint fragrance wafted through the air. What greeted his eyes was a small, old but clean and tidy house. On the well-used, shining dining table lay a modest meal of three vegetable dishes and one meat dish. A somewhat plump middle-aged woman, wearing an apron and with a face full of joy, emerged from the smoke-filled kitchen, carrying a dish.
"Our future Awakener is back! I've cooked fish for you today, it'll be ready soon. Honey, get up, it's time to eat." Hearing his mother's joyful voice, Alden's otherwise plain expression warmed slightly.
"Mom, take a break, I'll do it." He stepped into the tiny kitchen, no larger than four square meters, and skillfully took over the cooking from his mother.
Looking at his mother setting the table in the living room and his father, with graying temples, sitting in a wheelchair, Alden's grip tightened. In this era of wastelands, where vast stretches were occupied by mutant beasts, human territory became even more precious. His father, a former soldier, was disabled in his legs and depended on a meager pension. His mother worked tirelessly in a factory for ten hours a day, with all her earnings going towards the household. Despite this, the family's finances were still tight. His mother, once beautiful and gentle, had become incredibly resilient through the hardships of life.
However, a Awakener test three years ago kindled hope in their hearts. At that time, Alden's awakening power level was an astonishing 60, shaking the entire campus. On the invitation of the school leaders, his parents, biting the bullet, used up their last savings to send him to the best high school in A City. Although there was no tuition, the expenses in such a prestigious school like A City No. 1 High School were not insignificant. Alden was well aware that he was the greatest hope for changing his family's fortune. Even the most ordinary Awakener was highly sought after by major companies. He believed that as long as he worked hard, he could one day lift his family out of this 30 square meter house.
"Bro, I'm starving, why isn't the food ready yet?"
A cute girl with two braids, skin as clear as crystal, and delicate features like a painting, peeked in, bouncing around. She was Alia, Alden's lively and adorable fifteen-year-old sister.
Alden, masking his inner turmoil, quickly brought the cooked fish to the table.
"You're distracted, you wouldn't be in love, would you, big brother?" Alia teased, sitting at the table and eating.
Alden glared at her: "Keep talking nonsense, and next time I really will hit you."
At this, their father Aaron, sitting in the wheelchair, spoke up: "Alia, don't bother your brother." His tone was stern, but his eyes betrayed his affection.
"Bro, guess what good news I have today!" Alia said mischievously, sticking out her tongue.
"Oh? What's the good news?" Alden asked curiously.
"I also took the awakening test today! I have an awakening power of 57! Now a lot of schools are competing to admit me!" Alia said proudly.
Father Aaron couldn't hide his joy either: "Yes, Alia is graduating from junior high this year, and her talent is second to none."
"Bro, you're graduating this year, my tuition depends on you!" Alia slapped Alden's shoulder heartily.
With their parents' income, affording college for one child was already a stretch. Alia's tuition could only rely on Alden, who was about to graduate.
"When I become an Awakener, I'm going to drink three bottles of sheep's milk every day!" Alia dreamed of a better life in the future.
The family sat together, laughter filling the air. Their life was simple, yet filled with warmth and love.
After dinner, Alden returned to his small, windowless hut, just big enough to fit a single bed. He carefully took out some used Awakening Stone fragments and placed them gently in his palm. Although these were leftovers from others, he knew that with effort, he could still extract some awakening power from them.
In this era named the Wasteland, everyone had the ability to absorb awakening power, but due to differences in physique and talent, the rate of absorption varied. Before the age of 18, if one could raise their awakening power level to 100, they had a chance to awaken and become a respected Awakener. Alden was puzzled by his situation; despite his evident talent, no matter how hard he tried, he seemed to make no progress in absorbing awakening power.
As usual, he sat cross-legged and meditated. He could clearly feel the residual awakening power from the stone fragments slowly entering his body through his arms.
"Still the same feeling," he thought to himself. Normally, this power should circulate throughout his body and then become fully integrated. However, every time it reached his stomach, it would vanish without a trace, unable to circulate. Alden had experienced this countless times over three years.
Others might have given up, but Alden persisted relentlessly. He needed to be an Awakener for his father's best treatment, to relieve his mother from physical labor, to ensure his sister a carefree school life, and to achieve his own dream. He had to keep going.
His mentor had told him that absorbing awakening power required a calm mind; losing control could have terrible consequences. However, at that moment, his mind was a whirlwind of emotions, teetering on the edge of losing control.
"Crack!"
Suddenly, a faint cracking sound echoed. Alden opened his eyes abruptly to find most of the Awakening Stone in his hand turned to powder. A novel sense of lightness and comfort spread throughout his body.
"Huh?"
This was the first time Alden had felt this way after countless failures. He clenched his fist, feeling a strong surge of power within.
"Could it be that the black hole in my stomach has shattered?"
Alden was thrilled. To verify his hypothesis, he needed to undergo an awakening power test immediately. Unfortunately, there was no such machine at home.
"I can only wait until tomorrow to request a test at school."
Alden knew something had changed in his body. Suddenly, a muffled sound came from outside.
"A suspect has been shot dead, another severely injured and holding a young boy hostage, hiding in this neighborhood. Seal off the area immediately!"
Alden's eyes narrowed.
The level of awakening power directly influenced physical fitness and sensory acuity. Normally, he couldn't hear outside noises from his windowless room. However, that day, he clearly caught the sound, which made him wonder if his awakening power had indeed increased.
Suppressing his excitement, he focused on the direction of the noise. The slums were notorious for crime, but that night's commotion was unusual, perhaps involving a serious criminal?
His parents were already asleep. Alden quietly closed his room door and stepped out. The slums were a vast maze of dilapidated houses. Under the dim moonlight, he made his way to the source of the noise and froze at the sight.
A body lay on the ground, riddled with gruesome wounds. Alden, accustomed to such gore growing up in the slums, was startled to see a green halo emanating from the corpse.
"Kid, it's dangerous here, don't stay and watch, go home," a man in a black uniform noticed Alden and urged him to leave.
This made Alden even more perplexed. The man stepped over the green halo as if he hadn't seen it. Meanwhile, Alden felt a strange throb within him, as if a voice whispered: "Pick it up."