The sharp snap still echoed faintly in the ears of the students.
For a moment, everything twisted.
Space bent and folded like a sheet being forced into another shape.
Then—
The world stabilized.
When the students opened their eyes again, they were no longer inside the academy hall.
Instead, they stood upon a vast open ground made entirely of polished white marble that stretched endlessly in every direction.
Soft murmurs spread through the crowd as students looked around in confusion.
At the center of the enormous platform stood an elevated podium, reached by a small staircase. Floating above it was a crystalline orb, its smooth surface etched with faint golden lines that pulsed slowly with magical energy.
Standing beside it was the same man who had been addressing them earlier.
Headmaster Xyros Aelar.
His short white hair was neatly styled, and his sharp beard framed a composed expression. His piercing blue eyes calmly observed the students as if measuring every single one of them.
When the murmurs finally quieted, he spoke.
"Headmaster Xyros Aelar, Cusp Entity of Horizoncrest Academy, will now proceed with the Awakening Ceremony."
His voice echoed across the marble platform.
"The first student… Sarah Augustine."
A young woman stepped forward from the crowd.
Her long blonde hair shimmered under the morning light, almost appearing golden. She carried herself with confidence as she walked toward the staircase and ascended the podium.
Many students immediately recognized her.
Sarah Augustine.
Daughter of Thomas Augustine, one of the most powerful Archdukes in the Empire.
She calmly extended her hand.
The moment her fingers touched the orb—
Magic surged.
Golden energy erupted from the crystal as streams of mana spiraled around her body. Her hair began glowing brightly while waves of power rippled outward.
Before Headmaster Xyros, a translucent evaluation panel appeared.
Numbers began rising rapidly.
1.0 – 2.0 | Foundational Tier
The students leaned forward.
The numbers didn't stop.
2.1 – 3.0 | Transitional Tier
Whispers spread across the crowd.
Then the energy intensified.
3.1 – 6.0 | Dominion Tier
The reading continued climbing.
5.2
5.5
5.7
Finally—
It stopped.
The panel stabilized.
Headmaster Xyros glanced at the result before announcing it clearly.
"Sarah Augustine
(Class: Daughter of the Sun)
Magic Tier: 5.9
General Tier: Upper Dominion."
For a moment—
Silence.
Then the entire field erupted with shocked murmurs.
"A Tier 5.9?!"
"That's already Upper Dominion!"
"Most junior students barely reach that level after years!"
The result was astonishing.
Many third-year academy students struggled to reach that tier.
And yet Sarah had achieved it during her awakening.
If she continued growing at this rate, she might surpass the strongest junior students within a single year.
However…
Despite the shock, some students were not surprised at all.
After all—
She was Sarah Augustine.
Daughter of Thomas Augustine, an Archduke whose power rivaled that of entire noble factions.
Officially, his house served an Empire.
In reality, the Empire often allowed the Augustine family to do as they pleased.
Such was the influence of their bloodline.
Sarah calmly removed her hand from the orb.
The golden light faded as she stepped down from the podium, her expression unchanged.
Headmaster Xyros simply nodded before calling the next name.
"The second student… Nolan Smith."
A young man stepped out from the crowd.
Nolan walked up the staircase nervously and stood before the crystalline orb. After a brief hesitation, he placed his hand on its surface.
Magic condensed around the crystal.
For a moment it seemed as if something might happen—
But the energy quickly faded.
A faint panel appeared before Headmaster Xyros.
He glanced at it briefly before announcing the result.
"Nolan Smith
Class: Day Laborer
Magic Tier: 1.5
General Tier: Foundational Tier."
A wave of quiet murmurs spread through the students.
Nolan's face twisted with disappointment.
He slowly removed his hand from the orb and stepped down from the podium, his shoulders heavy.
Such was the reality for many.
If you failed to awaken something meaningful, your future would likely remain ordinary.
After witnessing Sarah Augustine's overwhelming power, the contrast was painful.
The tension among the students eased slightly.
Not everyone could be like Sarah Augustine.
In fact… most of them wouldn't even come close.
Headmaster Xyros continued calling names.
One after another, students stepped forward.
Some returned with bright smiles.
Others with clenched jaws.
Some looked frustrated.
Others appeared on the verge of tears.
And a rare few walked away practically glowing with excitement.
Time passed as the ceremony continued.
Eventually—
A familiar figure stepped onto the podium.
Jorien.
The moment his hand touched the orb, dark red flames erupted around his arm.
Heat spread across the marble platform as infernal sparks danced in the air.
A panel appeared.
Headmaster Xyros spoke calmly.
"Jorien Veyrath
Class & Ability: Infernal Flame Manipulatior
Magic Tier: 4.8
General Tier: Lower Dominion."
The reaction from the students was immediate.
Infernal Fire was a rare and destructive element.
Jorien stepped down from the podium with a proud smirk.
His eyes burned faintly red as he walked through the crowd.
Then he stopped beside Aaron.
Leaning slightly toward him as he passed, he whispered quietly enough that only Aaron could hear.
"Well… get ready to bow."
"You are nothing."
"And you will never be anything."
Before continuing forward, Jorien forcefully shoved Aaron's shoulder, pushing him slightly aside as he walked past.
Aaron remained silent.
But his eyes flickered faintly.
Not long after, another familiar name was called.
"Lailah Veyrath."
Lailah stepped forward with quiet confidence.
When her hand touched the orb, dark silver energy rippled across its surface before forming into sharp, shifting shadows that briefly circled around her body.
A panel appeared before Headmaster Xyros.
He glanced at it and announced calmly:
"Lailah Veyrath
Class: False Prowler
Magic Tier: 4.5
General Tier: Lower Dominion."
Murmurs spread across the students.
Another strong awakening.
Though slightly weaker than Jorien's, it was still far above the average result.
Lailah stepped down from the podium with a faint smile, her eyes briefly glancing toward Aaron.
Then—
Headmaster Xyros spoke again.
"Aaron Veyrath. Step forward."
For a moment, the world seemed to quiet.
Aaron could hear nothing but the wild pounding of his own heart hammering against his ribs.
Cold crept through his body, seeping deep into his bones.
This was it.
The moment that would decide everything.
His past life had been filled with failure, pain, and helplessness.
Nothing had ever gone right.
Yet fate, in its strange and ironic way, had given him something impossible.
A second chance.
Aaron slowly stepped forward through the crowd.
He could feel the gazes of hundreds of students following him.
Some curious.
Some mocking.
Some indifferent.
None of them mattered.
He climbed the small staircase and stood before the floating crystal orb.
For a brief moment, he hesitated.
His hand hovered just inches away from the glowing surface.
Then Aaron closed his eyes and took a slow breath.
Whatever happens… I will face it.
His eyes opened again.
Determination burned within them.
This was his moment.
It was now or…
never!