Iris gathered everyone at the dining table after dealing with Derek, and they indulged in a breakfast feast filled with fruits, vegetables, meat, and ice cream.
Zayn, with a mouthful of mango ice cream, casually mentioned, "Dad, I'm considering undergoing an awakening this month. What are your thoughts?"
Observing the silent reaction, he thought to himself, "Well, I expected this."
"Zayn, there's no rush for your awakening. Take your time to prepare, and consider attempting it next year," Derek contemplated with a serious expression, pondering whether it was appropriate to send him or not.
Iris chimed in, "You don't have to go through that, my baby. There's no need for it," as she tried to convince Zayn not to proceed with the awakening.
"Mom, everyone in the world goes through awakening at 20, and I'm not a kid anymore, you know," he pouted, feeling frustrated at being treated like a child, which caused everyone to chuckle.
"So cute!" Iris squealed, clutching her heart at how adorable he was.
"Hehe," Luna giggled, holding her belly as she observed his helpless state.
Seeing her amusement, he took a spoonful of ice cream and playfully shoved it into her mouth, causing her to choke momentarily.
"I want to go through it like everyone else," he said with puppy eyes that melted Iris's heart, but she quickly recovered and shot a question at him, "But you know you're different from them, right?"
"Hmm," a resigned sigh escaped from him, because he knew the reason why they were hesitant to allow him to undergo the awakening.
In Zephyr, everyone can undergo awakening from the age of 20, but the process isn't simple. To awaken their powers, everyone must fulfill one condition:
They have to die.
Well, they don't have to actually die, but they must undergo a brush with death to unlock their abilities, venturing to the threshold between life and death before awakening.
In response to the alarming number of fatalities among foolish individuals attempting to awaken their powers through fighting beasts, the Awakened Association was formed to provide a safer and more structured approach to guiding and initiating young individuals to awaken their abilities.
In the association, there are two methods available for awakening: physical awakening and artificial awakening.
In physical awakening, individuals confront low-level dungeons with support from high-ranking heroes in the association, triggering near-death experiences to unlock their abilities.
Yet, there remains a chance of fatality with this approach; it means 2 out of 30 individuals may not survive the ordeal.
In artificial awakening, with the help of advanced technology, they create a simulated near-death scenario in a virtual world to awaken the individual's abilities.
While there is no mortality rate associated with this method, individuals lacking strong willpower are at risk of being left permanently crippled.
That's why everyone in the world trains their body and mind from the age of 5 to survive the awakening process.
That's where Zayn is different from others. At 14 years old, Zayn's memory vanished entirely due to an accident during a dungeon break, setting him apart from others.
After dedicating five years to honing his mind and body, mastering various weapons, and proving himself a quick learner, he's poised to outshine his peers with just two more years of effort.
However, he still can't match the expertise gained from fifteen years of experience.
There's a chance he may end up crippled or even lose his life as he undergoes the process of awakening.
That's why his parents are hesitant to allow him to undergo the awakening.
"Why are you so insistent on awakening, Zayn?" Derek questioned as he wanted to know the reason, pondering whether to grant him permission to proceed or not.
"I may not understand everything about this world, dad. But I do know that if I stay as I am, I can't protect the people I love," Zayn said with determination.
"I don't have any goals in my life, and I also don't have any hunger for power. But I cherish my current life living with mom, Shorty, and you, dad, so to protect it, I have to become strong."
Derek and Iris nodded in agreement, as they were well aware of the perilous nature of the world.
Rising to her feet, Iris approached Zayn and Luna, enveloping them in a warm embrace. "I don't care about how others think," she declared, "as long as your actions bring you happiness, I stand by you wholeheartedly," she affirmed, holding them tightly.
As she tenderly kissed her 'kids' foreheads, she transmitted a telepathic message to Derek: "Eliminate anyone who dares to endanger them."
With a playful wink, Derek responded to Iris, "Rest assured, my sweetheart. Anyone who dares to harm them will face consequences beyond imagination."
__ _ _
There is another reason for not letting the Zayn go through awakening.
As the guardians of Glacialus, the Suarez family holds a prestigious position, with Derek and Iris recognized as the leaders of the city.
Given Derek's standing as an SSS rank hero and Iris's as a SS+ rank hero, revealing Zayn's identity would subject him to immense scrutiny.
Because Zayn and Luna is the prince and princess of Glacialus.
If he fails to measure up to his peers, he would face significant social pressure and potential ridicule.
__ _ _
Note:
The awakened people will start as E-rank heroes with two skills exclusive to them, and the strongest hero rank is SSS+.