## Chapter 4: The Unexpected and the Unnoticed
The blinding light faded, leaving Dev standing amidst the stunned silence of his classmates. He had stood there, amidst the shimmering energy, but nothing had happened. No surge of power, no mystical awakening. Just… nothing.
A wave of whispers washed over him, carrying the sting of disappointment. "He didn't awaken," a voice sneered. "Another mediocre scion of a noble house."
"Such a shame," another chimed in, their voice dripping with sarcasm. "All that potential, wasted."
Dev remained impassive, his gaze fixed on the floor. He had expected this. Awakening, in this world, was a measure of worth, a social currency. To fail to awaken was to be deemed a failure, a disappointment.
Fatty, his face etched with concern, approached him. "Hey, man, it's okay," he said, his voice sincere. "It's not the end of the world. There are other paths to greatness."
Dev managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Fatty. I'm fine."
He knew Fatty meant well, but the sting of their classmates' words lingered. He had always preferred to fly under the radar, to avoid the spotlight that came with his family's prominence. But now, he felt a strange sense of isolation, a feeling of being an outsider even amongst his peers.
Returning to his dormitory, Dev ignored the curious glances and hushed whispers. He knew his family's reputation would shield him from the worst of the social ostracism, but he preferred to avoid the inevitable pity and condescension. He had his own path to forge, a path that had just taken an unexpected turn.
In the privacy of his room, Dev finally opened the Novice Pack. A wave of information, raw data and complex schematics, flooded his mind. He learned about the Cosmic Fleet, a gargantuan armada of millions of starships, its length spanning a million light-years. His personal flagship, a behemoth beyond human comprehension, was capable of shrinking to the size of a pendant, hanging inconspicuously around his neck.
But that was just the beginning. The pack also contained seeds of World Trees, legendary entities capable of terraforming and sustaining life on barren planets. There were blueprints for advanced technologies – energy shields that could withstand supernovae, weaponry that could shatter planets, and engines that could warp space-time itself.
Dev, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of his newfound wealth, simply stared at the holographic display, his mind reeling. He had expected nothing, and yet, the system had delivered beyond his wildest dreams.
He had entered the Awakening Chamber an ordinary student, but he emerged a hidden powerhouse, a force to be reckoned with. The whispers, the mockery, they all seemed so insignificant now. He had a universe to conquer, and he would do it on his own terms, without the need for the approval of others.