Layzal's slow deliberate steps sounded through the prospect recruits ears. His calm figure shocked them. As Layzal reached the puddle of blood, he had no hesitation and stepped into it, standing right before the cube.
His piercing red eyes seemed to bore down on the grey cube. He slowly outstretched his arm and touched it. As his fingers brushed against it, the feeling of cold metal against his skin was unsurprising, however the lava-like feeling rushing through his system was.
The liquid seemed unrelenting, trying to burn everything and anything. Layzal gritted his teeth and steeled his eyes. As a minute of this agony passed a change occurred.
The knight spectating narrowed his eyes before smiling.
Layzal was standing there in front of the cube. However, what shocked people was the wave of power coming out of him displacing the air and ruffling their clothes, before stopping abruptly. However, what occurred next was even more surprising.
Red.
Crimson droplets floated around him as if he were a higher being. His tall lean figure, his pale beautiful face and sharp red eyes seemed to elevate him even more. Just as people started to admire him the droplets of blood seemed to be affected by gravity again and fell into the puddle before him.
Layzal tensed his hands trying to get used to the new feeling of power flowing through him, the feeling both unfamiliar and natural.
The knight laughed, surprising the people in the room, Layzal's eyes landed on the knight as the knight spoke up. "This is great! Who would have imagined I would witness a gifted awakening. How lucky."
He smirked at the group before continuing, "However, the awakening process is not over yet, it shall be explain what just happened after everyone has awakened." he smirked before his face returned to being serious. "Layzal you can come down now" He said less cold, this was a clear show of different treatment to the other awakened recruit.
Layzal descended the stone steps from the pedestal, his movements still slow and deliberate, though there was a newfound energy behind them, a latent power that hummed beneath his skin. The other recruits watched him with a mix of awe and fear, their eyes wide as they tried to comprehend what they had just witnessed. Layzal had endured the awakening with a calmness that none of them could match, and the display of blood-red droplets floating around him had only deepened the sense of otherworldliness that now surrounded him.
As he rejoined the group, the tension in the room thickened. The knight's unexpected laughter still echoed in their ears, a stark contrast to his previous cold demeanour. Layzal's crimson eyes flicked briefly toward the knight before settling back into their usual calm, unreadable state. He could feel the weight of his new power, an unfamiliar yet strangely natural sensation, as if it had always been there, lying dormant until this moment.
The knight's smirk lingered as he turned his attention to the remaining recruits. "The awakening process is far from over," he reminded them, his voice carrying a note of ominous anticipation. "You have all witnessed something extraordinary today, but do not think for a moment that it changes your own path. Each of you must still face the cube. Your awakening may not be as… dramatic as Layzal's, but it will be no less challenging. Step forward when called."
The next recruit, visibly shaken, hesitated before taking a step toward the pedestal. The room seemed to close in around them, the air thick with expectation. Layzal watched with mild interest, his mind already adjusting to the new presence of mana within him, even as he observed how the others would fare.
The recruit placed their hand on the cube, their fingers trembling. Almost immediately, the process began. The recruit gasped, their body jerking as the mana coursed through them. Unlike Layzal, they struggled visibly, their face contorting in pain as they tried to withstand the awakening. The minutes dragged on, each one a test of endurance, until at last the glow subsided, leaving the recruit pale and shaking, but alive.
One by one, the remaining recruits approached the cube. Each awakening was a battle—some endured with gritted teeth, others with barely suppressed screams, and another two suffered the same fate as the second tester. The cube took its toll on them all, drawing out their dormant mana with an almost cruel intensity. But none matched the raw power of Layzal's awakening, and none produced the awe-inspiring display that had left the room in stunned silence.
As the last recruit staggered back from the pedestal, the knight's gaze swept over them, assessing the group with a keen, appraising eye. The recruits were exhausted, their bodies trembling from the ordeal, but they had survived. For now, that was enough.
The knight nodded slowly, his earlier smirk replaced by a look of grim satisfaction. "You have all endured the first step on your path to becoming soldiers of Humanity. What you felt today was your mana awakening, the power that will define your future. Some of you may have felt a deeper connection, a stronger surge. This is a sign of your potential."
He stepped back, giving the recruits a moment to absorb his words. The room was thick with the smell of sweat and the metallic tang of blood, but beneath it all was the undeniable sense that something profound had just taken place. The recruits were no longer the same as they had been when they entered this room.
"Rest now," the knight commanded. "You'll need your strength for what comes next. Layzal, remain behind. The rest of you, return to your quarters."
The recruits, still dazed and drained from the awakening, obeyed without question. They filed out of the room, their footsteps dragging slightly as they made their way back to the dormitory. Layzal remained where he was, his expression unchanged, as the knight approached him.
"You are different," the knight said, his voice low, almost thoughtful. "A gifted awakening is rare, especially one as strong as yours. It means you have a power that others do not, but it also means the expectations on you will be higher. You'll be watched closely, both by your peers and by those who lead this academy. Understand this: your journey will not be easier because of your gift. If anything, it will be harder."
Layzal met the knight's gaze, his red eyes steady and unblinking. "I understand," he replied, his voice calm, betraying none of the emotions that might have churned within another in his position.
The knight nodded, seeming satisfied with the response. "Good. Use this time to get accustomed to your new power. You'll need it. You and the others will find out what it means to be gifted and not gifted tomorrow, along with the ranking system of the army."
With that, the knight turned and left the room, leaving Layzal alone with the remnants of the awakening. The grey cube sat on its pedestal, now dark and unassuming once more. Layzal took a deep breath, feeling the mana pulsing within him, the raw energy that had awakened at his touch. He clenched his fists, the power surging through him, both unfamiliar and yet somehow deeply a part of him.
He had passed the first test. But Layzal knew that this was only the beginning. The academy would push him further, challenge him in ways he could not yet foresee. But he was ready. He had to be.
Because in this place, only the strong survived. And Layzal Regula intended to do more than survive.