Eugene opened his eyes after a deep sleep.
"Ah… what time is it now?"
He turned toward the glass clock on the table. It read 9:33. Three hours remained until the Awakening Ceremony. He got out of bed and went to the bathroom to relieve himself, then took a hot shower to fully wake up.
"Why is the water so hot?" he muttered to himself.
After the shower, he stepped out, water droplets falling onto the floor. He headed quickly to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
"What should I cook? Eggs… or tea… or pizza slices?"
After a moment of thought, he decided to cook quickly and chose eggs. He added salt and lemon, lit the stove, and began preparing the meal. He ate quickly while getting dressed.
After 18 minutes, the doorbell rang. He went to open it and found Rin standing there.
"Finally awake! Are you ready?"
"Yes, I'm ready," Eugene replied.
But Rin looked at him with concern.
"But I don't see any writings… or any Primitive Resources here?"
Eugene remembered what Alex had said about the importance of preparing the body for Feather Energy. He was startled for a moment.
Rin put his hand on his face in annoyance.
"Don't tell me you forgot."
"Hehe… maybe," Eugene smiled slightly, nervously.
Rin suddenly raised his voice.
"It's already 10:03. Only two hours left until the ceremony."
Rem appeared at the apartment door.
"Hey, why are you shouting? Is there a problem?"
Rin pointed at Eugene.
"This idiot forgot to prepare."
Eugene smiled shyly.
"Hehehe… yeah, it's true. But there's no problem."
Rem said, "It's not a big problem for you to get this upset."
"What do you mean it's not a problem? There are only two hours left, and he doesn't even have resources."
Rem fell silent for a moment, then went to her apartment, under Eugene's and Rin's surprised gazes.
After a few seconds…
Rem quickly gathered the resources, then returned and handed them to Eugene.
Eugene took them, surprised by their shapes and smells. She also gave him a sheet of paper with the name of each item written on it.
Eugene's eyes widened, then he said with a smile, "Thank you." He then looked at Rin. "See? There was no need to get upset."
Rin said, "Alright. Since she gave them to you, I'll go."
Rem said as she left as well, "Try not to be late."
Eugene closed the door and sat cross-legged on the floor, reading the paper: Green Man Herb, Mountain Wolf Fangs, Black Dragon Fruit, Snow Mountain Lemon Peel, and finally, Nile River Water.
He began consuming the resources one by one. Some were hard, with strange and sour tastes, except for the Nile water, which was sweet. After that, he sat down to meditate, trying to sense the energy of these elements inside his body.
As time passed, lights began to glow inside his stomach, and he started to feel intense pain and a sharp headache. He endured it and began stretching and jumping exercises, just as Alex had advised, to help the Feather Energy spread through his blood and body.
After half an hour, he felt something strange, as if he were absorbing energy from his surroundings. He left his room and entered the hall, where gray clouds and strong winds raged. He suddenly remembered the atmosphere of Eliso Village before the incident, and the nausea and headache returned for a while.
He moved with slow steps toward the Awakening Hall. Rin was anxious.
"Why is Eugene late?"
Fred appeared behind Rin and asked,
"Where is Eugene?"
Before Rin could answer, Moses began to speak.
"Listen, students. Today is your first step into the world of cultivation. For those who do not know what the Awakening Ceremony is, Elder Wu will explain it to you."
Elder Wu stood before the students and pointed to a large glass sphere.
"This sphere will receive the Feather Energy you release. Through it, we will determine the depth level of your Feather Sea."
One student, Mazen, stepped forward and began releasing his Feather Energy. Sparks emerged from his body and were absorbed by the crystal. After a few moments, mist formed in the shape of the letter B.
"What does that mean?" one student asked.
"The letter B means his talent is Grade B," Alex answered.
The other students proceeded one after another. Most were Grade C and D, while only three possessed Grade B.
When it was Rem's turn, the crystal began to glow with different colors, and the mist formed. Suddenly…
Grade A talent!
Rem felt a shiver of joy for a moment, his eyes widening, revealing his happiness.
One of the wealthy students shouted,
"Wait! She's a commoner! She can't have such a high talent!"
Fred stood confidently.
"And what if she is a commoner? That doesn't stop her from having better talent than you."
The students fell silent under Moses's stern gaze, while Rem felt overwhelming joy.
It was Rin's turn. He was extremely nervous, and some students began laughing at his fear. He stepped toward the crystal while Eugene watched from afar.
The crystal glowed once more, then formed: B.
"Oof…" Rin exhaled in relief, happiness spreading through his heart.
"What's with these commoners? It seems some of them are talented," a student said with a mocking tone.
Rin stepped down happily and returned to the back.
Alex thought to himself, Hmm… he suffers from social anxiety. Despite his talent, he's still trembling slightly.
Finally, it was Eugene's turn. His sun-colored eyes were filled with anxiety and tension. Everyone watched him in silence, waiting to learn his grade. He stepped onto the platform, his heart pounding rapidly, and released everything he had of his Feather Energy.
The mist began to form… the colors shifted… and everyone watched in thrilling anticipation…
Eugene's heart raced with joy and excitement, mixed with tension and fear.
Shock, joy, anger, astonishment, disbelief, envy, and hatred—
all these expressions were painted across everyone's faces.
Like a fish floating in a sea of power, Eugene stood on his boat, ready to hunt a whale named—
Talent of Grade …..
End of Chapter Five.