The awakened—people blessed, or cursed, with the ability to channel mana into extraordinary powers—were humanity's last line of defence.
They fought on the frontlines, battling beasts and humanoids alike, protecting what little remained of human civilization. They were heroes to some, gods to others, and the envy of everyone who hadn't awakened.
Victor turned down a quieter street. In the distance, towering skyscrapers glittered with neon signs showing how far humanity had come even in the face of extinction.
Mana hadn't just brought chaos—it had revolutionized technology. Mana-powered trains zipped across cities, holographic displays floated in midair, and advanced medical chambers could heal wounds that once meant certain death.
Yet for all the advancements, life for ordinary people like Victor remained painfully mundane. The divide between the awakened and the non-awakened had created a society where power was everything. Without it, you were nobody.
The Awakening Test was paramount. Sixteen-year-olds across the city would gather to discover their fate.
A magical class could change everything: wealth, respect, a chance to rise above the suffocating mediocrity of ordinary life. But failure? Failure meant being stuck as just another cog in the wheel, scraping by in a world that demanded more than most could give.
Victor tried not to think about it. He'd joked his way through school, teased his friends, and shrugged off the growing tension, but deep down the fear lingered. He knew how badly he wanted to awaken, how desperately he wanted something—anything—that would make him stand out.
He reached his apartment building, a weathered complex tucked into one of the older districts of the city. The paint was faded and the walls were patched with rust, but it was home.
Inside, the stairwell smelled faintly of cleaning chemicals and old wood, and his footsteps echoed as he climbed to the third floor.
"Victor, is that you?" his mom called from the kitchen as he opened the door.
"Yeah," he replied before dropping his bag by the couch.
His mom appeared in the doorway, wiping her hands on a towel. She was a petite woman with tired eyes and a warm smile. Her short black hair was tied back in a loose bun.
"How was school?" she asked.
"Same as always," he said, flopping onto the couch. "Everyone's losing their minds about tomorrow."
She hesitated for a moment as her smile faltered. "You'll do fine, sweetheart. You will always be special, no matter what happens."
Victor forced a grin. "Don't worry, Mom. If I awaken as a Mage, I'll conjure up some money and buy us a mansion."
She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I'll hold you to that."
As the evening wore on, Victor retreated to his room, slipping on his VR headset to dive into his favorite game.
The sound of the console and the vibrant world of the game wrapped around him like a comforting blanket. For a few hours, he wasn't Victor Revenant, the class clown. He was a warrior, a strategist, a hero.
...
...
(( The Next Day ))
The gymnasium buzzed with nervous energy... the kind that made palms sweat and knees shake.
The entire Class Three was seated in neat rows with pale faces and stiff necks.
Above them, the fluorescent lights flickered, casting long shadows on the smooth wooden floor. At the front of the room stood the Awakening Orb, an object of both wonder and dread. Its smooth, crystalline surface gleamed with low light as if it could sense the anxiety radiating from the students.
Victor Revenant sat slouched in his chair with legs stretched out and arms crossed.
His usual grin was plastered on his face.
However, even he couldn't entirely ignore the pressure in the air. Jake sat to his left, nervously tapping his foot against the floor. Max, to his right, was chewing the sleeve of his shirt, and Danny was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, staring unblinkingly at the orb.
"You know," Victor whispered, breaking the silence in their little circle, "if this thing picks me, I'm going to demand a refund. I'm way too good at being a loser to start being a hero now."
Jake snorted, but Max shot him a glare. "Can you, for once, shut up? This isn't the time."
"It's exactly the time," Victor shot back as his grin widened. "We're all going to fail anyway. Might as well enjoy the ride."
"Victor Revenant!" Miss Adler's sharp voice cut through the tension like a knife.
Victor froze, then sighed theatrically. "Not yet? Fine. Guess I'll let someone else go first."
---
The first name was called: "Ivy Carter."
Ivy was a petite girl with freckles and curly red hair. She hesitated for a moment after getting to her feet, then walked to the front of the room with small, shaky steps. She placed her hand on the orb and closed her eyes.
