I think I'm going to die.
Those were the words that were running through my head as my Sensei thrusted his wooden sword into my stomach, knocking the air out of my lungs.
This was a daily occurrence for me.
The Bojin clan were desperate for new Demon Hunters, so they trained me and many others vigorously for our entire childhoods.
And today was my sixteenth birthday. The day that I was supposed to awaken.
Sensei Aegi dodged my wide swing, pivoting behind me to deliver a kick to my spine that sent me tumbling to the floor.
"Up, Lotus. Get up! It could happen at any moment now. You need to be prepared!" He shouted, whilst pointing the blunt point of his blade at me.
It was a common belief that if a human was going through intense training during their awakening process, then they would have the chance to receive a higher rank.
However, I still felt that their ideas were... Foolish.
I had never been a talented kid.
My physique was impressive, as I stood taller and broader than average. But that didn't change the fact that I was a failure when it came to martial arts.
"C'mon, Lotus. I said get up! Do you want to be a wimp like your father? A mere C-Ranker, defenseless against the demons?"
The taunting words angered me.
I brushed my pink hair from my face and pushed myself to my feet.
Lifting my wooden sword high, I charged recklessly.
Whack!
Once again I was easily countered and knocked hard onto my arse.
This is useless. Everyone knows I won't pass the Demon Hunter trials, so why even bother? Screw all of this!
As if the gods were listening to themselves, it was at that moment that my awakening began.
A strange feeling began to enter my body. My tan skin began to glow with a radiant aura, and my pink hair began to flow above my head as though being blown by the wind.
It was only me and Sensei Aegi in the room at that moment, and he was now sitting down in a cross-legged position as he watched me go through the process.
Sometimes, other demon hunters came to watch a child's awakening.
But I had no promise. I was expected to achieve a low rank, just like the rest of my bloodline.
There was no reason for anybody to come and witness the moment.
I was practically alone as my powers awakened.
And then, the feeling fell upon me.
It was something dark. Something uninvited that felt wrong to be in the presence of.
I tried to shrug the power away from me, but I had no control over it, or myself.
Pain jolted through my body, forcing me to wail on the ground in agony. If Sensei Aegi was reacting to this, I wouldn't have known.
My vision slowly began to fade away from me as my consciousness was stolen.
When my eyes opened, I saw nothing but a strange image in front of me.
---
[Lotus]
-> Affinity: [Sword]
-> Rank: [SSS]
-> Heart Level: [1]
-> Abilities: [Sakura Step], [Distortion Slash]
-> Titles: [The Prodigal Son]
-> Unique Attributes: [Realm of the Forgotten Flower]
---
As I drifted through the darkness, I read the words granted to me by the system.
This can't be correct...
I read them over again, and again, focusing on the part that confused me most.
SSS Rank. Is this some sort of mistake?
This would make me a higher rank than the Clan Leader.
...
A mistake, or a dream. That's all this is...
---
As I faded away from the darkness, and was returned to the real world, a dull pain was throbbing through my head.
I was lying on my back, staring up at the ceiling of the dojo.
"I-it can't be..."
I turned my head to look at where the voice was coming from.
It was Sensei Aegi. Like all Dojin clan members, his hair was pink, though he held it back in a ponytail, revealing his average-looking face.
Aegi was staring at me with wide eyes, as though he was looking at the form of a demon.
"This power... How are you emitting such power?"
I looked down at my body. Nothing seemed to have changed about me.
"What rank did you get?" The man continued with a trembling voice, hand idly resting on his wooden sword.
The memories of my awakening flashed back to me.
It was time to see if it was just a dream, or if something crazy had truly happened.
I focused on my system, watching as the image of my stats popped up into my head once again.
___
[Lotus]
> Affinity: [Sword]
-> Rank: [SSS]
-> Heart Level: [1]
-> Abilities: [Sakura Step], [Distortion Slash]
-> Titles: [The Prodigal Son]
-> Unique Attribute: [Realm of the Forgotten Flower]
___
It was no dream...
"I... was granted the SSS-Rank." I said, my voice betraying my disbelief.
Aegi slowly backed away from me, a look of fear growing on his face.
For a moment, the reaction of the Sensei confused me.
Aegi was a powerful man. At only twenty-one years old, he had been granted the A-Rank. He had never looked at me with such eyes before.
And then it came to me.
I'm a higher rank than him now...
...
No, not just Sensei Aegi.
No one in my clan has been granted SSS-Rank.
...
I am a prodigy.
Sensei Aegi rose to his feet, still shaken with fear. Then, he turned around and began to make his way towards the exit of the room.
"P-please just wait here Locus. Allow me to fetch the clan leader."
The man spoke with a strange amount of respect that I had never experienced before. It was as if the roles of Sensei and the student had been reversed.
I wasn't able to answer before the man ran through the door and closed it behind him, leaving me alone with my shaken thoughts.
I sat on the dojo floor, running through the events that had just taken place.
If this is all true... Then the Dojin Clan as we know it will be changed entirely.
I will be made a Demon Hunter. There's no doubt about it.
And according to my awakening, I will not just be any demon hunter.
I have the potential to become one of the greatest the world of Vestus has ever seen.
...
Well then, I guess it's time to check out this system.