Chapter 1: The First
"Enzo, what are you waiting for? It’s our Awakening Day. Don’t tell me you’re still playing games?"
The voice of a young woman outside his room made Enzo, who was still inside, frown.
Awakening Day... It had finally arrived.
This was the day he feared the most.
So far, he had failed all three Awakening Trials.
Those trials were crucial to a successful awakening. Anyone who cleared all three was guaranteed at least an A-Class Talent, with a chance of awakening an even rarer S-Class Talent.
But for those who failed...
The most likely outcome was failing to awaken altogether, with only a slim chance of obtaining a D-Class Talent.
He wasn’t afraid of failure itself.
He was afraid of humiliation.
His father had once been one of the strongest Awakeners in history, yet he had fallen in a decisive battle.
He died protecting thousands of other gifted Awakeners.
As his son, Enzo had long been expected to inherit his legacy.
Instead, he had become an online gaming addict.
The disappointment in everyone’s eyes...
That was what truly terrified him.
After all, it wasn’t just strangers who had placed their hopes on him.
There was also his uncle, the man who had raised him after his father’s death.
His uncle had always hoped Enzo would one day replace his father.
Unfortunately, ever since his father died, the family’s business had declined dramatically, constantly pressured by rival businessmen backed by powerful Awakeners.
"Enzo, hurry up!"
Bella’s voice echoed once again from outside.
Enzo let out a helpless sigh.
With no other choice, he walked to the door and opened it.
Standing outside was a young woman with wavy blonde hair, dressed in gray trousers and a matching shirt.
Her sharp, delicate features and rosy red lips made her breathtakingly beautiful.
"Bella... I might fail," Enzo said quietly.
"The result isn’t something you can predict. The important thing is trying. Who knows? You might awaken an S-Class Talent. Even if you failed all three trials, there’s always hope."
As she spoke, she grabbed his hand.
Enzo couldn’t resist.
Although she was a woman, Bella was physically much stronger than his skinny frame, the result of years spent avoiding exercise.
She pulled him downstairs.
The moment they reached the living room, Enzo felt his heart tighten.
A middle-aged man with black hair was sitting there.
His stern face alone was enough to make anyone nervous.
"Father, we’re leaving," Bella said.
Alex Muller looked at the two of them with a deeply furrowed brow.
"Wait."
His sudden voice stopped them.
"What is it?"
Bella reluctantly halted.
Alex’s gaze shifted to Enzo, making the young man even more uneasy.
A bad feeling crept into his chest.
"Don’t come back after today," Alex said coldly.
"A friend of mine has arranged a job for you in the Sanctuary. They’ll pay you well. Even if you fail your awakening, working there will still give you another chance in the future."
"Father... what?!"
Bella cried out in shock.
She had never expected him to say something like that.
This wasn’t merely advice.
It was expulsion.
"Be quiet!"
Alex roared at his daughter.
"How can you throw Enzo out? If it weren’t for his father, would you even have everything you have today?" Bella shot back.
"You know nothing!" Alex barked.
"Do you have any idea how many enemies his father made? Because I took him in, those same enemies have started targeting me."
"So you’re afraid? Afraid your business empire will collapse?"
"Bella, let’s go."
This time, it was Enzo who pulled Bella away.
He couldn’t bear staying in that house for another second after being so clearly cast aside.
"Enzo..."
Bella struggled to find the words.
"I can work at the Sanctuary," Enzo replied calmly.
"Don’t say that. You’ll awaken for sure..."
It was all she could do to comfort him.
...
The two hailed a taxi and headed for school.
Today, every workplace had closed except those belonging to the Awakener Association.
Awakening Day was a sacred occasion.
It was as significant as the imperial examinations of ancient China.
People flocked to high schools across the country to encourage the students and witness whether a new hero would be born.
Light High School of Z City was unquestionably the city’s finest academy.
Built on a vast campus beside City Hall, it admitted only two kinds of students:
Those with exceptional achievements...
Or those with exceptional connections.
