Chapter 2: An Anomaly Is Born
"I see you've signed," Felix said, her eyes gleaming like starlight. "Excellent. Now, let's discuss your blessings."
"Wait—blessings?" I raised an eyebrow. "As in… plural?"
She tilted her head, a sly smile playing at her lips.
"You're starting from zero, after all. Seems only fair to give you a second advantage."
Suddenly, celestial scrolls materialized in the air, glowing softly. A list of Minor Blessings unrolled before me:
• Minor Blessing of Swords – Mastery of swordsmanship and forging.
I could probably be the best swordsman in the world with this.
• Minor Blessing of Shields – Expertise in defense and shield crafting.
Defense is nice. This one's interesting.
• Minor Blessing of Wind – Affinity with wind-based mana arts.
Could be useful.
• Minor Blessing of Insight – Occasional glimpses into hidden truths.
Insight is powerful. That could definitely come in handy.
• Minor Blessing of Cooking – Culinary talent rivaling the world's best.
Tempting… but not mission-critical.
• Minor Blessing of Clothing Design – Mastery over fashion and garments.
Not for me.
… and many more.
Most were impressive—but ultimately learnable. Swordplay, crafting, even cooking? With the Blessing of Intelligence, I could master those on my own.
But one stood out:
• Minor Blessing of Beast Taming – The ability to tame and communicate with dangerous beasts.
"I'll take Beast Taming," I said. "An army of loyal creatures could be invaluable."
Felix nodded. "A clever choice."
I kept scrolling. Then paused.
"What's the rarest and strongest type of mana?"
Felix grinned.
"Good question. Among natural elements, Light and Dark are the rarest. Light is usually reserved for summoned heroes, Dark for certain demons."
She leaned closer.
"But the strongest? That would be Lightning. Powerful, fast… but rare. One in ten thousand has the affinity. Even fewer master it."
Natural?
I narrowed my eyes.
"What do you mean by 'natural elements'?"
Felix's eyes lit up.
"There are seven natural elements of mana: Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, Dark, and Lightning."
She let the words settle.
But something about that felt incomplete.
Seven elements. That can't be all.
"Natural elements," she continued, "are the ones you're born with. They can't be produced by combining others."
Her tone shifted.
"Artificial elements are created by fusing two or more natural elements. There's an endless variety. Most are unexplored."
"And most people," she added, "are born with just one element. Two or three is rare. Four? Practically unheard of."
Then her voice dropped again.
"Lastly… there are Hidden Elements. Only accessible to creatures with mythical blood."
Mythical blood?
That sounded… powerful.
"Can Hidden Elements combine with natural ones?" I asked.
Felix laughed softly.
"The Blessing of Intelligence really is working."
"It sure is," I muttered.
She went on.
"There are seven mythical beings in the world you're going to."
Seven again.
"Each represents one of the natural elements," she said. "And each has a Hidden Element—something unique, tied to the element they embody."
"So they can't have more than two elements?"
"Correct. Unless there's divine intervention—which is almost unheard of."
"Can two mythical bloodlines mix?"
"No. One dominates. The other disappears."
Fair enough.
That meant, as a human, my path was clear.
"Then I choose Lightning," I said.
Felix's expression grew solemn.
"Very well."
She stepped closer, and the air shimmered with power.
"In this world, every being is born with a unique Gift. Sometimes more than one."
She gazed at me carefully.
"Yours are… unusual."
"How unusual?"
"You'll receive seven blessings," she said. "Six will be chosen at random."
"But one is called Conceive—it allows you to hide your gifts, your blessings… even your presence. Use it wisely."
That, I thought, I definitely would.
Then her tone changed—colder. Heavier.
"Do not bring destruction to this world," she warned. "Conceal your blessings. If people discover what you are… they'll come for you."
"Zealots. Kings. Fanatics."
Her gaze turned sharp.
"If that happens—your life is forfeit."
I swallowed.
"Understood."
Felix smiled faintly.
"I'm expecting great things from you," she said softly.
"You're an anomaly."
A chill ran through me.
"Anomaly?"
"What do you mean?"
Her smile turned mischievous.
"Oh no. It's more fun not telling."
I shouldn't have asked.
She was practically an anomaly herself.
Then, a glowing portal opened beneath my feet—swirling with stars and golden light.
"This is farewell," she said.
"Good luck."
Before I could answer—
I fell.
Weightless.
Spinning.
Hurtling toward a future I couldn't see…
…but had already chosen.
⸻
✦
When I awoke, everything felt different.
Not just the air or the light—but me.
Something vast stirred in my mind. Not just intelligence.
Clarity.
It felt like the universe had unfolded behind my eyes.
My thoughts moved faster, sharper. The fog was gone.
So this is the Blessing of Intelligence.
It didn't just make me smarter.
It made everything sharper.
I tried to move—but my newborn body could only squirm.
Blurry shapes hovered above me.
A soft warmth cradled me.
A woman's chest.
She held me gently, rocking.
Her dark blue hair shimmered like ink in moonlight. Her pale skin looked fragile, yet her arms were strong.
Her tired eyes held something deep and quiet.
My mother.
Beside her stood a tall man with jet-black hair and green eyes like fire.
His broad shoulders loomed protectively over us.
Pride burned in his gaze.
And something else—expectation.
This wasn't just a birth.
It was a beginning.
Their clothes were threadbare. Worn linen, patched over and over. The room was dim, cold air creeping through the cracks in the wooden walls.
We were poor. Not destitute—but close.
My father's eyes met mine. In them, I saw fire. Quiet. Steady.
"He's here," he whispered.
"We did it," my mother breathed, her voice trembling.
"Yes," my father nodded. Then looked down at me. "What should we call him?"
He glanced at her.
"Zag?"
She blinked at him, deadpan.
"Zag? That sounds like a goblin."
He chuckled.
"Fair."
They were exhausted—but warm. Full of life.
Then—
"How about… Zaeden?" he offered.
My mother whispered it.
"Zaeden D'Angelo."
She smiled.
He echoed the name. "Zaeden D'Angelo."
Then he leaned close.
"Always remember this: Work hard for your dreams."
My mother chuckled. "He can't understand you, love."
But I did.
I understood everything.
My father smiled faintly, as if he knew.
"I think he will."
And in that quiet, flickering room—
something ignited.
A new name.
A new life.
A second chance.
I was no longer Ty Gregory—the lazy failure.
I was Zaeden D'Angelo.
Reborn. Gifted. Focused.
A kingdom awaited.
And this time…
I would earn it.