MIGHT AS WELL BE OP Chapter 3: Awakening-1

Morning arrived as the birds outside Anthony's window began their chirping. Waking from a profound slumber, he cast a brief, annoyed glance at the feathered creatures before yawning and leaping out of bed.

He stood before the mirror, contemplating a face so flawlessly handsome that it seemed the Dragon King might kidnap him for study simply due to his peerless looks.

His white hair was perfectly styled, and his deep blue eyes possessed a radiance that seemed to merge the ocean, the sky, and rare gemstones. Anyone who met his gaze would surely find themselves snared by his innate charm.

For a moment, he lingered there in self-admiration, reflecting on his progress. In just one week, he would turn ten years old, and today marked the arrival of his father and grandparents.

He then headed to the bathroom to wash. Over the previous five years, he had focused entirely on physical conditioning. Since he was forbidden from training with weapons, he performed daily exercises and engaged in hand-to-hand combat drills with the guards and maids. One should not be deceived by the title of "maid," as every staff member was an elite in their own right.

Throughout these five years, he learned that the power ranks of this world ranged from F- to SSS+, with each tier split into three sub-ranks like F-, F, and F+. The progression followed the order of F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, and SSS. Although ranks existed beyond these, his mother insisted he would only learn of them after his awakening when the timing was right. He eventually stopped asking and let the matter rest.

The household guards were essentially living nukes, with some at the SSS+ rank and others even higher. Even the maids held a rank of at least A+, which left Anthony bewildered; in the novels he once read, SSS rank was usually the absolute peak, yet he didn't dwell on it too much.

As individuals rise in rank, their longevity increases, though it becomes significantly harder to conceive children. His mother appeared to be in her early twenties, yet she was over a century old and relaxed at a rank she kept secret, though it was clearly above SSS rank.

Occupied by these thoughts, he exited the shower and dried himself with a towel. He glanced down at his "big brother," encouraging it to grow so he could eventually sire a powerful lineage, before looking back at the mirror to admire his reflection once more.

His six-pack was perfectly defined, complemented by well-developed biceps and quads. This physique was a far cry from his first life, which was defined by suffering and night shifts. It made him anticipate his awakening even more. He began to dress, but was interrupted by his mother’s voice—a voice so enchanting it frequently made him wonder if she was actually a fairy.

"Anthonyyyy, come down, your father is here!" she called out. He rushed out of the room immediately, taking his place at the front door of the massive castle as the motorcade entered the estate.

The cars pulled into a line, and guards instantly stepped out, each radiating a massive aura. They moved to open the doors of two vehicles, and two men along with one woman stepped out.

Observing these newcomers and the weight of their auras, Anthony felt the door guards were suddenly quite weak in comparison. He studied the two men; both appeared to be in their twenties despite their true age, sporting white hair like his own but with different eye colors. Anthony had inherited his blue eyes from his mother. Finally, he looked at the woman who was his grandmother. She possessed flaming red hair, yet despite her fiery appearance, she had awakened as a healer. She, too, looked no older than twenty.

The class his grandmother had awakened was "The Everlasting One," a role that provided numerous perks and turned her into a god on the battlefield. Known as the "Saintess of the World," her name was Irene Crimson. Rumors suggested she could even resurrect the fallen, but it was a certainty that as long as a person was still breathing, she could mend them.

His attention shifted to his grandfather, known as the "Lightning God" in combat. Having awakened the "Lightning Mage" class, he could incinerate foes with a mere glance. His name was Null Collins. It was said a permanent lightning force field surrounded him, automatically striking any unauthorized person or object that drew too close. This reminded Anthony of a specific character from an anime he once knew.

Lastly, he looked at his father, Null Michael. He had awakened as a swordsman, and his blade was feared across the lands because it was rumored he could sever space and time itself. On the battlefield, he was hailed as "The Sword Saint."

Anthony had pieced this information together through gossip with the guards and maids. He was at a loss for words regarding his overpowered family, where every member was a walking calamity.

Even the guards who accompanied them from the cars emitted an oppressive aura. Anthony wondered if his family was this powerful, what about the other five? It implied there were five other families nearly on par with these monsters.

With a sigh, he resumed his persona as a cute ten-year-old and offered his greetings to everyone.

His mother embraced his father as they shared their moment, while Anthony went to act adorable with his grandparents to ensure they would spoil him.

During dinner, they conversed and asked how he had fared in their absence. Anthony provided standard replies until Michael asked a question.

"So, what class do you wish to awaken, my dear son?"

The table fell silent as everyone looked at him expectantly. In a family of monsters, he knew he couldn't settle for less. In fact, he intended to achieve even more.

He gave a cute smile and replied, "I want to awaken and be a magician like mother, or a swordsman like father. Actually, I want to awaken both. I want to be a magic swordsman so we can fight on the battlefield together."

The adults all laughed at their little baby's ambition. Then, his grandfather inquired,

"Then how is your sword training coming along?" Anthony choked and began to cough before answering.

"Ermm... I haven't actually trained with the sword. Mother told me that if I trained, I would awaken as a mechanic, so I only did body tempering."

The entire room erupted into laughter as if they had inhaled laughing gas. Anthony sat there silently, watching these world-renowned monsters mock him.

After a few more playful jabs, everyone retired to their quarters. Six days passed in the blink of an eye as they spent quality time together.

Anthony went back to his room and shut his eyes to sleep, wanting to be rested for the awakening on his birthday the next day. However, his consciousness was suddenly pulled elsewhere. He was stunned to find his mind in a void of darkness, a place that reminded him of the time his soul wandered after his death.

He cursed internally, terrified that he had died the night before his awakening after all his hard work. Just as he was about to break down, a familiar voice echoed in his head.

"You are thinking useless things again, mortal." He turned to see the Being and was filled with joy. But before he could utter a word, the Being spoke again.

"I am not here to chat; you might just try to add another wish to your list. I am only here to activate your system and cheat. The system has been with you all along, but I kept it dormant so you would experience some hardship without your cheat. Watching you suffer and panic because you couldn't draw Mana was quite the show. Well, this is goodbye, mortal. We won't meet again unless you reach my level, or perhaps one level below me. Or, well, unless I feel like seeing you on a whim."

With those words, the Being disappeared as if he had never existed.