Sovereign Forge Master Chapter 1: Awakening
The world changed forever on June 17th, 2025 - the day the first Gate appeared in Central Park, New York. A massive tear in reality that spilled forth creatures of nightmare and fantasy alike. Humanity was nearly overwhelmed in those early days, as conventional weapons proved ineffective against many of the invaders. But then, a miracle occurred: people began to Awaken.
The Awakening granted humans abilities beyond normal comprehension - enhanced strength, magical powers, heightened reflexes - all categorized into distinct classes and ranks. Scientists theorized that the Gates had changed something fundamental in human DNA, activating dormant potential that had always been there.
In the fifty years since First Contact, society had adapted. The Hunter Association formed to regulate those with combat-focused classes. Cities were fortified with massive walls and early warning systems. The global economy restructured around harvesting resources from Gates and the manufacture of specialized gear for Hunters.
For the unawakened—roughly sixty percent of the population—life continued in supportive roles. Some joined cleanup crews, others became medical specialists for Hunter injuries, and a brave few, like Bron Black, became Gate miners.
Bron adjusted his reinforced helmet as he followed the Hunter team deeper into the cleared Gate. Level C, according to the classification—dangerous enough to require A-rank Hunters to clear it, but common enough that the mining rights were affordable for independent contractors like himself.
"Keep up, miner!" called back Holt, a muscular man with a glowing blue axe strapped to his back. "We don't get paid extra if you get yourself killed by a straggler."
Bron nodded silently, clutching his specialized mining pick. He'd learned early on that Hunters rarely respected the unawakened, especially the ones like Holt who'd been born after the Gates appeared and had never known the old world.
"This is far enough," announced Clara, the team leader, raising her hand. Her detector device blinked steadily, indicating no monster presence nearby. "You've got two hours, Black. We'll be at the checkpoint."
"Understood," Bron replied, already examining the cave walls around him. Twenty-seven years old and he could identify most valuable Gate materials on sight—a skill that kept him employed when many miners relied on expensive scanning equipment.
The Hunters retreated to their checkpoint, leaving Bron alone with the soft glow of his helmet light. He preferred it this way. The quiet. The focus. No one pointing out his lack of a stat panel or class.
His parents had both Awakened during the Newark Breach fifteen years ago—a desperate situation that triggered many latent Awakenings. His father, a D-rank Shield Bearer, and his mother, an E-rank Healer, had been stationed on the front lines. Neither survived the day.
Bron struck the wall with practiced precision, dislodging a cluster of blue-veined quartz—"Frost Quartz" in mining parlance, used for cooling enchantments. Good find. Would fetch enough to cover this week's rent.
He worked methodically through the chamber, filling his reinforced satchel. The Hunting Association gave miners forty percent of the value of materials they recovered—enough to survive if you knew what to look for.
After an hour of careful work, Bron moved deeper into the chamber. His light caught something unusual—a faint red gleam in an alcove the Hunters had bypassed. Instinct told him it was valuable, perhaps extremely so. He approached cautiously, years of experience having taught him that not all treasures were safe to touch.
The red gleam came from a stone about the size of his fist, partially embedded in the wall. Unlike anything he'd seen before. It wasn't the common Ruby Essence used for fire enchantments; this stone pulsed with an inner light, almost like a heartbeat.
"What are you?" Bron whispered, reaching out with his gloved hand. His specialist's eye noted unusual crystalline structures, lattice patterns that seemed to shift as he watched.
He should call the Hunters. Protocol dictated that unknown materials be evaluated by a certified Appraiser-class before extraction. But if he did that, his share would drop to a mere fifteen percent. And something about this stone... it felt important. Meant for him.
Bron positioned his pick carefully and struck with precision, intending to extract the stone intact. But as the pick connected, the stone shattered with unexpected ease. A jagged shard launched toward him faster than he could react, piercing through his protective vest and into his chest.
White-hot pain exploded through his body. He dropped to his knees, gasping. The shard had punctured near his heart—he could feel it burning inside him like molten metal.
