Chapter 2 – The Day of Awakening
The next morning, sunlight spilled through the silk curtains of the Ash manor.
Ryuga woke up earlier than usual. His personal maid immediately entered the room, helping him wash and dress for the most important day of his young life — the day of his Martial Spirit Awakening.
Once ready, he made his way to the dining hall. His parents were already seated, waiting for him with gentle smiles.
"Sorry for the wait — good morning, Mother, Father," Ryuga greeted as he took his seat.
Eliza, graceful even in her simple morning gown, chuckled softly.
"Oh my darling, you don't seem nervous at all for your big day."
As the maids served breakfast, Ryuga smiled and replied,
"There's no need to be nervous. No one knows what kind of martial spirit I'll awaken… but I do know one thing that won't ever change — that my mother will love me no matter what."
Eliza's eyes glistened, her lips trembling slightly before she smiled and gently ruffled his hair.
"My son knows me too well."
Watching this tender scene, Granvill puffed out his chest and let out two exaggerated humphs, clearly jealous of the attention. He then began snatching food from Ryuga's plate, eating with the exaggerated ferocity of a hungry beast.
Ryuga and Eliza burst into laughter.
"I love you too, Father!" Ryuga said between giggles.
Granvill grinned proudly and continued eating with even greater vigor.
As Ryuga watched his parents' playful expressions, a warm smile spread across his face. In his previous life, he hadn't been able to make his parents happy. He was an average man in every way — average grades, average job, average life. Caught up in the endless grind of adulthood, he never had the time to cherish his family the way he wished he could.
But now… this life was different.
Here, he had a chance to do things right.
From the moment he was born in this world, he was loved and spoiled endlessly. He possessed a natural talent far beyond his peers — understanding the language of this world in just three months, remembering everything he saw and heard as if it were etched into his mind.
Still, Ryuga never let these gifts make him arrogant. He acted like any other child because he wanted to experience love, not just observe it.
The soothing voice of his mother when she sang him to sleep… the rough beard of his father brushing against his cheek when he kissed him goodnight… the soft scent of his mother's embrace — all of it was warmth he had longed for in his past life.
And this time, he wanted to treasure every second.
But Ryuga also knew happiness could only be protected by strength. So from the age of three, he began to train in his own playful way.
He didn't carry weights or perform extreme workouts like some overpowered protagonist — no, his "training" was disguised as play.
He would run around the manor, chased by maids and butlers until his legs gave out from exhaustion. He rolled in the mud to build balance and endurance. He begged his father to take him swimming in the sea so he could strengthen his body.
When he turned four, his adventures expanded beyond the manor. He played with village children — climbing trees, chasing animals, catching fish in the river, and even provoking dogs and cats, running away from them while laughing like a mischievous little king of chaos.
Of course, his overprotective mother worried endlessly. Every scratch or bruise made her panic, fuss, and scold him for hours.
Eventually, Granvill convinced her, saying,
"Children need these small injuries to grow strong. He must learn to protect himself — for the day when we can't protect him anymore."
Even so, Eliza never truly stopped worrying. So Granvill secretly assigned two or three guards to watch over Ryuga from a distance.
But as the days went on, seeing her son laugh and play so freely — healthy, happy, and full of life — her heart slowly began to relax.
Years passed, and Ryuga's childhood became a collection of warm, precious memories.
That morning, after finishing breakfast, he followed his parents to a spacious ceremonial hall within the manor — the place prepared for his awakening.
Granvill had spared no expense, donating heavily to the Spirit Hall branch of Vast Sea City to invite one of their elder priests to conduct the ceremony privately.
As they entered, Ryuga saw a middle-aged man in a white-and-gold Spirit Hall robe standing in the center of the room. Six circular stones were already arranged in formation, faint energy swirling between them.
The priest turned and bowed respectfully.
"Good day, City Lord Granvill, Lady Eliza."
"Good day to you as well, Elder," Granvill replied.
Eliza smiled softly. "Please take care of our son, Elder."
The Spirit Hall priest nodded and turned to Ryuga.
"Child, do not be frightened when I begin. Spirit Possession can look intimidating the first time you see it."
Ryuga shook his head with calm confidence.
"Don't worry, Elder. I've already seen many martial spirit possessions. I won't be scared."
The priest smiled, slightly impressed by the boy's composure. Then he closed his eyes and began to chant.
"Spirit Possession!"
His body glowed faintly as a fiery red aura erupted around him. A flaming hound appeared behind him — his martial spirit. His features changed slightly: dog-like ears sprouted atop his head, his nails sharpened like claws, and a tail of fire flickered behind him.
"Now, child," he said in a deep voice, "step into the circle."
Ryuga took a deep breath and stepped forward, standing tall in the center of the formation.
"Go on, my baby boy!" Eliza called out.
Granvill clenched his fists, pride and anticipation gleaming in his eyes.
"I'm proud of you, my son! Give it your all — we'll always be here for you!"
The priest raised his hands and shouted,
"Spirit Awakening!"
A surge of power pulsed through the stones, and the room filled with a blinding light.
Written by :- Ashborn_
Edited By :- Chat GPT