"…Halber, Inrid, Osric, Jaster, Finn…"
The murmurs of anticipation and excitement filled the air as the last batch of students were called for the end of the awakening ceremony.
Osric strode toward the elders accepting the orb from their outstretched hands, its surface shimmering jet black.
The orb felt icy cold against his skin.
Although thousands of years had passed, the awakening process among humans still more or less remained the same.
Encased within the orb was a swirling mist of corruption, a catalyst that enabled humans to awaken the nodes within their bodies, allowing them to absorb and utilize the world's energy.
Different races had their own unique methods of stimulating their bodies to open these nodes.
Elfmen wielded refinement flames that danced like living fire, kitsunemen harnessed the tides of transformation, nagamen utilized shuddersoil. Many different methods existed.
All were viable means of awakening; the challenge lay in discovering the most practical way to absorb the courroption. The more corruption nodes were exposed their first exposure, the higher their competency, having a higher aptitude for future growth and battle prowess.
In the past, Osric had awakened with tsunami corals, the intricate structures predominantly used by meromen. The material used for awakening simply had to contain a trace of the world's corruption in order to stimulate a living being.
Several students, their faces a mix of determination and trepidation, approached the rushing river, standing ankle-deep in the swirling current. He could feel the cool waters cascading over his feet.
"Now!" commanded the village chief.
With a decisive motion, Osric crushed the orb, releasing the mist which surged toward his body like a ravenous beast, permeating his pores and seeking entry.
As the mist invaded his body, he was overcome with a sensation of excruciating pain, as if every fiber of his being was engulfed in flames. His muscles clenched involuntarily, and his body convulsed, his muscles tensing and spasming, creating an unbearable tightness throughout his form. It felt as if a swarm of ravenous ants were gnawing at his very flesh, devouring him piece by piece. His heart pounded frantically, attempting to dissipate the agony, but the mist only burrowed deeper, relentless in its pursuit.
Osric allowed the mist to run rampant within him, ultimately finding a resting place within his lymph nodes. More mist surged in, seeking refuge in his nodes, causing them to expand. The more he absorbed, the more they stretched, and the more pain wracked his body.
10%, 20%, 30%…
Osric could feel his nodes swell within him like the blossoming of a thousand flowers, on the verge of bursting. Yet, he gritted his teeth and persevered, his eyes burning with determination as he continued to absorb more and more of the mist. He needed to expand his nodes to the maximum amount his body could handle.
40%! 45%! 50%!
Despite his body's protests and inability to absorb more, he pushed himself to the brink of his limits, beads of sweat forming on his furrowed brow.
Each breath he took was labored and filled with agony, but he refused to be brought down by the pain. He was forging himself into something stronger.
55%!! 56%!! 57%!!"
His nodes nearly cracked under the immense pressure, but Osric persevered, pushing himself to absorb the mist with unwavering determination. The racking pain, which surged through him like bolts of lightning, meant nothing.
With every ounce of his willpower, Osric continued to absorb the mist, his eyes blazing with conviction.
…58%!!!
He could absorb no more.
If he attempted to take in more, the mists of corruption within his body would burst his nodes, rendering him lifeless like a wilting flower.
Exhausted, he sat down in the river, allowing the cool waters to wash away any excess mist his body couldn't absorb, cleansing him of the remnants of his struggle.
"58% competency. So this is the limit of this body. I absorbed the maximum I could without any side effects. Not too bad, not too good either. Slightly below mediocre. My aptitude should be near the middle level of grade C."
Soon, the voice of the village chief rang out like a resonant bell, "Done."
Osric, along with the rest of the people in the batch, walked back to the shore with a mix of relief and pride. Finn's smile was especially prominent among the batch of students.
Cain and Glucia joined him on the other side, their faces glowing with happiness, welcoming him back to the crowd.
Various association heads, elders, and other faction leaders were deep in discussion, their eyes eagerly and satisfactorily assessing the new recruits. It was time for the second phase of the awakening ceremony: investment and recruitment.
"I choose the Mitrus kid for my bet in the tournament."
"I choose him too."
Mitrus was quite popular due to his high competency of nodes. He had no affiliations with any previous factions, so he was highly sought after.
"I have to go; see you soon," Cain said, bidding farewell, joining his father, who stood tall and proud like a stoic mountain.
"I also have to leave, unfortunately. See you soon, Osric," Glucia said, walking towards the council members.
Representatives from various factions gradually approached the recently awakened, discussing sponsorship opportunities like eager merchants at a bustling bazaar. Those with competencies higher than 80% were approached by numerous people. Some even approached those with lower competencies first, initiating conversations before others could claim them, hoping to discover a hidden gem.
Whispers of excitement and groans of disappointment filled the cave like a cacophony of competing emotions, as the students' competencies were discussed.
Out of the hundreds of students who participated in the ceremony, only about eighty had successfully awakened. Some were unable to awaken at all, while others had competencies lower than 30%, which was the lowest aptitude of grade D.
"Hey!" a voice called out to Osric, who was watching the proceedings from the sidelines.
"Osric, right? I come from the Veteran Association. We want to talk about sponsoring you for the Tournament of Awakening," said a middle-aged man approaching him, his eyes filled with a mix of curiosity and expectation.
"What's the deal?"
"You'll get around 100 essence stones before the tournament, and depending on your rank, you'll be rewarded for your efforts," he explained, his voice filled with the confidence of an experienced negotiator. "When the tournament ends, depending on your results, we'll continue supporting you, providing you with advancement paths for Rank 1 and onwards."
"I'll think about it," Osric replied, careful not to commit himself too quickly.
"Sure, if you want to accept our offer, just come to the association, and we'll have an in-depth talk," the man said, nodding respectfully before approaching others, his eyes constantly scanning for potential candidates.
As the ceremony continued, the cave was alive with the energy of dreams taking flight, each student an investment for the upcoming Tournament of Awakening.