The moment the teacher overseeing the awakening ceremony left the hall with Michael and the two other new Awakeners, they encountered two more teachers—a man and a woman—on their way to the principal's office.
Trailing behind the male teacher was a girl who seemed to be around 17 or 18 years old. Following the female teacher were five younger students: two boys and three girls.
From the brief conversation between the teachers, Michael learned that the students accompanying them had also successfully awakened.
The girl following the male teacher was also from class three, like Michael, though he didn't recognize her. This wasn't surprising; after all, Woodstone was a public school with over 600 students in class three alone. The grade three alone was divided into nine sections, each accommodating up to 100 students per teacher.
Although the classes rarely reached full capacity—since that would make even the spacious classrooms feel cramped—there were typically no fewer than 60 students per section.
The five students behind the female teacher, however, were from class one. Michael deduced this from their younger appearance but was still surprised by the number of Awakeners from that class. In fact, he was astonished by how many students had successfully awakened this year in general.
Including the students from class three, a total of nine students had awakened. While this might seem small compared to Woodstone's overall student population, it was significant.
Even in class one, which consisted mostly of 16-year-olds—the age group most likely to awaken—rarely had this many(4) awakened in a single year.
In Michael's time as senior high, the total number of students who had successfully awakened, from his time in class one through class three, including the older students, had barely exceeded twelve. And most of those Awakeners had been from class one. This year, however, not a single student from class two, where most students were 17 years old, had awakened.
Therefore, the number of Awakeners at Woodstone Public High School this year was unusually high, and the success of class three was particularly remarkable—downright abnormal though the reasons remained unknown.
While Michael was lost in his thoughts, they soon reached before the principal's office.
Upon reaching the door, the female teacher stepped forward and knocked on the door.
"Principal?" she called out.
"Come in," a voice responded from within.
With permission granted, the female teacher took the lead to open the door and walked into the room.
Inside, a middle-aged man sat behind a desk. Michael recognized him—he was the principal of Woodstone Public High School No. 3, Mike Bill. It was rumoured that he was a powerful knight, though Michael wasn't sure of it since he had never seen the man in action.
Setting aside the document he had been focused on, Principal Mike turned and greeted the group with a smile.
"Nine Awakeners this year—heavens must truly favour our school," the principal remarked, visibly pleased by the turnout of students from his school this year. It was standard protocol for the new Awakeners to meet with the principal alongside their teachers, so he had anticipated their visit. Seeing no raising objections to his statement, he knew his assumption was correct.
With this confirmation, the smile on Principal Mike's face grew even brighter.
"I believe your teachers have already informed you why you're here, yes?" Principal Mike asked, glancing at Michael and the other students in his office.
"Yes, sir!" they replied in unison.
"Haha, there's no need to be nervous. What I'm about to tell you is probably something you are already familiar with, but it's still worth saying," the principal said with a light chuckle.
Michael and the other students subconsciously straightened their backs, their focus sharpening.
The principal was unbothered by their reaction and continued.
"As you know, being Awakeners, your life and future are no longer the same as those of ordinary people. Power and wealth are now within your grasp—if you're wise enough to seize them."
"Had you failed to awaken, you would likely be preparing to enter into an ordinary university to continue your education. If you possessed decent talent in cultivation, you might have tried to enter a cultivation academy. But you have successfully awakened! This means that, instead of attending a cultivation academy or any regular university, you'll be enrolling in an Awakened University, where you'll gain the knowledge and skills you need to know to be an Awakener."
"Some of you might wonder if going to an academy is unnecessary. After all, couldn't you just enter the Land of Origin on your own, like our ancestors, and forge your own path? While that is possible, anyone with a sensible mind would avoid such a risky approach. Why make things unnecessarily difficult for yourself?"
"So, right now, aside from entering the Land of Origin, which you now have access to, your top priority should be securing a place at an Awakener Academy."
"As for learning more about your new identity as an Awakener, you'll need to visit the Supers Association to register as an Awakener after this. This registration is vital as the association will provide you with better resources and detailed information about your new identity and responsibilities."
The principal then went on to elaborate on a few other points, some of which Michael and his peers were already familiar with, while others offered new insights.
After finishing what he needed to inform, Principal Mike dismissed the students and teachers, asking Brian to stay behind for a private discussion.
After leaving the principal's office, the teacher overseeing Michael's awakening addressed their group.
"As New Awakeners, you are required to register with the Supers Association within three days. Failing to do so is considered a crime. Though you have some time, I strongly recommend registering immediately if you're free."
"As the principal also stressed the importance of the upcoming college exams, you need to take it seriously. Just because you're Awakeners doesn't exempt you from academic testing. While the requirements might be less stringent compared to regular university students due to your status, your performance still matters, depending on the academy you plan to attend. Anyway, the Supers Association will provide you with more details on this during the registration, so make sure you don't delay it!"
"For those who aren't in their third year," the teacher addressed as he turned to the younger students from Class 1, "you can also attempt the college exams if you think you're well prepared for it. Most academies and the Federation permit this. However, most Awakeners who manage to awaken before their third year prefer to focus on home lessons while honing their skills as Awakeners, aiming for higher scores when they're ready to enter an academy."
With their advice delivered, the teacher and the two others offering additional guidance, they left the nine students and returned to the teacher's office.
There was no need to flatter the new Awakeners. These were no longer the apocalyptic days. While the teachers were softer with them compared to before, it wasn't to the point of bowing at their feet, but they certainly wanted to form a careful balance and neither wanted to offend them nor overly indulge them.
With the rise of cultivation, Awakeners were no longer the sole wielders of great power in the world. Ordinary individuals could also reach similar impressive levels of strength, though Awakeners remained a rare breed and more gifted.
Experienced teachers understood this dynamic well. They knew that leaving a good impression was enough since they didn't have any hidden agendas.