The Fallen Prodigy

[Michael's POV]

Darkness… Everything around me was darkness... I couldn't see anything. It wasn't just the absence of light; it was alive, pulsating with a hidden presence, wrapping around me like a hungry creature watching its prey. With each passing second, my chest felt heavier.

"Ba-thump… Ba-thump… Ba-thump."

I started to hear my heart pounding violently. I began to feel fear creeping into my stomach before spreading to the rest of my body.

'Ugh.'

A terrible pain spread through my body, a pain I had never felt before. It felt as if my soul was being torn into shreds. Fortunately, the pain did not last long before it stopped.

'This is all… this is all because of this damn system.'

From the moment I started screaming before I lost consciousness, I knew that all of this was because of it.

'If there were even the slightest chance to escape this hell again…'

Thinking about leaving this place was a mere dream for me. I knew that if this place itself did not allow me to leave willingly, my consciousness might remain trapped here forever.

---

Meanwhile, Cassian sat alone on a chair in the right corner of the room.

His usual calm expression was nowhere to be seen; worry was evident on his face. His eyes were filled with sorrow and helplessness as he looked at his wife, who was sitting on the bed near Valerian.

"It has been two hours since Adrian left," Selene spoke quietly, her eyes never leaving Valerian.

"Sigh We just have to be pati…."

He paused in the middle of his speech for a moment before continuing.

"He has arrived…"

"Then why are you still here?"

Cassian's eyebrows twitched upon hearing Selene's response, then his figure began to fade gradually into the shadows before disappearing.

---

On the other side:

Three figures walked steadily toward the mansion. One of them was a man who appeared to be in his forties, wearing golden glasses. This man's name was 'Arian,' a doctor with widespread fame, ranked among the top twenty doctors. Arian was currently annoyed, but he did not dare to show it.

'Damn it… I can't even spend some time in peace with my family.'

Arian had promised his wife and children that he would spend four months at home with them without working, but suddenly today, a member of the Ravensberg family appeared at his doorstep.

The Ravensberg family had a long, bloody history of killing and exterminating anyone who disobeyed their orders. For this reason, he did not dare to object, fearing for his wife and children.

"Mind,telling me why you dragged me here?".

Felix spoke with clear impatience in his voice. Felix appeared to be a handsome man in his late twenties, with shimmering silver hair and deep blue eyes like the sea. But what stood out the most were his pointed ears, indicating that he was an elf.

Felix was enjoying his time with his nephews before Adrian suddenly appeared and asked him to come to the Ravensberg mansion.

"Cassian will tell you himself when we arrive," Adrian spoke without turning to him.

"Tsk~ Does this man only exist to annoy me?".

Felix clicked his tongue and cursed.

"Watch your tongue, Felix. Even if Cassian is your friend, he is still the head of the Ravensberg family."

"What'll you do if I don't!?".

The temperature plummeted as Felix and Adrian locked eyes, their expressions icy. Snowflakes swirled around Felix, while shadows coiled around Adrian.

'Damn it, I better step away quickly. If these lunatics fight, I'll be a mere collateral victim between them.'

Arian cursed as he quickly moved away from his place.

"Alright, alright, guys… stop fighting."

As Cassian's voice came from the shadow of one of the trees, both of them withdrew.

"Alright, we don't have time to waste."

After saying this, Cassian quickly headed toward Valerian's room, followed silently by Adrian and Felix.

'Damn… These people are truly dangerous.'

Arian thought to himself as he followed them.

As soon as they entered Valerian's room, Cassian spoke:

"Doctor Arian, conduct a thorough examination of his body and do what you do best. I won't tell you how to do your job."

Arian nodded and moved toward Valerian, but before he reached him, he heard a cold voice that sent chills down his spine:

"If you make a single mistake or harm my son during this examination, neither you nor your family will see tomorrow's sunrise"

Arian turned toward the voice but saw only glowing violet eyes staring at him from the room's darkest corner. His body trembled under their gaze.

