In the 118th Year of the Calamity, at the Awakening Square of Base City No. 6, the annual Awakening Ceremony was underway.
"Shen Xingyan, are you nervous?" asked a frail yet vibrant girl in a bright crimson dress. She stood in the enormous crowd, anxiously looking at the slender young man beside her.
Her voice was so soft and gentle that hearing it brought a sense of calm.
"A little, but I'm fine," Shen Xingyan replied, though the involuntary bob of his Adam's apple betrayed his inner turmoil.
After answering, he focused his gaze on the scene ahead, not intending to continue the conversation.
Noting that he said one thing but thought another, the girl pursed her lips in dissatisfaction, but at the same time, her anxiety faded. She, too, fixed her gaze ahead, on the massive white light screen at the center of the square.
The scorching sun beat down relentlessly, but the tens of thousands of young people gathered at the Awakening Square did not complain in the slightest. They understood that this was the crucial moment that would change their destiny.
The faces of everyone were filled with tension, as if they were about to take the most important exam of their lives, but beneath that anxiety, a flame called Hope ignited.
They watched without looking away, as if they could see their brilliant future through the white screen.
Time passed slowly, and finally, toward noon, the Chief Commander of Base City No. 6 suddenly appeared before the massive light screen. His appearance was met with a tumultuous ovation.
No one in the square was surprised by his sudden arrival. Everyone had long heard of their Chief Commander's incredible abilities.
Looking at the middle-aged man who was hovering in mid-air, everyone present felt their eyes burn with a passionate desire to possess the same power.
The Chief Commander began to speak. Without the aid of any devices, his voice was audible to all tens of thousands of people gathered:
"My children, the moment that will decide your destiny has come again. And each time, I feel a profound sense of anxiety!
One hundred and eighteen years ago, after the Blue Planet suddenly grew hundreds of times in size, a surge of Primal Energy began. All beings on the planet became incredibly powerful, and humanity was no exception."
But while the various countries of the world were still trying to adapt to these changes, extraterrestrial beings had already appeared all over the Blue Planet. Their combat power was so great that none of us could compare with them.
Humanity then suffered a crushing defeat and was on the verge of extinction from this planet.
Fortunately, our ancestors did not retreat. With the help of firearms, which were still effective at the time, they were able to fight back against these scourges, which allowed us to get a moment of respite.
But as the extraterrestrial beings absorbed the Primal Energy and became ever stronger, firearms became less and less effective. And yet, the Heavens did not abandon us.
In that critical, make-or-break moment, these mysterious light screens suddenly appeared all over the planet.
Through our research, we discovered that any person who reached the age of eighteen, by passing through such a screen, would awaken their profession and supernatural abilities.
And thanks to the Star Source, which you all know about, we learned how to properly use Primal Energy to enhance the power of these abilities.
It was thanks to these incredible powers and our ancestors' willingness to sacrifice themselves that we survived. Let us all raise our hands together and honor their memory!"
With these words, the Chief Commander fell silent. He solemnly raised his right hand, looked at the sky, and a profound sorrow flashed in his eyes.
Everyone gathered in the square did the same. Even four-year-old children, imitating the adults, raised their heads, a focused and serious expression on their little faces.
After a minute, everyone lowered their gazes, and the Chief Commander's voice rang out again:
"Now it is your time to contribute to the cause of humanity. I sincerely hope you will awaken powerful combat professions and talents to breathe new life into our base! And finally, my last piece of advice: no matter what the result of your awakening, never give up. The future belongs to you! And now—begin the awakening!"
As soon as the Chief Commander finished speaking, the massive white light screen instantly flashed a dazzling crimson. This color, as if filled with an alluring power, further stirred the spirits of the tens of thousands of people gathered in the square. Their hearts began to pound in a frantic rhythm.
"Sector leaders, follow the established order and enter in sequence. After awakening, register and wait in your profession's zone!" a guiding voice announced, and all the sectors began to move.
Base City No. 6 was divided into five large districts: East, South, West, North, and Central.
The Central District was undoubtedly the most elite. It was home to people who had made outstanding contributions to the development of the base and their families. It was a place that residents of all other districts dreamed of.
Getting there was simple: all you had to do was accumulate enough combat merit.
Of course, if you awakened a super talent, you would also be invited to the Central District, where you would be provided with special protection and conditions for your development. But such people were one in a million.
Thanks to its stability, the Central District had the largest number of participants in this ceremony.
Watching the children from the Central District enter the red light screen first, people from the other districts unconsciously expressed their admiration and envy.
Shen Xingyan and the little girl named Chu Wei were no exception. Looking at the figures hurrying forward, Shen Xingyan frantically clenched his fists, as if trying to hold onto something.
Chu Wei noticed his state and immediately understood his feelings. Although they both lived in the North District and attended the same school, their family situations were very different.
Sadly, Shen Xingyan's parents had not survived the catastrophe eight years ago. Since then, the ten-year-old Xingyan had taken on the responsibility for himself and his sister. This had made him far more mature and thoughtful than his peers.
This Awakening Ceremony was his only chance to change his destiny. Chu Wei thought that if she were in his shoes, she would probably be even more nervous.
Understanding this, Chu Wei gently patted his arm and gave him an encouraging smile, trying to calm him down.
Shen Xingyan, who had been trying to calm himself all this time, smiled in return. The tremor in his clenched fists vanished, and together with the crowd, they moved forward.
When he approached the massive light screen, his steps involuntarily slowed. But before he could collect himself, the flow of people literally shoved him inside. At that moment, he felt as if something had popped in his head, like a seed breaking its shell.
Shen Xingyan knew: his profession and talent were awakening! He was experiencing this strange sensation for the first time, but it wasn't completely unfamiliar to him. At school, the teachers constantly talked about such things.
At such a moment, they said, one should remain calm and let the process take its course. This would be beneficial for the future development of one's abilities.
But Shen Xingyan didn't even have a chance to properly feel the sensation before the screen crackled and threw him out. His heart froze. He knew what that meant.
At school, they had taught them about all the possible signs of awakening, and he knew them by heart. If a person was thrown from the screen so quickly, it meant that the probability of awakening a combat profession was very low.
Thinking this, Shen Xingyan panicked and hurriedly glanced at the black card that had appeared in his hand.
After awakening, everyone gets such a thing, resembling an ID card. People call it a "Star Card." The owner's profession and personal information are recorded on it, and it also has communication and trading functions. But more importantly, it can be used to connect to the "Star Source."
Shen Xingyan hurriedly placed the Star Card against his forehead to view the information:
Name: Shen Xingyan
Number: 9527
Profession: Farmer
Professional Skill: 1. Consumes a certain amount of Primal Energy to accelerate the growth of crops in the designated area by 10%. The larger the area, the more energy is consumed. Duration—10 hours. Cooldown—24 hours.
Strength: 10
Agility: 10
Constitution: 10
Spirit: 10
Health Points: 100/100
Primal Energy: 18/18
Stamina: 10/10
Physical Attack: 10
Magical Attack: 10
Defense: 10
Speed: 10
Talent: Skeleton Summoning — Summons a skeleton monster with all stats equal to 1 to participate in combat. (Cooldown 24 hours).
Money: 0 gold, 0 silver, 0 copper
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