Chapter 1 – The Day of Awakening
16 February, 2750
Knock, knock.
"Who is it?"
I woke up to the sound of persistent knocking. My blurry eyes found the clock — 7:45 a.m.
'What?! Why didn't the alarm ring? Damn it! Of all days, it had to be today!'I cursed inwardly and jumped out of bed, nearly tripping as I ran to the door.
When I opened it, a young maid in her twenties stood there, neatly dressed, a tray balanced in her hands. Her expression was calm but tinged with disapproval.
"Asher, you're still not ready. You do realize today is your awakening, right? How can you be so careless?"
Before I could answer, another voice came from behind her.
My mother — dark-haired, blue-eyed, graceful even in a rush — appeared, arms crossed. Despite her irritation, her beauty was undeniable.
"Mom, I know! I'm coming, just give me five minutes!" I said, dashing toward the bathroom.
Two minutes later, after a lightning-fast shower, I stood before the mirror.A lean, muscular build. Golden eyes. Dark hair falling over my forehead. 5'10", not bulky but dense — compact power, not wasted motion.
'Alright… not bad,' I thought, pulling on my school uniform and bolting toward the dining table.
A few quick bites, a gulp of juice, and I was already halfway out the door.
"Good luck, son!" Mom shouted from behind.
"Thanks, Mom!" I yelled back, sprinting toward school.
Normally, it took fifteen minutes to walk to Greenwood High, but today I ran like the wind and made it in five.
By the time I reached the classroom, two minutes were still on the clock.I spotted my best friend, Darek, and dropped into the seat beside him.
"You're just on time," he said, grinning. "So, today's the day, huh?"
"Yeah," I said, still catching my breath.
"What talent do you think you'll awaken?" Darek asked. "I'm betting mine will be amazing."
"Oh yeah?" I shot back. "Wanna bet? Whoever awakens the higher-tier one wins."
He smirked. "Deal. If I win, you're treating me at that new restaurant in District Five."
"Done," I said.
"Alright, students. Follow me to the hall," said Mr. Knight, our class teacher — tall, composed, and always serious.
We followed him through the corridors into the Awakening Hall, a vast chamber large enough for two thousand students.The air buzzed faintly with mana — thick with anticipation.
At the far end stood a man wearing the Awakening Association's standard black-and-red uniform. His calm but fiery aura immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Good morning," his deep voice resonated through the hall. "I'm Francis, a Rank 2 Fire Mage. I'll be overseeing your awakening today. Good luck to all of you."
Even from afar, the faint heat from his mana was enough to make my skin prickle.
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The Awakening Ceremony
In this world — Aurora — every person awakened their Talent upon turning sixteen.The Awakening Ceremony was sacred, a moment that determined one's path in life.
Every human awakened something.And while Talent Tiers didn't directly define one's total potential, they influenced many crucial factors — like cultivation speed, combat ability, elemental affinity, or energy control.
True growth still depended on one's effort, bloodline, physique, and sometimes sheer willpower.
Talent Tier and Color
White - Tier 1 - Common — minimal effect
Yellow - Tier 2 - Basic enhancement level
Green - Tier 3 - Slightly above average
Cyan - Tier 4 - Promising potential
Blue - Tier 5 - Rare and powerful
Violet - Tier 6 - Exceptional capability
Silver - Tier 7 - Elite-class level
Dark Silver - Tier 8 - Extraordinary, almost mythical
Gold - Tier 9 - Transcendent — one in a hundred million
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"Katherine Morningstar," Mr. Knight called.
A girl with long blue hair and eyes as dark as obsidian stepped forward.She moved gracefully, her expression calm, her aura confident — a noble air that made it clear she wasn't just any student.
"What do you think she'll get?" Darek whispered.
"At least Tier 4," I replied. "Her parents are both Rank 5 cultivators."
Katherine placed her hand on the Awakening Stone. The air seemed to still.
