Roman instantly disagreed with his eyes.
Because what he saw...?
What he saw blew his mind and brain at the very same time.
At that point he was begging and praying that it was a dream.
Because how the f**k was his virgin girlfriend getting smashed from behind inside her bedroom in the middle of the evening?!
The moment he called her name, they quickly flinched and turned. Tessa had her eyes widened when she saw him, and at once, she tried covering herself with the blanket.
And the guy enjoying her the whole time?
"Monet?"
It happened to be a very familiar face, and not just that it was indeed very familiar, it was his cousin.
"Tessa..."
Roman felt his world crashing down on him, his hands already shaking uncontrollably.
"Roman, I can... I can explain," Tessa said, already trying to plead.
And as for Monet, he was only as nonchalant as expected, as he watched Roman with a shaky smirk, not bothering to say a word.
Why would he want to say anything when he already knew that everything was screwed up?
Roman clenched his fist so hard, as at that point, he failed repeatedly in several attempts to move his lips.
And then the next moment, he figured that stepping out of the house was the best thing to do, and so he did.
"Roman wait! Roman! Can you hear me out, please?!"
While Tessa tried to catch up to him, he immediately ran out with his eyes wetting up and headed straight home without looking back.
He couldn't believe he had been hit by another nightmare, and this time, it was the most unexpected of unexpected events.
Tessa? The one he had trusted with his whole life wasn't who he thought she was, and to sum it up, she was even cheating on him!
"She was lying this whole time..." Roman muttered, his eyes shrinking in dismay.
He had cherished and loved Tessa so much that one time, he had to miss exams in two courses just to work and gather enough to pay her tuition fee since her brother was away in the Badlands at that time.
Roman scored two proud and shining F's in those courses, and he would be lying to himself if he said that those terrible scores hadn't contributed to his poor results.
And now, she was doing this to him? On a day that was already as terrible as hell?
At that point, he accepted that today was the worst day of his life.
...
When Roman got home, he was scared to open the door, as what was flooding his mind were the thoughts of him bringing shame and disappointment to his parents.
His mother had once told him that becoming an Awakener would be the unexpected healing to his father's brokenness.
Now, he feared that it would only worsen.
And just as he was still hesitating to enter the house, he suddenly heard the door creak, and the figure that came to view after the door opened was...
"Big Brother!"
"Momma! Big Brother is back!"
His one and only sister Evelyn had suddenly showed up and had also happened to draw their mother's attention.
At this point, Roman had no choice but to go in.
Hearing that her son was back, she quickly rushed out of her room to meet him, her face eager and curious.
However, once she appeared, she came to an instant stop when she noticed the look on his face.
A look that carried dismay, sadness and frustration.
Her heart skipped a bit, and she didn't even bother to ask him about his results.
With her eyes instantly welling up, she shook her head and quickly rushed to wrap her arms around him, giving him a tight, warm hug.
"It's okay, my boy. It's okay," she said, sobbing.
Roman was sobbing even harder, and at that time, his sister who was standing not quite far from them got emotional as well, because she understood what was going on for sure.
Her big brother had failed just like their father.
"It was my fault... I should have..."
"Shhhh, don't say that. It was never your fault, Roman. It isn't," she quickly hushed him, trying to bring down his grief even though she knew what all this meant.
Her hope of getting her husband back was gone, and as well, the hope of her only son becoming an Awakener had instantly vanished.
However, that didn't mean she would give up on her son or see him as a disappointment just like most parents would.
She was ready to care for and support him in this difficult moment, and at least help him become a comfortable professional here in the Goodlands, the World, just like herself.
Roman's mother, Tabatha, worked at a Badlands Research Institute in a neighbouring city, and unlike her husband, she hadn't been a complete liability. In fact, she had been advancing and rising in the ranks, and in three weeks, she would be conducting a general meeting with the Deputy General of Badlands Affairs with her team on discussing the strange changes recently reported by Awakeners.
Although she was a significant figure in her workplace, that hadn't translated to enough pay to make her anywhere close to as rich as a one-month-old Awakener.
However, she'd be proud to say that she was getting enough to take care of her children and bills.
...
After their short emotional moment, Tabatha had to get back to her room to continue her work. Today might be a public holiday, but that wouldn't stop her from working with her devices.
She was so dedicated and hardworking, but it was all about finding more about the Badlands and getting paid for her job.
When she entered the room, her already drunk and sleepy husband stirred and turned to her.
"Today... Today is the day of the Red Zenith. Is Roman back from the academy yet? What are his results? Is he going to get summoned?"
This was the first time in years that her husband had spoken to her. The last time was at their wedding, and it was his parents who had forced him to get married after noticing that he would only continue to dwell on his failure.
Tabatha had agreed to marry him because he was a very handsome man, and she had known him back at the academy.
The strange thing was that they had both failed, but Tabatha pushed on to study a Non-Awakening Programme in another city and got a job.
She had the passion.
Hearing his weak, breaking voice, she flinched, but she had no answer to give him.
She didn't want to say it, afraid that he might go crazy.
"No, my love," she responded with a strained, unsteady voice. "Roman is still at the academy. I think the Announcement isn't over yet."
That was what she said to get the broken man back to sleep.
...
Roman made his way into his room and threw himself onto the mattress.
And on the small TV at the side of his room, a woman on a programme was speaking.
"The Red Zenith begins in thirty minutes, and as a specialist, I would like to give all the youngsters that are about to be summoned some important tips that would help you grow and succeed in the Badlands."
"Listen carefully as I list them..."
Roman glared at the TV, and somehow, he didn't know why watching this was making him so angry.
"Number one. Never Hunt Alone. You'll get yourself killed, and you know what that means. Dying in the Badlands means you are dead here as well."
"Number two. Never accept to reside in an Outpost. It is not..."
*CLICK!*
Roman angrily turned off the TV with the remote and went back to bed. He didn't see any reason to be watching this because he wouldn't be entering the Badlands, right?
Having to watch it would only fuel his sadness and frustration.
It was best he slept off at that point.
"Before I wake up, the Red Zenith would have been over."
...
Within minutes, the moon had become completely crimson, and the hour of the Red Zenith had begun.
Roman had been trying to sleep, but unfortunately, the sleep wasn't coming. But that didn't stop him from still trying.
He tried and tried, and then he decided to give up. Roman sat up and stared at the dark red window, imagining what could be happening by now.
All the students with the best potential must have been entering the Badlands right now. He knew that.
"Damn, what a loser I am," he muttered under his breath and attempted to sleep again.
And then... just when he was placing his head on the pillow...
[Infinite Dominion System has found its host!]
[Infinite Dominion System has progressed to binding with its host...]
[Binding Successful!]
[Infinite Dominion System has examined and recognised its host, Roman Rings!]
"What the hell? What's that sound in my head?" Roman flinched, terrified and confused at the same time.
And just while he was still in shock, a blue interface suddenly materialized in front of him.
[Host has awakened an X Rank Talent, Soulmancy!]
[Host has received a title, Monarch Of The Fallen.]
[Host has received a Legendary Blessing, The Power of All-Profession Mastery. You shall be an Awakener of all Professions!]
[Host's Chances of Summoning have been considered and pitied. Host will be summoned in the next thirty seconds.]
[Countdown: 30... 29... 28...]
Roman was still staring confusedly and speechless while he watched the countdown and just until it reached the very last second, it was looking like a prank to him.
And then...
First, he felt himself vanishing, and then reappearing in an entirely different location, and just in the space of that, what he heard blew his mind.
[Entrant 456100. Welcome to the Badlands.]