After the announcer's proclamation, a procession of twenty-one women gracefully stepped onto the platform. Each woman was clad in flowing green robes, accentuated with black heels and topped with a pointed hat, signifying their status as witches. Their entrance was both elegant and imposing, the soft click of their heels resonating across the coliseum as they assumed their roles in the ceremony.
The witches moved with practiced precision, each heading to their designated position. Ten witches took their places behind the ten white orbs on the left side of the platform, while another ten positioned themselves behind the bowls of water on the right. The final witch, a woman of commanding presence, walked to the center of the platform where the ten prayer mats were arranged.
This central witch carried ten small bottles filled with a glowing crimson liquid that swirled and shimmered like living fire. This potion, brewed through the combined efforts of master alchemists and witches, was the key to awakening a participant's mana core. Its brilliance captivated the crowd, for it was as beautiful as it was dangerous.
There were other methods to awaken a mana core—most notably, consuming the rare **Osirion Lotus**, a mystical plant found deep within the forests. However, the lotus came with a deadly risk. Many who attempted to consume it suffered a **cursed fate**, their life force drained away slowly until death claimed them. Despite the lotus being abundant, its peril made the ceremonial potion the preferred and safer option.
Once the central witch was in position, she turned her gaze to the announcer, giving a subtle nod to signal the ceremony's commencement.
The announcer, his voice charged with energy, called out:
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time! The Awakening Ceremony will now begin. Let us welcome our first ten participants!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as the announcer declared the name of the first participant.
"First, we have the pride of Vrendo Country, Prince William Andrew Vrendo!"
A young boy stepped out from the waiting hall and onto the platform, his presence commanding immediate attention. Prince William, standing at 1.3 meters tall, exuded an air of sharp confidence. His piercing gaze matched his striking red hair, and he was dressed in an elaborate golden suit adorned with the royal crown emblem.
The announcer continued:
"Next, we have the children of Earl Kildred, the twins Jacob Kildred and Jamaica Kildred!"
The twins emerged together, their uncanny resemblance drawing murmurs from the crowd. Both stood at 1.2 meters tall, with fair complexions and sharp features. The only difference between them was their hair. Jacob's hair was short, while Jamaica's was long and tied back neatly. Both wore navy-blue suits, their polished black shoes gleaming under the light.
One by one, the announcer introduced the remaining participants, each name met with roaring cheers:
Alexander Pennsy, son of Count Pennsy.
Maribel Pole, daughter of Count Pole.
Jerald Crimo, son of Baron Crimo.
Viola Clinton, daughter of Baron Clinton.
Anastasia Ambrosia and Natasha Ambrosia, the stunning twin daughters of Countess Ambrosia.
Beverly Kristen, daughter of Baronet Kristen.
The nobles stepped onto the platform in succession, their elegant outfits and composed demeanors captivating the audience. The cheers grew louder, with spectators calling out their favorites and speculating about the outcomes.
Most of the buzz surrounded was Prince William, with whispers rippling through the coliseum:
"Do you think the prince will awaken two mana cores? What elements will he have?"
"I heard the royal family's lineage is blessed by the lightning element of mana. His awakening might be spectacular!"
As the ten participants stood on the platform, the coliseum roared with excitement. Anna Evergreen, the witch standing in the center of the platform, gazed at the ten participants with a serious and commanding presence. Her emerald-green robes flowed with an air of authority, and her voice carried across the coliseum with clarity and strength.
"Participants, proceed to the right side of the platform to begin the Talent Rank Test," she instructed, her tone leaving no room for hesitation.
The ten participants nodded respectfully and moved toward the right side, where ten bowls of water awaited them. They lined up, each selecting a bowl, anticipation and nervous energy visible on their faces.
The Talent Rank Test was a critical evaluation of a participant's natural potential. Across the known realms, only six talent rank had been discovered thus far, each associated with a specific color.
Average - Blue
Good - Green
Warrior - Orange
King - Yellow
Empyrean - Gray
Sovereignty - Red
As the participants stood before the bowls, the witches assigned to each guided them through the procedure. With a solemn nod exchanged among themselves, the witches handed each participant a small ceremonial dagger.
"The process is simple," one of the witches explained. "Make a small cut on your finger and let a drop of your blood fall into the water. The color change will reveal your talent rank."
The crowd grew silent, the air thick with anticipation as everyone's attention focused on the test.
One by one, the participants followed the instructions, cutting their fingers and letting a drop of blood fall into the water. Moments later, the bowls began to glow, their colors shifting and swirling until finally settling.
Prince William Andrew Vrendo, heir to the throne, achieved an Empyrean Talent rank. The remaining nine participants—nobles in their own right—achieved King Talent ranks.
Gasps and cheers erupted from the audience. The prince's result exceeded even the loftiest expectations, and the coliseum filled with praises for his exceptional potential.
"An Empyrean Talent! Truly worthy of royalty!" one spectator exclaimed.
"Even the other nobles are remarkable—King Talents are rare!" another added.
With the Talent Rank Test complete, the participants moved to the left side of the platform, where ten glowing orbs awaited. These orbs were designed to reveal their Mana Affinity, the type of elemental magic they could naturally control.
Mana affinities were divided into nine categories, each represented by a specific color:
Fire - Red
Water - Blue
Earth - Brown
Wind - Green
Light - White
Dark - Black
Lightning - Yellow
Life - Gold
-Death - Azure
Standing before the orbs, the participants listened intently as the witches gave instructions.
"Place your hand atop the orb," one of the witches said. "We will activate the spell to reveal your affinities."
The participants obeyed, each resting a hand on their respective orb. The witches chanted in unison, their voices weaving a melodic incantation. A glowing magic circle appeared briefly over each participant's hand, then faded. Moments later, the orbs began to shift colors, revealing their affinities.
