The air in the Awakening Chamber was heavy with the scent of ozone
Ahead of us stood the centerpiece of the Bureau:a massive,ten-foot-tall Mana Crystal that pulsed with a rhythmic,deep blue light.
"Place both hands on the surface,Jayden,"Mr.Clayman instructed.
Please, God, let this crystal not explode, I prayed. As my palms touched the cold glass, a siren went off in my mind.
[WARNING: EXTERNAL SCAN DETECTED. ACTIVATING CLOAKING PROTOCOL.]
The crystal began to vibrate so violently that the floor groaned. For a split second—a heartbeat—the blue vanished, replaced by a blinding, majestic Gold. It was a God-Tier flare so bright it should have been impossible.
I saw Silas's eyes widen. He had seen it.
Then, just as quickly, the gold collapsed. The crystal settled into a dull, muddy grey. The machine let out a pathetic ding.
[Soul Rank: F]
[Soul Tool: Broken Dagger]
"A broken kitchen knife?" Jamie's sneer echoed through the hall. "What a joke. He's just a ghost with a fancy brain."
Lara didn't care. She rushed forward, pulling me into a hug. "It doesn't matter what the stone says, Jayden. You are ours now."
"I'm alright, Mom," I said, forcing my voice to tremble. On the outside, I looked crushed. On the inside, I was smirking. I actually fooled the National Bureau.
We returned to Anna's booth for the final procedure. She slid a crystalline ID card across the counter—my new identity—and then handed Lara the adoption papers.
The final step was the Blood Seal. Two young healers stood by with warm smiles, ready to mend any wounds. I didn't flinch. I grabbed the ritual blade and made a swift, clean slit on my palm. My blood dripped onto the crystal, mingling with Lara's.
A pulse of blue light surged, and a magic scroll materialized, floating in the air before vanishing into the system.
"Congratulations," Mr. Clayman beamed. "You are now officially Jayden Dominic."
"Can we go home now?" Jamie groaned. "I'm starving."
"If you ever need work," Clayman whispered, handing me his business card as we left, "come be a strategist for us. I've got a feeling about you, kid."
When we arrived back at the mansion, the atmosphere was thick. Pete greeted us with a stoic nod. "Was the registration successful?"
"Yes, honey," Lara said, but her smile was tight. "We'll discuss the... other issues over dinner. Jayden, go freshen up."
I headed upstairs, but my path was blocked. Silas was leaning against my bedroom door, his face unreadable.
"Can I come in, little bro?" he asked. The smile on his face was perfect, but his eyes were like ice.
"Sure," I said, opening the door.
"You have a nice room, Jayden. A lot of people would kill for a life like this," Silas began, his voice dropping into a low, silky hum. "But you see, the Dominic family is like a masterpiece. Every piece has a place, and every piece is... transparent."
He stepped into my personal space, leaning down so his lips were just inches from my ear. The air around him felt heavy, like the static before a lightning strike.
"Jamie thinks you're trash. Mom thinks you're a miracle. But me?" He let out a soft, dry chuckle that sent a shiver down my spine. "I think you're a performer. And a very good one at that."
He straightened my collar, his fingers lingering a second too long on my throat.
"Know your place, 'little brother.' Stay in the shadows where an F-Class belongs. Because the moment you try to step into the light... the moment you think you've outsmarted me... I'll peel back that skin of yours and see exactly what's hiding underneath."
He tapped my chest right over my heart and flashed that perfect, terrifying smile again.
"See you at dinner. Don't keep the family waiting."
As he walked down the hallway, he muttered to himself, "A golden light... either my eyes were deceiving me, or that boy needs to be watched very, very closely."
As he walked away, I stood frozen in the center of the room. I looked at the door he just exited, my blood feeling like ice.
He didn't just suspect me, I thought.
He just declared war.
I locked the door, collapsed against it. I flicked my wrist, summoning my invisible status window to check the "Broken Dagger" Jamie had laughed at.
"Broken Dagger" Jamie had laughed at.
[Soul Tool: The Boundless Edge]
[Classification: God-Slaying Relic (Level 1/??)]
[Status: Disguised by System]
I stared at the screen, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"What the hell is wrong with this book?" I hissed at the empty room.
I wasn't just a ghost in the system anymore. I was a God-Slayer in a house full of S-Class monsters—and one of them was already hunting me