He looked at Valerian, then raised his hands while muttering some incomprehensible words.

A layer of white-greenish light enveloped Valerian's body for a full thirty minutes before disappearing.

"The young master does not suffer from any physical or internal injuries."

Arian declared.

Pressure instantly crushed his chest. He struggled to breathe, his body weighed down as if a mountain pinned him

"I-It's just… h-his body is merely exhausted, that's all, I swear ."

He struggled to force these words out from between his lips, which were cracked from dryness.

"Seline… You'll kill him at this rate".

Only after Cassian spoke did the pressure he felt disappear.

"Haaah… hoooh."

The sound of Arian's rough breathing could be heard. He finally felt life returning to him.

"I apologize, doctor, but my wife has been under pressure and anxiety these past months."

Although Cassian apologized, there was no clear regret or apology in his tone.

"Adrian, escort Doctor Arian outside."

Adrian nodded and looked at the doctor, who was sitting on the ground. Arian tried to stand, but his legs betrayed him, unable to move.

'Sigh'

Adrian sighed as he left the mansion while one of the servants carried Arian, who still couldn't walk.

"That was really unnecessary."

Cassian spoke as he looked at Selene. He knew she had done this deliberately to frighten the doctor.

"Don't tell me what I should do, Cassian. Valerian is my son, and I will do what I see fit."

Selene met Cassian's gaze and responded in a cold voice as if she were speaking to a stranger or an enemy. Cassian looked at her helplessly before turning to Felix and saying:

"Felix, I need your help in checking Valerian's soul."

"You could have just brought a spiritual mage instead of bothering me."

Felix spoke, annoyance evident on his face.

"I know that, but you're one of the few I trust, Felix. And since you're from the Lancaster family, there's no one better than you at understanding souls."

Cassian said this while giving a helpless smile.

"Alright, alright, I was just joking, man. If I'm not here for you this time, then who else would be?"

Felix immediately replied upon seeing the helplessness on his friend's face.

Without wasting more time, Felix approached Valerian and stood in front of his body.

---

Felix's POV

Valerian Ravensberg was considered one of the best geniuses of his generation. Since the age of seven, he was so intelligent that he began learning martial arts with his father. He had great talent in weaponry, and by the age of ten, he had mastered the basics of the sword, archery, and spear.

Every child of his generation felt inferior whenever Valerian's name was mentioned.

People speculated that he had the potential to reach the Overlord rank, while some believed he would surpass even that.

Because of this, people began to anticipate his awakening. However, when he reached the age of fourteen, he refused to undergo the awakening process, leaving everyone confused.

People started asking why he refused to awaken, but he always answered with the same words:

"I have no particular reason"

When people heard this, they started saying that he was afraid of awakening with low potential. Meanwhile, some spread rumors:

"The Ravenspergs' 'failed heir' already underwent his Awakening but awakened 'Professional'-rank skills. That's why he hides it."

The gossip spread like wildfire. Despite the Ravenspergs' denials, many believed it. Overnight, Valerian—the genius with millions of online admirers—became a laughingstock

Selene had given birth to triplets: two boys and a girl. She gave birth to Eleonora first, followed by Silas, and lastly, Valerian.

That made Valerian the youngest of them all.

After his refusal to awaken, his sister Eleonora began to distance herself from him, while Silas started mocking him openly.

Valerian's friends also started distancing themselves. Children from powerful families who had once felt inferior to him now mocked and belittled him. Some even used him as an example of karma and fate.

But when Valerian finally agreed to awaken three months ago, the world held its breath.

Then, suddenly, news spread that he had lost control of his mana during the awakening and fallen into a coma.

The ridicule intensified. He became a national joke.

I looked at the so-called 'fallen prodigy' lying in front of me.

"Sigh~ Let's finish this quickly".

I placed one hand on his heart and the other on his head before closing my eyes.

When I opened them again, I was looking at his soul.

But what I saw shattered my entire understanding of the world.

"Impossible… A soul like this… can't be real!"

---

[A/N]:

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