Five years passed quietly.
Time flowed gently within the Vlorian estate, marked not by catastrophe or chaos, but by growth.
Kaien Vlorian grew.
From a silent infant into a curious toddler.
From a toddler into a boy with sharp, observant eyes.
Unlike other children, Kaien had developed unusually early.
He crawled sooner than expected.
He learned to walk without falling often.
And by the time most children struggled to form words, Kaien spoke clearly—asking questions far beyond his age.
At first, his parents had been surprised.
Then quietly proud.
At the age of three, Kaien had discovered the family library.
It was not particularly grand by noble standards—but it was vast enough to hold centuries of knowledge. Tall shelves lined the walls, filled with worn tomes, scrolls, and manuals passed down through generations.
That day, Luca found him sitting on the floor, a book resting on his lap.
"…Kaien?"
The boy looked up calmly. "Yes, Father?"
Luca froze.
"…What are you doing?"
"Reading," Kaien replied matter-of-factly, turning the page carefully.
Luca picked up the book and scanned the title.
'Geographic Division of the Central Territories'
He stared at Kaien.
"…You understand this?"
Kaien tilted his head. "Some of it. The letters are easy."
From that day on, the library became Kaien's favorite place.
By the time he turned five, Kaien spent more time among books than toys.
Morning light would find him seated at a desk too large for his small frame, feet dangling above the floor as he read quietly. Servants learned not to disturb him. Even Jay and Alora grew used to seeing their little brother buried in texts.
Eren often watched him from the doorway.
"He's always reading," she whispered to Luca one evening. "Doesn't that worry you?"
Luca shook his head slowly. "No. It means he's preparing."
"For what?"
"For the world."
Kaien learned quickly.
He read about awakeners, talent rankings, and cultivation paths.
He read about cities, noble houses, and territorial conflicts.
And slowly, he learned the truth about the world he had been born into.
It was not peaceful.
It was a world built on power.
One afternoon, while sitting beside Luca in the study, Kaien finally asked the question that had been forming in his mind.
"Father," he said quietly.
Luca looked down from his documents. "What is it, Kaien?"
Kaien hesitated, then spoke carefully.
"You said this world is dangerous. But… I don't see danger."
Luca leaned back slightly.
"That's because you live inside the barrier."
Kaien frowned. "Barrier?"
Luca nodded. "All cities, families, and nations exist within a vast geographic territory protected by an absolute divine barrier."
Kaien's eyes widened slightly. "Who made it?"
"A GOD-rank being," Luca replied. "Long before my time. Long before your grandfather's."
He paused.
"That barrier is the reason humanity still exists."
Kaien absorbed the words quietly.
"What's outside?" he asked.
Luca's expression darkened.
"The outside world," he said slowly, "is hunted."
"Hunted by what?"
"Demons."
Kaien stiffened.
Luca continued, his voice steady but heavy.
"Demons of many kinds. Flesh-eaters. Cannibals. Soul-devourers. Beings that corrupt everything they touch."
Kaien clenched his small fists.
"They emerge from dark portals—corrupted rifts that appear without warning. Even now, we do not know their true source."
"Then why don't they come here?" Kaien asked.
"Because awakeners stand in their way," Luca replied.
Kaien looked up sharply. "Awakeners?"
Luca nodded. "Those who awaken talents. Those strong enough to fight back."
"For that reason," he continued, "awakening is not a privilege. It's a responsibility."
Kaien fell silent.
That night, he could not sleep.
From that day onward, Kaien's reading changed.
He focused on disturbances, demon incursions, and cultivation methods. He studied how awakeners progressed through ranks—how power was refined, controlled, and sharpened.
He learned a hard truth.
Not everyone could reach the peak.
Those born with F-rank talents struggled.
Many never advanced far.
Some never awakened at all.
As he read, Kaien felt something unfamiliar tighten in his chest.
Fear.
I don't want to be weak, he thought quietly.
I don't want to be useless.
Late at night, with no one watching, he clasped his hands together.
"…Please," he whispered softly. "Let me awaken."
One afternoon, Kaien found Jay in the training field.
Jay had grown tall.
At fifteen, his shoulders were broader, his movements sharper, and his presence stronger. Each swing of his sword carried intent—focused, disciplined, dangerous.
Kaien watched silently.
After training ended, he approached cautiously.
"Brother," he called.
Jay wiped sweat from his face. "Hm? What is it, Kaien?"
Kaien hesitated, then asked, "How does someone become an awakener?"
Jay blinked. "That's what you're curious about?"
Kaien nodded.
Jay scratched his head. "Well… everyone can attempt the Awakening Rite at age eight."
"Eight?" Kaien echoed.
"Yeah," Jay said. "Talent awakens then. Until that time, all you can do is train your body and mind."
Kaien's eyes lit up.
"So… I still have three years."
Jay chuckled. "You're already planning that far ahead?"
Kaien nodded seriously. "I want to be strong. Like you. Like sister."
Jay stared at him for a moment—then smiled.
"…You will be."
That evening, Kaien sat beside Alora in the garden.
She had grown elegant, her silver hair flowing freely as faint frost danced around her fingertips.
"You're quiet," she said softly.
"I was thinking," Kaien replied.
"About what?"
"…Power."
Alora looked at him carefully.
"You want to awaken," she said.
Kaien nodded.
Alora smiled gently. "Good. Then you'll understand someday."
"Understand what?"
"That power isn't about talent alone," she said. "It's about why you choose to grow stronger."
Kaien thought about her words long after she left.
As the sun set, Kaien returned to the library.
He climbed onto his chair, opened another book, and began to read.
Outside the barrier, demons roamed.
Inside it, humanity prepared.