Then another man stepped onto the stage, holding himself like some official supervisor.
"Everyone here will be touching this crystal ball," he said, pointing at a blue orb the size of a ball.
"This tool channels mana into your body and helps you awaken. You're lucky, you know. Back then, the first awakeners had to use forceful methods. Half of them didn't even survive the process. Thanks to the ones who came before us, this tool makes awakening a hundred percent safe."
His voice carried a bit of reverence, like he was reminding everyone to be grateful.
Then he raised the paper in his hand. "Names will be called one by one. Step forward when you hear yours."
"Jaren Draken," he called first.
A tall young man walked up with a confident stride, his uniform neat, and his expression calm.
"Isn't that the young master of the Draken family? He's even more handsome in person…" someone whispered.
"Go for it, young master Jaren!" another shouted, and soon the front rows were buzzing with excitement.
The overseer pointed at the orb. "Place your hand on the crystal."
Jaren pressed his palm against the smooth surface. The orb lit up at once, glowing brighter and brighter. Mana surged into his body, making his skin shine faintly. He let out a heavy breath, his chest rising and falling as the mana worked its way through him.
A moment later, the glow faded.
"Jaren Draken, successfully awakened," the overseer announced.
Gasps rippled through the stands, followed by a wave of clapping and excited shouts.
Jaren stared ahead, his eyes distant for a second, no doubt reading his status window. That was something only the person awakened could see.
Then his lips curled into a smile. He lifted his chin, basking in the attention. "I'm an A-Rank," he declared proudly.
Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd.
"An A-rank right at the start? He's already set for life," a boy muttered bitterly.
"As expected of the Draken family's heir!"
"Lucky bastard," another hissed, envy thick in his voice.
In this world, ranks weren't just for show. From SSS down to F, it decides how far one can climb. Higher rank means higher level cap.
But nobody could see another's rank. Not unless they revealed it, the truth will stay hidden. Then why reveal it? Because if someone will to be D or higher Rank, people showered you with chances, resources, connections, even family alliances.
That's why the confident ones spoke up, while those who stayed quiet… well, everyone knew what that meant. E or F Ranks.
"Isabel," the man called as the awakening went on.
A blond girl stepped up the stage, every pair of eyes following her.
"Isabel Dalisay, successfully awakened," the man announced.
Cheers broke out again.
"Two in a row? Damn, maybe I'll awaken too!" someone shouted.
"Beauty and power, Isabel! I love you!" another yelled, voice cracking.
The man waited, staring at her, expecting her to reveal her rank. After a pause, she spoke.
"I'm… a B-rank."
Some students whistled, others stamped their feet, and the noise rolled across the stadium.
The overseer nodded at her with a smile, clearly satisfied.
One after another, names kept getting called. But the streak didn't last. Out of hundreds, most failed. The mood slowly shifted as more and more left the stage with heads hanging low.
By the time they reached the 300th name, only four had awakened.
"Kendra Grevin, unsuccessfully awakened," the overseer's voice echoed.
The girl froze for a second, then lowered her head, shoulders trembling. She walked off the stage with tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Gerald Smith, successfully awakened," the man called next.
A boy stepped forward, grinning wide. "I'm a D-rank," he announced proudly.
It wasn't that high, but still, better than most. The crowd gave a round of cheers, some clapping, some just nodding. D-rank meant a future at least.
Nobody dared to fake their rank. History already proved what happens when you lie. Those who announced false ranks ended up ruined.
By law, the ones who invested in you could demand ten times payback once the truth came out. People who tried in the past? They were stripped of everything, working like slaves just to cover their debts. So yeah, no one even thought about bluffing.
Besides, it was impossible to go beyond your rank. The cap was real. S rank stayed S rank, F stayed F. No exceptions.
Hours rolled by as more names were called. One by one, the students stepped up, either glowing with joy or walking away with crushed expressions.
Finally, the academy kids were done.
Now came the turn for those outside the academies. The ones from the slums, street orphans, and the ones who couldn't afford uniforms or books.
The crystal glowed only twice for them. Out of thousands, just two managed to awaken. Neither revealed their rank. Which meant only one thing, they were likely E or F Ranks.
Whispers spread in the crowd, but nobody was surprised. In awakening, bloodline mattered. Families with awakeners had higher chances of producing more awakeners.
That's why the powerful stayed powerful. The rest? They stayed at the bottom. Unless you got lucky, you'd remain ordinary your whole life. And luck like that… didn't happen often.
Then, Leo's turn came.
"Leo Vale, successfully awakened."
The overseer's eyes lingered on him, waiting for the rank. But Leo stayed quiet. Not a word came out of his mouth.
The man frowned, then gave a small nod. Silence usually meant low rank. Still, awakening itself was already luck. Most kids would kill for that much.
Leo kept his face calm, almost blank. But inside, his chest was pounding. His eyes flickered as a window popped open in front of him.
Name: Leo Vale
Level 1: 0/100 exp
Rank: Exclusive (Demon Lord)
Skill: SSS Rank Shadow Awaken
Shadows: 0/5
Leo's throat went dry. 'Demon Lord? Me? Like those vile entities?'
His heart skipped 'Sh*t, will I be persecuted?'
Unlike normal awakeners, there was another kind of existence. Demon Lords. And only a few hundred existed across the entire world.
They weren't bound by ranks like everyone else. Where normal awakeners hit their limits, Demon Lords just kept climbing. Level after level, no cap to hold them back.
But that was exactly why people feared them. They were too unnatural and too broken. Their powers didn't just bend the rules, they broke them apart. Everyone wanted one under their control, yet at the same time, everyone hated them.
Their reputation in public was the worst. Most Demon Lords had gone mad with power, bringing nothing but ruin. Killing at will, ignoring every law of humanity. Desire ruled them more than reason.
And yet… even with all that destruction, they still walked free. Because who could stop them? Not the association guild, not the armies, not even the governments. Demon Lords carried such overwhelming strength that even the authorities stepped aside, treating them like untouchable kings.