In everything that is happening, a single boy, without Emblem or not, is in the middle of this globe. Though still struggling with pain, numbness and a sore body, he is still unconscious. That by itself is nothing strange in the Awakening at all. On the other hand, this occurrence of what is Hough experiencing is anything but strange.

He sees the strange vortex of Vectors rise in force that trembles the air and cracks the asphalt that makes this room's ground. Sometimes he remembers the manifestations of some Emblems, but this is the first when it comes to the Awakening. Throughout the many years of experiments, he even sees the Emblem manifests in strange physical forms. Although, those moments could be counted on 2 hands. This could be an additional finger to his counting, but that isn't that important to him.

What is, is right before his eyes. Hough could only watch, much to his disappointment, but he understands that this is beyond his human capacity. He wishes to do more, but as with the world, not giving him his own emblem, this is a similar case to it. He is an observer. Talker of the Emblem. Their researcher and a small servant.

The vortex of the Vectors keeps on going, but no amount of sucking could decrease the visibility of the cage that is around this perimeter. Hidden under the half globe of crimson.

Experiencing nothing, Hough suddenly shivered through the years of experiencing dangers. A moment of half-dead, envelopes his mind, where he almost sees the whole life pass before his eyes. A strike of a quick, and crimson motion is all it takes to let his vision flicker before he fell to the grounds. The vortex disappears somewhere, but that isn't processed by him, who hit his head in the process. Causing his mind to become mushy and he is no longer able to see what's going on.

Alas, the sight of the vortex is still somewhere else... he couldn't see it, as his eyes drop from a sudden headache and weakness overlaps his mind.

Outside of this room. In a different room than the one that keeps the Walkers. This is one of the many, that is on another side of this room that had normal windows. It's for the acts and research facility of the Institution of the Emblem, which is in charge of Tom Hough. Scientists and people in the room look at the additional screening and many strange things beyond the window.

A man in a white coat is looking with much shock and question, as he keeps touching the microphone that talked to Hough a few moments ago.

No answer came at that time, so no one could guess what was happening beyond the veil of crimson. Not him, nor anyone in the room. The Vectors keep everything untouchable and unobservable from the outside perspective.

“W-what should we do, vice-director Adams?” A woman, wearing the same coat, drops the silence with a question, as she put her hand on his shoulder.

“He is not responding, Samuel,” she says again to his ear.

“I know. I know... This hasn't happened in years. S-should we inform someone? I don't think we have the available personnel at the moment to go there. I didn't expect this, and this is an Emblem of what we are talking about?” Samuel agitatedly said, which causes the woman to frown.

“Are you seriously asking me that? You are the vice-director, so decide the best course of action. Professor Hough is still inside, so you better do what is best.” she argues.

As if realizing his fault, Samuel fleets the scene and runs behind the many machines and screens. He disappears beyond the door, which leads in the direction of the halls, which are interconnected with each other.

As the worries are happening, the sight in the middle of the crimson cage is the same as before. Though not everything, as William's hand, is once more the home of the swirling Emblem. A big difference from before is the swirl of the Vectors, which ceased the smooth gem-like surface to no longer be present. It drastically changed in appearance, as the Emblem has the Vectors inside. The energy is of quite an intensity and causes small cuts on the forearm. Similarly to before, the vortex that is now within William's hand, but smaller, keeps sucking the veil of crimson. The matter around it wasn't meant to be there, so with much clearer and stronger force, the Vectors start to be sucked into the Emblem.

It takes only one minute, as the veils of the cage crumble down, and cause the vision of the Accelerator to be visible to everyone. The flow of the Vectors doesn't stop, as it continues to flow into the Emblem, but it's no longer so thick.

In another minute, the vortex ceases any of the remaining Vectors into the Emblem. A distinct shape of three-shaped coins is still distinguishable, but much darker than before. A smaller, denser, and more ferocious looking, as the swirling motions of the bigger Vectors, travels around the Emblem. It tries to destroy the chair or leather, or it may be the natural and passive things it does. Who knows? There is no luster on it any longer. Only swirling lines of Vectors, in a small Emblem that is a few square inches big.

It is around this time that Hough opens his eyes after being in limbo for a couple of minutes.

