Nathan had been toying with the black energy swirling around his palm for quite some time now.
"Why? I still can't figure out what this even does," he muttered, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"Hmph, forget it. Maybe this energy only appeared because my cores shattered." With a soft exhale, he guided the strange power back into his body.
"Let's just thank lady luck that I managed to form my core this time."
By the time he glanced toward his apartment windows, the sky outside was already pitch black.
"What time is it now?" Nathan grabbed the clock on the small table. Its already dark outside, so he checked the time quickly and it is already 7 in the evening.
Knocked out for five hours straight, he muttered, "No wonder my whole body feels like it's falling apart."
Dragging his aching body to the kitchen, Nathan grabbed some beef jerky lying on the counter and snatched a few snacks on the way.
"First thing I need to do is update my status." He settled into the corner of his room, turning on his computer while chewing on some jerky.
He had to update his identity card and book a schedule at the Arcane Department to change his citizen status. It was a mandatory government requirement; anyone who failed to comply would be punished and hunted down.
Awakeners possessed power ordinary people couldn't possibly resist. Because of that, strict protection and regulation were necessary.
After clicking confirm, Nathan finally allowed himself a satisfied smile. With the booking done, he would be evaluated tomorrow.
"I should receive at least one spell from the government tomorrow. Then I can finally begin my journey to earn money, hehe." Nathan couldn't hold back his grin; his mood had visibly lifted.
"Argh… my body still aches everywhere," he groaned, stretching his arms upward. Out of habit, he reached for his neck—only to realize the pendant that always hung there was gone.
"Lady luck… wherever you are, you're always in my heart." He let out a helpless sigh, the weight of the day settling heavily on his shoulders.
Feeling mentally and physically drained, Nathan shut down the computer and dragged his exhausted body onto the bed.
"Hopefully… tomorrow will turn out better," he murmured. His eyelids grew unbearably heavy, and within moments, his consciousness slipped away.
Morning came quietly. Birds chirped outside the window, and a warm beam of sunlight pierced through the curtains, landing directly on Nathan's face.
"Arghm…"
Nathan let out a sleepy yawn, drool tracing the corner of his lips. His long black hair lay scattered across the bed, and he was still tightly hugging a large pillow, his legs wrapped around it like a lazy cat unwilling to part with warmth.
"It's morning already…?" he muttered, forcing his eyes open. With slow, heavy movements, he dragged himself out of the bed. Yesterday's ordeal had been overwhelming, but now that his strength had returned, his mind felt much calmer.
After making a simple breakfast and cleaning the mess from the night before, Nathan left the building. The hallway was quiet, almost eerily so.
This area lay on the outskirts of the city. Most residents were workers, and during the day, only a handful of people could be seen coming and going.
Reaching the street, Nathan checked the few coins he had left and booked a cab.
"Boss, Arcane Department please," he said as he got inside.
"Oh? Are you an Awakened, sir?" the middle-aged driver asked, stealing glances at him through the rear view mirror, his eyes filled with admiration.
"Ah, yes. I just awakened recently. I'm heading there to report."
The two exchanged casual conversation as the cab made its way toward the city center.
Nathan looked out the window. The outskirts were packed with towering residential blocks, but as they moved deeper into the city, massive commercial buildings dominated the skyline. People hurried across crosswalks, and vehicles flowed endlessly along the roads. No matter how many times he came here, the sight always amazed him.
Most of his days had been spent mining crystals outside the city, so this bustling view still felt somewhat foreign.
Crystals were resources Awakeners relied on to replenish their energy, were also used as currency.
Soon, the cab stopped. They had arrived.
Nathan stepped out and instinctively held his breath. A colossal tower loomed before him. At its front was a massive staircase, broad like a pyramid at the base and narrowing as it ascended toward the grand main entrance.
"That's a huge dragons…" Nathan whispered.
Two enormous dragon statues stood at both sides of the entrance, like ancient guardians supporting the entire majestic structure with their overwhelming presence.
Nathan slowly made his way up the stairs. The moment he stepped through the massive entrance, a quiet pressure washed over him. Dozens of people filled the hall, each one carrying themselves with a calm, dignified air.
"These people… I can't afford to offend a single one," Nathan thought as his gaze swept across the room in search of the reception area.
Then he spotted a counter where a tall young man stood with an expressionless face.
Nathan approached. "Hello, sir. My name is Nathan." He introduced himself while handing over his citizen card.
"Hello. How can I help you?" the man asked, taking the card.
"I recently awakened and I'm here to report."
For a moment, the man paused. His eyes lifted to meet Nathan's, and an odd chill ran down Nathan's spine.
"What's wrong, sir?" Nathan asked cautiously. Surely someone awakening wasn't enough to rattle him… right?
"Ah, nothing's wrong." The man quickly resumed typing, fingers tapping swiftly across the keyboard.
Nathan frowned inwardly. The man's reaction made no sense. "There's no problem, right?"
"Yes, yes. No problem at all," the man muttered as he returned the card. "Go to the second floor and follow this guiding sphere." He handed Nathan a small floating blue sphere.
"Okay. Thank you," Nathan said, immediately following the bobbing light toward the stairs.
Behind him, the tall young man let out a long, helpless sigh. "What a pity…" he murmured.
Nathan, of course, heard none of it. "Strange… that guy was acting weird," he thought. "Never mind. Let's just follow the ball for now."
The ball guided him to a small door in the corner of the second floor before vanishing. A few people lingered nearby, walking past without paying him any mind.
He took a deep breath and knocked.
"Knock… knock…"
"Come in." A mechanical voice echoed as the door slid open.
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Immediately, his gaze locked onto the figure waiting within—a tall, muscular man seated at a table.
He wore a military vest, his expression stone-cold. A thin goatee and a strict buzz cut gave him an aura of absolute discipline.
A military officer? Here?
Nathan swallowed hard. A bad premonition coiled tightly in his chest.
"Nathan, right?" the man asked, his voice icy.
"Uhm… yes, sir," Nathan replied, uncertainty creeping into his tone.
"Sit." The man pointed at the wooden chair before him and casually took the seat across the round table.
Nathan complied without hesitation. Now that he could sense mana, he felt it instantly, an overwhelming and suffocating pressure rolling off the man like a tidal wave.
What a terrifying aura, Nathan thought as his heart tightened.
"I'm Captain Braun," the man introduced himself, crossing his arms as his sharp gaze locked onto Nathan.
"Braun… Why does that name sound familiar?" Nathan muttered under his breath, unease tightening his expression.
"You're wondering why someone from the military is sitting inside the Arcane Department, aren't you?" Braun said, his voice calm yet heavy. "You're confused. I can understand that much."
Nathan nodded quickly. Whatever the reason was, it was definitely not something ordinary. A military captain would not appear in their humble city for something trivial.