The National Awakening Bureau wasn't just a government building; it was a cathedral of power.
Everything was bathed in a shimmering crystal-blue theme. The floors were made of polished lapis lazuli that glowed from beneath, and the walls were translucent glass panels etched with moving constellations. It was beautiful, cold, and intimidating—the place where a ten-year-old's life was decided by a single letter: S to F. For the original Jayden Cross, this place had been the beginning of his nightmare. For me? It was just another annoying errand.
"I don't want to go," Jamie snapped, crossing his arms as we stepped into the lobby. "Why do I have to watch this thing become a Dominic?"
The mouth on this brat, I thought, keeping my face a mask of calm.
"I'll go," Silas interrupted, flashing a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "It's my little brother's official registration. I wouldn't miss this 'big moment' for anything."
I knew Silas had an ulterior motive—he wanted to see exactly what "trash" his mother had picked up.
"Jamie, you're coming, and that's final," Lara said firmly.
A man in a sharp suit hurried toward us, his shoes clicking on the blue glass.
"Mrs. Lara, apologies for the wait!" he said with a bow.
"It's quite alright, Mr. Clayman," Lara replied. She turned to me. "Jayden, this is the Assistant Head of this branch. Introduce yourself."
I tilted my head and gave them my best innocent, childish smile. "Hello, my name is Jayden Cross. Please take care of me."
"He's a cutie," Mr. Clayman chuckled, gesturing toward the service booths.
The registration area looked like a high-tech bank. Rows of staff members—all dressed in sleek, silver uniforms—sat behind crystal counters. Clayman led us to a booth where a woman named Anna was working.
"Name?" Anna asked, her fingers hovering over a holographic keyboard.
"Jayden Cross."
She typed it in, then pushed a glowing crystal stone toward me. "Place your thumb here for the fingerprint scan."
I pressed down. The stone pulsed with a soft blue light, then turned a dull, flickering grey.
"That's odd," Anna muttered, her brow furrowing.
"What's wrong?" Mr. Clayman asked, leaning in.
"He doesn't have any info. At all."
She tilted the laptop screen toward us. It was blank. No photo. No rank history. No address. Under the name 'Jayden Cross,' the system simply read: [DATA NOT FOUND].
"What does that mean?" Lara asked, her voice rising.
"It means he hasn't been registered in the national system," Anna stated flatly. "Legally? Jayden Cross doesn't exist. He has no identification."
The silence that followed was deafening. Even Jamie looked stunned.
"This shouldn't be possible," Mr. Clayman whispered. "Follow me."
We moved into his private office, the door sealing with a hiss of mana. Clayman turned to Lara, his face grim. "Who is this boy? Really?"
Lara explained everything—the orphanage, the slums, and the state they found me in.
"So... he was basically subjected to slavery," Clayman said.
"Slavery?" I blurted out.
"Worse," Clayman explained. "The orphanage directors are clever. They erase the records of F-Class children or those from 'trash' lineages. If you don't exist in the system, you have no rights. You can be sold, used, or killed, and the law won't even know a crime was committed."
I felt a chill. So someone in this Bureau branch was working with the orphanage director to delete kids from existence. "Anna, go meet the Director," Clayman ordered. "Hand him this report immediately."
Once she left, Lara looked at the official. "So, what now?"
"He has to start from scratch," Clayman said. "Before the adoption papers can be signed, he has to undergo the Awakening Ceremony again to establish his rank and identity."
My heart nearly stopped.
Wait... what? I'm not the original Jayden. I have God-Tier abilities and a Hidden System. If I step onto that stage and the crystals turn gold or explode, my "peaceful life" is over before it even starts. I'll be a lab rat for the government or a target for the Demon King's cults.
I looked at the glowing blue doorway to the Awakening Chamber.
The universe really loves to play jokes on me... and I'm really not interested.