Eamon's POV
Watching our car go inside the mansion gives me joy. How happy I am to get home! Hopping down from the car, I quickly make my way into the mansion.
"Father. Mother. Leo? I'm back!" I shout loudly, searching for them.
"Brother Eamon?" Leo comes running down the stairs from his bedroom and hugs me tightly.
"Welcome back, brother!"
"I really missed you, sweetie…" I say to him, ruffling his fluffy chestnut hair.
"Where are mother and father?" I ask, looking around the house.
"Don't they know their handsome son is getting discharged and misses them, huh?"
"I heard there was some problem with the guild, and they quickly ran off to work." Leo replies, tilting his head.
"Again? And they left you alone?"
"It's okay, brother. I'm already used to it, and I'm already a big boy. Do you forget that next week is my birthday?" Leo smiles with a proud face.
"Ahh… your eighth birthday." I say, a bitter smile sweeping across my face.
"Yes. On that day, I'm going to be awakened by the system like you. What rank do you think I will get, brother?" Leo's eyes sparkle with excitement.
"I don't know…" I laugh awkwardly and walking towards upstairs. The door chimes open, and Evan steps inside the house.
"Why don't you ask brother Evan what gift he's going to give you on that day?" I gently push Leo towards Evan. Evan watches me with wide eyes.
"Gift???" Leo grins toothily and runs towards Evan. Evan face clearly shows betrayal towards me. I chuckle and leave quickly from them and go inside my room.
Leo's eighth birthday… Oh my, how I hate the day the system gives its 'blessing' to humans. Wait. No. This is not a blessing but actually a curse.
Watching a family photo hanging on my bedroom wall gives me a nostalgic feeling. It makes me remember the day I was adopted by the Drake couple.
It was a sunny day. The Drake couple, who had been married for six years, did not have any children. At that time, I was just a five-year-old kid who didn't know anything.
I remember how my blood parents kissed me and promised they would come to get me after five years. It took me years to come to terms with the truth.
They had thrown me away, believing I would be better off without them. I struggled with feelings of abandonment and betrayal.
My blood family had left me, and despite their promises, they never returned except my lovely and kind big brother.
In these three years, the drakes couple are the one who take care of me and they treated me as their own son, showering me with affection and guidance like any other parents would.
At first, I put my guard up around me but…
Without me knowing… Slowly, I started to rely on the new family more.
My adopted mother is Elizah Drake, and my adopted father is Klein Drake. They both love me like their own son and pampered me.
They said that my parents were busy and would surely come and meet me again. Whatever it is, I don't care anymore. Years go by, and today is my eighth birthday.
"Happy Birthday, Eamon!" Elizah Drake, my adopted mother, wished me a happy birthday and gave me a kiss early in the morning.
"Happy Birthday, son." Klein Drake, my adopted father, said, ruffling my already messy bed hair.
"Good morning, father and mother."
This is the day I've always been waiting for in my life because I heard it was a blessing to get superpowers on your eighth birthday.
Mother told me that four years ago, our world was turned upside down by the system. Before this, there was no system or anything like it.
The system gave humans superpowers, but only a small community held these abilities. This made the awakened people discriminated against and viewed as monsters.
Those days are called the dark days, as the awakened were hunted and experimented on. The government, consisting of non-awakened, gave orders to hunt the awakened people for their own benefit.
At that time, humans initially thought that the only change was the acquisition of superpowers, which seemed laughable. But with great power came great responsibility. Dungeons erupted without notice, and the world became a war zone.
Humans battled monsters, and many sacrifices were made. The awakened became heroes, and new laws were drafted to stabilize the country.
The system also set the awakening age limit at eight years old, but a child's abilities would be restricted until they turned thirteen. Awakened children were nurtured under the guidance of special schools or guilds, organizations dedicated to training and protecting them.
Slowly, they rebuilt the crumbling national administration, consisting of the government and the hunter guilds. There are systematic laws to protect both sides.
This led to a peaceful life where both sides cooperated to kill the monsters and raid the dungeons.
However, the peace did not last long. The government made a move. Those who had helped the awakened during the dark days were killed. This action turned into a small war.
As both sides sustained major casualties, they eventually signed a treaty. Until now, both sides are on each other throats, moving in the shadows to attack and defend themselves.
On my eighth birthday, I awakened through the system. I thought I would receive a lower rank, but fate had other plans. I became an S-rank, the highest and rarest rank among the awakened.
My adopted parents feared that I would be hunted down by the government and did not disclose any information about myself. They told everyone that I was unweakened.
Since then, I did not go to any official events or schools to master my abilities, fearing my powers would run wild. From the day I awakened, I had been hidden in my adopted parents' guild.
My parents gave me an instructor, and he always pushed me to go over my limit. Again, and again. Repeating the process until I passed out. Using my power, gaining more strength, and surpassing my limits.
Because of this rigorous training, I develop an illness which is the arcane fatigue syndrome. Because of it, I can't live like normal awakened people.
And from the bottom of my heart, it's not fair.
Not fair... and I hate it.