The Awakening Hall of Silverbrook felt different today—not sacred, not peaceful, but tense, as if the stone walls themselves waited to witness something they did not entirely approve of. Hundreds of youths stood in carefully organized rows beneath the towering pillars, each sixteen years old, each trembling for a future they had trained, hoped, or begged for.
Leon Gray stood among them, hands relaxed at his sides, face calm despite the storm of emotions around him. He heard half-formed prayers, whispered deals with gods, confident predictions, and the shaky breaths of those who feared awakening something low-ranked. Beside him, Damian Crest swayed on his feet, visibly fighting the urge to explode from excitement.
"I swear," Damian muttered, "if I awaken something stupid, bury me with dignity. Build me a statue. Something nice."
"You won't," Leon replied.
Damian shot him a sharp look. "Is that faith in me, or are you just saying it?"
"It's obvious."
Damian blinked. "...I'll take it." He inhaled and exhaled rapidly. "Okay. Okay. I'm ready. Totally ready. Kind of."
Leon didn't look at him again. His eyes were fixed on the floating Awakening Crystal in the center of the hall. The enormous sphere of translucent blue pulsed gently, casting waves of light across the stone floor. Runes carved into the ground hummed softly, responding to the presence of so many unawakened souls.
When Elder Harrow walked to the platform, silence fell like snow.
"Children of Aldoria," he said, voice resonating unnaturally through the enchanted hall. "Today, you shall awaken your profession, rank, and your first talent. This will decide your starting path—your foundation. What you become beyond today will be decided by your own hands."
Anxious murmurs rippled through the hall. Someone wiped sweat from their brow. Someone else clenched their fists so tightly that their knuckles turned white.
"Step forward when your name is called," Elder Harrow said.
The ceremony began.
One after another, students approached the crystal, hands trembling, hearts pounding.
The first girl, Lara Thorne, stepped forward. She pressed her palm to the glowing surface. Light crawled up her arm before a projection appeared above her.
[ Profession: Healer — Rank C ]
[ Talent: Gentle Touch (D Rank) ]
Her parents cried with joy. Lara nearly collapsed from relief.
Next came Kain Alder, a broad-shouldered youth already known for his strength.
[ Profession: Ironbear Warrior — Rank B ]
[ Talent: Hardened Body (B Rank) ]
A murmur of admiration spread through the hall. B-rank talents were rare in a village this size.
Selwyn Ridge followed, silver-haired and focused.
[ Profession: Arcane Shooter — Rank A ]
[ Talent: Mana Precision (A Rank) ]
Excitement surged. Students whispered fiercely.
"That's an elite academy profession!"
"I heard A-rank talents increase mastery twice as fast…"
"She's going to be famous!"
More students followed:
[ Profession: Scout — Rank C ]
[ Talent: Shadowstep (B Rank) ]
[ Profession: Beast Tamer — Rank C ]
[ Talent: Minor Beast Affinity (C Rank) ]
The crowd cheered, groaned, whispered, envied.
Every projection included a talent. That was the rule. Every new awakener received one talent at Level 1. Only a rare handful might unlock a second at Level 40, and none in recorded history had ever unlocked a third—yet.
Leon watched all of this quietly. He didn't fidget. Didn't shift his weight. Didn't join in the excitement. His heartbeat remained steady.
Finally—
"Damian Crest!"
Damian stiffened. "Hey—wish me luck."
"You won't need it," Leon said.
Damian marched toward the crystal, though his legs trembled. He placed his hand on the orb.
The crystal exploded with golden light.
Gasps tore through the chamber. Some students stumbled backward as a wave of mana swept out. The crystal shone bright—brighter than any previous awakening.
When the projection formed, half the room screamed.
[ Profession: Blade Duelist — Rank S ]
[ Talent: Sword Heart (S Rank) ]
There was no sound for a heartbeat. Then chaos erupted.
"An S-rank?! HERE?!"
"He's on Ardent Vale's level!"
"S-RANK TALENT TOO?!"
"That's Sword Heart—legendary sword talent!"
Damian stood frozen, tears gathering in his eyes. "Leon… I awakened… I awakened S-rank…"
Leon nodded. "Good."
"GOOD?!" Damian yelled. "This is INSANE!"
Leon didn't answer. The crystal pulsed differently now—like it was preparing for something… unusual.
"Next: Leon Gray."
Everything stopped.
Whispers died. Breath halted. Hundreds of eyes fixed on him.
Leon stepped up to the crystal calmly, ignoring the weight of the silence. He placed his hand on the glowing surface.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then something impossible did.
The crystal detonated into blinding white light. Air roared outward as if a storm erupted from Leon's palm. Runes flared violently. Stone cracked. The hall shook.
Students screamed and shielded their eyes. Instructors summoned mana barriers. Elder Harrow nearly fell to his knees.
The light intensified instead of fading.
Then the projection formed slowly—agonizingly slowly—burning itself into the vision of every person present.
[ Profession: Battlemage — Rank EX ]
[ Talent: Luck (EX Rank) ]
The silence afterward was suffocating.
No one breathed. No one blinked. Even the flickering torches seemed to stop burning.
Then—
"No… no, that's—"
"That rank doesn't exist!"
"EX?! Did the crystal malfunction?!"
"What is an EX talent?!"
"Luck? EX rank Luck?!"
"That's… terrifying…"
Damian whispered hoarsely, "Leon… what… WHAT did you awaken?"
Leon didn't answer.
He simply stared at the projection. A notification blinked inside his mind.
Luck (EX):
Passive talent. Enhances growth, efficiency, training, breakthroughs, loot quality, and chance-based outcomes. Subtle but accumulative. Grows stronger with the user.
Leon exhaled quietly.
The system had chosen.
His second life had officially begun.