He looks around in confusion, before realizing where he is, and what do should do.

“What in the actual fuckery is happening!?” He shouts out loud as if he wasn't unconscious a moment ago. Getting to his feet, a certain person is already approaching the Accelerator before his eyes.

“Are you alright, sir?” Samuel asks in worry. To his left are a couple of Walkers from the military that are better here, so nothing wrong would happen again.

“Why the fuck you are here? Everything was going well, so leave me alone. I am performing the damn Awakening of the new blood. You aren't meant to be here. This is my place.” Hough shouts, which Samuel knows quite a bit. He isn't really frustrated or is, but Samuel is always unsure since it's hard to guess.

“For 7 minutes?” he asks in worry.

“ 7 meaningless minutes, alright? So what do I have to repeat myself? I can be here for 4 days straight if I want and no one would bother me about it. Now, get the frick out and those Emb... Walkers away, will you, or I will scold you much more than you would ever wish for!” Hough continued rambling, unnoticing the wound on his head or blood on his coat. This doesn't even go further since he also notices his hands, which seem burned, or something else.

“You are injured,” Samuel tells as he sees the bloody marks of peeled skin on his fingers and parts of his palms.

“Then get me bandages and restart the whole process. Why the fuck you pulled the knob back?” Hough tells in an unreasonable tone, before getting any clear picture of what is happening.

After all, there is nothing around him any longer. The mysterious Vectors from before are gone. So is the distinct feeling of something otherworldly that he is all so unfamiliar with.

“I haven't pulled anything off, sir,” Samuel explains since he got her only a few moments ago. As he tried to get inside after getting some help from the willing Walkers, the veil of crimsons was already gone.

Shaking Samuel away, Hough looks at the source of these marvels. William is being checked by the military Walkers, who are looking at him, as well as his arm. There, a small vortex of Vectors is shimmering light and Vectors alike.

“Get. The. Fuck. Out.” He runs to them without caring for his wounds and utters these words as if he wants to kill them.

“Rule number 4th. If the Director is injured, we have an alternative to force things ourselves. Accidents can happen, sir Hough.” The rough-looking Walker in the military uniform addresses.

“Right... Of course... Bullscarp! I have full authority of this place now, so take your leave before I will get over this host.” Hough still insists, while not being one bit more menacing than the person before him.

“It seems the Emblem is stabilized, so we will take our leave. Proceed with the Examination as fast as you can.” The Walker orders and takes his colleague away. There is no point in arguing with this madman, and he seems relatively fine, all things considered.

All who is left there is Hough, who is glancing at Samuel, who also rather left than being scolded. He takes the first aid kit and treats his wounds before leaving too.

“Bloody sky... My head hurts only by dealing with those people. That's why I like those little things called Emblems. Heheheheh.” Hough pats his head and face and giggles in helplessness. Undergoing a quick change to a professional appearance, he starts the check on William.

“His sensory senses are fine. Injuries included scarred right arm around the Emblem, while the whole... Wait. What I am doing? I am not a doctor...” Hough slaps his face and pulls the switch up. Shutting down the Accelerator then goes to his screen. He doesn't even question the process, which wasn't that... precise. The emblem shouldn't be stabilizing, without the Accelerator still running. Though it did, so it baffles him quite a bit.

Walking to the screenings, he slaps the keyboard, and the information of longer than usual Awakening is revealed on the screen.

“So inconsistent... the percent of the affinity with the Emblem is all over the place. What are even the final results? It tells... tells.”

75

“Huh... 75? 3 quarters... that? Don't freaking tell me the machine made the rounding up the inconsistent numbers?” Hough says in displeasure, but couldn't do anything against the results. The affinity already tells the results once, since the consistency of the results has been made, so they could make no second chance.

Walkers go through the Awakening only once, and that's it.

“Frick... I will look at these screenings after this mess... I swear. Let's publicize it, and get it over with. I bet the folk over there are already getting impatient with this bothersome Awakening. I swear...” Hough sights, and pushes the button to complete everything for the Awakening. In a bit, everyone beyond the mirror is looking at the results.

There, beyond the mirror, are the many Walkers and important people in the current world. Though, they aren't surprised by the results. So much commotion for this leads to a hearty amount of disappointment.

