Rising star of Eternal Era
"Honey, are you alright?"
Stefan hastily grabbed his bathrobe, wrapped it around himself, and dashed toward the door. The moment he grasped the handle, it shimmered green, and he swung it open.
"I'm good, just about to freshen up."
Sang-hee's brows furrowed, "I thought I heard you shouting?"
"Oh, it's nothing, just thinking aloud."
"Thinking aloud about what? Your sudden transformation overnight into a muscle-bound, fresh-faced man with glowing eyes? I mean, this isn't your typical growth spurt at a hundred and twenty-one!"
Stefan's cheeks flushed as he realized his mother was teasing him with that last remark. "Ha ha," he responded, blowing out air in a playful 'shh' sound.
"By the way, flexing those muscles might end your days of being single," Sang-hee teased, prompting Stefan to playfully close the door.
"Be quick, breakfast is almost ready!" she called after him.
"I want waffles!" he retorted, tousling his snow-white hair as he headed for the bathroom.
Sang-hee chuckled softly.
Once refreshed, Stefan made his way to the kitchen but caught a scent, prompting him to sneak a peek. He found his mother taking her medication, and seeing her in that vulnerable state stirred his emotions. Somehow, he felt her emotions and sensed she didn't want him to witness this moment.
Suddenly, his eyes gleamed, and he found himself in an office where his mother faced a doctor. As the doctor discussed her illness, fear engulfed him, but when the doctor was about to reveal the diagnosis, Stefan's head throbbed, disrupting the memory.
'Ouch!' he internally exclaimed, his inner voice accidentally projecting out loud, alarming Sang-hee.
'I can delve into a past memory and also sense emotiona, huh,' he realized internally. There was an odd serenity, a calmness, that allowed him to harness his abilities effortlessly.
However, his mother seemed to affect his abilities somehow.
"It's okay, Mum, I won't pry," he assured her, respecting her privacy.
"I'm sorry, Stef, but the doctor said once I'm done with this batch, I'll be okay."
'You mean you'll continue with another,' Stefan pondered internally as he seated himself at the breakfast island. "Uncle Jason isn't aware, right?"
"No," Sang-hee replied, eyeing him with concern.
Slicing a small piece from the already-made waffles, Stefan approached his mother. "Here," he offered, and she munched on it, making amusing faces.
Glancing at the family picture, Stefan saw himself at twelve, seated on his father's muscular arms. His father, a dark-skinned man from Asia, and his mother didn't have white hair, which puzzled the younger him until they revealed he was adopted.
With practiced ease, he cast aside thoughts of finding his biological parents.
During breakfast, a white vehicle rolled into their compound, and Jason stepped out from the backseat.
Before Jason could even reach for the door, it swung open, revealing a robust, youthful man with snow-white hair and vivid crimson eyes.
Stefan turned to the young man who emerged from the driver's seat, towering at an impressive height of 195 cm.
"Yo! I'm Landon," the brown-skinned man introduced himself with a handshake, which Stefan accepted.
"It's good you two got along. Stefan, this is Landon, Titan Name, Brilliant Edge. His skin is as tough as a crocodile's, and he's Eternal Era's rising star. You'll have to pass through him before you meet the keeper." The expression on Jason's face hinted at the challenge awaiting Stefan.
Without a doubt, a punch from Landon could obliterate these so-called unbreakable doors people think would protect them from anything.
Upon entering the house, Landon willingly made himself at home in the dining area, visibly enticed by the aroma of the waffles, causing him to gulp a couple of times.
'I doubt I can get along with someone who steals my waffles,' Stefan grumbled inwardly, shooting a covert glare at Landon, who swiftly consumed breakfast after receiving Sang-hee's approval.
As much as Sang-hee adored Stefan, the sight of someone devouring her meal like a ravenous beast seemed more intriguing.
"It's beyond delicious, ma'am," Landon praised, eliciting a smile from Sang-hee.
"I think we should head out now," Stefan suggested, feeling uneasy witnessing his mother's warm reception of someone else.
After a brief while, they departed.
"You want to be a titan, right, St… Stefan?" Landon inquired, but Stefan turned his attention to Jason.
"If I pass the test, is there a chance I can secure an apartment near the site?"
"It's for your mother, isn't it? Don't worry, I'm working on it," Jason assured, earning a grateful smile from Stefan.
Gazing out the window in silence, Stefan lost himself in the sight of titans displayed on various billboards, some towering like skyscrapers!
"Are titans this famous now?" he asked.
"We're galactic superstars, bro. Not even actors and musicians can outshine the spectacle of a titan match!" Landon boasted.
"Is that so?"
"Isn't that obvious by now or have you been Living under a rock? Are there actual rocks in City X?"
"Landon, enough!" Jason interjected.
"Yes, coach!"
Both Stefan and Jason's ears vibrated due to Landon's booming voice. 'I should have opted for public transport,' Stefan lamented his fate with a defeated expression.
Minutes later, Landon drove to a site Stefan could only describe as incredible. The resources, time, and money invested in constructing this camp were monumental.
In the heart of the camp stood two towering buildings that rivaled even the tallest skyscrapers!
One gleamed in gold, while the other shimmered in silver. As they entered the silver building, Stefan's eyes widened at the crowded scene unfolding before him.
"You didn't think you're the only one registering, right? We're open for this month," Landon, concealed behind a face mask, remarked with folded arms.
"Umm, Stefan, there's something I haven't told you," Jason's ominous tone prompted a furrowed brow from Stefan.
"What?"
"You need to undergo a theoretical test before registration, and…"
"And what?"
"You're going to fail."