A ripple of light expanded from the stone, glowing a deep, crystalline blue. The light pulsed like a heartbeat before solidifying into a steady radiance.
Blue color — Tier 5 (Low).
A faint holographic projection appeared before her eyes, visible only to her.Her eyes widened slightly before regaining composure.
[Katherine Morningstar]
Current Cultivation Rank: Unranked
Class: Not Available
Talent: Ice Domain (Tier 5 - Low)
Affinities: Ice – Tier 6 (Mid)
(Note: This System screen is visible only to the person awakened)
{Talent: Ice Domain ❄️}
Tier: 5 (Low)
Type: Domain / Elemental
Affinity: Ice (Tier 6)
Description: Grants control over localized temperature fields, allowing the user to freeze or manipulate moisture within a certain radius.
Potential: High — suitable for defensive, tactical, and area-control combat styles.
Mr. Francis smiled faintly. "Good. That's a strong awakening."
Katherine's lips curved slightly — satisfaction masked beneath calm indifference — before she stepped off the stage.
The students whispered in awe. A Tier 5 talent was a powerful start.
More names were called. Colors flared — white, green, blue — a spectrum of hopes and disappointments.
Then:"Asher Valen."
The hall quieted.
I exhaled slowly and stepped forward, each footstep echoing faintly.Darek clapped me on the back as I passed.
"Don't awaken something lame," he whispered.
"Guess we'll see who's buying dinner," I grinned.
Standing before the Awakening Stone, I could feel it thrumming with power — almost alive.
"Place your hand on the stone," Mr. Francis said. "Let your mind go blank. Focus on your soul."
I nodded, placing my palm flat against its surface.
The Awakening
Cold spread through my hand, racing up my arm and flooding into my core.The world darkened.
Then, a voice — mechanical yet ancient — echoed within my mind.
[Analyzing soul signature...]
[Anomaly detected.]
[Soul Origin: External to this world.]
[Recalibrating synchronization... complete.]
[You have awakened a Talent.]
[Talent Grade – Primordial]
[Talent: Ultimate Comprehension]
[Current Tier: Locked at 8 (High) — soul not strong enough to bear full burden.]
[Special Feature: System Shop will become available after reaching Rank 5.][System Integration: Active.]
Golden text shimmered before me — visible only to me. The words radiated power, their meaning sinking deep into my consciousness.
[Asher Valen]
Current Cultivation Rank: Unranked
Class: Not Available
Talent: Ultimate Comprehension ✨ (Tier 8 - High) — Primordial (Locked)
Affinities:
Space (Ancient)
Thunder (Ancient)
Sword (Ancient)
{Talent: Ultimate Comprehension ✨}
Tier: 8 (High) — Primordial Grade (Locked)
Type: Conceptual / Growth
Effect: Greatly enhances understanding of all techniques, concepts, and laws. Reduces comprehension time for cultivation and skill mastery.
Affinity: Universal (Adaptive)
System Status: Integrated and Synced
'Primordial? What… what does that even mean?' I thought, my pulse racing.
[Welcome, Asher. Your journey begins anew.]
Light exploded from the Awakening Stone — a radiant dark silver, tinged faintly with gold. Gasps filled the hall.
"What color is that?"
"Dark silver… wait, that's Tier 8!"
"No way—did the stone malfunction?"
Mr. Francis stepped forward, eyes wide, heat rippling unconsciously from his body. The color stabilized, shimmering steadily.
"Tier Eight," he said softly. "High-grade. Extraordinary."
The whispers grew into a wave of shock and excitement.
I took a step back, dazed, hiding the faint golden glow still dancing on my palm — visible only to me.
As I returned to my seat, Darek gawked.
"Tier Eight? You lucky bastard. You're definitely treating me — you'll be rich by next week!"
I smiled faintly, still reeling inside.'Primordial grade… System Shop… Ultimate Comprehension… what have I awakened?'
Somewhere deep within me, I could still feel the System's presence — silent, observing, waiting.
End of Chapter 1 – The Day of Awakening