Immediately after Adam was called up, all sorts of gazes fell upon him.
"Isn't that the guy?"
"What guy?"
"The shameless one who leeches off the school beauty..."
"Damn, that really is him. I hope he fails to awaken. In fact, I hope when he places his hand on the orb, it malfunctions and explodes with him..."
The moment Adam's name was called, curses and muttered insults echoed through the crowd. Most came from the male students, and it was obvious they hated him.
Adam merely shrugged, grinning, and raised the middle finger of his left hand at them. The pose made him look confident and cool, though it only fueled the students' fury. Some looked as if they were ready to charge at him on the spot.
Their loud curses reverberated throughout the hall.
Everyone watched closely as Adam placed his hand on the awakening orb.
The room fell into absolute silence, the air thick with tension as they awaited the result.
Seconds ticked by, and Adam could almost hear his heart pounding in his chest. Each student was given thirty seconds with the awakening orb.
Any longer was pointless, as proven by countless trials over the years.
Ten seconds passed.
Fifteen seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Twenty-five seconds...
'Damn, don't tell me I'm actually going to fail to awaken... Come on, Adam! You can do it!' he prayed inwardly, pressing his palm harder against the awakening orb.
Just as the teacher began to move, ready to dismiss Adam—whose heart had already sunk with disappointment—and as the quiet cheers of the male students echoed faintly in the background, the orb beneath Adam's hand suddenly flared with a brilliant golden light.
"This..." the instructor muttered, clearly stupefied as he stared at the glow. The golden light radiated an intense warmth and spread through the surroundings, almost as if it contained life itself.
"What? He actually awakened... and it's a unique ability?" The moment the light appeared, the students were dumbfounded.
There were various degrees of awakening light, but everyone knew that golden light signified a unique ability—something exceedingly rare.
"Damn, is this guy lucky or what? Why does he keep getting all the good things?"
"Our curses might still work... What if his unique ability turns out to be useless?" Some students, unwilling to admit defeat, clung to that hope.
…
Adam stood frozen.
He was surprised that he had awakened, but that wasn't what shocked him the most. What truly stunned him was the glowing blue luminescent panel that had suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Congratulations on awakening the Life Simulator Talent.]
[Grade: ???]
[Do you wish to explore the functions?]
Adam hesitated slightly, then muttered, 'No,' within his heart. He would explore its effects later.
'Finally, I can relax...' Adam felt as though a massive weight that had been pressing on him for years had finally lifted from his shoulders.
'This might be the second-best thing I've ever achieved... As for the first...' His eyes subtly shifted toward a particular direction.
There, a flawless beauty with a sweet smile was standing and waving at him.
She was Aurora—the school beauty—and Adam's long-time girlfriend.
She was also the reason most of the students hated him so much.
Adam's predecessor had been a renowned playboy, shamelessly flirting with one girl after another. With his glib tongue, he not only stole the hearts of many but somehow infiltrated the ice-cold heart of the school goddess herself.
'What a refreshing feeling...' Adam stretched his arms outward and looked completely relaxed.
He cast a casual glance at the jealous students. His expression made it seem like he had expected this result from the beginning.
At his shameless display, several boys couldn't help but curse him once again under their breath.
"Silence!"
Since Adam had successfully awakened, and not just with any ability but a unique one, the teacher could no longer treat him the same way.
'Moreover, he awakened a unique ability... just like Aurora,' the teacher thought, offering Adam a polite, respectful smile.
"Please stand to the side while we continue the awakening ceremony."
Adam nodded and winked at Aurora, who blushed lightly. Then he calmly moved to the side.
The ceremony proceeded.
Seeing that even the most shameless guy in class had awakened, many students began to feel hopeful once again.
Surely, the heavens couldn't be so unfair, right?
"Desiree Jone, awakening failed."
"Jane Palaver, awakening failed."
"Brad Johnson, awakening failed."
Out of the remaining thirty-eight students, all failed to awaken. They could only sob silently, trying to come to terms with what their futures might now hold.
As the students were lost in thought, wondering what path to take from here, the teacher's voice brought them back to the present.
"Alright, that's it for today," the teacher announced. "For those of you who failed to awaken, remember that failing to become an Awakener does not mark the end of your future.
"During the early days of the apocalypse, at least half of our ancestors—those who played crucial roles in ensuring humanity's survival and advancement—were ordinary people. So what if you didn't awaken?"
A murmur spread among the downcast students, their spirits faintly lifted by the teacher's words.
Even Adam couldn't help but be impressed. However, he understood the brutal truth that awaited these students once they left this hall.
Some of them might already understand it. But for now, they needed something to hold on to.
One must understand—this world, though more advanced than Adam's original one, wasn't exactly a paradise for the average citizen.
For instance, traditional jobs like bankers had long disappeared, along with many others.
Only a few establishments still hired humans to do what machines could, usually either due to financial strain or to appear "classy," like certain high-end hotels.
For most people in this world, life was a daily struggle against poverty. Employment opportunities were scarce.
It was only after arriving in this world that Adam truly appreciated a saying from his past life: "Technology can be both a blessing and a curse."
This desperation to escape poverty was one of the main reasons these students yearned so deeply to become Awakeners.
If Adam hadn't awakened, he would have been the one standing silently, listening to those same comforting words from the teacher.
He knew he was truly lucky.
Sensing his words had resonated with the students, the teacher nodded, then continued.
"The college exams for both regular colleges and cultivation academies are just three months away. Use this time wisely and prepare seriously. Just because school ends today doesn't mean you can afford to slack off. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" the students chorused, including Adam and the other newly awakened.
"Alright, you're dismissed."
A/N: I hope you enjoy the opening of this novel. Support by adding to your library and giving a power stone or two. Thank you.