The academy hall was packed.
Hundreds of students filled the seats, their voices buzzing with excitement and fear.
"Today's the day…"
"I heard someone from last year became B-Rank!"
"What if I don't awaken…?"
At the front stood a massive crystal.
Clear.
Radiant.
Alive.
The Awakening Stone.
Kai Ren stood quietly at the back of the crowd.
His eyes were calm.
Too calm.
Unlike everyone else…
He wasn't nervous.
He already knew how this would go.
"…Three A-Ranks."
"…One hidden S-Rank."
"…And dozens of useless ones."
His gaze swept across the room.
Stopping briefly on a few people.
A confident boy laughing loudly.
👉 Future A-Rank. Dies in a Red Gate.
A quiet girl gripping her sleeve.
👉 Rare healer. Betrayed by her own guild.
A cold-looking student near the window.
👉 Hidden S-Rank. Becomes a tyrant.
Kai looked away.
Uninterested.
"…All of you…"
His expression didn't change.
"…are already dead."
"Next! Step forward!"
One by one, students approached the Awakening Stone.
A hand touched the crystal—
Light flared.
"B-Rank!"
Cheers.
Applause.
Relief.
Another student.
"D-Rank!"
More reactions.
Some excited.
Some disappointed.
Time passed.
Then—
The atmosphere shifted.
A tall boy stepped forward.
Confident.
Smiling.
The crystal exploded with light.
"A-Rank!"
The hall erupted.
"No way!!"
"A-RANK?!"
"He's a genius!"
Kai didn't react.
"…As expected."
The future was playing out exactly the same.
Until—
"Next… Kai Ren."
Silence.
Whispers spread instantly.
"That guy?"
"The weakest?"
"Why is he even here?"
Kai stepped forward slowly.
Ignoring them.
Each step steady.
Unshaken.
He stood before the Awakening Stone.
In his past life…
This moment was humiliating.
He placed his hand on the crystal.
Nothing happened.
"F-Rank."
Laughter exploded.
"I knew it!"
"Trash is still trash!"
Kai lowered his hand.
Just like before.
Same result.
Same outcome.
But this time—
He smiled.
"…Good."
As he turned away—
DING.
[Divine Error System Active]
[Condition Met: First Awakening Complete]
[Hidden Protocol Unlocked]
Kai's eyes flickered.
[Do you wish to overwrite your awakening?]
He stopped walking.
Silence.
"…Overwrite."
The world froze.
No one moved.
No sound.
No time.
Everything… stopped.
Only Kai remained.
Before him—
The Awakening Stone began to crack.
Not from the outside.
From within.
A dark energy spread across its surface.
Unseen by everyone else.
[Select Path]
Options appeared before him.
Flame.
Shadow.
Sword.
Time.
Beast.
All powerful.
All known.
Kai didn't hesitate.
"…None of them."
The options shattered.
The system paused.
Then—
[Error… Error…]
[Unknown Path Detected]
A new option appeared.
Dark.
Distorted.
Unstable.
[Origin]
Kai's eyes locked onto it.
"…So it starts now."
He selected it.
The stone exploded silently.
Cracks spread like spiderwebs.
A force surged into his body.
Pain.
Violent.
Overwhelming.
But Kai didn't scream.
He endured.
He had felt worse.
Far worse.
Time resumed.
The hall returned to normal.
The instructor frowned.
"…Strange…"
The Awakening Stone flickered briefly.
But then—
"F-Rank confirmed."
Laughter returned.
Everything seemed normal.
But—
Kai's eyes glowed faintly.
For just a second.
Then disappeared.
He turned and walked away.
Ignoring everyone.
Ignoring the world.
Inside—
Something was changing.
DING.
[Hidden Class Acquired: Origin]
[Skill Gained: Devour]
[Skill Gained: Rewrite]
[Passive: Godslayer Growth Activated]
Kai's lips curled slightly.
"…Perfect."
He stepped outside the hall.
The sky above was clear.
Peaceful.
But to him—
It looked like a battlefield waiting to happen.
He raised his head slightly.
"…Watch closely."
His voice was cold.
"This time…"
A pause.
"I won't play your game."
Far above the sky—
Something stirred.
A presence.
Watching.
For the first time—
The gods felt something…
Unexpected.