[Max's POV]
How did it come to this? I didn't mind being isolated and ignored by family or even anybody else. I didn't take it to heart when I was scorned by branch family members for reasons I didn't know. I just wanted to enjoy this unexpected new life without such clichés, but now everything was ruined.
After getting the message of expulsion by the Tower System, I suddenly found myself at some distance from the portal I entered through.
I stood there lifeless, facing the ground, and thinking, why am I always at the short end of the stick? At first there was silence for a few seconds, but then the chatter erupted, and the point of topic was 'me.'
"Didn't he just entered the portal, Why is out within seconds?" Came the first comment.
"The basic requirement to enter the Tower is awakening a Talent. Is he talentless? But there's never been a case of a person without talent on Mythos," someone said in a questioning voice.
"I noticed earlier; he arrived in the Flying Sparrow of the Ro'nark family," one more commented from the crowd.
"That Black hair—wasn't there a rumor about a boy born in the blonde-haired Ro'nark family with black hair? Is he the same one whom the Overlord family has shunted since birth?" one more standby character added his remarks.
I was hearing all this, but it all registered for a second before the feeling of being rejected by Tower flashed through my mind. I was 'not suitable.' What does it even mean? I am sure there was someone more physically weak than me, but why was I denied my awakening?
"He really is the shame of Ro'narks; I guess they had known about him being worthless to not even awaken a talent. That's why they discarded him in the first place." A boy standing at a little bit of a distance from me commented.
'NOO!' I screamed inwardly; my family abandoned me from birth. No one ever visited me, not even my mother. I had longed to meet someone from my family, but I didn't even get to see the silhouette of anyone.
Now I truly felt worthless standing here, metaphorically naked in front of the world. I should have guessed something was wrong with me when I didn't remember anything about myself.
I gritted my teeth in anger. Just what did I do to you, universe, for me to be treated like that?
I didn't know how I died, and then I didn't remember who I was. Now on the planet where everyone awakens talent, I am alone, the talentless. Just why is this happening to me? My eyes teared up for the first time in 12 years since I was born.
The eyes that didn't weep during whatever obstacles were faced for 12 years finally filled with water threatening to drown the world in its helplessness.
I slightly raised my head to face the Tower; there was anger in my tear-filled eyes, the thing that broke my final hope. I clenched my fist and turned around to leave. I just wanted to disappear from the eyes of the world.
Many peers of my age who saw me coming out were still commenting about me, but I just tuned myself out. Nothing they say could ever hurt me like I am feeling currently.
I just walked with Tower in my back to disappear from everyone eyes and maybe just cry to console myself. I had taken few steps in my aimless walk but suddenly something stirred in front of me.
My legs halted in their tracks; I was on my last rope presently, hoping for a miracle or even a sliver of hope. It felt like existence itself answered my heartfelt prayer and intervened on my behalf.
A system panel appeared before me, something I thought I may never see again.
[Grow stronger and come back for your incomplete awakening.]
A single message acted as a thread of support for me, who was sinking in sorrows of myself. I put the ruckus of my ejection from the Tower behind me for now and found a place to sit quietly. Upon receiving the message from the tower, I had my hopes ignited, even if just a flicker.
After I sat down, I steadied my breath and took a few deep breaths, feeling a flow of new life within me. I put my overthinking brain to work, thinking about possible next steps.
The message still floating in front of me mentioned to grow strong; does it simply mean to add muscles or something deeper?
I spoke to thin air in front of me, "Is there anything else I can know?" I waited for a few seconds, but the words on the screen didn't budge.
"Okay, no matter, I will do both—add muscles to my body and better my diet," I verbally announced my intent. I couldn't let this opportunity slip past me.
"I will grow strong and come back," I declared with my already growing confidence.
The system panel flickered, like it was waiting for my acknowledgement; a new message appeared.
[You have a two-year time period; good luck, Player Max.]
A small smile crept up on my face after the overwhelming emotion rollercoaster. After today's scene, I already had a sense of the way my family would react towards my failure, but the family stopped meaning anything to me for some time. I decided to expel myself before I was expelled or disowned.
As I stood up to walk on my own path, the screen finally disappeared. I turned and looked at the Tower with a face full of resolve and whispered, "You bet I will come back and dominate everyone in the Tower," and resumed moving towards a new destination forming in my mind.
After walking for a few minutes I finalized my goal; after today I didn't want to live in provinces directly under control of the Ro'nark Family. So I decided to move towards the domain of the Isaldor family, the strongest on Planet Mythos.
I had a hood and basic ration, but I had no money to pay for teleportation. My only option of traveling to Ishtahar Province, which is ruled by the Isaldor Family, was on foot—an arduous journey of at least fifteen days.
At present my sole objective was to physically strengthen my body and be robust enough to finish my Awakening and put everything behind me. With that thought in mind, I left behind the 'Land of First Origin.'
During the day I walked as much as possible and stayed on the outskirts of town at night. Being completely broke, I couldn't afford to stay in any inn, so I decided to leave the town altogether to save on some time.
After a few days of walking, I came to realize that I really was physically quite weak. I could only manage to walk for 1-2 hours before needing a rest of around an hour; even then my body would ache. Whereas people of my age were able to walk for miles without taking a break.
Up until now, I generally practiced with my sword for about two hours a day, and then I generally spent my time watching others practice. My exceptional brain allowed me to remember and understand once I observed anything.
That made it possible for me to learn many sword techniques and even helped me craft my own sword-fighting style. This was the first time I had to physically use my body for a long time.
Now, I was glad that I chose to walk because if I have to make my body strong, then endurance and perseverance are two of the best ways.
After a laborious walk of 20 days, I finally managed to reach the border of Ro'nark Province. However, there I saw something that stopped me in my tracks.