Mayor Bardean had recovered from his shock. He continued the ceremony. Calling out more names. More of Jester and Vale's classmates were called. The ones who had participated in their focused experiments
And again, the strange objects they had chosen glowed. Reformed. And the measurement poles lit up. None reached nine star this time. But none received less than six-star powers. It was an unprecedented string of high-grade awakenings.
The crowd had gone utterly wild. What had started as murmurs had escalated into a sustained roar of astonishment and joy.
Last year, the grim statistics had been brutal. Seven out of every ten teenagers received zero-star gears. Effectively condemning them to a life without the power needed to combat the world's threats.
The highest-grade gear had been a solitary six-star. A rare beacon of hope. This year, it was a landslide of success. The entire first waves were all powerful six stars. Or more. The implications were staggering.
The Ceremony continued on. And the last seven of Jester and Vale's direct experimental group completed their awakenings. Again. A resounding success.
As the Mayor was about to call the next random batch of teenagers, he suddenly paused. He looked at the gathered crowd. Then at the beaming faces of Jester and Vale and their now-powerful friends. He quickly made a decision.
"A momentary halt!" Mayor Bardean's voice boomed. Though it still held a tremor of profound emotion.
He strode directly towards Jester and Vale. His large frame was purposeful. He stopped before them. His eyes, usually shrewd and calculating, were now wide with a mixture of reverence and intense curiosity.
"Jester! Valiant!" The Mayor's voice was lower now. Meant only for them. "This… this is incredible. Beyond anything we could have hoped for. The results of your… research. Do you truly, genuinely, without reservation, wish to publish them freely? To share this method with the world?"
His gaze flickered to Vale. The implication was clear... Knowledge was power. They could keep it secret and gain greater competitive advantages over other potential transcenders.
Jester met the Mayor's gaze. Then exchanged a brief look with Vale. There was no hesitation. None at all.
They both nodded. Simultaneously. Firmly.
"Yes, Mayor." Jester said. His voice was clear and unwavering. Cutting through the lingering hum of the crowd. "Freely."
Vale simply added. "It's the best way."
Jester thought of Earth. Of his past life. It would be different there. In a world where humans were the dominant species. Where the primary dangers stemmed from other humans.
In such case, hoarding such knowledge would have been logical. Monopolizing such power would be a great self-serving path. It would have led to immense personal gain. Perhaps even global dominance. He would have kept it secret.
But this wasn't Earth. This was Sherra.
Here, the world was openly, viciously assaulted.
Mystical Dungeons appeared with raw, untamed energy. Spawning monsters that could devour towns.
Undeath Energy seeped from the unsanctified burial ground. Raising corpses and twisting living beings into abominations.
Demon Invasions tore through reality. Unleashing unspeakable horrors.
Humanity was not the apex predator here. Humanity was prey.
In Sherra, the higher the number of powerful awakened transcenders, the better. The greater the collective strength of humans, the better. The more individuals capable of fighting back, the better.
With more transcenders, the more effective human defenses would be. With more powerful transcenders... The more unstable dungeons could be cleared. The more undeath energy cleansed. The more vicious demons repelled.
The safer they would all be. Every single person on this planet. Including himself. Including Vale. Including their newly awakened friends. And everyone else they cared about.
In this world at present, the urgent necessity wasn't about personal glory or power. It was about survival. It was about giving humanity a fighting chance.
And for that, the secret needed to be a shared truth. The more the knowledge spread, the better. Bluntly, it was the only logical choice.
...
Mayor Bardean returned to the podium.
The crowd were still buzzing from the unprecedented success of the first group of awakenings. Soon, they quieted down. Though a palpable excitement thrummed through the stadium.
The mayor cleared his throat. "Attention, everyone!" His voice boomed. Projected over the thousands present. "What you have witnessed today is not luck. It is the result of dedicated, meticulous research."
A murmur of surprise rippled through the stands. Research? Most believed Awakening was pure chance.
"For the past two years..." Bardean continued. His gaze was sweeping over the faces. "... Two bright young individuals from our own Oakhaven have been tirelessly working. They sought a consistent method to acquire Soulheart Gear with high power grades. They found it."
He paused. Letting the statement sink in. Then, he pointed to Jester and Vale. Who looked somewhat uncomfortable with the sudden spotlight. "Jester Eventide and Valiant Bardean. These young men are responsible for the remarkable success we saw earlier today."
The crowd erupted in applause. Louder and more sincere than before. This wasn't just about their children. It was about the future of Oakhaven. Perhaps even Sherra. A systematic way to fight back the external threat.
