The receptionist blinked at Lu Shu for a moment before offering a polite smile. She gestured toward a row of terminals along the marble wall.
"Please fill out your registration form over there. Once your data is confirmed, you'll be called in for your evaluation test."
Lu Shu nodded and followed her instructions.
The air vibrated faintly with the hum of mana radiating from the Awakeners nearby — some weak and flickering, others powerful enough to make him tremble. The entire hall seemed alive, pulsing with invisible energy.
The terminals ahead were sleek, their frames lined with luminous blue veins that pulsed like the heartbeat of a living creature. Each tap of his fingers sent ripples of light cascading across the transparent screen.
---
Name: Lu Shu
Age: 19
Genetic Type: Dark Spirit
Classification: Pending
---
He stared at the blinking cursor for a few moments, then pressed confirm.
"Next!" the attendant's sharp voice called out.
Lu Shu flinched slightly and stepped aside, glancing around the crowded hall as the next applicant took his place.
The Awakeners' Hall was massive — a cathedral-like chamber filled with echoing footsteps and murmured voices. Pillars of white stone stretched toward the ceiling, where floating mana crystals bathed the room in a soft azure glow. Dozens of applicants waited in orderly lines, their faces illuminated by equal parts excitement and fear. Some clutched their identification slips like lifelines; others leaned casually against the walls, confidence radiating from every breath.
A few released powerful auras that shimmered faintly around them in hues of red, gold, and blue.
Lu Shu's own mana, however, felt like that of a newborn — fragile, uncertain, almost transparent compared to the others.
He wasn't like them.
The young ones here had been absorbing essence crystals since childhood, nurtured by wealthy families. The veterans had years of experience inside the Gates, cultivating their cores through blood and danger.
He, on the other hand, had only just begun.
Leaning back against the wall, he listened to the low hum of conversation flowing through the hall.
"Did you hear? The examiner this time's from the Eastern Division — strict as hell."
"Really? Then I'm screwed. My core's barely stable."
"I heard they're recruiting directly for the Gate Expedition Team. If you rank high enough, you might even get into one of the Awakeners' Guilds!"
Their words washed over him — intimidating, but strangely exhilarating.
Beyond those doors lay the evaluation chamber, where humanity's protectors were measured and judged.
Soon, he would stand there too.
---
"First time?" someone asked behind him.
Lu Shu turned.
A girl stood a few feet away, short silver hair catching the ceiling light like liquid mercury. Her eyes — pale violet and piercing — seemed to see straight through him. The military uniform she wore shimmered faintly with mana threads, and on her chest gleamed a four-star yellow insignia.
Lu Shu froze. He hadn't even sensed her presence until she spoke — and that alone told him everything he needed to know.
Then his gaze caught the insignia more clearly.
A lieutenant's badge.
His breath hitched.
An S-rank Awakener.
"H-Hello, ma'am. Thank you for your service," he stammered, bowing quickly.
The girl blinked, clearly taken aback. "You don't have to do that," she said softly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "I'd rather not draw attention."
Realizing people nearby were already whispering, Lu Shu ducked his head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine," she interrupted with a small, warm smile. "I startled you first. And please — don't call me 'ma'am.' I'm only twenty-two. My name's Sun Yu. What's yours?"
"Ah— I'm sorry again, Lieutenant Sun. My name's Lu Shu. I'm nineteen… and, uh, single."
She blinked once, then sighed softly, amusement flickering in her eyes. "Lieutenant Sun, huh? You're awfully formal, Lu Shu."
He scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed but smiling. For some reason, her presence made the air feel both heavier and warmer at the same time. Her mana wasn't wild or oppressive like the others — it was calm, steady, perfectly restrained.
Like a still lake hiding an unfathomable depth.
Just then, a firm voice interrupted.
"Lieutenant Sun, it's time."
An older man approached — also in uniform, with the same rank insignia gleaming on his chest.
Sun Yu nodded. "Looks like duty calls." She turned back to Lu Shu with a gentle smile. "It was nice meeting you, Lu Shu. Good luck with your evaluation. If you ever decide to join the military, come find me — we'll talk again."
Before he could respond, she walked away beside the officer, her silver hair glinting under the azure lights until she vanished beyond the corridor.
---
Lu Shu stood there for a long moment, unable to move.
"Sun Yu…" he murmured. His heart thudded in his chest, faster than it had ever beaten before.
Was it because she was powerful?
Or because she was… her?
He shook his head, trying to calm the strange flutter in his chest.
The intercom crackled.
"Mr. Lu Shu, your turn. Please proceed to the evaluation chamber."
He drew a deep breath.
"I need to score high on this," he muttered. "Even if I'm only a D-rank Awakener, I can still join the military… and maybe—"
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"—maybe meet Lieutenant Sun Yu again."
With that, Lu Shu straightened his posture and walked toward the glowing doors, determination burning in his eyes.