This was one of those moments Shawn hated his blindness.
He had just read the title, and if he still had his eyesight, he might have gotten a glimpse of the pages ahead. Perhaps there would have been a subtitle, a highlighted sentence, or something that hinted at what was coming next. Instead, he had to patiently trace every single word with his fingers before moving on to the next line.
Still...
The title alone had rekindled a small flame of hope within him.
Does an unawakened person have any hope of awakening?
During his time as Three, after he had failed his awakening, Vexer had once told him that the Guardians possessed the ability to make someone awaken. At the time, Shawn hadn't thought much about those words. However, after reading the history of awakening and learning that the First Guardian had completely changed the fate of humanity, perhaps what Vexer had said wasn't a lie after all.
Suppressing the thoughts in his mind, he continued reading.
For the unawakened, the chance of a second awakening is abysmal. Almost nonexistent. Nevertheless, there is still hope.
The first and most reliable method is to seek the help of a Guardian. Through their connection with the universe and their godly abilities, helping an unawakened person step onto the path of power is no more difficult than waving a hand. Throughout history, several people have received such blessings.
So if fate ever allows you to stand before a Guardian... perhaps they may grant you an awakening.
Shawn couldn't help but shake his head.
Meeting a Guardian?
That sounded even more impossible than awakening itself.
Vexer had been the strongest person Shawn had ever known, yet even he couldn't ask them to help him. Perhaps he could have done it but simply chose not to. Either way, Shawn no longer wanted to dwell on that matter.
As for the Guardians, how could someone like him ever meet them?
He was merely a prisoner trapped inside Morgan's manor.
Showing such hope to someone in his situation was no different from shining light before a blind man.
With little expectation left, he continued reading.
The second method is far more difficult and rarely seen throughout history.
Certain Heavenly Treasures possess the ability to place someone upon the path of awakening. Those fortunate enough to obtain such treasures not only awaken successfully but often possess talents far surpassing those of their peers.
However... only those favored by fate ever have the opportunity to encounter such treasures.
A bitter smile appeared on Shawn's face.
Again...
It all came down to fate.
The word itself made his thoughts drift toward someone he had almost forgotten.
The mysterious woman from his previous life.
She had introduced herself as someone who governed fate. Shawn couldn't even remember whether she had called herself a Sovereign or an Eternal. Before he had the chance to ask more questions, she had simply smiled, torn open space, and thrown him into it.
Their conversation had been absurdly short.
She never explained why she had chosen him.
She only said...
she was interested.
At the time, those words had meant nothing.
Now, after everything he had experienced, Shawn found himself wondering whether there had been more behind them.
If she truly controlled fate, could his current life have something to do with her?
The thought lingered for a moment before he dismissed it.
There was simply no proof.
Thinking about people whose strength surpassed his imagination wouldn't help him escape Morgan.
His thoughts soon shifted elsewhere.
Morgan had repeatedly claimed that Shawn possessed something that belonged to him.
Could he have been referring to Eva?
It was the most reasonable explanation Shawn could think of.
Eva hadn't existed before the destruction of the Starborn Clan. She had only appeared afterward, as though she had suddenly been born within his mind.
Perhaps he had unknowingly taken something during that battle.
Perhaps...
Eva herself.
But as soon as that thought surfaced, Shawn rejected it.
If Eva truly were some legendary Heavenly Treasure capable of awakening people, then why was he still unawakened?
Instead of gaining unimaginable talent, he had become blind and weaker than ever.
No matter how he looked at it, she resembled anything but a heavenly treasure.
If anything...
a demonic treasure sounded more convincing.
Fortunately, he kept those thoughts buried deep inside his heart.
He didn't want Eva overhearing them.
Clearing his mind once more, Shawn continued reading.
The third method is to locate one of the original Awakening Pools created by the First Guardian.
Unlike the Awakening Pools found throughout the world today, the originals possess unimaginable power. They cleanse the body, reconstruct one's foundation, and create a vessel capable of accommodating immense strength.
Anyone fortunate enough to discover one of those ancient pools may obtain another chance at awakening.
Shawn sighed softly.
Another opportunity that relied entirely on luck.
If those original pools still existed after countless ages, they were probably hidden in places no ordinary person could ever reach.
Someone like him...
who seemed to attract misfortune wherever he went...
could only admire such possibilities from afar.
"Maybe I really have no way."
He quietly muttered before moving his fingers onto the next section.
The fourth method is through one's bloodline.
Long before the Awakening Pools came into existence, the ancient races relied solely upon their bloodlines to step onto the path of power.
Unfortunately, the methods used to awaken dormant bloodlines disappeared countless eras ago. Unless one discovers an ancient inheritance preserving that knowledge, awakening through one's bloodline is almost impossible.
This time, Shawn's heart skipped a beat.
The Starborn bloodline.
He possessed it.
For a brief moment, hope quietly returned.
If anyone had a powerful bloodline, surely the Starborns stood among the very best in the current era.
Unfortunately, that hope didn't last long.
The methods had already vanished.
The Starborn Clan had been exterminated.
Even if such knowledge had once existed, it had most likely disappeared alongside them.
Shawn slowly lowered the page.
Every method he had read began by offering hope...
only to end by placing that hope somewhere beyond his reach.
He clenched his fist tightly.
"Aah..."
"Is the heavens really against me?"
"Will I ever awaken in this lifetime?"
His fingers remained on the page for a long moment before he took a deep breath and prepared to continue reading.