"They have agreed to release their findings. Publicly. Freely." The mayor's voice resonated with pride. "The full methodology will be published in the Oakhaven Gazette and distributed widely within the next few days. We anticipate it will become a standard across all of Sherra within a few years."
More cheering. This was bigger than anyone had imagined.
Bardean raised a hand for silence. "Now, for the rest of today's ceremony. Given the groundbreaking nature of this discovery, we are offering an option. Any teenager present who has not yet undergone their awakening may choose to postpone it."
The stadium fell silent again. Everyone was absorbing the implications.
"You may postpone your awakening for one month." The mayor clarified. "During this time, you can re-evaluate and select your two objects. Following the principles outlined in Jester and Vale's research."
The reaction was swift and decisive. Whispers immediately turned into excited chatter. Parents grabbed their children. Discussing the implications. The chance to avoid a zero-star gear was too significant to ignore.
"However..." Bardean added. "If any of you still wish to proceed with your awakening today, you are welcome to do so. The platforms are ready."
The silence that followed was different now. It was filled with calculation. Who would risk it? Who would gamble on old methods when a proven one was on the horizon?
Slowly, hesitantly, four teenagers detached themselves from the main group. Four out of nearly three hundred. A grim testament to the perceived value of the old lottery system.
They walked towards the platforms. Their faces were a mixture of stubbornness and nervous bravado. Perhaps they were confident in their chosen objects. Or perhaps they simply disliked waiting.
The four teenagers brought their chosen items on the platforms. The ancient bell rang. Its deep tone echoed through the stadium. Energy swirled. Lights flared. The measurement poles lit up.
The first pole illuminated two segments. A two-star Soulheart Gear. A small, almost invisible ripple of disappointment passed through the crowd. Two stars was better than zero. But minuscule compared to the numbers witnessed earlier.
The next pole remained dark. Zero stars.
The third. Also dark. Zero stars.
The fourth. The same desolate darkness. Zero stars.
The results were completely different. Three zero-star gears. One two-star. The stark reality of the "old way" was laid bare. A brutal contrast to the earlier triumphs.
The crowd didn't even bother with polite applause. The ceremony felt deflated. Prematurely ended.
"The Awakening Ceremony for Oakhaven is now concluded." Mayor Bardean announced. His voice carried a note of finality. "We urge everyone to prepare for the release of the research. Your participation is vital for our collective future."
The stadium emptied quickly. Families hurried out. Mostly discussed the research, the choices, and the future. The four unlucky teens and their families left in somber silence.
Jester was tired of the attention. He slipped away from Vale and their friends. He navigated through the thinning crowd. His tall, athletic frame blended with the retreating figures.
The cheers, the awe, the questions… it was all secondary. The first step was done. The real work began now. He just wanted to be home.
...
His path led him through the less populated streets of Oakhaven. Eventually reaching the Old Eastvale District.
This area was quieter. The buildings were relatively newly renovated. But with an underlying emptiness. There were fewer people. Fewer sounds of morning life. Most of the original residents were gone.
He unlocked the front door of his small house. The air inside was still. Carrying a faint scent of citrus. He stepped into the empty living room.
His gaze immediately fell on the large, ornate wooden frame on the wall. The family portrait. Old photographs. Newly reprinted.
His parents... smiling, vibrant. His elder sister... strong and protective. His little sister... cheerfully mischievous. And him. A younger, smaller version. Nestled between them. A complete family.
Now, only he remained.
Three years ago. The memory was a dull ache. A demon invasion outbreak. Not a dungeon spill. Not an undeath surge. But... demon summoning.
Three demons, raw engines of destruction, had materialized. Only three. But, they were enough to spread chaos, death, and destruction in the Old Eastvale District.
The massacre had been swift and brutal. Entire blocks devoured. Families wiped out. Transcenders had eventually arrived. Slaying the horrors.
But the damage was done. Most residents had perished.
Jester had been lucky. Or perhaps unlucky... to survive alone. Having been at Vale's house for a sleepover that night. He had returned to find an empty, blood-soaked shell. An orphan at ten.
He turned away from the portrait. The familiar pang ached in his chest. Sentimentality was a luxury he couldn't afford. Survival was the priority now.
He moved upstairs. His footsteps echoing softly. His room was sparse. Functional. A bed. A desk. Shelves filled with books.
Jester sat on the edge of his bed. Looking at the circular tattoo on her right palm. The faint, almost invisible mark. The place where his Toonworld Watch now resided.
He could summon it right now. And activate it. Accessing the Toonworld. But a flicker of caution held him back. This was new. Unknown.
If he entered the Toonworld... what would happen to his physical body? Would he vanish? Would he get unconscious? Would he simply gain a mental connection?