Kaufman is still smiling, though, as the results aren't as important after all. The results of 75 are still extraordinary, so whatever it is, is enough for him.

He looks to his right, and Mi-Yung is still flabbergasted with an obvious nerve-wracking sight in her eyes. Her appearance is not one bit fine. Her eyes shone in a luster of white gold, and her expression is pained and sweaty.

“How about releasing whatever you were trying to do away? You look tired.” Kaufman adds from his faked worry.

“S-shut up, old man...” she mutters in reply.

“Seen something good? I doubt a lot of people here are like you, who love their eyes so much.”

“Hmph! I... won't tell. Get lost with your tries.” Mi-Yung tells through closed teeth, and at last, stops the light of her eyes away.

Her breathing is a little haggard afterward, but it leaves many expressions to her beautiful appearance.

“I am curious.”

“And I am unbothered. Farewell, I won't let you have William.” Mi-Yung tells, and in a hurry, fleets his table.

“Tough girl... Whatever. 75 is already good enough for me to snatch him. Still... maybe not up till Rank 2 or 3... That makes it more... ready. Righ. Right.” Kaufman ponders while nodding to himself in silence. The screen within his left arm is the only basic tool to screen the results. It has no features for special numbers, and process of the calculating the affinity. It all goes through the hands of Tom Hough, but they can be accessed in a day, or a few hours, if he is forceful enough.

They wouldn't refuse him, considering his standing and prowess. As a former director of the Grand Library of the Federation, he has plenty of power, still in his possession. Though, it has more to do with him, being Rank 8.

“Should I contact my dear friend afterward? He wouldn't keep any secrets from me, so I guess I will. Heheh.” Kaufman mutters at last, while the remaining time for the Awakening will no longer be as interesting for him. Though, it already exceeded his expectations, since he sees someone above 90 affinities. So that was at least something interesting, other than William's Awakening.

Beyond the normal window, Hough is done with whatever the deal was, and is once more glancing at the revolving piece of Emblem in William's arm.

He is already calm at this point, but considering the cause, his brain is nothing but calm. He at least no longer screams at the people who walked here without his consent.

Seeing the calm and silent host, Hough retracts the leather strips around William's limbs. He doesn't even forget the bracelet which is part of the Accelerator.

“Hey! You awake?!” Hough shouts and makes a single fast slap to his face.

It awoke William quite fast as if a sudden dream comes to an end. Though it resembles a nightmare, then anything else.

“W-what... What?” he mumbles in confusion, numbness as if something important happened, but his mind is shrouded in cloud and fog.

“If you can walk, get lost. So much trouble what you caused will make certain people mad at me instead. Hmph. So much for their generosity to me, but I can't care less at this moment. Get lost. More host needs to come to this chair. It's not yours, you know?!” Hough slaps William's back as he tries to get up.

A bit clumsy, he still manages to stand firm. Though, his arm is still in a vast amount of pain. He looks at his right hand, which went through so much. A different kind of... thing is within his arm,

“What is this...”

“Awakened Walker, you see.” Hough shakes his hand, as he is preparing the machine, and seat for another visitor.

“No, I mean, what is it in front of me?” William gestured right in front of himself.

“Front? You see something?” Hough stops himself and instead looks at William with a piercing gaze.

“You must be delirious. It is a case for a few youngsters. A small nap will help wonders. I know it all too well. Heheheheheh.” Hough laughs instead, as whatever William's worries are, doesn't even matter.

“T-there is some screen... with symbols though... what are they saying?” William mumbles, as he suddenly feels rather lightheaded. Dizziness overlaps his mind, as he kneels forward. There is a screen still floating in front of him.

So is the light, and everything that is happening within his right hand. Dizziness, a strange sense of something... His mind is in shambles, and he couldn't dream, say or think straight.

“You... Do you see the System, already? Impossible! Are you joking with me, young man!” Hough asks, as his laugh disappears from his voice.

Alas, to his displeasure, William is jerked up, as a firm hand is around his shoulder and arm.

“Greeting, mister Hough. I will take him out.” Mi-Yung appears and stops whatever conversation those two have. It's not like William is in any condition to answer anything, so this leaves her responsible for his care.