The morning sun was already high by the time I reached the academy grounds.
It was brighter than usual, and the heat was already starting to build. The open area in front of the main hall was crowded with students from different classes, all facing the wide stone platform in the center.
From far away, everything looked neat enough.
Up close, it was a different story.
People were clearly nervous.
Some students kept talking to their friends, even though the conversations didn't seem to go anywhere. Others stood quietly, staring at the platform like it might give them answers if they looked long enough. A few kept shifting their feet or rubbing their hands together, unable to stay still.
I stood there with Class 7 and took it all in.
"So this is it," I thought. "Awakening day."
For most of us, this day mattered more than any test we'd taken before. What happened here would affect how fast we could grow and how far we could go.
I recognized almost everyone around me. This was my third year in Class 7, after all. Some people had trained seriously since childhood. Others relied more on family resources or natural talent.
Right now, none of that mattered much.
Everyone here wanted the same thing.
They wanted to awaken a talent.
My name is Aren Valen, and unlike everyone standing around me, I wasn't born in this world.
Eighteen years ago, I came here from Earth.
There was nothing special about it. No warning. No strange feeling. I just woke up one day in a different world as an orphan, with a small inheritance registered under my name.
That money helped a lot while growing up. I never had to worry about food or a place to live. Still, I learned pretty quickly that comfort didn't mean much here.
Strength did.
This was a high-level martial world. Power decided status, resources, and how people treated you. If you were weak, you learned to be careful. If you were strong, life became much simpler.
I understood that early on.
So I trained.
Every day.
I ran until my legs felt heavy, practiced basic strikes until my arms ached, and spent hours circulating Qi. Some days were boring. Some days were tiring. But I stuck with it.
It paid off.
For three years in a row, I ranked first in Class 7. Before today, my Qi and Blood value had reached seventy, which already put me ahead of most students my age.
I was proud of that.
Still, standing here now, I couldn't say I felt completely calm.
Because effort alone didn't decide everything.
In this world, talent mattered.
Without a talent, cultivation was still possible, but it was slower and much harder. Even the weakest talent could slowly create a gap over time.
I glanced at the platform again.
"Well," I thought, "guess I'll find out soon."
The noise around us faded as the instructor stepped onto the platform.
He was tall and broad, with a solid stance that made people straighten up without thinking. His eyes swept over the crowd once before he spoke.
"Silence."
He didn't shout, but his voice carried clearly across the grounds. Conversations stopped almost immediately.
"The Awakening Ceremony will now begin," he said. "When your name is called, step forward and place your hand on the Awakening Crystal. Do not interfere."
Beside him sat a large crystal sphere on a stone stand. It didn't glow or shine. It just sat there quietly, even though everyone knew how important it was.
"Evan," the instructor called.
A thin boy from our class stiffened and walked forward. I knew him fairly well. Evan trained seriously and never slacked off, but luck had never really been on his side.
He placed his hands on the crystal.
We waited.
Seconds passed.
Nothing happened.
"Evan," the instructor said calmly, "awakening failed."
Evan's face turned pale. He nodded once and walked back to his spot without saying anything. No one laughed or whispered. Results like this weren't rare, and there wasn't much anyone could say.
Watching him return, I felt my stomach tighten slightly.
"That could've been me," I thought.
The ceremony continued.
Names were called one after another. Some students caused the crystal to glow faintly and visibly relaxed. Others stepped down quietly, their expressions stiff.
Out of thirty students in Class 7, only ten awakened a talent.
That number didn't surprise anyone.
Talents were rare, and awakening one at all was already considered lucky. The crystal only showed success or failure. It didn't reveal the talent's type or strength, which helped avoid unnecessary trouble.
Eventually, I heard my name.
"Aren Valen."
I stepped forward.
As I walked, I could feel people watching me. Some were curious. Some looked annoyed. Some clearly didn't like the fact that I'd been first in class for three years.
I was used to it.
I stopped in front of the crystal and raised my hand.
"Alright," I thought. "Let's get this over with."
I placed my palm against the cool surface.
One second passed.
Then another.
On the third second, bright white light burst out from the crystal, lighting up the platform and drawing a quiet reaction from the crowd.
The instructor glanced at the crystal.
"Aren Valen. Awakening successful."
That was all he said.
I stepped back into the crowd.
On the outside, nothing seemed different.
Inside my head, information appeared naturally. I understood my talent and how it worked without effort.
An SSS-rank talent.
Monthly Refresh.
Once every month, I would gain a new SSS-rank talent. That talent would last for the month, then disappear and be replaced by another one. Nothing stacked, and nothing carried over.
I went through the details once in my head.
"It's straightforward," I thought. "Just can't waste time."
For now, that was enough.
I didn't show any reaction and stayed with my class as the ceremony wrapped up.
No one knew what kind of talent I had awakened, and I was fine with that.
As people began leaving the academy grounds, I looked up at the sky.
The day felt the same, but something had clearly changed.
The path ahead was still long.