"…What?"
Klaus shot upright from his bed, his breathing uneven, his eyes darting through the darkness of his small room.
Silence.
Only the faint hum of Ironfold City drifted in through the window. No strange presence. No voice. Nothing out of the ordinary.
"…Did I imagine it?"
He frowned, his brows knitting tightly together.
But that voice…
It had been too clear,too real to deny.
«[Detection Complete…]
[Host Condition: Optimal]
[Comprehension System Initializing…]»
Klaus clenched his fists unconsciously.
"System…?"
He had heard of such things before ancient inheritances, mysterious relics, or hidden powers that could change a person's fate overnight.
But those were just stories.
Legends.
"…Show yourself."
No response came.
Klaus exhaled slowly, shaking his head.
"Maybe I'm just too nervous about tomorrow…"
The Martial Spirit Awakening Ceremony.
That was the only thing that mattered.
Even if that voice was real…
It didn't change one truth.
If he failed to awaken a Martial Spirit.
Everything would end.
---
The next morning.
Ironfold City, Experimental High School.
The training grounds had been completely transformed overnight.
At the center stood a massive Awakening Pillar, its surface carved with ancient runes that pulsed faintly with spiritual energy. Around it, hundreds of students gathered, their faces filled with anticipation, anxiety… and ambition.
Today,
Was the day their fates would be decided.
Klaus stood quietly among the crowd, dressed in the academy uniform. His face was calm, but his eyes betrayed the storm within.
"Hey, Klaus."
A voice called from behind.
He turned slightly.
A tall boy approached, his sharp features carrying a natural arrogance. A faint smirk rested on his lips.
"Still haven't awakened anything, huh?"
Klaus said nothing.
The boy chuckled.
"You should start preparing yourself mentally. Not everyone is meant to become a martial artist."
Klaus finally looked at him.
"I know."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
The boy paused, slightly surprised, before scoffing.
"Hmph. At least you're self-aware."
He turned and walked away.
Klaus watched him go without emotion.
Mockery…
Doubt…
He had long grown used to it.
Today,
It would either end…
Or define him forever.
---
"Students!"
A powerful voice echoed across the grounds, instantly silencing the crowd.
A middle-aged instructor stood atop the platform, his aura heavy and commanding.
"This is the Martial Spirit Awakening Ceremony!"
"Your future… your status… your destiny will all be decided today!"
His sharp gaze swept across the students.
"When your name is called, step forward. Place your hand on the Awakening Pillar and guide your spiritual energy."
"Do not resist. Do not panic."
"Let your Martial Spirit respond."
He paused briefly before adding,
"And remember…"
"A weak spirit… is better than none."
A wave of tension spread instantly.
Some students clenched their fists.
Others closed their eyes in silent prayer.
Klaus remained still.
---
Names began to be called.
One after another, students stepped forward.
Some succeeded.
Some failed.
"Fourth-grade Weapon Spirit!"
"Fifth-grade Beast Spirit!"
"Third-grade Elemental Spirit…"
Excitement and disappointment mixed within the crowd.
Then,
"Elizabeth Frost."
The atmosphere changed.
All eyes turned.
A girl stepped forward, her long dark hair flowing behind her like silk. Her expression was cold, her movements calm and elegant.
The so-called school princess.
Without hesitation, she placed her hand on the Awakening Pillar.
Instantly,
The temperature dropped.
Frost spread across the platform as icy mist filled the air.
A massive phantom wolf formed behind her, its body shimmering with freezing energy.
The instructor's voice trembled with shock.
"Ninth-grade… Ice Wolf Spirit!"
The crowd erupted.
"A ninth grade?!"
"Genius!"
"She's guaranteed a top academy!"
Klaus watched silently.
A ninth-grade Martial Spirit…
That was far beyond the required standard.
"Next,James Kane."
The same boy who had mocked Klaus earlier stepped forward confidently, casting a disdainful glance at him as he passed.
He placed his hand on the pillar.
A sharp burst of sword energy exploded outward.
A jade-colored blade phantom appeared behind him, radiating brilliance.
"Ninth-grade—Jade Sword Spirit!"
The crowd went wild.
"Another ninth grade?!"
"This year is insane!"
Klaus remained silent.
Two geniuses…
Back to back.
More names followed.
The tension grew heavier with each awakening.
Then,
"Klaus Leonidas."
Everything seemed to fall silent.
His heart skipped.
This was it.
He stepped forward.
Each step felt heavier than the last.
The Awakening Pillar loomed before him, its faint glow reflecting in his eyes.
He stopped.
For a moment,
He simply stared at his own reflection.
Then slowly…
He raised his hand.
"…Respond."
His palm touched the pillar.
Cold.
Then,
A faint warmth spread.
Klaus closed his eyes.
Come on…
Anything…
Even the weakest,
Just give me something.
The pillar flickered.
A dim light emerged.
The crowd leaned forward.
"Is it awakening?"
"Looks weak…"
"Probably low grade…"
Klaus's heart pounded.
Then,
The light… faded.
And stopped.
Silence.
The instructor frowned.
"…No response."
Murmurs spread immediately.
"Failed?"
"Seriously?"
"Not even first grade?"
Klaus opened his eyes.
Empty.
"…So this is it."
He lowered his hand,No Martial Spirit.
Nothing,
Not even the weakest.
Just like that
His path was cut off.
A faint, hollow laugh escaped his lips.
"…I see."
He turned and stepped down from the platform.
No one stopped him,No one cared.
Some pitied him,others mocked him.
But Klaus heard none of it.
His mind was blank.
"Next!"
The ceremony continued as if nothing had happened.
Klaus walked through the crowd.
Each step felt heavy.
Distant.
"So… I really am nothing."
His fingers trembled slightly before tightening into fists.
"No."
His eyes sharpened.
"I refuse to accept this."
Even if the world rejected him,Even if there was no path
He would create one or look for one.
To avenge his parents.
For his sister.
Then,
A voice echoed in his mind.
It was a cold, clear mechanical voice
«[Martial Spirit Awakening: Failed]
[Alternative Path Detected…]
[Comprehension System — Activated]»
Klaus froze.
"…It's real."
«[10,000× Comprehension Ability — Partially Unsealed]
[Current Multiplier: 10×]»
A flood of information surged into his mind.
But it wasn't pain,It was clarity,Pure, overwhelming clarity.
The world… changed.
The movement of people,The flow of spiritual energy.
Even the faint fluctuations of the Awakening Pillar.
Everything became… understandable.
"…What is this?"
Klaus slowly raised his hand.
He could see patterns.
Structure,Logic.
It was as if he could understand everything.
Then,
The Awakening Pillar behind him flickered again.
The instructor's eyes widened.
"Wait!"
Klaus turned.
The pillar glowed brighter than before.
Cracks of light spread across its surface.
The platform trembled violently.
"What's happening?!"
Students stumbled back in shock.
Energy surged wildly.
Then,
A faint, formless shadow appeared behind Klaus.
Not a beast,Not a weapon,Not an element.
Something… undefined.
Something unknown.
The instructor's voice trembled.
"This… this is"
Before he could finish.
The light vanished.
The shadow disappeared.
Everything returned to normal.
Silence.
Klaus stood there, unmoving.
"…What was that?"
No one answered.
No one understood.
But one thing was certain.
Something extraordinary is about to happen.
End of Chapter 2