The school invested enormous resources into maximizing each student’s chances of awakening successfully.
As a result, failures here were exceedingly rare.
When Enzo and Bella stepped out of the taxi, they immediately attracted countless gazes.
Most of them, naturally, were drawn to Bella’s beauty.
Soon, however, people noticed the young man standing beside her.
"Isn’t that Charles Muller’s son?" someone whispered.
"Yeah. Charles Muller’s son—the first student in this school’s history to fail all three Awakening Trials."
A student sneered.
"What rotten luck. We lost a legendary hero, and his son ended up becoming a stain on his father’s name."
Another student laughed.
Mockery.
Ridicule.
Contempt.
It was a culture deliberately encouraged by the school to forge stronger determination.
Sometimes, humiliation awakened hidden potential more effectively than praise ever could.
"Nicolas! Watch your mouth!"
Bella glared at the large young man who had called Enzo a stain.
He had a broad build and a permanently mocking grin.
"Oh, my dear young lady, why do you always defend him?"
Nicolas chuckled.
"I’m only putting pressure on him. Maybe anger will awaken something that’s been sleeping inside him."
"You’re hardly qualified to look down on anyone," Bella shot back.
"You only cleared one trial yourself. What do you think you’re going to awaken? If you’re lucky, it’ll be a C-Class Talent. Otherwise, you’ll probably end up with a D-Class Talent."
"Bella, don’t underestimate Nicolas. His physique has been unique from the start. The instructors who’ve seen him are pretty sure he’ll awaken a Class B Talent."
A handsome young man stepped forward.
His neatly styled dark-blond hair and dignified bearing immediately set him apart.
Several cold-looking bodyguards stood silently behind him, radiating danger.
George Morgan.
The son of Z City’s mayor, Austin Morgan.
Although the mayor himself wasn’t an Awakener, his younger sister was.
Rebecca Morgan, the strongest Awakener in Z City.
"Hmph. So what if he awakens a B-Class Talent?" Bella scoffed.
"Maybe people like us, who passed all three trials, can look down on a B-Class Talent," George replied calmly.
"But it’s still far better than awakening nothing at all."
"The ceremony hasn’t even begun. You can’t be certain of anything."
Bella had no interest in arguing further.
She grabbed Enzo’s hand and led him toward the school courtyard, where a large stage had been prepared several days earlier.
"Everyone, gather here!"
The principal called out to the students.
At that exact moment...
A convoy of black cars rolled into the campus.
"The Awakener Association usually sends a famous Awakener as today’s supervisor. I wonder who it is?"
People immediately began speculating.
"No idea... I hope it’s Rebecca Morgan."
"Hah! You just want to see a beautiful woman. Remember, she could probably kill you with a single glare."
"Look—holy crap! It really is her!"
"..."
A woman in her early thirties stepped out of the middle vehicle.
Her long crimson hair flowed behind her.
Tall and voluptuous, her curvy figure resembled the elegant shape of a Spanish guitar, accentuated by the tight shirt and short shorts she wore.
Countless eyes were captivated by her long, snow-white legs.
Rebecca Morgan.
"George, you never told us your aunt was coming," Nicolas muttered.
"What’s so surprising? Of course she’d come to watch her nephew awaken."
The others quickly agreed.
George merely smiled.
Rebecca’s gaze landed on him.
He immediately bowed his head respectfully, not daring to act casually despite the fact that she was his own aunt.
She remained expressionless.
Cold.
Indifferent.
The icy aura surrounding her seemed to pierce straight into people’s hearts.
She wasn’t merely a beautiful and powerful woman.
She was a veteran who had survived countless life-and-death battles.
Even the mayor, who bore a striking resemblance to George, greeted her with utmost respect despite being her elder brother.
Rebecca was escorted to the seat of honor on the stage.
Meanwhile, two men opened a suitcase containing a crimson stone engraved with the imprint of a human palm.
"Enzo Muller... step forward."
The principal suddenly called his name.
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