Prince William had six affinities Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Dark, and Lightning. Only Life, Death, and Light were absent.
Jacob and Jamaica Kildred, the twins, also displayed six affinities Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Dark, and Lightning.
The remaining seven participants showed four affinities Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind.
The crowd erupted once more, their cheers a mixture of admiration and speculation.
"Six affinities! The prince is destined for greatness!" one voice shouted.
"Even the twins are prodigies!" another added.
With both tests complete, the participants were directed to the center of the platform. Each took their place on one of the ten mats, sitting cross-legged and preparing for the final stage: the Mana Core Awakening.
Anna Evergreen approached with a ceremonial tray holding ten crystal bottles filled with a shimmering red potion. The potion, a collaboration between witches and alchemists, was the key to awakening a participant's Mana Core. Its creation was intricate and dangerous, involving rare ingredients and powerful rituals.
She handed each participant a bottle, her gaze steady and authoritative. "Drink the potion and focus inward. The awakening process will begin immediately."
The participants took the bottles, their hands trembling slightly with both excitement and trepidation. As they uncorked the potions, the scent of power filled the air, and the crowd hushed, waiting to witness the birth of the next generation of mana users.
As the crowd erupted into cheers for the ten participants who had successfully awakened both their Mana Heart and Mana Brain, Von sat silently in the waiting hall, listening to the distant roars of excitement. A mix of emotions swirled within him—curiosity, anxiety, and a gnawing sense of doubt.
"Will I be able to awaken my Mana Cores too?" he thought, clenching his fists. He couldn't shake the creeping fear of failure.
Two hours passed before Von's name was finally called. Taking a deep breath, he stood up and walked toward the grand doors leading to the coliseum. As he stepped through, the thunderous applause and the sight of tens of thousands of spectators struck him like a wave. He froze momentarily, stunned by the sheer magnitude of the audience.
He snapped out of his reverie when Anna Evergreen, the woman at the center of the platform, spoke with a commanding voice, her words clear and direct as she explained the procedures.
Gathering his composure, Von nodded and made his way to the right side of the platform for the Talent Rank Test.
Von approached one of the bowls of water, feeling the weight of countless eyes upon him. He gripped the ceremonial dagger handed to him by one of the witches and made a small cut on his finger. With trembling hands, he let a drop of blood fall into the water.
For a moment, the bowl glowed brightly, drawing gasps of anticipation from the audience. But just as quickly as the light appeared, it faded—and the water remained unchanged.
A hushed silence fell over the crowd, followed by murmurs of disappointment.
Von stared at the bowl, his heart sinking. "No change… Does this mean I'm below average?" he thought, his chest tightening with frustration and confusion. He forced himself to remain calm, thinking, I'll ask Mom or uncle Michael about this later. They might know what went wrong.
With heavy steps, Von moved to the left side of the platform, where the glowing orbs awaited. Each orb was designed to reveal a participant's elemental affinities. He placed his hand atop one of the orbs as instructed, and the witch beside him began chanting a spell.
Once again, the orb lit up brilliantly, filling the coliseum with hope—but just like before, the light faded, leaving the orb unchanged.
Von's shoulders sagged, his disappointment deepening.
From the viewing room above the coliseum, Celestine, Alice, Michael, and Roan watched in stunned silence. Celestine's worried eyes reflected disbelief.
"How can this be?" Michael whispered, his voice trembling. "For someone like Young lord Von, who has trained so hard and learned so quickly… how can he have no affinity and below-average talent?"
The others remained quiet, their expressions mirroring his concern.
Von walked to the center of the platform, feeling the weight of the earlier tests pressing heavily on his mind. He sat cross-legged on the mat, his expression grim. Anna Evergreen approached him, handing him a small, crystal bottle filled with a shimmering red potion.
"Drink this, focus inward, and meditate," she instructed, her voice calm but firm.
Von nodded and drank the potion, its taste bitter yet invigorating. He closed his eyes, shutting out the noise of the crowd, and focused on his breathing. Minutes passed as he meditated, his mind desperately clinging to hope.
But nothing happened.
Just as Von was about to lose hope, he suddenly heard a strange, robotic voice echoing in his mind:
[System Core Awakening]
-FAILED-
[System Core Awakening]
-FAILED-
[System Core Awakening]
-FAILED-
[System Core Awakening]
-FAILED-
Von's eyes shot open in shock, but no one else seemed to hear the voice. A translucent screen materialized before him, visible only to his eyes.
[System Core Awakening]
~SUCCESS~
"What… is this?" Von muttered, his heart racing.
Before he could make sense of what was happening, more notifications appeared:
[Recollecting Memories]
-FAILED-
[Recollecting Memories]
-FAILED-
[Recollecting Memories]
-FAILED-
Suddenly, the text shifted.
[Forcing the Host to Fall Unconscious]
Von's breath hitched as he read the words. Panic flooded his mind.
"No! Wait—what's happening?! I can't pass out here!" he shouted inwardly, but his body was already succumbing to the force. His vision blurred, his limbs grew heavy, and the sounds of the coliseum faded into the distance.
From the audience's perspective, Von had suddenly slumped forward, unconscious. Gasps and murmurs spread through the coliseum like wildfire.
In the viewing room, Celestine stood abruptly, her face pale with alarm.
"What's happening to him?!" she exclaimed, gripping the edge of the balcony.
Below, the witches rushed toward Von's unmoving body, their concern evident.
As Von's consciousness faded completely, the final notification blinked in the darkness of his mind:
[Forcing the Host to Fall Unconscious]
-SUCCESS-
[Recollecting Memories]
- PROCESSING -