Kaymelin's gaze was filled with a dangerous curiosity as he scanned the scene before him.

"Oh, how fate has its ways to lead me forward." He almost let out a cackle. "It seems like it is indeed a treasure that has been siphoning the surround Mana."

Before him stood a trio of teenagers, about the same age as his current body. The three all had black hair and green eyes, clearly a trait commonly found on the planet. One was male and the other two were female.

They wore uniforms as they strutted around with an air of arrogance, as if to say that all the people around them weren't worth their attention. Only those with a keen eye could see the tiredness in their expressions — school was as brutal as ever, it seemed.

But Kaymelin couldn't care less about the arrogance of youth. His gaze was drawn towards one of the girls. Specifically, to the bracelet on her left hand, shimmering in the lights of the city.

[ These students are talented, yet their temperament needs a little tweaking. It seems like the divide between the strong and weak is even greater than my initial estimations. ]

Kaymelin paused, as if in thought.

[ The aura of the treasure is weak. It is highly likely that it hasn't been fully activated as of the moment. Therefore, the S-Rank individual should not be of the sensory type to miss out on such a detail. In fact, there shouldn't be any of those powerful appraisers in the area. The government in charge is likely either incompetent or understaffed. ]

There was another pause in his writing. With a narrowed pair of eyes, Kaymelin read through his notes again. After a few seconds, he realised something else.

[ There is a possibility that Humanity itself now leans more towards combat, given the influence of Grand Pantheon and the allure of eternal life. ]

Seeing those words on his notebook and the trio of teenagers who had walked past him, Kaymelin smiled.

"Interesting,"

***

It wasn't hard to discover which school the trio's uniforms signified. Kaymelin only had to read the advertisements plastered on several floating billboards.

"Helmhal Combat Academy," Kaymelin smacked his lips as he updated his notes.

[ It is highly likely that the three have Awakened their talents and are familiar with combat. Therefore, any forceful attempts on the treasure, despite its owner's ignorance, would likely lead to destruction. ]

Even by just following them around, Kaymelin could tell from their stride that they were more than ready to strike at a moment's notice. For some reason, they were on edge.

"...It is definitely not because of me," Kaymelin paused and closed his eyes. He sensed the Mana in his surroundings with great clarity, looking for any hint of abnormal fluctuations that would require the attention of an Awakened.

Indeed, something caught his attention. A pattern of fluctuations, akin to Modern Humanity's Morse Code or Interstellar Humanity's Quantum Pulses. Kaymelin squinted. The cogs in his brain spun rapidly, and his mind swiftly deciphered the pattern.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"We've located Dmornta Vlaoonc. Requesting permission to strike,"

Two words were fuzzy, while the rest were clear. It was probably a codename. Kaymelin's eyes thus narrowed even further. There was a dissonance in the ambient Mana.

"Copy," Out of the void came a different set of fluctuations, "Initiate retrieval in 3,"

"2..."

"1..."

***

The night proceeded deeper into the depths, like plunging into the embrace of an underwater ravine. Twinkling starlight could not penetrate through the dome of interference, and the moon vanished in an instant.

Kaymelin found himself blinded, with his senses in disarray. He could not see his own hands, feel his own fingers, nor differentiate between existence and nonexistence. All there was, was a deep, deep darkness.

However, not an inch of panic could be seen on his face. He was a stalwart bastion of calculative confidence. Yet in the blink of an eye, his confidence crumbled; the mask of acting clung onto his feminine features. Panic and fear.

All to hide the moment he would interfere.

***

Lavienice rushed forward after her companion plunged the area into darkness, sealing off any and all escape routes. She had no plans to let the target treasure fall between her fingers, as her promotion hinged on the success of this mission.

'If I finish this, I can finally return to Earth,'

Earth.

The home world of all of humanity. The planet of origin, where humans began. It was a beautiful place, filled with rivers, mountains, seas, and a blue sky. Forests were like sprawling cities, spread across the land. Cities floated in the sky, protecting the world below from all outside threats.

The Sun shone with golden valour, illuminating its plains with soothing light.

Lavienice wished to return. The wretched structures of all these other planets were nothing but the greys of the poor. The people were uncultured, disgusting, and unimportant. She hated the fact that she was even here.

Thus, she slashed out in a wide arc. The lethal glint of her blade drew the blood of the crowd around her, before severing the arm of the treasure's owner.

"Ah!"

Screams pierced into her ears, but she paid it no heed. Instead, she rushed forward and held the severed arm in her hand. A grin had spread across her face.

Auras then erupted in the distance. A-Rank individuals had sensed her presence here, and they scurried towards her like hungry rats. Lavienice sneered.

"You are all too late," Her words were like a gong as she shoved the arm into her storage ring, fully confident that the bracelet she wanted was still laced around its wrist.

Then, she disappeared through warped space.

***

"Hailey!" A roar rang through the city, and Kaymelin felt his ears rupture and bleed.

A figure was rushing over from a few streets away, uncaring for the disrupted traffic in his wake. Mere mortals weren't worthy of his attention, for his one and only daughter had been targeted. He had a head of long black hair and defiant green eyes. His face had a beard of grey, and his body was that of a body builder, bulky and menacing.

Kaymelin stole a glance.

[ A-Rank Warrior. ]

He had already resumed writing.

[ Verdict: Uninteresting. ]

"Father! Help me! Please!" Hailey wailed as she clutched her arm-less shoulder, "It hurts!"

It seemed like someone's plan had gone horribly awry. Kaymelin looked around. Innocent people were lying on the ground, bleeding. A few had directly been bisected by the attacker's apathetic strike. Their lifeless halves were sprawled on the streets.

Kaymelin looked at himself. A large gash had appeared on his stomach. Crimson fluid gushed out like a fountain. It was only by sheer force of will that he stayed awake.

[ Earthlings. ]

He wrote as he applied pressure on his wound.

[ Arrogant, corrupt, power-hungry, and treacherous. A thousand years later, and nothing has changed. ]

Kaymelin's eyes flashed with rage. The pressure on every stroke of the pen threatened to tear his notebook's page.

However, he swiftly calmed down.

[ Earth has made an enemy out of me once again. Despite the fact that I am currently a nobody, it amazes me how they've still managed to anger me. ]

"It doesn't matter though," A wry laugh escaped his lips, "I got what I needed,"

Coated in blood, no one could ever hope to notice the bracelet that was now in his possession.

"Let's see what Talent I can awaken in this life,"