"And up next, Timmy Tim…" Mr. Baxter announced, his voice echoing through the vast hall.
Timmy's stomach twisted with a knot of nerves, a mixture of excitement and dread surging through him. This moment held the key to his future. A successful awakening could mean a chance at a better life, a life free from the endless grind of menial jobs. Failure meant resigning himself to a life of struggle and scarcity.
"You got this, buddy! I believe in you," Marcus cheered, flashing Timmy a sincere smile.
"Go get 'em, Timmy! Good luck," Arthur added, his voice full of encouragement.
Warmed by the genuine support of his two best friends, Timmy returned their smiles and walked towards the stage with renewed confidence.
'This is it,' he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. 'Time to see what I'm made of.'
As he climbed the steps, murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"What do you think Timmy will get? Anything powerful?"
"Hard to say. The kid's full of surprises. But then again, the Bloodline Awakening ceremony is always unpredictable."
"True, true. Wouldn't it be something if he got a top-tier ability?"
"It would be interesting, but also dangerous. Remember, Wan He doesn't want Timmy to awaken his bloodline. A powerful ability could make things difficult for him."
"A part of me wants to see it happen anyway."
"Just imagine the drama!"
By then, Timmy had reached the platform. He took the vial containing the bloodline optimization fluid, his hand trembling slightly. He took a deep breath and downed the bitter liquid in one gulp.
Instantly, a searing heat spread through his veins, like molten lava coursing through his body. The pain was unbearable, an inferno raging within him for what felt like an eternity but was probably only fifteen seconds. Then, just as suddenly, it vanished.
'Did it work?' Timmy wondered, his body strangely numb. He felt… normal.
He knew the effects of the fluid could be immediate or take a few minutes to manifest. The lack of any change filled him with uncertainty.
"Step forward and place your hand here," Mr. Baxter instructed.
With a nervous heart, Timmy obeyed. As his hand touched the device, a tingling sensation shot up his arm.
A mechanical voice emanated from the device, "[Blood of candidate detected. Bloodline assessment undergoing…]"
Timmy held his breath, every muscle in his body taut with anticipation. His future hung in the balance.
"[Bloodline assessment completed. Bloodline activated to 50%. Bloodline ability: [Speed]]" the AI voice declared.
The announcement sent shockwaves through the crowd.
"Is that even possible?"
"50% activation? The system must be malfunctioning! Or maybe I'm hearing things."
"Did we just witness the rise of a legend?"
The hall erupted in a cacophony of gasps, excited chatter, and disbelieving murmurs. Some remained skeptical, doubting their ears. Others buzzed with anticipation, their eyes glued to Timmy. A few were already planning ways to get close to him; this was, after all, the potential birth of a legend.
"Hold on a minute," someone suddenly shouted, cutting through the commotion. "Did anyone else catch his bloodline ability? It's [Speed], right?"
The excited clamor died down instantly, replaced by a heavy silence. In their amazement at the 50% activation, everyone had overlooked the actual ability Timmy had awakened.
"What a waste," someone muttered, the disappointment palpable.
"All that activation… for [Speed]?"
Groans and sighs rippled through the crowd. Their initial awe had evaporated, replaced by a shared sense of disappointment.
While powerful and sought-after at lower levels, [Speed] lost its significance as ability users grew stronger. It was a valuable asset early on, but ultimately outclassed by other, more versatile abilities. Timmy had been blessed with extraordinary potential, only for it to be seemingly squandered on a common, ultimately limited ability.
So, you might be wondering why everyone was so underwhelmed by Timmy's ability. After all, being super fast sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, let me explain.
Here's the thing: human bodies are pretty fragile, even those of ability users. That's why they rely on gear and combat suits to enhance their strength and durability in battle. And this is where the [Speed] ability runs into trouble.
You see, moving at superhuman speeds creates a ton of air resistance. The faster you go, the stronger the resistance becomes, and the more strain it puts on your body. This means that at higher levels, [Speed] users actually have less combat power because their bodies can't handle the stress of their own abilities.
Now, you might be thinking, 'Why can't they just wear protective gear like everyone else?' But that's the catch-22. Unlike other abilities, [Speed] requires complete freedom of movement. Bulky combat gear would only slow them down, defeating the whole purpose of their power.
"The heavens are so unfair!" someone in the crowd wailed, his voice thick with despair. "Why couldn't I have gotten 50% activation? With my ability, I wouldn't have to worry about the future!" It was clear from his tone that he was among the unlucky ones whose bloodlines had awakened at a low percentage.
On the stage, Timmy stood frozen, his face a mask of conflicting emotions. He couldn't decide whether to be happy or worried.
Sure, he was thrilled that his bloodline had actually awakened, but [Speed]? He'd always told himself that any ability would be fine, that just awakening was enough. Now, faced with the reality of his situation, he realized how naive he'd been. Human greed, it seemed, was a powerful force.
After receiving a congratulations from Mr. Baxter, Timmy made his way back to his seat, his heart heavy with worry.
The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur, and soon, he found himself walking out of the hall with Marcus and Arthur, the three of them pushing through the throngs of excited students.
Outside, another crowd awaited them: parents eager to hear about their children's results and representatives from various guilds hoping to recruit promising new talent. Smaller guilds had even sent their leaders, while larger, more prestigious organizations were represented by senior members.
"You know," Marcus said, breaking the tense silence that had settled over them, "you sure care a lot for someone who claims to only be concerned with awakening, not power."
Timmy sighed. Marcus was right. His mood had taken a nosedive after the ceremony.
"It's human nature, dummy," Arthur chimed in, his voice a strange mix of seriousness and amusement. "The more you have, the more you realize it's not enough. You always end up wanting more."
"I guess you're both right," Timmy admitted, his voice subdued. "But that's not all that's bothering me."
He hesitated, unsure how to put his feelings into words. "It's just… you guys both awakened such strong talents. And me… well…"
"Whoa, hold on a minute," Arthur interrupted, sensing where Timmy's thoughts were leading him.
"First of all, ouch," he said, feigning offense. "That hurts, man. Do you really think our friendship is so shallow that something like this could break it?" His voice was a mix of anger and disappointment.
"I… I… I'm sorry," Timmy stammered, realizing how much his words had hurt Arthur.
He couldn't blame Arthur for being upset. Timmy had always been the odd one out in their group. Arthur and Marcus came from wealthy families, while he could barely make ends meet. It was a miracle they were even friends, their lives so different. Now, with their powerful awakened abilities, the gap between them seemed wider than ever.
Timmy couldn't shake the feeling that he no longer belonged in their world.