The president's eyes snapped open, glowing with a deep purple haze that seemed to radiate an otherworldly energy. The light pulsed for a moment, illuminating the entire hall, before slowly fading. Her gaze regained its usual calm clarity, but there was something different about her now—something sharper, more focused.
Behind her, the translucent screen that displayed her status blurred several times, the text flickering as if it were being updated. The room waited in tense silence as the screen stabilized, revealing new information.
__________
[ Personal Fragment ]
Name: Ashley
Age: 17
Essence Core: Dormant
Status:
• Health: 100%
• Stamina: 95%
Core Attributes:
• Strength: 10 → 11
• Agility: 11 → 12
• Vitality: 10 → 11
• Intelligence: 15 (Max)
• Wisdom: 14 → 15
• Charisma: 13
Skills:
• Leadership Aura
Personal Fragment:
• Beacon of Hope
End Points: 10 → 20
______
The room erupted into murmurs as the updated status screen hovered above the stage, its glowing text casting a soft light over the hall. The locals whispered among themselves, their eyes wide with awe, while the students exchanged glances, a mix of envy and admiration on their faces.
"Beacon of Hope…" one of the locals muttered, his voice tinged with reverence. "That's definitely a rare fragment. She's destined for greatness."
Harry leaned back in his seat, a grin spreading across his face. "Knew it. She's definitely FML material."
Tim, sitting beside him, was still staring at the screen, his jaw slightly slack. "That's… insane. Her stats went up, she got a powerful ability and a new attribute, and her Points doubled. How is that even fair?"
Max, on the other hand, was silent. His eyes were fixed on the president, his expression unreadable.
The faint purple glow that had emanated from her eyes moments ago seemed to linger in his mind, stirring something he couldn't quite place. He flinched slightly, as if the memory of that light had physically touched him.
On the stage, the president—Ashley—turned to the elder woman, her calm demeanor unchanged despite the 'dramatic' transformation she had just undergone.
"Is it over?" she asked, her voice steady.
The elder woman, who had been momentarily stunned into silence, quickly recovered. She smiled warmly, her eyes shining with pride. "Yes, child. The awakening is complete. You've done exceptionally well. Beacon of Hope is a powerful fragment, I can tell it reflects your innate ability to inspire and lead others. With time and training, you will undoubtedly become a true beacon of hope for many."
Ashley nodded, her expression thoughtful.
"Thank you," she said simply, before stepping down from the stage. The crowd parted slightly as she made her way back to her seat, wondering what exactly her fragment was and if they could awaken similar, powerful ones themselves.
The elder woman turned her attention back to the group, her voice carrying through the hall. "Now that you've witnessed the awakening process, it's time for the rest of you to undergo the same ritual. Remember, this is not a competition. Your fragment is a reflection of who you are, and there is no 'right' or 'wrong' outcome."
She gestured to the Awakening Crown, which still rested on the pedestal, its runes glowing faintly. "We will proceed one at a time. When your name is called, please step forward."
The room buzzed with nervous energy as the students exchanged glances. Harry crossed his arms, his grin returning. "Well, this should be fun. Who'll be next?"
Tim groaned. "Why do I feel like you're going to make this even more stressful?"
Harry chuckled. "Relax, Tim. It's just a little awakening event. What's the worst that could happen?"
'...'
'Wait a minute...'
'Wait a damn minute…' he repeated, his earlier amusement replaced by a flicker of unease.
Harry's grin faded as a sudden thought struck him, his mind racing through familiar scenarios from the countless webnovels and games he'd consumed over the years. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he leaned back in his seat, his fingers tapping restlessly against his arm.
'Aren't we exposing ourselves to them? Our strengths, our weaknesses, everything? What if this is all a setup? What if they're just gathering information to use against us later?'
He glanced around the room, his gaze lingering on the locals who were watching the awakenings with a mix of curiosity and… something else. Admiration? Envy? Or was it something more calculating?
Harry's intuition, honed by years of reading about protagonists falling into traps, screamed at him to be cautious.
But then another part of him argued back.
These people had saved them, given them shelter, food, and even promised to help them survive the apocalypse. Was it fair to doubt them so quickly?
'But nothing's ever as it seems on the surface,' Harry reminded himself, his inner conflict growing. 'Most isekai protagonists get screwed over by the people who "help" them at first. What if this is just another one of those scenarios?'
Then he remembered how they were saved. If others appeared at the fortress at the same time they appeared in the forest, then, why didn't they help them earlier?
But this was a weak detail as they might not have known about them.
'But still...'
'...'
He sighed inwardly, his fingers still tapping. 'Alright, let's not jump to conclusions. For now, I'll just observe and see how things play out. If something feels off, I'll figure it out then.'
His attention shifted back to the stage as the next student was called up. It was Caroline, their princess classmate. She stepped forward with her composed demeanor, though Harry noticed the faint tremble in her hands as the elder woman placed the Awakening Crown on her head.
The ritual began, and after a few tense moments, Caroline's status screen appeared above her.
_______
[ Personal Fragment ]
Name: Caroline
Age: 17
Essence Core: Dormant
Status:
• Health: 90%
• Stamina: 90%
Core Attributes:
• Strength: 8 → 10
• Agility: 10 → 11
• Vitality: 9 → 10
• Intelligence: 12 → 13
• Wisdom: 12
• Charisma: 12
Personal Fragment:
• Social Chameleon
End Points: 0 → 10
_______
"Oh, that's just like her." Harry chuckled seeing Caroline's fragment name. Perhaps he was one of the few people who knew what exactly it meant. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of this 'Essence and Fragment' thing..."