Awakening.
The word echoed in my head like a death sentence. What was I supposed to do now? A "God" or some magical guide would have been nice—just a little hint—but of course, nothing appeared.
"Okay," Lara said, her voice trembling, "let's do everything. Make him an official citizen, then register him with the Dominic household." Her hands shook as she moved to the far corner of the office, dialing a number with a precision that didn't match her usual warmth.
"Don't be scared," Mr. Clayman said, giving me a reassuring smile. "It's tough, but we'll fix this. That's what the Bureau does—we help people."
"Thanks," I said, but my mind was already elsewhere. Help wasn't the problem. The problem was me—a walking disaster pretending to be ordinary.
I flicked my wrist. My Status Window appeared—visible only to me. "God-Tier" labels. "Maxed Luck" stats. Dangerous secrets I couldn't afford to reveal.
"So, you're trash and a ghost," Jamie sneered. "'Trashy Ghost.' How fitting."
I clenched my fists—but then an idea struck. If the world wanted a loser, I'd give them the best loser they'd ever seen. Make myself weak, useless, invisible. The original Jayden was an F-Class; I could play the part, suppress the "God-Tier" stuff, and survive.
"A special exam will be conducted for you, Jayden," Clayman said. "Three parts: physical, written, and magical."
"If the magical test decides my class, why bother with the others?" I asked.
"Opportunities," Clayman chuckled. "Magic is important, yes, but intelligence and skill matter too. You could be a strategist for an organization like the Bureau. I've taken a liking to you. I want to help you find your way."
I blinked. He was actually… kind. "Thank you," I said softly.
Lara returned. Her usual warmth was gone; the "Goddess of the Whip" was back. She knelt and hugged me so tight I could barely breathe.
"We'll find whoever did this to you," she whispered, her voice sharp and cold. "And I will end them."
A shiver ran down my spine. I'd never seen that side of Lara. This wasn't anger. This was a promise.
A knock at the door interrupted the tension. A young assistant stepped in, silver uniform gleaming. "The test is ready, sir."
Clayman smiled at me. "Come, Jayden. Let's get you registered. Let's put you where you belong."
I straightened my silk shirt. Alright, world. Time to fail spectacularly.
We entered the arena. The door revealed a circular chamber made of reinforced blue glass. In the center, a single white circle glowed faintly.
"The rules are simple," Clayman's voice came through the intercom. "Stay inside the circle. Fifty hover-drones will fire low-impact mana bolts. Three hits or two minutes ends the test. Reflexes and perception are measured."
I stepped onto the circle. Silas leaned against the glass, his eyes sharp as a hawk. Jamie yawned.
Reflexes? My "God-Tier" senses screamed before the drones even moved. To me, they were almost frozen.
[System Warning: Perception Stat 100x F-Class. Suppressing… 99%… Complete.]
The drones hissed to life. Zip! A bolt came from four o'clock. My instincts wanted to dodge perfectly, but I stumbled instead. At the last possible moment, I "tripped," letting it graze my shoulder.
"Pathetic," Jamie's voice echoed.
Two more bolts zipped from the front. I flailed, barely moving, gasping loudly. On the outside, I looked panicked. Inside, I was bored. Every trajectory, every mana heat signature, I saw like neon signs.
"He's barely moving," Silas murmured. "Typical F-Class reaction time."
I kept up the act for a minute. My heart didn't race, but I made sure to breathe heavily, rub my chest, look tired. Then I let two bolts hit me.
Thud. Thud.
[Test Over. Time: 1:05. Rank: F.]
"I… I'm sorry," I panted. Lara rushed over, eyes wide with pity.
"You survived a minute against combat drones with no training! Incredible for someone like you!" She hugged me, and I buried my face in her shoulder to hide my smirk.
One minute and five seconds. Enough to look like a struggling failure, not a prodigy. Jamie scoffed. "A trained monkey could have lasted longer. Let's get the next test over with."
The Cognition Chamber was next. A vast hall of dark walls and thin cyan lights. A holographic desk rose from the floor, and transparent screens floated around me, displaying ancient history, monster biology, mana equations.
"Do your best," Clayman said.
Easy. I'd read the old novel five times, knew the Demon King's War better than any historian. Time to look mediocre. I guessed wrong on history, flubbed the mana diagrams. Perfectly average.
Then came the final section: Advanced Tactical Strategy & Mana Calculus.
My mind took over. A thousand soldiers trapped by a demon. Calculus-level mana calculations. My fingers flew across the interface. Done in seconds.
Wait. Fifteen-year-old street kid Jayden? Shouldn't know derivatives.
I lunged for the clear button—
[ERROR: POWER SURGE DETECTED. FORCE SUBMITTING…]
Gold flashed across the screen.
[Result: 70% — Rank: B (Perfect Score)]
"Power glitch!" Clayman's voice stammered. "The system… submitted automatically…"
Silas's eyes narrowed. Jamie's face turned red. Clayman shook his head, reviewing my work manually. Perfect. Flawless.
I forced a weak smile. "I… just practiced a lot in my head."
Lara's heart melted again. Jamie sputtered. Silas? Cold suspicion.
One more test remained. Magic. The stone.
The Awakening Chamber smelled of ozone. A ten-foot-tall Mana Crystal pulsed blue before me.
"Place both hands on the surface," Clayman said.
Please, God, don't explode.
I touched it. Sirens blared in my mind.
[WARNING: EXTERNAL SCAN DETECTED. CLOAKING PROTOCOL ACTIVATED.]
The crystal flared gold—blindingly bright—then collapsed back to grey.
[Soul Rank: F]
[Soul Tool: Broken Dagger]
"A kitchen knife?" Jamie sneered. "What a joke."
Lara didn't care. She hugged me tight. "You are ours, Jayden."
At Anna's booth, I received my ID. The Blood Seal ritual followed. I slashed my palm; Lara's blood mingled with mine. Magic surged. My name: Jayden Dominic.
Back at the mansion, Silas blocked my room. His smile was perfect, but his eyes ice.
"Jamie thinks you're trash. Mom thinks you're a miracle. Me?" He stepped close, voice low. "You're a performer. A good one. Stay in the shadows where an F-Class belongs. Try to step into the light, and I'll see exactly what's hiding inside you."
He tapped my chest and walked away. My blood froze. He didn't just suspect me. He declared war.
I checked my "Broken Dagger."
[Soul Tool: The Boundless Edge]
[Classification: God-Slaying Relic (Level 1/??)]
[Status: Disguised by System]
I wasn't a ghost anymore. I was a God-Slayer. And someone in this house was already hunting