The hall was silent.
Hundreds of students stood shoulder to shoulder, their eyes fixed on the crystal orb at the center of the stage.
"This is your final awakening ceremony," the instructor said, voice calm but sharp enough to cut through the tension. "If you still fail today… prepare to live as ordinary humans. The academies don't take non-Awakeners."
His words landed like heavily on the group of students gathered, ripples of anxiety spread instantly into their hearts.
Adam exhaled slowly, forcing his heart to steady.
He'd only been in this world for three weeks, yet he understood exactly what was at stake.
Fail here, and you spend your life chasing scraps at the buttom of the world.
Pass… and the whole world opens up a drastically new dream-like reality for you.
Two centuries ago, a mysterious energy called mana, had poured into the world. Cities fell. Beasts mutated and humanity almost vanished before the first Awakeners appeared and clawed civilization back from extinction.
Since then, every young person dreamed of awakening their own power.
But dreams were cheap. Reality wasn't.
Only one in fifty ever succeeded.
The teacher flipped open a file. "Vivian Stone!"
A slim girl stumbled forward, pale and trembling. When she tripped, a few nervous chuckles escaped from the crowd—then died at the instructor's glare.
She reached the orb, pressed her palm to the glass, and shut her eyes.
Seconds crawled by. Nothing. The teacher began to sigh…
And just then the orb flared white. A gust of wind spiraled out, lifting the girl's hair as green light shone on her skin.
"Vivian Stone has successfully awakened a talent!" the teacher declared.
Gasps filled the room immediately the results were announced.
"Wow, Vivian actually did it?"
"No way—she was ranked near the bottom!"
The atmosphere flipped in an instant. Hope flickered where despair had been.
Adam's lips twitched. 'Lucky girl. If I fail, at least I know someone did better than my predecessor…'
The next name was called. Then another.
Failure after failure piled up, soon reaching dozens in a row. The air grew heavy again, the excitement dying as time passed.
When the teacher finally looked his way, Adam's stomach twisted slightly.
"Adam Gray!"
He swallowed. "Here."
As he stepped onto the stage, whispers trailed behind him.
Immediately after Adam was called up, all sorts of gazes fell upon him.
"Isn't that the guy?"
"What guy?"
"The shameless one who leeches off the school beauty..."
"Damn, that really is him. I hope he fails to awaken. In fact, I hope when he places his hand on the orb, it malfunctions and explodes with him..."
The moment Adam's name was called, curses and muttered insults echoed through the crowd. Most came from the male students, and it was obvious they hated him.
Adam rolled his eyes and gave them a lazy grin, middle finger raised just high enough for them to see. "Wish me luck, gentlemen."
The pose made him look confident and cool, though it only fueled the students' fury. Some looked as if they were ready to charge at him on the spot.
Their loud curses followed him all the way to the podium.
The teacher gestured impatiently. "Place your hand."
Everyone watched closely as Adam placed his hand on the awakening orb.
Then, the place fell into absolute silence, the air filled with tension as they waited for the result.
Seconds ticked by, and Adam could almost hear his heart pounding in his chest. Each student was given thirty seconds with the awakening orb.
Any longer was pointless, as proven by countless trials over the years.
Ten seconds passed.
Fifteen seconds.
Twenty seconds.
Twenty-five seconds...
He could already hear the boys snickering behind him.
'Damn, don't tell me I'm actually going to fail to awaken... Come on, Adam! You can do it! I didn't survive cancer in my last life to die a nobody here.' he prayed inwardly, pressing his palm harder against the awakening orb.
The instructor reached out to dismiss him.
Then the orb pulsed rapidly and exploded in golden light.
The blast of heat forced everyone to shield their eyes.
When the glow faded, a faint sound lingered in the air, alerting everyone of the truth of the matter.
The teacher froze. "Gold…? That's a unique-grade awakening!"
The room erupted instantly.
"No way!"
"Unique talent?!"
"Impossible!"
Adam blinked, half-dazed. A translucent screen hovered before his eyes, shimmering faintly.
[Congratulations. You have awakened the Life Simulator.]
[Grade: ???]
[Would you like to explore its functions? Y/N]
'What the hell…?'
He mentally pressed No. Whatever this was, he'd figure it out later, preferably when a hundred jealous classmates weren't watching.
Relief washed through him, followed by a grin he couldn't hold back.
'Finally, I can relax...' Adam felt as though a massive weight that had been pressing on him for years had finally lifted from his shoulders.
'This might be the second-best thing I've ever achieved... As for the first...' His eyes subtly shifted toward a particular direction.
There, a flawless beauty with a sweet smile was standing and waving at him.
She was Aurora, the school beauty, and Adam's long-time girlfriend.
She was also the reason most of the students hated him so much.
Adam's predecessor had been a renowned playboy, shamelessly flirting with one girl after another. With his glib tongue, he not only stole the hearts of many but somehow infiltrated the ice-cold heart of the school goddess herself.
'What a refreshing feeling...' Adam stretched his arms outward and looked completely relaxed.
He cast a casual glance at the jealous students. His expression made it seem like he had expected this result from the beginning.
Of course, that only made the boys hate him more.
The teacher cleared his throat, forcing back his stern composure. "Stand to the side, Adam. We'll continue."
Adam gave a mock salute and joined Vivian near the wall.
Student after student tried their luck, but none succeeded. By the end of the ceremony, the hall was heavy with the sound of quiet sobbing. Even the teacher's voice softened.
"For those who failed," he said, "remember, an unawakened life is not a wasted one. During the early days of the apocalypse, at least half of our ancestors, those who played crucial roles in ensuring humanity's survival and advancement, were ordinary people. So what if you didn't awaken?"
A murmur spread among the downcast students, and their spirits faintly lifted due to the teacher's words.
Even Adam couldn't help but be impressed. However, he understood the brutal truth that awaited these students once they left this hall.
Some of them might already understand it. But for now, they needed something to hold on to.
One must understand that this world, though more advanced than Adam's original one, wasn't exactly a paradise for the average citizen.
If Adam hadn't awakened, he would have been the one standing silently, listening to those same comforting words from the teacher.
He knew he was truly lucky.
Sensing his words had resonated with the students, the teacher nodded, then continued.
"The college exams for both regular colleges and cultivation academies are just three months away. Use this time wisely and prepare seriously. Just because school ends today doesn't mean you can afford to slack off. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!" the students chorused, including Adam and the other newly awakened.
"Alright, you're dismissed."