The sealed chamber slowly returned to normal.
The ancient runes etched into the walls dimmed one by one, their glow fading until the room felt no different from any ordinary space—if one ignored the heavy silence that lingered in the air.
Kayden Arin stood still, his mind struggling to catch up with everything he had just learned.
His parents.
The prophecy.
The Infinite Ascension System.
The Obsidian Order.
And the truth that his entire life had been carefully constructed to hide what he truly was.
Principal Aria Nightfall watched him quietly.
She had seen many prodigies over the years—talents so bright they attracted admiration and envy in equal measure. But Kayden was different. His danger did not come from what he had shown, but from what he had not.
"You must understand something, Kayden," Aria said at last. "Power is not what draws destruction."
She stepped closer, her voice calm but firm.
"Potential does."
Kayden clenched his fists. "So… what happens now?"
Aria's gaze sharpened.
"From this moment on," she said, "you do not reveal your true power. Not to your classmates. Not to instructors. Not even to allies."
Kayden frowned. "But everyone already saw something strange."
"They saw an anomaly," Aria corrected. "An accident."
She paused.
"They did not see the Infinite Ascension System."
The system interface flickered faintly before Kayden's eyes.
SYSTEM NOTICE:
STRATEGIC ADVICE ACCEPTED. STEALTH DEVELOPMENT MODE AVAILABLE.
Kayden exhaled slowly.
"So I pretend I'm still… average?"
Aria shook her head.
"No," she said. "You pretend you are sealed."
She turned toward the chamber exit.
"There is a difference," she added. "One invites curiosity. The other invites pity."
Kayden grimaced. "I don't know which is worse."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"It will keep you alive," she replied.
---
The Awakening Hall was eerily quiet.
Gone were the crowds of students and instructors. Only the ancient artifact cube remained, resting at the center of the hall like a silent witness to the chaos it had caused.
Instructor Halden Voss stood beside it, his brow furrowed as he scanned the artifact for what felt like the hundredth time.
"I've overseen awakenings for two decades," he muttered. "I've never seen anything like this."
The doors opened behind him.
He turned sharply.
"Principal Aria."
Kayden followed her inside, instantly feeling the weight of Halden's gaze.
"That boy—" Halden began.
"Is not your concern," Aria said calmly.
Halden hesitated, then bowed his head slightly.
"…Understood."
Aria approached the artifact cube and placed her palm against its surface. Faint cracks along its edges glowed briefly before fading.
"This artifact did not malfunction," she said. "Nor did it awaken a system."
Halden's eyes widened. "Then what—?"
"It encountered a suppression seal," Aria said.
Halden stiffened.
"A seal strong enough to disrupt an awakening artifact?" he asked incredulously.
"Yes," Aria replied. "One placed long ago."
She turned to Kayden.
"Kayden Arin's power was never revealed," she said. "It was blocked."
Halden slowly exhaled, the pieces falling into place.
"That would explain the overload," he murmured. "The artifact attempted to measure energy it was forbidden to perceive."
Kayden listened quietly.
She's good, he thought.
Halden glanced at him again.
"And the lightning resistance?" Halden asked.
Aria didn't hesitate.
"The seal reacted defensively," she said. "It absorbed external energy."
Halden nodded slowly.
"That explains everything," he said at last.
Aria's eyes hardened.
"You will file your report accordingly."
Halden straightened.
"Yes, Principal."
---
A Carefully Crafted Lie
By morning, the academy buzzed with speculation.
Rumors spread faster than wildfire.
Some claimed Kayden had awakened a forbidden power.
Others insisted the artifact was faulty.
A few whispered the word system in hushed tones.
Kayden sat quietly in his classroom, his posture relaxed despite the dozens of glances thrown his way.
Instructor Halden stood at the front of the room.
"Yesterday's Awakening Test resulted in an abnormal incident," he announced.
The room fell silent.
"After investigation," Halden continued, "it has been confirmed that the artifact encountered a hidden suppression seal within a student."
Murmurs erupted instantly.
"A seal?"
"On a student?"
"Why would someone seal their kid?"
Halden raised his hand.
"The seal interfered with the artifact's readings," he said. "Causing an overload."
His gaze swept across the class.
"Let me be clear," he added. "No system was awakened."
Relief spread through the room.
Rayden Wolfe scowled.
"Then how did he block my lightning?" Rayden demanded.
Halden's eyes narrowed.
"The seal absorbed it," he said. "That is all."
Kayden kept his expression neutral.
The system chimed quietly.
SYSTEM NOTICE:
PUBLIC EXPLANATION ACCEPTED. ERROR RATE: 93%.
Kayden almost smiled.
---
After the Bell
The halls buzzed with whispers as students poured out.
"He's sealed…"
"By who?"
"Why him?"
"At least he's not a system user…"
Kayden walked alone through the courtyard, the sound of voices fading behind him.
For the first time since the awakening, no one blocked his path.
No taunts.
No challenges.
Just curiosity… and uncertainty.
The pendant beneath his uniform grew warm.
SYSTEM NOTICE:
HIDDEN GROWTH PATH CONFIRMED. HOST ELIGIBLE FOR PRIVATE CULTIVATION.
Kayden looked up at the academy towers.
"…Alright," he murmured. "We'll stay hidden."
But deep beneath Starcrest City, ancient mechanisms stirred.
The lie had protected the truth.
For now.