Chapter 1: Lifespan burning system
Rhys stood before the Awakening Ball, trying his best to look nervous. It was a difficult act; in truth, he was bored.
Having read countless NovelFires in his previous life, he knew exactly how this scene would play out and found the real thing dreadfully predictable.
The five families had gathered around the town square, the air thick with anticipation. This was the big day: the annual Awakening Ceremony where sixteen-year-olds like him would discover their Traits.
"Look at him," a cousin from the Ashton Clan whispered, not quite quietly enough. "He’s the son of the great Kaelen. He must awaken a powerful fire Trait!"
Rhys almost snorted.
The great Kaelen.
His father was a hero, sure, but he was also very, very dead. Being strong hadn’t worked out too well for him in the long run.
Rhys had a different life goal: to find the most comfortable chair in the world and sit in it for a very long time, preferably somewhere far away and accompanied by a few jade beauties.
"Place your hand on the ball, Rhys," said the Ashton patriarch, his uncle. The man’s voice was stern, full of expectation.
Rhys did as he was told, placing his palm on the cool, smooth surface. The moment his skin made contact, he felt it—a strange, quiet hum that resonated deep within his bones.
It wasn’t a bang or a flash of insight. It was more like the feeling of settling into a warm bath, a pleasant, unending stillness.
He knew, with absolute certainty, what his Trait was. He would never age. His body would be locked in time after he reached twenty years old.