Julius' eyes snapped open. The wind howled as he lunged to his feet, his arm reaching for his waist before swinging in a smooth, lethal motion. Yet, as he felt his tense muscle cut through the air, his eyes narrowed upon realising his trusted gladius was gone.
"Where am I?" He muttered, his eyes darting left and right to scan his surroundings before enlarging.
He recognised the old shop he grew up in. But why was he inside? Did the Ashfords plan for this? Despite his nostalgia and silent prayer for grandpa Theodore's soul, he warily eyed the place, searching for Alexander and Reynard.
A moment later, his eyes lit up. His enemies weren't there, but he saw his brother floating by the library, his grandpa resting behind the counter, and his mother sorting ingredients with a focused expression.
"Big brother! Mama! Grandpa! How?" He yelled, rushing to Alina, tears of elation smearing his uniform. He had missed her so much in the last five and a half years and, finally, finally, he could reunite with her.
Unfortunately, as he leapt to hug her, his arms phased through her body. Confused, he heard his heart drum against his tightening chest as suspicion reawakened in his mind. Was it part of their plan to force him to drop his guard?
"Hateful bastards! Using my mother as a tool!"
Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, he spat before the light reflected from the colored flasks resting above his grandpa caught his attention. His eyes narrowed, and brows knitted in a pensive frown as he looked at Theodore's old, smiling face.
Despite his joy at seeing him again, it didn't make sense for him to be here. After all, Gaston had mercilessly killed him...
'Even Eleanor never stepped foot into his shop. It can't be an illusion, right?'
His mind raced to find answers for a second, but before he could, a ringing noise resounded, shattering the silence. His yearning gaze lingered on his family for a moment before a glinting light caught his eye.
Before his constricting pupils, a magnificent window appeared. Decorated with carved marble columns on the sides and a wide colosseum in the background, it exuded a sense of mysterious grandeur.
As an ocean of confusion washed over him, he noticed a startling loading bar appear in the middle. He raised his hands, palms turned upwards in utter confusion before rows of texts manifested before his eyes.
[Welcome summoned! This is your personal system interface. An exclusive informational tool at your disposal. Here, you can check the different paths you can tread to reach your full potential and become the strongest in the shortest time possible.]
He scratched his head. Even if he understood each word separately, the full text's meaning eluded him. However, he wasn't given time to think as the text changed the next second.
[Congratulations on surviving thirteen years away from Earth!]
[Memory recovery protocol available.]
[Do you wish to remember your life on Earth? Yes/No]
Like sharp needles, a sensation of dread pierced his heart after he read the offer. His hair bristled, and a jolt ran through his body, making his legs tremble. Despite not knowing why he reacted like that, something appeared crystal clear: his choice would have terrible consequences.
His mouth opened and closed several times, feeling a boulder weigh on his tensed shoulders. He wished his big brother was here to guide him, but like Theodore and his mother, he was only an empty replica. But he had to choose. He felt it.
Like a machine, his mind raced for the next minutes as icy sweat dripped from his forehead. In the end, he didn't know. He wanted to say yes to quench the withered land of curiosity yearning for an answer. Yet, something screamed at him to say no.
His hoarse voice broke the silence, his hair bristling with dread. Truthfully, this feeling only intensified his desire to say yes. After all, what was forbidden was also alluring, especially to a curious young boy like him.
Doubtful, his hand rose before the window, his finger hovering a few centimeters above the box he wanted to choose. He closed his eyes, his mind flashing with simulations of his brother's potential choice. Then, his lips stretched into a smirk as he smashed the button.
[You refused to remember your life.]
Yes, he refused. In the vast majority of his simulations, Adam would have trusted his instincts, shrugged and refused, saying something like, "I didn't need them for the past thirteen years. Of course, I'll refuse if I feel they are dangerous!"
Even if he questioned his choice, he wouldn't become someone else at least. After all, what if he had been a villain or, worse, his brother's enemy? No! Curiosity could search to annoy someone else because he wouldn't risk his relationship for it!
Reaching this conclusion, he sighed, his tense muscles relaxing as he gazed at the shifting text.
[Loading interface...]
Talent: Sun-Grade: Xīngchéng Dāntián Wújī (Forming the Dan Tian Limitlessly)
Free attribute points: 0
Martial Art: Qing Ming Sutra of serenity.
Note: Humph! Since you decided to renounce your past, I'll close an eye and let you return. But never forget that my gaze is on you.
A deep frown knitted his brows as he saw his stats for the first time. Despite his incomprehension, he puffed his chest in pride.
'At least they are well balanced,' he thought before a shudder ran through him. 'Who is gazing at me?'
Somehow, he didn't like the idea of having a powerful entity capable of scanning his body so thoroughly observing him.
As he pondered, a sudden additional window appeared before his eyes, its text sending wild tremors running through his body and shattering his thoughts like glass.
[Personalised talent awakening protocol available. Proceed Yes/No]
In the blink of an eye, his finger blurred and smashed yes before his mind even processed the message's implications. It was common knowledge that each individual could only awaken one. So, could he have two because of the system? This idea caused his heart to race, making him forget his suspicions for a moment.
[Personalised talent awakened: The man who held humanity's sky.]
[Description: A prankster met a taciturn hero once. Despite their early dislike for each other, they became good brothers. After a few years, gone to carry a mission, the hero charged his brother to protect humanity in his absence.
For a year, the prankster fought the invaders with unbound ferocity, preserving part of humanity against all odds, and earning the respect of both Earth and its inhabitants before dying.]
[Effects: Gaia hates you as much as she respects you. You inherited a fraction of her computing ability for your heroic deeds but are placed under her constant scrutiny.]
Slack-jawed after reading the description, his mind momentarily froze. Then, he felt a torrent of thoughts rushing through him, and accelerating with each passing second, enhancing his cognitive abilities to an extraordinary level.
"W-What happened?" He muttered, reeling in shock at his new talent's effect. Not only did he now possess two, but they were both incredible.
Without wasting a second, his eyes darted to his interface to confirm he wasn't dreaming.
Talent: Sun-Grade: Xīngchéng Dāntián Wújī (Forming the Dan Tian Limitlessly)/SSS grade: The man who held humanity's sky.
"Hahaha. Will big brother be mad after I boast about it?"
His innocent chuckles reverberated through the shop as he danced in joy, uncaring about the prankster or the hero's story. After all, he had refused to remember.
AN: An additional explanation for Julius' case. Luna offers him to recover his memories herself. They are not sealed within him.