The room was decorated in a grand, luxurious European style. On the bed, a young boy lay asleep. His brows were tightly furrowed, indicating that his sleep was anything but peaceful.
After a long while, he suddenly opened his eyes, a look of panic mixed with disbelief flashed across his face as he glanced around the room.
Austin Cross only felt like his entire body was in pain, as if he'd just been run over by a truck.
He rubbed his head, which felt as heavy as if it had been filled with lead, and began contemplating his current situation.
He clearly remembered dying. The circumstances of that moment were something he could never forget. Because he was too powerful, his existence threatened the gods' position, so they gave the eight races—God Race, Demon Race, Dwarf, Elf, Vampire, Merfolk, Dragon, and Humanity—a chance.
If the eight races could cooperate and kill him, they would receive the ultimate reward from the gods. No one knew exactly what the reward was, but the gods' mere promise was enough to make all eight races excitedly join forces to kill him.
Austin had long predicted this. But what he hadn't expected was the betrayal of the family he had always protected.
The Cross family, while he was severely wounded and fleeing, secretly informed the leaders of the other seven races of his location. Surrounded and attacked by the eight races... he died.
Foolish Humanity. Despite being under his protection, they still dreamed of something greater.
They thought that by killing him, they would receive favor from the gods and gain powers as strong as the other races. But they never considered just how dangerous it was to kill their own protector.
Austin sneered at himself, wondering how Humanity, now without their guardian, would be torn apart by the other races after his death.
Austin sat up in bed, frowning as he looked at his hands and feet, then slowly made his way to the bathroom.
He stared at the boy in the mirror, whose face still carried traces of childhood, but one could already see the sharp handsomeness that would develop in the future. This was clearly his appearance when he was thirteen years old.
At this point, he was still the family's disgrace, lucky only because he had a father in power who always shielded him.
Austin's father was named Adonis Cross, an elder of the Cross family. He had married Emily, a lady from the Frank family.
Their love had been deep, and it seemed their relationship would remain beautiful until they grew old. But Emily had died due to childbirth complications. Austin's birth had coincided with her death.
To Austin, his father's affection was always conflicted.
Adonis would fulfill all of Austin's requests and protect him even though he was considered a waste, simply because Austin was the flesh and blood of his beloved wife.
Yet, at the same time, Adonis showed no interest in Austin's life, never once asking about or guiding him, because Austin was also the reason Emily had died.
In his previous life, Austin had always felt that Adonis didn't truly love either him or Emily, thinking it was only a matter of time before he found another woman and had a more capable child.
But in the end, the scene Austin witnessed was of Adonis burning in flames, dying a gruesome death to save him.
Austin splashed water on his face, silently staring at his reflection in the mirror. Now that he had been given a second chance at life, this time, he would no longer be the shield that protected Humanity.
He would change everything: the regrets, the betrayals, the secrets that made even the gods fear him... In this life, step by step, he would unveil the truth behind it all!
Austin realized that not only had he come back to life, but he had also retained the powers from his previous life. However, this body was still too young, and half of his magical and combat abilities were sealed.
Even so, that much was still enough for him to take on any of the renowned figures across the continent. After all, in his past life, it had taken the cooperation of all eight races to kill him, and that was only after he had been betrayed.
Austin changed his clothes and headed downstairs to the dining hall. Upon seeing the tall and imposing figure sitting on the sofa, Austin couldn't help but feel a bit surprised.
Normally, Adonis would not be home; the number of times Austin had seen his father could be counted on one hand. If Adonis was here today, it meant something important was happening.
As Austin sat down across from Adonis, his mind started to turn. According to the current timeline, he was thirteen years old. The most significant event of this year could only be that…
Sure enough, as soon as Austin sat down, Adonis wordlessly handed him the admission letter for the Royal Academy.
Austin accepted it with a neutral expression, but his eyes darkened slightly.
That year, he had also received an admission letter. But the Royal Academy was the most prestigious academy on the entire continent, a place that churned out powerful elites.
To attend, you either had to be highly capable or incredibly wealthy and influential. It was obvious that someone like Austin, labeled a "waste," wouldn't normally be able to get in.
But his father was Adonis Cross, an elder of the Cross family, lacking nothing except neither money nor power.
Austin could have safely remained the academy's only "waste," but during the entry assessment, a magical beast had appeared out of nowhere and almost killed him, leaving him bedridden for three months and turning him into the laughingstock of the entire Imperial City.
After he woke up, he never mentioned the academy again, and Adonis never brought it up in front of him either.
That incident had obviously been a setup. This time, Austin would make sure the one behind it understood what it truly meant to wish for death rather than live!
Austin's thoughts flickered in an instant. He took the admission letter calmly.
Above him, Adonis's stern voice sounded: "There will be an assessment during your entrance to the academy. When the time comes, you don't need to do anything—just sit there."
Austin looked at Adonis, nodded slowly, and replied, "I understand, Father."
He paused for a moment, finally voicing the term he had always held back in his heart. Adonis might not have been a perfect father, but he was one who fulfilled his responsibilities.
In his previous life, Austin had never called him "Father," and after Adonis died, even if he had wanted to, there would have been no one left to hear him.
Adonis seemed slightly taken aback. He squinted at Austin but said nothing, standing up and leaving in silence.
Austin caressed the gold-embossed letter in his hand, the faint scent of perfume still lingering on the paper.
Slowly, his lips curled into a vicious smile, one far too dangerous for someone his age. Let's see which unlucky rat would fall into his claws this time…
The next morning, at the Royal Academy's square.
The square was packed with people—not only the new students but also older students who had come to watch the entrance assessment.
The assessment process for new students would be broadcast live on a large screen.
This ensured fairness in the exam, and instructors could intervene promptly if any student encountered excessive danger.