Chapter 32

“Eh? You’re already a stage 2 rank 1?” Bishop Evan asked, quite surprised by his discovery.

When the other three people heard the Bishop, they also got startled as they looked at Deon in disbelief.

“Yeah… I… Uh… I just broke through earlier this morning… Um… Yeah,” Deon stammeringly said. At this point, Deon has no choice but to say the truth while acting as innocent as he can

“What?” Instructor Edder and the rest of the people in the room dumbfoundingly asked. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing. Although they knew Deon had 80% control over his life flame and was close to achieving 100%, it was still unbelievable to see Deon breaking through stage 2 in just one month, especially since it usually takes a lot of time for newly awakened to properly progress as they are new to everything and needed to adapt to the changes first.

That’s why instructor Edder only made the new high knight practice their mana control during the first month to also give the new high knights time to adapt to their new power while learning as much as they could about the basic of magic.

But Deon didn’t just adapt but actually opened his second life gate like it was nothing, making the four people in disbelief.

“How? What? How is that possible?” Fortress Master Frey asked in shock. As the fortress master of the Adamantium fortress, he knew about Deon but only thought of it as Deon being lucky in the awakening ceremony; that’s why when he heard deon’s result, he was more shocked than others.

“Are you sure?” Administrator Myle asked as he frowned in deep thought

“Of course, I’m sure. Do you doubt my divine spell?” Bishop Evan annoyedly said, making Administrator Myle panic

“That… That’s not what I meant. I just meant it's quite a startling result. My apologies, Bishop Evan,” Administrator Myle said while panicking. Although they rode together, Bishop Myle still has a higher background than him.

“Looks like my teacher’s theory is correct,” Administrator Gerald said as he addressed the people in the room.

“I guess so. That’s the only explanation,” Administrator Myle said, trying to change his misstep by changing the topic.

“But is that really possible?” Instructor Edder asked the visitors

“I don’t see why not. That’s the only logical explanation as to why Deon improved so fast. What do you think, Bishop?” Administrator Gerald said

“Hmm… I have never encountered something like this before, but it might be possible… I am not 100% sure. I have to talk to my seniors before I can make a proper conclusion,” Bishop Evan said

“What about the archive of the awakening temple? Did something like this happen before?” Fortress Master Krey curiously said as his interest was piqued.

“As far as I know, there hasn’t been a situation like this before,” Administrator Gerald said

“Then, how come you are confident about your theory?” Fortress Master Krey asked

“It Is my teacher’s theory, but I fully support my teacher’s theory as he had been the longest head of the awakening temple in its history. I don’t think anyone is more qualified and more experience when it comes to the matter of the awakening ceremony,” Administrator Gerald said, quite defensive with his words.

“That’s assuming what is happening to Deon is really connected to the awakening ceremony, it might be something else entirely, and I am not dismissing your teacher’s theory. I am just saying that there might be another explanation,” the Fortress master said. “Is there a divine spell that can allow us to see someone’s talent?”

“No. There isn’t; the talent system itself is something that we created. It does not have a physical aspect,” Bishop Evan said

“Uhm… Can I ask what is happening?” Deon finally spoke after listening for a while. At first, he thought he would listen to get a clue as to what was happening, but as the conversation went on, he found the conversation more confusing than ever.

“Ah. My apologies, Sir Deon. Let men explain,” Administrator Gerald said, with his words becoming polite. “The head of the awakening temple suspected that the reason you were able to awaken so fast during the awakening ceremony was that you were already on the cusp of awakening and that the awakening ceremony was only the trigger of your awakening.

And if that is true, then your talent might be a Top-class talent. That is why we need to see your current progress to see. If you are a high-class talent, then that means it might be something else that allowed you to awaken so fast, and if you are top-class talent, then the theory of the head of the awakening temple might be correct.

And Since you were able to open your second life gate, it is almost clear that you have a top-class talent by the timeline since it would take at least two months to reach 100% or even open your life gate if you are high-class talent.”

“Oh..” Deon replied, but his thought was in shambles. ‘What do you mean I’m top-class talent? I only have high-class talent. That’s why it took me 10 hours of meditation every day… but… fuck… I can't say that since it would expose my dreamscape, but they are clearly misunderstanding… how do you even clear this.’ Deon could feel his back sweat, thinking about how this group of influential people might be misunderstanding the whole situation and the consequences that might follow because of it.

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“And as I said, that doesn’t make sense since he clearly participated in the awakening ceremony, and once someone participated in the awakening ceremony, they can only have high-class talent, and not a top-class talent,” Fortress Master Krey said.

“Yes, that is why I said that the awakening ceremony was only a trigger. From what Deon said before, he only pushed his first life gate once, and he was able to open it immediately, which means, the awakening ceremony barely helped him at all and that he might have awakened without the help of the awakening ceremony, which is why he didn’t get the side effect of having only high-class talent.” Administrator Gerald said, making Deon gulp in nervousness

“Although the awakening ceremony is a godsend ceremony, every participant will receive damage toward their Life Flame Affinity, that is why every participant can only have high-class talent or less and can never achieve top-class talent, but since deon is a top-class talent, that means he awakened fast enough that he didn’t receive damage toward his affinity. That is the only logical explanation unless you have another explanation as to why Deon has a top-class talent even though he participated in the awakening ceremony,” Administrator Gerald further explained, allowing Deon to understand more about the awakening ceremony.

