Chapter Two: Potential
Starlight City, Red Dragon Empire.
"Chosens of the main sovereign system, welcome to the Sacred Ground of Awakening!" announced a bald, middle-aged man, his expression radiating pride.
The crowd of onlookers instinctively gulped, their eyes fixated on the pond before them. Today was the long-awaited ceremony that would determine their futures.
Whether they would be sponsored by the powerhouses or discarded as failures depended entirely on how many steps they could take within the pond.
"Gather around, everyone, and I'll begin explaining."
The man's voice snapped the crowd into motion. Everyone quickly moved to one side, their faces painted with solemn anticipation. Among them stood a lean youth with deep grey eyes and sleek black hair.
Unlike the others, whose expressions were taut with nerves, this individual carried a calm, almost carefree look.
Twilight moved slowly, savouring every step as it might be his last for all he knew.
Being chosen by the infamous sovereign system was as much a risk as it was an opportunity. Many saw it as a chance to claim power and transform their lives, but Twilight understood the truth.
To bear the Sovereign system was merely the first step. Without sufficient potential to represent humanity in the Astral Realm, one was nothing but cannon fodder in the eyes of Earth's rulers and their rivals.
Normally, Twilight would have cared little for such things, but his sister's condition gave him no choice...
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as the middle-aged man's voice rang out again.
"First of all, congratulations on being chosen by the Sovereign system and making it this far. However, as you already know, this is just the starting point of your journey."
The man paused, glancing over the tense group before him with a faint smile.
"Before you lies the true first step towards power. The water in this pond contains the mysterious 'hope key', which will awaken your true potential. The further you advance within the water, the greater your future prospects will be.
"This process will also awaken your vital core, initiating your path of cultivation. Now, I'll begin calling your names. When I do, step into the pond and let the heavens decide your fate."
With that, the man hovered above the pond as a scroll materialised in his hand.
A hush fell over the chosen individuals. A collective shiver ran down their spines, the gravity of the moment pressing down on them. They couldn't even express their shock at the man's ability to fly as they were just too nervous to think of anything at the moment.
"Lucas Reighbour!"
The first name was called, and a pale-skinned young man of slight build stepped forward. All eyes locked on him, scrutinising his every movement, searching for any sign of anxiety.
Yet Lucas Reighbour's expression was serene, almost indifferent, as he casually strolled towards the pond and this irked them a lot.
"Isn't he nervous? He looks like he's out for a walk."
"Hmph! He's just putting on a show. I bet he's terrified inside."
"What arrogance. He's trying to stand out at the Awakening Ceremony."
"But what if it's not arrogance? What if he's already awakened his potential? Some wealthy families do have access to the water of hope, not just the government."
"Ridiculous! If he's already awakened, why would he be here wasting his chance? You only get one shot at the awakening pond!"
"...Exactly. He's just showing off."
The group muttered amongst themselves, their disdain palpable. Meanwhile, Lucas ignored the chatter entirely as though he couldn't hear it and calmly stepped into the pond. But the moment he entered, his expression shifted.
Twilight's eyes gleamed as he observed Lucas's every movement. He noticed the slight wrinkling of the boy's nose, the stiffness in his steps, and—most strikingly—the faint glow emanating from his body.
As Lucas advanced deeper into the pond, the crystal-clear water began releasing green particles, which his body rapidly absorbed. An emerald glow enveloped him, growing brighter with each step.
Twilight immediately understood what was happening. This wasn't his first time hearing of such phenomena.
The water in the pond, infused with the hope key, could awaken one's true potential as well as their vital core—a critical component for cultivation.
The green particles floating above the water were essential for forming a vital core. The larger the core, the more spiritual energy one could absorb. And the greater the potential, the larger the vital core would be.
It all came down to the number of steps one could take in the pond.
Ten steps meant an E-grade potential, the lowest, with a small, weak core that could barely absorb spiritual energy. Those with E potential would likely remain stuck at the third stage of cultivation for life.
Twilight's attention sharpened as Lucas approached his twentieth step.
'So fast!' Twilight cried inwardly.
The pond was meant to exert increasing pressure with every step, yet Lucas had reached his twentieth step in mere seconds. His rapid progress was extraordinary, a testament to his immense potential.
The crowd's disbelief grew with each passing moment.
"Twenty steps... twenty-five... thirty steps!" someone exclaimed.
"Am I seeing this right?"
"Thirty steps—that's C-grade potential! My God, he's already guaranteed a sponsor, and he's still going!"
Excited whispers rippled through the crowd as they watched Lucas's remarkable performance. Those who had ridiculed him earlier were eerily silent as though they'd swallowed a bug, their expressions twisted in an unsightly manner.
Even the middle-aged man hovering above the pond looked stunned. But their amazement was short-lived, as Lucas's display grew even more astonishing.
Thirty one steps. Thirty two. Thirty three…
By now, the crowd had fallen silent, their expressions frozen in shock. Even Twilight arched an eyebrow, intrigued.
In the pond, ten steps signified E grade potential, twenty steps D grade, thirty steps C, forty B, fifty A, sixty S, seventy SS, eighty SSS, ninety M, and one hundred AX (Apex)—the pinnacle of potential.
But the odds of even a C-grade awakening were astronomically low. Out of the hundreds of thousands of humans from the Draconic Continent who underwent the awakening each year, only a few thousand achieved C grade.
As for AX grade, no one in recorded history had ever achieved it. Rumour had it that the Ruler of Earth possessed such potential, but those were just whispers—nothing confirmed.
Twilight's gaze darkened at the thought of Earth's Ruler. His deep grey eyes glinted with a very faint but unmistakable killing intent.