Awakening without a mana core?
Anastasia's mind went blank as her eyes widened in shock.
As the heiress of the House of von Michelstein, she had witnessed countless awakenings, including those of top-tier prodigies. Without exception, all of them awakened their mana core.
But now, someone was awakening without a mana core? This was the first time she had ever seen such a thing!
What's more, the phenomenon surrounding Velen's awakening was nothing short of extraordinary.
The mana around him surged wildly for hundreds—no, thousands—of meters, as if drawn by an invisible magnet, pouring into his body. The mana condensed and compressed continuously, forming thick, intricate mana patterns across his skin that ran through his limbs like bold lines.
From these thick patterns, an intricate web of vein-like mana patterns extended outward, radiating a faint, leaf-like structure.
Each delicate mana pattern emitted an overwhelming wave of mana.
"What a complex mana pattern! What's going on with this Velen?"
The old man standing nearby, a seasoned protector of the House of von Michelstein, gazed at Velen with a face full of astonishment.
It wasn't uncommon for complex mana patterns to emerge on a mana core, but Velen didn't even have a mana core.
Yet, these complex patterns were emerging as if to mock conventional wisdom.
As an experienced elder, he had never encountered anything like this in his lifetime.
Even Anastasia, widely regarded as the House of von Michelstein's most gifted prodigy, only managed to generate a phenomenon spanning several hundred meters during her mana core awakening.
Her mana patterns were far simpler compared to the ones now forming on Velen.
The old man rubbed his eyes vigorously and scanned Velen's body again.
Still, no sign of a mana core.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and he held his breath, murmuring curiously:
"I wonder… just how far Velen's awakening will go?"
Awakening a mana core was a critical milestone for any awakener.
The more levels they broke through in one go, the greater their innate talent and potential.
For the vast majority of awakeners, reaching Novice Rank lv1 during awakening was already remarkable.
The renowned S-rank mana core awakener Oneal, for instance, had broken through to Novice Rank lv5 during his awakening and became one of Uranus's most celebrated prodigies.
Anastasia pondered for a moment, her beautiful eyes narrowing.
"Although I don't know what's going on with him, given the magnitude of this phenomenon, it's possible he'll break through to Novice Rank lv9 in one go!"
"Novice Rank lv9?!" The old man was taken aback, astonished by her estimation. "How could he… how could he possibly compare to you, my lady?!"
Years ago, Anastasia had awakened her mana core, breaking through to Novice Rank lv9, a feat that shook the House of von Michelstein and drew the duke's personal attention.
Only the rarest prodigies across the Titan Galaxy could achieve such heights during awakening, their futures limitless.
Although Velen's awakening phenomenon was impressive, the old man still doubted that Velen's talent could rival Anastasia's.
At that moment, the mana fluctuations radiating from Velen's body became even more domineering.
Novice Rank lv1!
Novice Rank lv2!
…
Novice Rank lv8!
Novice Rank lv9!
A surge of pure mana pressure rippled outward, rolling like a tide.
He had reached Novice Rank lv9 in one breath!
The old man's heart pounded. He had only ever witnessed such a feat in Anastasia and in historical records. Yet now, it was happening right in front of him—with Velen!
Novice Rank lv9.
Anastasia was so stunned that she couldn't speak.
While she had suspected Velen might surprise her, she never imagined he would truly break through to Novice Rank lv9.
Her own awakening to Novice Rank lv9 had been possible because she was originally from an upper-plane universe and an undisputed prodigy there.
However, during a trial in the upper-plane universe, she had been betrayed and ambushed, forcing her to reincarnate into this lower-plane universe, becoming the heiress of the House of von Michelstein.
The betrayal left her deeply scarred, teaching her that strength was paramount and nothing else mattered.
To secure resources and rise quickly, she revealed her overwhelming talent during her awakening, shocking her family by reaching Novice Rank lv9.
But Velen—this local with no mana core—somehow rivaled her talent?
The more she thought about it, the more uneasy Anastasia felt.
Her gaze at Velen grew increasingly curious.
As Velen absorbed mana on a massive scale, Anastasia furrowed her brow slightly.
This completely unique awakening method felt vaguely familiar, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't recall why.
"Congratulations, host, for breaking through to Novice Rank lv9!"
The system's voice echoed in Velen's mind.
Velen felt an incredible comfort, as though he had just soaked in a rejuvenating hot spring. His body felt immensely stronger—he was confident he could punch through a wall or take down a bull with ease.
His perception of the world around him had sharpened drastically.
Anastasia and the old man, meanwhile, were staring at him as if they had seen a ghost.
The speed of his breakthrough was absurdly fast!
As the mana storm subsided, Velen slowly opened his eyes and found the two of them staring at him intently. He coughed awkwardly.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have a bug on my face?"
Anastasia snapped out of her daze. She still couldn't fully comprehend Velen's transformation but decided not to pry further. Instead, she scrutinized him and said slowly:
"Breaking through to Novice Rank lv9 right after awakening… we underestimated you. We've really found a treasure. But remember, advancing as an awakener requires consistent effort. Don't slack off in the future."
The old man, still astounded by Velen's talent, nodded in agreement.
"Advancing in rank is like rowing upstream. If you don't move forward, you'll be left behind. When we return to the fortress, don't forget to focus on cultivating. Novice Rank is just the beginning. Only by reaching Apprentice Rank will you have the power to protect yourself."
Velen smiled and nodded. Time would take care of the rest.
Just then, Anastasia's expression turned cold as she stared into the nearby forest.
"Come out. Stop hiding—what do you want?"
Velen blinked and followed her gaze toward the bushes.
From the underbrush emerged a young man clad in armor.
He was strikingly handsome and carried an air of nobility.
Most notably, the emblem on his chest matched those worn by Noah and his companions.
He was from the House of Violet.
"Are you here to avenge Noah and the others?" Anastasia asked, her tone wary.
Though the man's rank wasn't high, he gave her a faint sense of danger.
The young man paused briefly, surveying Anastasia and the others before stepping forward and shaking his head.
"My name is Alan. I heard that Lady Anastasia is establishing a fortress and forming a Watchers' Legion. Though I am from the House of Violet, I wish to join you."
Anastasia froze.
An enemy of the House of Violet wanted to join her?
What was going on?
Then, Alan's name struck a familiar chord, and she blurted, "You're the Alan who was stripped of his inheritance and ostracized by the other prodigies in your family?"
Alan's smile faltered, but he nodded.
Hearing this, Velen's pupils shrank as he noticed the plain ring on Alan's finger.
Oh, wow!
Velen almost laughed aloud. Buffs maxed out!
This guy was the archetypal male protagonist!
"Lady Anastasia, you know my situation. Though I belong to the House of Violet, I'm at odds with them. You've killed Noah and his group, which pleases me greatly. I sincerely hope to join your ranks!"
Anastasia shook her head decisively. "The Watchers' Legion is fine with just Velen and me. You should find someone else."