‘We receive damage toward our affinity with our Life flame? How come no one told me that?... but that also makes sense since the more awakening ceremony you participate in, the lower your talent becomes.’ Deon thought, ‘But what do I do now? What if they discovered I only have high-class talent? Do I need to tell them my dreamscape… No… I am not going to share my dreamscape. They can have all the theories they want. I won't tell them. Heck. I didn’t even tell Father James about my dreamscape, much less these people, no offense, Bishop Evan or Instructor Edder.’

“Hmm. That makes sense, but How come Deon didn’t receive any damage even though he clearly participated throughout the awakening ceremony? Does a participant only receive damage when they are opening their gate?” Fortress Master Krey said

“That… I do not know, as only priests from the churches know the full detail about the awakening ceremony. So, Bishop Evan, If you don’t mind, is that true?” Administrator Gerald asked, as all the attention went to the bishop

“Hm… I am not sure as well, but I will ask some of my seniors to find out, and if that information is not classified, then I will share it with all of you,” Bishop Evan replied

“Thank you, Bishop,” Administrator Gerald said

“I appreciate it, Bishop Evan,” Fortress Master Krey said

‘I don’t know how the head of the awakening temple formed that theory… but I think I should be grateful as it might’ve saved me, or maybe it just pushed me into a rabbit hole… at least it’s a good theory. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve believed it as well… well, at least I didn’t have to lie. The head of the awakening temple did it for me,’ Deon amusedly thought.

‘But does this mean that I have to pretend I have a top-class talent and need to do 10 hours meditation every day?... Ugh… Also, Thank God that Bishop didn’t have a divine spell that checks a person's affinity.’

“Well… Whatever the result, I can't believe our order will have Top-class Talent in our new generation. HAHA. This is worth celebrating. You three gentlemen must join us tonight for a celebratory dinner,” Fortress Master said, full of happiness.

“Is that a good idea? Won’t promoting a top-class talent would only result in trouble, especially if some malicious group found it out?” Administrator Myle asked

“Promote?... What do you mean? As far as the public is concerned, this celebratory dinner is for Bishop and for the two administrators of two reputable organizations, welcoming them to the Adamantium fortress. It’s the least I can do as the fortress master,” Fortress Master Krey said

“Haha… It would be an honor to attend your celebratory dinner,” Administrator Myle said

“Before I forget. Here, Deon,” Administrator Gerald said as he gave Deon a black ring that his parents had left him. “The head of the awakening temple apologies for keeping your artifact for so long”

“Oh… It's alright… Thank you,” Deon said as he received the black ring with complicated emotion. For all honesty, he had forgotten the black ring, and if the head of the awakening ceremony lost it, then Deon wouldn’t have much care.

…

A few minutes later

Adamantium Fortress: Deon’s Room

After Deon got dismissed, he returned to his room with the ring in hand, fiddling with it, contemplating whether to imbue his mana and see his ‘parents’ again.

During the past month, Deon and the rest of the high knights only learned how to control their mana, and Deon has long learned how to move his mana outside his body. Although he didn’t know how to imbue his mana to object, he still wanted to try it, especially since he already saw the head of the awakening temple do it before.

‘Right, I’m only practicing how to imbue my mana. It's not because I want to see my ‘parents.’ It's only practice,’ Deon thought. Although the excuse makes sense in his mind, he still feels childish thinking about it. ‘Whatever. Let's just do it.’

Deon closed his eyes and started manipulating his mana, trying to move it outside his fingertips and to the black ring in his hands.

As his mana made contact with the black ring, Deon opened his eyes and imagined his mana entering the black ring, to which his mana immediately did as the black ring began to shine, making Deon both delighted and dissatisfied that it was too easy.

*Sigh* Deon couldn’t help but sigh as his emotion became complicated. Every time his parents are brought up, Deon always finds himself full of emotions, no matter how old he becomes, and Deon doesn’t like it.

“Why should I look at them? They are just strangers,” Deon frowningly said as he tossed the black ring to his desk, but to deon’s surprise, the black ring didn’t leave his hand and was stuck there as it continued to shine, making Deon startled.

“Eh?... What’s happening?” Deon said, dumbfounded by the stuck black ring in his hand, “Did the Head of the awakening temple switch my ring?... They wouldn’t do that, right?”

Deon kept waving his hand, trying to shake the black ring off his hand, but it remained stuck in his fingers as though it didn’t want to let go of Deon. “Why is it reacting differently when I infused my mana onto it? Did I do it wrong? Did I make it stuck in my fingers?... What is wrong with this ring?”

The black ring in deon’s hand kept shining until the light changed from a gold to a Gray colored hue. The moment the grey color light appeared, Deon started to feel dizzy.

“Wha… what is happ—” before deon could finish his word, he felt the world turn as he passed out to his bed.

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Thought For thoughts

* + Black Ring acquired

* Top-class misunderstanding