While waiting for the result, her lips moved silently as if she were praying.
The seconds stretched on, and the room held its collective breath. Then—nothing. The orb remained dull and lifeless. Ivy pulled her hand back as her face crumpled. She turned and walked back to her seat with her head hanging low.
Victor leaned toward Jake. "I mean, maybe it's for the best. Can you imagine Ivy trying to fight a magical beast? She'd apologize to it before it killed her."
Jake stifled a laugh, earning a glare from Max.
Another name was called: "Derek Wolfe."
Derek, a tall, muscular boy with jet-black hair, strutted to the orb like he was already a hero. He slammed his hand down on it with a cocky grin on his face. But as the seconds ticked by, the grin slowly faded. When the orb didn't react, Derek's face turned a shade of crimson to match his embarrassment.
As he returned to his seat, Victor leaned toward Max. "At least now he's finally learned what it feels like to lose. Character development."
The list went on. Name after name, failure after failure. Each unsuccessful attempt seemed to suck a little more air out of the room.
"Clara Daniels." A tall girl with black hair and beautiful blue eyes walked to the orb with her chin held high. Her confidence faltered, though, when the orb stayed quiet.
"Benji Lopez." A boy with glasses and a nervous smile. Failure.
"Mariah Green." A blond girl with an easy smile that faltered the moment the orb didn't light up.
Disappointment hung heavy in the air. It was said that only one in a hundred thousand would awaken, but the reality of those odds felt even grimmer now.
---
Then came a break in the monotony.
"Danny Henshaw."
Victor slapped Danny on the back. "Go get 'em, tiger. If you fail, at least you'll have the coolest group of losers to fall back on."
"Shut up," Danny muttered while standing. His usual sarcasm was nowhere to be found as he approached the orb. He placed his hand on its surface as his brow furrowed in concentration.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the orb flared to life, glowing bright gold. A wave of energy rippled through the room, and the air around Danny shimmered.
Spectral flames erupted around him, forming the faint outline of a massive Warhammer.
Gasps echoed across the gymnasium.
"B-Berserker!" Danny stammered, stepping back in disbelief.
Victor shot to his feet, clapping loudly. "That's my boy! Smash things! Break doors! Become a professional house destroyer!"
"I can't believe it... someone from the group of losers pulled off an Awakening?"
"How did this happen?"
"But I failed... How does this loser get to be so lucky?!"
Danny returned to his seat in excitement, ignoring the voices from the crowd.
"I can see it," he whispered. "There's this… this interface. It's right there in front of me. It says my class and stats. It's insane."
Max and Jake crowded around him, peppering him with questions, but Victor just grinned. "Guess that means you're buying us lunch next week, huh?"
---
The ceremony continued. Another name was called: "Amara Blake."
Victor felt his stomach twist as she stood with a commanding presence.
Her chestnut hair shimmered under the lights, and her uniform clung to her curvaceous frame, drawing the envious eyes of every boy in the room.
Even now, with the pressure that hung in the air, Amara walked with the grace of someone who knew she was untouchable.
She placed her hand on the orb, and within seconds, it erupted in brilliant green light. Ethereal vines sprouted from the floor, twisting and curling before vanishing into the air.
"Summoner," someone whispered, and the crowd broke into murmurs.
Victor leaned back, feigning indifference. "Figures. Of course, she's special. She probably summoned her own beauty routine years ago."
Max elbowed him, but Victor waved him off.
Then, it was finally Derek Slate's turn. The infamous bad boy sauntered to the orb with his arm slung lazily over his shoulder. He didn't even hesitate as he placed his hand down, and the orb responded almost instantly, flaring red as flames burst into the air around him.
Victor groaned. "Oh, come on. Could this get any more cliché? Next thing you know, they'll announce they're engaged."
---
Finally, Victor's name was called.
He stood, swallowing the lump in his throat as he approached the orb. His usual bravado wavered for just a moment as he placed his hand on the smooth surface of the orb.