"Wow… they both look stunning."
The crowd was mesmerized as Lina and Yuna entered the hall, drawing everyone's attention. But what truly captured their hearts was the small boy walking between them, holding each of their hands.
With a clean and tidy look, soft features, and large, curious eyes, he looked less like a child and more like an adorable little doll.
"Is that the youngest son of the Spellbound family? He's so cute!"
"I want to pinch his cheeks so badly..."
The women in the hall were completely smitten by Ivan's cuteness. Some even tried to move closer, but decorum and distance kept them at bay, leaving them disappointed.
Soon, Lina and Yuna escorted Ivan up to the podium.
In the past five years, Ivan had completed many system tasks. As a result, he had gained several powerful skills and his cultivation had already broken through to the peak of Rank 3—a level most five-year-olds could only dream of.
Due to the system's shielding effect, no one initially noticed his cultivation. But one day, while Elena was feeding him, she sensed spiritual energy faintly leaking from his body. Alarmed, she immediately scanned him with her spiritual sense.
As a Perfect Stage Rank 7 cultivator herself, Elena's detection was sharp—and what she found shocked her to the core.
She hurried to inform Hugo, who checked Ivan himself. Despite being a Middle Stage Rank 9 cultivator, Hugo couldn't sense Ivan's cultivation unless he made direct contact.
Realizing the depth of their son's power, they became extremely cautious, taking extra measures to help Ivan control and suppress his strength.
Now, on the podium, Hugo addressed the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here. Today marks a special moment—the awakening ceremony of my youngest son, Ivan de Spellbound."
After the brief introduction, Hugo signaled a nearby maid.
"Bring out the Awakening Crystal."
The maid returned carrying a large crystal ball, about the size of a basketball. Inside, spiritual energy swirled like mist. She gently placed it on a table at the center of the podium.
Suddenly, a figure appeared beside the crystal—an old man dressed in white robes. His sudden arrival startled many, but they quickly relaxed upon recognizing him as a representative from the Spirit Academy—an esteemed institution of cultivation.
The old man nodded slightly.
"Greetings, everyone. I am here to oversee the assessment."
He then turned to Ivan.
"Young man, come forward and stand in front of the crystal."
All eyes shifted to Ivan, who calmly walked forward. His face was expressionless, almost doll-like, yet his presence held a quiet gravity.
"Place your hand on the crystal ball," the old man instructed. "And do not remove it until I say so."
Ivan nodded silently and followed the instructions.
As soon as his hand touched the crystal, a warm sensation surged through his body. The swirling energy inside the crystal flowed into him, and the crystal began to glow brightly.
Then—
[Ding!]
[The host has unlocked all innate talents.]
[You have unlocked: Elemental Overlord]
Description: You are the sovereign of all elements. You can control any element freely.
[Talent Unlocked: Master of Blacksmithing]
You are a natural-born blacksmith. Weapons you forge carry enhanced effects based on material quality.
[Talent Unlocked: Nature's Favor]
You can sense all nearby lifeforms, their lifespans, and heal them by borrowing energy from nature.
[Talent Unlocked: Spiritual Eye]
Allows you to detect all forms of spiritual energy and cultivation levels.
Note: Detecting cultivators above your level consumes more energy.
[Talent Unlocked: Advanced Luck]
Blessed by the Goddess of Luck, you'll enjoy increased fortune and avoid unforeseen dangers.
[Talent Unlocked: Spatial Control]
Grants limited control over space. Power scales with cultivation level.
[Talent Unlocked: Time Control]
Manipulate the flow of time within a 2-meter radius.
Note: Uses immense energy. If insufficient, it will consume your life force.
The crystal ball glowed brighter and brighter, until its radiance became blinding.
"Ahhh! My eyes!"
"Someone help—why is it so bright?!"
"What kind of monstrous talent is that?!"
"My son awakened an S-rank talent, but it wasn't even close to this level!"
"Could it be… SS-rank? But even that doesn't explain this intensity!"
Suddenly—
BOOM!
The crystal ball shattered, sending shards of spiritual energy everywhere.
Thankfully, the old man had sensed the danger and acted quickly, teleporting a safe distance away while summoning a massive light barrier to protect the crowd.
For a few moments, the hall was filled with chaos and smoke.
"Huh? Where am I?"
"What just happened?"
As the dust settled, everyone stared at the shattered remains of the Awakening Crystal.
"Did it… explode?" someone asked in disbelief.
"How? Was there something wrong with the crystal?"
"I've never heard of anything like this before…"
Panic swept through Ivan's family. Elena rushed forward, cradling her son protectively.
"Ivan! Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
She frantically checked his body.
Just then, the old man from the Spirit Academy approached calmly.
"There's no need to worry," he said. "The child is unharmed. That explosion… wasn't an accident."
Everyone turned to him in shock.
"The crystal ball shattered because it couldn't withstand the power of his talent. I've never seen this in my life."
He looked at Ivan with a deep, unreadable gaze.
"I cannot even sense his spiritual or elemental energy. This boy… may possess a talent beyond anything we've ever recorded."
The crowd was stunned into silence.
"Could the Spellbound family be nurturing another monstrous genius?"
"He might even surpass Rank 9 in the future…"
"I need to report this to our clan leader. If we don't ally with the Spellbound family soon, we might regret it later."
Whispers and murmurs filled the room as the noble families made quiet mental notes. Though they kept their expressions neutral, everyone was scheming.
One middle-aged man with silver hair stepped forward with a grin.
"Congratulations, Head of the Spellbound family! You've raised another prodigy. I happen to have a lovely granddaughter. Perhaps they can play together?"
Many people immediately rolled their eyes internally.
What a shameless man…
Still, others began following his lead, offering congratulations, gifts, and subtle proposals—each trying to curry favor with the Spellbound family in their own way.