The flickering lights of the command room buzzed softly above Jaden's head as he leaned over the central terminal. Faultline had grown—supplies secured, structures reinforced, survivors adapting. Yet something tugged at him. A sense that he was missing something critical.
He opened the Base Attribute panel, a feature he'd grown used to checking only when it came to defense upgrades or resource monitoring. But tonight, his eyes locked on something that made his pulse spike:
Base Attributes:Defense Rate: 47%Energy: 12%Occupancy: 37/100Awakeners: 12
Jaden blinked.
That couldn't be right.
He mentally counted—there should only be five known Awakeners: himself, Tess, Marcus, Raya, and Kira. That meant… seven more had awakened without anyone realizing.
"Damn…" he muttered under his breath. "I didn't check them. I've been so busy, I just… assumed."
It was a mistake—one that could've cost them dearly if any of those powers had gone rogue or remained unused in a moment of crisis.
He stood up from the console, jaw set with guilt and renewed resolve.
"I won't make that mistake again."
With quiet determination, Jaden went through the roster one by one, pulling survivors aside, checking their status discreetly. Most were startled by his sudden attention, but none resisted. They trusted him—and that fact hit harder when he reviewed their loyalty ratings.
Most hovered between 20 to 30, which the system once noted was a good sign for newly integrated survivors. Anything under 15 was considered unstable. A few of his core team were above 50—a mark of genuine trust and allegiance.
But it was the seven new Awakeners that truly surprised him.
Two were fighters—quiet, reserved types who'd kept their strength hidden.
One was a engineer, able to restore damaged machinery twice as fast as normal.
One was a medical assistant whose power accelerated minor wound healing.
And then—what baffled him most—one was a blacksmith, another a cook.
Jaden squinted at their awakening profiles and skills.
These weren't combat roles… but they had awakened powers?
He didn't even have to ask before the system explained in a quiet ping across his private interface:
"Auxiliary Awakening Types are rare but vital. Support Awakeners contribute directly to base functions. Blacksmith's forging ability improves weapon durability and base upgrades. Cook's skill enhances food quality, improving team stamina and recovery. These awakenings align with overall survival probability."
Jaden leaned back against the wall, absorbing that truth.
So not every gift was meant to fight.
Some were meant to build, to heal, to strengthen others in ways he'd underestimated.
Faultline wasn't just surviving anymore. It was growing—evolving.
And so was he.
Jaden made a silent promise: no matter how small or tedious a task, he would never overlook someone again. Every soul counted. Every ability mattered.
And from now on, he would make sure none of them were forgotten.