The clock struck ten and a bell rang, which meant it was time for recess after long hours of exams. It was a large bell that hung from a tower outside, unconnected to the main house.

I was lying on a rock about ten meters away from the children who were running and playing in the rocky area, absorbed in my book.

It was a copy I had found hidden in the orphanage library a few months ago. It was so well hidden that even I, who spent most of my time reading, could only find it not long ago.

The book was titled: Encyclopedia for Ascendants.

"What we are today is nothing but stardust. The earth you walk on, the nitrogen in our DNA, the iron in your blood, the calcium in your teeth, the carbon inside you and me, were born within the core of stars. When these stars explode in a supernova, they release into space the elements that formed inside them. Over time, the elements cluster together to form new stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. Every time we look at the night sky, we contemplate a fragment of our own history. All the elements that make us up were created in the heart of stars that shone long before the world existed. What you are and what you touch is stellar matter, we are in essence... Children of the Stars."

I never tired of reading that magnificent introduction, which made my heart tremble with enthusiasm. The idea that every atom of my being had been forged in the heart of a star made me feel both insignificant and transcendental.

"An Ascendant is someone who has awakened the stellar core within their body to manipulate stellar energy and can use their wonderful abilities. While some powerful creatures already have their stellar cores formed, most are born in a Latent state, like humans. Learning to control stellar energy is the hardest part, but by absorbing a stellar core from some mutant, success is almost guaranteed."

—Turn.

"The stellar core is a mysterious and enigmatic spherical space located inside the Ascendant's body around the stomach area. Because it is ethereal, it does not occupy physical space as an internal organ would. The core is infinitely large, but at the same time infinitely small."

In contrast, a mutant's stellar core was a very rare energy sphere, which fell when you killed mutants and only grade C or higher beasts formed a stellar core.

I see, there's much to learn, I thought.

With that thought, I closed the encyclopedia and made myself more comfortable on the dirt ground.

In this world, there were various mysterious forces, and we Ascendants could be classified into several main professions: Knight, Mage, Explorer, Warrior, Archer, Assassin, Sorcerer, and Priest.

Professions formed a fundamental part of the world and reflected the accumulation of an individual's growth and skills, as well as their future path.

Those with whom commoners had the most experience were Warriors. Warriors were Ascendants who had undergone rigorous training and had awakened their latent abilities. Their physical attributes far exceeded those of a normal human.

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These Warriors not only possessed physical attributes several times superior to those of normal humans, but they were also experts in the use of various weapons and martial arts. The realms of the common world, along with nobility, were generally formed by Warriors who had achieved a certain level of power and prestige.

I lost myself in my thoughts, imagining what it would be like to become one of those powerful Warriors or perhaps even a Mage capable of controlling the mysterious forces of this world. I didn't care what my profession was, as long as I had the power to protect myself.

My hands closed into fists, determined to discover my own potential and place in this dystopian society so different from the one I had known.

Today was the day, finally, after years of preparation, I was ready.

I stood up, shaking the dirt from my clothes while the voices of playing children echoed in my ears.

Teamwork would be crucial to escape, but doubt gnawed at me: how could I convince these orphans that their lives were a lie?

I wasn't even sure I wanted to bear the responsibility of protecting them in this cruel reality.

I cast one last look at those children who laughed and smiled as they ran.

I looked away and headed toward my destination, remembering how I too had once wished I could live so carefree.

I had longed to know nothing, remain ignorant of the truth and simply enjoy this new life... but it was impossible for me.

Certainly ignorance was a blessing, but my mother's sacrifice weighed on my conscience. She had given her life for me, and wasting that sacrifice would be a slap to her memory. Dying here would be betraying the woman who had believed in me until the end.

It was fine. It was fine as it was.

I carefully observed my surroundings, making sure no one was following me.

I approached a small cave blocked by a giant rock that seemed to have been moved recently.

This was the reason for my intensive training. The reason why most of the children most of the time found me training.

It took me several years to move this rock.

When I first discovered the cave, I considered it an excellent training exercise to strengthen myself, to stop being weak. I wanted to prove myself.

No, thinking about it. It wasn't any of that. I wanted to punish myself, I felt guilty. This immutable situation was so frustrating and overwhelming that I felt my heart could explode at any moment.

Perhaps this way I would feel a little better about myself.

I needed to sink into remorse and regret for having been so weak, for having been unable to do anything, for having been just a burden to my mother.

Days, weeks, and months passed, and the rock remained motionless. At first, no matter how much force I applied, my feet would just slide backward while the rock remained firm as if it were welded to the ground.

There were times when I thought it was impossible. The rock wasn't particularly thick, just a giant disc without much thickness, but to me it seemed an insurmountable barrier.

An ironic smile crossed my face as I remembered those hard days, when my hands were covered in blisters and calluses. But I never gave up. Pain transformed into conviction, conviction into stubbornness, and stubbornness into obsession.

I became so obsessed with the idea of moving the rock that, when I finally managed to move it a few millimeters, I felt an indescribable relief. Sweat soaked my hair and ran down my exposed body like rain, but I had moved what I believed immovable.

Returning to the present, I set to work. The wall rumbled when I pushed with all my might, and a grunt escaped from between my clenched teeth.

My hands trembled noticeably as I pushed the rock - which no longer seemed so giant to me - until it finally moved enough to allow me to enter.

Although I expected nothing from the cave, at least I wanted to see what it was like.

When I entered, I came to a small cavern. It wasn't large and not very spacious. In the cave there was a slight scent of flowers, which wasn't stale because it had been covered for a long time and air couldn't circulate.

The cave was a bit dark.

After walking for a minute, I suddenly saw a ray of light in front of me. My vision also expanded.

At the front of the cave there was a crimson sphere, from which the light came. The light shone in the deep and narrow crevice that formed on the surface of the earth.

I tried to extract the crimson gem when a blinding light flooded my vision, brighter than any sun I had ever seen before.