The grand lecture hall buzzed with excitement, a restless energy filling the air as 500 students sat shoulder to shoulder, anticipation evident on their faces. Today was the Awakening Ceremony, the defining moment that would determine their futures. Some sat with nervous expressions, others with confidence bordering on arrogance.
At the front of the hall, a tall, broad-shouldered man with graying hair and sharp amber eyes surveyed the crowd. His presence alone was enough to command silence. With a casual flick of his wrist, the holographic screens behind him flickered to life, casting a glow across the gathered students. The murmuring died down as the man cleared his throat.
“I know you are all excited. So am I,” he began, his deep voice carrying across the vast room. “Because today, the 500 of you will undergo the Awakening process. But let me be clear—” he paused, letting the tension build, “—not all of you will succeed.”
A hush fell over the hall. The weight of his words sank in, causing some students to exchange anxious glances.
Mr. Iska, the head instructor, let the moment linger before continuing. “Who can remind us why we conduct this process at the age of sixteen?” He glanced around the hall, waiting for a response.
A girl with silver hair, sitting near the front, raised her hand with practiced elegance. Melissa. The moment she was acknowledged, she stood gracefully, her tone confident and clear.
“The physiology of living beings is designed to absorb mana and essence from birth, but the amount each person can retain varies,” she recited without hesitation. “As the body matures, it absorbs just enough to strengthen muscles and bones. However, by the age of sixteen, the body reaches its saturation point and begins rejecting the excess. If left unchecked, the essence will dissipate, making future cultivation impossible.”
She paused momentarily, ensuring the hall was still attentive before continuing. “Through the Awakening process, individuals form a mana core, which allows them to retain and refine the residual essence in their bodies, thus marking the beginning of their cultivation journey.”
A murmur of admiration spread across the hall. Melissa had spoken flawlessly, with the ease of someone who had memorized every scholarly text on the subject. Mr. Iska nodded approvingly.
“Well said.”
While many students remained focused, two young men sitting near the middle of the hall were engaged in a quiet exchange.
“Bro, how do you even get all that gibberish in your head?” Roy muttered, flipping a pen between his fingers as he leaned toward his best friend, Denwen.
Denwen rolled his eyes, keeping his voice low. “You know, it’s important to be well-rounded. Who knows? Maybe this ‘gibberish’ will save your life someday.”
Roy scoffed. “Come on. You know that unless you plan on ending up in Mechavaris, we never really use theory in the real world. I just can’t wait to awaken so I can finally wield my sword properly.”
Denwen smirked, resting his chin on his palm. “Nothing wrong with Mechavaris. I might even take a trip there one day.”
Before Roy could respond, Mr. Iska clapped his hands, regaining the students’ attention. His sharp gaze landed on Denwen.
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“Denwen, can you elaborate on the importance of talent rankings?”
Laughter rippled through the class as Denwen sat up, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. A voice from the back rang out.
“Yeah, bozo, tell us,” Angus sneered, leaning back in his chair with an arrogant smirk.
Roy shot him a glare before whispering to Denwen, “Show them why you’re top of the class in theory.”
Denwen took a steadying breath before standing, his voice clear and measured. “Talents are ranked from A to E, serving as a fundamental indicator of a person’s potential. The most crucial factor of talent ranking is core efficiency—how much mana or essence a person can store and recover.”
The hall quieted, every student now focused.
“A person with an E-grade talent can only retain 20% of their mana core’s capacity at any given time, and their recovery rate is incredibly slow. Even with abundant resources, their core will never exceed 20% efficiency, and forcing it beyond its limits could result in a breakdown—sometimes fatal.”
Some students swallowed nervously.
Denwen continued. “A D-grade talent allows for 40%, C-grade 60%, B-grade 80%, and A-grade, the rarest of all, a full 100% efficiency. But the difference doesn’t end there.”
He gestured toward the holographic screen as it displayed a new diagram. “Recovery speed also varies. A-grade talents, found in only one out of a thousand people, can fully replenish their essence in just 30 minutes. This gives them an overwhelming advantage in cultivation, battle, and artifact usage.”
Silence stretched across the hall before—
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Roy’s exaggerated applause echoed through the room. “That’s my bro right there! Let me hear you laugh now.”
Melissa huffed, crossing her arms, while Angus scowled, rolling his eyes.
A chuckle sounded from the side. A tall girl with sharp violet eyes and long black hair tied in a loose ponytail leaned back in her seat. Kara. She smirked, her voice dripping with amusement. “Not bad, bookworm. Maybe you do have a place outside a library.”
Denwen rolled his eyes but couldn’t suppress a small grin. Kara was always like this—sharp-tongued, confident, and competitive. Unlike Melissa, whose intelligence was cold and distant, Kara had a mischievous, fiery energy that made her presence impossible to ignore.
Mr. Iska nodded in approval. “Well done, Denwen. You didn’t disappoint.”
Denwen took his seat, exhaling in relief.
“Now, as he explained, your Awakening results today will shape your future,” Mr. Iska continued. “A higher talent ranking means faster progression, stronger cultivation, and greater opportunities.”
A hand shot up from the back. Angus smirked as he raised a small vial containing a glowing pill. “Sir, can’t we influence our talent? My parents got me a Talent Enhancer Pill.”
Murmurs spread across the room.
Mr. Iska’s gaze sharpened. “Ah, I see. You mean your parents could afford the enhancer pill.” His tone dripped with sarcasm. “Let me clarify something for all of you—while some pills claim to improve talent, their effects are minimal. The Awakening process purges impurities from the body, and most artificial enhancements are treated as just that—impurities.”
A few students chuckled as Angus’s smirk faltered.
With a gesture, drones entered the hall, each carrying sleek black briefcases.
“Inside these cases, you will find what you need for the Awakening,” Mr. Iska concluded. “File out to the ceremony hall. Your future awaits.”
The students rose, their excitement now tempered by the weight of reality.