(Awakener Academy - Aurora)
The capital city of Aurora was more lively than ever today. Streams of vehicles, floats, mounts, and pedestrians all surged toward one destination — the Awakener Academy. Today marked the start of the Academy's assessment and recruitment period, a once-in-a-year event that attracted hopefuls from all corners of the planetary sectors, sects, villages, and cities alike.
Outside the towering academy gates, a sea of people waited, going through the strict identification process. The Academy prided itself on being inclusive — accepting all individuals, regardless of their talent grade, from F-rank to the illustrious SSS-rank. However, acceptance was not a matter of mercy; only those who could pass the brutal assessments would earn a place inside.
The air buzzed with excitement and anxiety. Many were whispering among themselves, marveling at the diversity around them. Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Fairies, Beastkin — races that rarely mingled together elsewhere now stood side-by-side.
"Bro, is that a real fairy? She's like... three apples tall!"
"Forget the fairy, check out that Dwarf. Dude looks like he benched a mountain for breakfast."
"Man, even the Beastkin are here! And I thought I'd be exotic for being from a backwater village."
Suddenly, a dazzling silver light descended from the sky, grabbing everyone's attention. A magnificent silver chariot, floating effortlessly, emblazoned with the royal insignia, came into view.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Whoa, check it out! That's the Royal Family's ride!"
"You can tell just by the bling, man. It's shinier than my future."
"Tch. Show-offs," one muttered under his breath, arms crossed.
"I heard the 3rd Prince, the one they called a waste, is now a top-tier genius," another said, wide-eyed.
"No way! That dude? Thought he couldn't even awaken a firefly."
The chariot gently touched down. Applicants instinctively parted to clear a path, standing in nervous respect. The door swung open with a soft click, and stepping out came Andrew Lionheart — the 3rd prince himself.
The crowd audibly gasped again. He was... handsome. Far more so than the rumors had ever suggested. A refined, princely aura clung to him. His once average looks were now replaced with a face so perfect, it seemed carved by the gods themselves.
Unbeknownst to them, Andrew wore a smug, almost imperceptible grin. He was basking in the attention. If this had been the past, nobody would have spared him a second glance. But now? Now, he was handsome, powerful, a royal, and had a limitless future ahead of him. Who wouldn't want to kneel and kiss his boots?
The air grew heady around him; pheromones leaked from his physique, enhancing his allure — a side effect of his physique upgrade granted by his system. Girls couldn't help but stare, cheeks flushed. Boys? They were green with envy.
In the midst of all this admiration, one rather ordinary-looking individual scoffed under his breath.
"Tch, so that's the so-called protagonist? Proud little peacock. Won't be long before I bind him... and leech his precious cheat system. Hahaha, this'll be rich," the boy thought, smirking inwardly.
He was Jason — a supposed 'extra' with a far bigger ambition.
Before the crowd's amazement could even settle, another spectacle stole their attention. From the horizon came another chariot, but this one was pulled by ancient Pegasi, their obsidian wings cutting through the sky like knives. The chariot itself gleamed with a sinister beauty — black with silver inlays — bearing the insignia of the Shadowheart family.
A wave of unease passed through the crowd.
"Is that... the Shadowheart carriage?"
"Oh, crap. Is Ronald Shadowheart enrolling this year?"
"Sigh~, we're NPCs now. Might as well open a shop and sell potions or something."
"Speak for yourself, bro. I'm gonna shamelessly hug his thigh if I can!"
"Hmph! You? Hug his thigh? More like lick the dirt off his boots if you're lucky," sneered another.
"Ehn?! Fuck off! Who even are you?" snapped the first.
"Your grandpa's reincarnation!"
"Fuck you bastard!"
Bickering aside, all eyes snapped back to the chariot as Ronald Shadowheart stepped down. Unlike Andrew, who received admiration, Ronald's presence invoked fear. His aura was suffocating. Killing intent radiated off him like a seasoned predator who had hunted far too long to have patience for prey.
Weaklings instinctively stepped aside.
Ronald merely muttered, "Pathetic," and made his way toward the gate without sparing a glance.
Jason, observing once again, cackled inwardly.
"Heavenly Demon Ronald, huh? The things I'm gonna squeeze out of you once I bind you... oh, the delicious possibilities!"
Just as the excitement seemed to reach its peak, an earth-shattering roar tore through the skies.
ROARRRR!!!
The ground trembled. Applicants, instructors, even veteran knights near the academy walls shuddered in primal fear. All heads turned upward — and many wished they hadn't.
A colossal golden dragon, easily 50 meters long, descended from the heavens. Its scales shone like miniature suns, each flap of its wings sending hurricane-level gusts through the area. Atop the beast sat an individual dressed in a gold robe with a silver cape, a crown floating above his head like a sovereign blessing.
His face, however, remained obscured, an enigma in golden mist.
The dragon landed with surprising grace a few meters from the academy's gate. Yet the sheer pressure pushed the crowd back several meters, some almost collapsing.
The individual gently floated down, casually patting the dragon, which immediately disappeared in a burst of light. Gasps of horror and awe rang through the air.
And then, finally, the mist around his face dissipated — and they saw him.
Xandros Darkhaven.
A being whose beauty could not be described with mortal words, yet rather than incite lust or envy, his very presence commanded awe and reverence. Without thinking, every single person — from the mightiest applicant to the lowliest gate guard — knelt, heads bowed.
Even Andrew, Ronald, and Jason found themselves on one knee, unable to resist.
Xandros, seeing this, scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"Oops, my bad. Didn't think the suppression would hit that hard," he said with a sheepish grin, immediately retracting his aura.
The crowd slowly recovered, faces pale with terror. Even among those who had once been arrogant, a singular realization dawned: Whoever that was, he stood far, far beyond even the Royal Family.
The three so-called protagonists scrambled internally.
"System! Profile him!" Ronald barked inwardly.
Sweat beaded Ronald's forehead.
"Shit! No... It can't be him that day, right?! … Is that monster real?!"
Andrew Lionheart likewise demanded a scan.
[ERROR: Target cannot be scanned. This request must never be repeated, not now, not ever.]
"Not now, not ever?!" Andrew panicked as a rare thing — fear — gnawed at him, but his arrogance still showed.
Jason wasn't any luckier.
{Error. Request denied.}
{System functions are severely damaged.}
{The system will be unavailable for 48 hours.}
"WHAT?! SYSTEM! HELLO?! SYSTEM!!!" Jason cried out mentally, but the only response was silence.
Xandros chuckled quietly. He already guessed what had happened. Layla, his adorable little prankster, hated it when people tried to probe him without permission. She must've fried their systems on instinct.
Even worse, several academy elders and instructors, hidden inside, who had dared to peek into his existence, either spat blood on the spot or collapsed unconscious. Some old fossils might be coughing up blood for weeks to come.
After several tense minutes, the atmosphere slowly normalized.
At last, the grand gates to the Awakener Academy creaked open, releasing a wave of mystical energy and light.
The Path to Greatness had opened.
Well... for most of them, anyway.
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Hey guys. Please throw me some Power Stones, and I shall release bonus chapters