The elder who was unchanged of the ceremony voice echoed once more across the Awakening Hall.
"Sophie Walker! Step forward."
A hush fell over the room as a young girl stood up from one of the front rows. She wore a graceful white and blue dress embroidered with silver threads, clearly tailored from the hands of a noble seamstress. Her steps were light and elegant, almost gliding as she walked toward the platform.
With her flawless skin, shimmering hazel eyes, and long golden hair cascading down her back like a waterfall, she looked more like a spirit from a legend than a twelve-year-old girl.
Even Jax couldn't help but stare.
> "...She looks like a fairy straight out of a movie," he thought in wonder.
Beside him, Maya tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Big brother… she's really pretty."
Jax chuckled but didn't respond. His mother, catching the glance he gave the girl, leaned toward him and teased with a smirk, "What? Do you like her already?"
Jax rolled his eyes. "Mom, no," he said dryly. "She's just… different. That's all."
She giggled, amused by his flustered tone.
Meanwhile, Sophie reached the top of the platform and placed her delicate hand on the Awakening Crystal.
HUMMMMMMMM—
Suddenly, the crystal exploded with blinding brilliance. Light burst into the air and split into four radiant colors—red, blue, green, and white—spiraling high above like a divine phenomenon.
Gasps echoed across the entire hall.
Even the academy representatives, who had remained calm and composed throughout the ceremony, shot to their feet in shock.
"What?!"
"Four colors?! That's—!"
From the front row of representatives, the top five academy envoys were also stirred. The man with long silver hair from the Frostheart Academy clenched his chair's armrest tightly.
Even the black-haired young man, who had kept his eyes closed the entire time, finally stirred. His lids lifted slowly, revealing calm yet piercing eyes as he glanced at the girl for the first time.
"...A Four-Elemental Mage," he muttered to himself.
Then, just as casually, he closed his eyes again—as if such a rare phenomenon wasn't even worth more than a glance.
The representatives began murmuring among themselves, some already marking Sophie's name in their recruitment scrolls with glowing symbols. It was clear—they all wanted her.
The elder looked at her with wide eyes, then gave a slow, reverent nod.
"Sophie Walker—you have awakened as a Mage of Four Elements. Fire, Water, Wind, and Light… Your path will be extraordinary."
The crowd was in awe.
Parents and children alike began whispering in shock and admiration.
"A four-element mage… how rare is that?"
"She might be one of the top talents of the entire region!"
As the light slowly faded, Sophie gave a graceful bow, then calmly descended the stairs and returned to the noble seating area, where her family waited with expressions of pride and satisfaction.
Jax watched her for a moment longer, then looked away.
> "Incredible talent...."
"Damian Crestfall! You are next."
Another noble child emerged—this time a tall boy with striking golden hair and a proud, arrogant expression. His robes were decorated with a family crest made of golden wings and swords.
He placed his hand on the crystal without hesitation.
BOOM!
A surge of golden light burst out, and behind the boy's back, a massive image of a gold-armored knight appeared, towering in divine glory. The image radiated an aura of righteousness and power.
The elder stared, then spoke with clear awe in his voice.
"Holy Knight Talent."
A gasp ran through the hall once more.
Even the nobles looked surprised.
As for the boy, a smug grin stretched across his face.
"Hmph. As expected," Damian scoffed, turning to descend the steps with arrogance in every step. "Trash talents, step aside."
The common folk in the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves.
"The gap between nobles and commoners… it's so big."
"First a four-element mage, now a holy knight…"
"This is the difference between us and them…"
Jax said nothing, but he had his fists clenched slightly.
The elder continued reading names. Some children awakened decent talents, some weak ones, and others, to their sorrow, awakened nothing at all.
But then—
"Jax Veridan! Step forward."
All sound faded from Jax's mind.
His mother touched his shoulder and smiled softly. "Go on, Jax."
Maya clutched his hand and looked up at him. "You can do it, big brother!"
Jax nervously stood up from where he was seated and slowly walked towards the platform. When he got there, he couldn't help but look at everyone staring at him intently.
"Huuu" Grey breathed heavily trying to calm himself down.
"Step forward and place your hand on the crystal stone" the Elder in charge looked at Jax with a smile and told him to place his hand on what was used to do the test.
Jax carefully observed the crystal stone. It was quite an amazing thing as it was what was use to talents. Grey calmed his mind and stepped forward, he looked at the crystal stone before gently walking closer to it and placing his hand on it. The stone felt cold when he placed his hand on it.
Immediately he placed his hand on the stone, he felt something moving out of the stone and passing through his hand into his body.
> "Twelve years of waiting... This is it.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
BOOOOOOOM!
A colossal pillar of golden light erupted from the Awakening Crystal stone, shooting through the ceiling and piercing the heavens.
The entire Awakening Hall trembled.
Gasps turned into stunned silence.
Even Sophie , the four-elemental girl's awakening seemed to pale in comparison to the sheer magnitude of what had just occurred.
ROAR!
With a mighty roar, thousands upon thousands of ancient Giant Beast phantoms materialized in the sky above the Awakening hall momentarily obscuring the sun.
Dragons, Mammoths, Rocs, Qilin...
Ten thousand beasts roared, as if deities had descended.
On the rostrum, inside and outside the Awakening hall people were petrified, momentarily losing their ability to speak.
The anomaly's grandeur was unprecedented.
When the anomaly appeared, it even obscured the sunlight, and the world briefly plunged into darkness.
The elder who was inchanged of the ceremony stared at the anomaly of ten thousand beasts bowing in the sky above him in extreme shock, his murmuring voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"Such an anomaly."
"Could it be... a legendary talent is really going to appear!?"
Below the stage.
Many children who had failed their turn or got a trash talent were mad with jealousy