"Help," he tried to call, but his voice emerged as a weak rasp. His emergency beacon. He needed to activate his emergency beacon.
As his fingers fumbled for the device on his belt, Bron's vision began to blur. The pain intensified, spreading through his veins like liquid fire.
Then, suddenly, blue text appeared in his field of vision:
[Awakening Process Initiated] [Analyzing Subject: Bron Black] [Occupation: Miner] [Experience: Materials Expert] [Affinity: Creation/Transformation] [Compatible Classes: Calculating...] [Anomaly Detected: Catalyst of Ancient Origin] [Recalculating...] [Class Assignment: SOVEREIGN FORGE MASTER] [Rank: SSS] [Warning: Late Awakening Procedure is Dangerous] [Proceed? Y/N]
Bron stared in disbelief at the floating text. Awakening? Him? After all these years? And SSS-rank—impossible. No one had awakened at SSS-rank in decades.
Before he could process what was happening, darkness claimed him.
Beeping machines and antiseptic smells greeted Bron as consciousness returned. A hospital room. Sunlight filtering through half-drawn blinds suggested it was morning—but of which day, he couldn't tell.
"He's awake," a female voice announced.
Bron turned his head to see a doctor in a white coat standing beside his bed, accompanied by a stern-looking man in the gray uniform of the Hunter Association.
"Mr. Black," the doctor said, checking his vitals on a monitor, "how are you feeling?"
"Like I've been hit by a truck," Bron managed, his voice raspy. "What happened?"
"Your Hunter team found you unconscious after you failed to check in," the Association official explained. "They reported you were injured by an unknown material. Can you confirm?"
Memory flooded back—the red stone, the shard, the pain... and the impossible message he'd seen. Had that been real, or just a hallucination from blood loss?
"I... found something red in the wall. When I tried to extract it, it shattered," Bron explained cautiously. "A piece hit me."
The official exchanged glances with the doctor. "And did anything else occur?"
Bron hesitated. If he mentioned an SSS-rank Awakening, they'd either think he was delusional or immediately place him under Association supervision. Neither option appealed to him.
"I passed out from the pain," he said instead. "How long was I out?"
"Three days," the doctor replied. "The shard was removed surgically, but..." she paused, looking uncomfortable.
"But what?"
"We couldn't remove all of it. A microscopic fragment has fused with tissue near your heart. It's stable and doesn't appear to be causing harm, but attempting to remove it would be too risky."
Bron's hand went to his chest, feeling the bandages there. "So I'm walking around with a piece of Gate material inside me? Is that safe?"
"We're monitoring you closely," the doctor assured him. "All scans show it's inert. The Association has classified it as a Type-7 integration event."
The official stepped closer. "Mr. Black, did you experience any unusual... phenomena... during or after contact with the material?"
Bron met the man's gaze steadily. Years of poker games in mining camps had given him a decent ability to bluff.
"Nothing beyond excruciating pain and unconsciousness. Why?"
The official studied him for a moment longer before nodding. "Standard question for all Type-7 cases. You'll need to report for weekly check-ups at the Association medical facility for the next month."
"I understand."
After a few more questions and instructions, they left him alone. Bron waited until the door closed before whispering, "Status."
Nothing happened.
"Panel? Menu? Open stats?" he tried, feeling slightly foolish.
Still nothing. Had it all been a hallucination after all?
Bron closed his eyes, concentrating on the memory of that blue text. SSS-rank. Sovereign Forge Master. When he opened his eyes again, focusing on his desire to see his status, translucent blue text suddenly appeared in his field of vision:
[Name: Bron Black] [Class: Sovereign Forge Master] [Rank: SSS] [Level: 1] [Health: 120/120] [Mana: 150/150]
[ATTRIBUTES] Strength: 12 Agility: 10 Endurance: 12 Intelligence: 15 Wisdom: 14 Perception: 17
[SKILLS]
Material Insight (Passive) Lvl 1: Analyze material properties through touch Forge Affinity (Passive) Lvl 1: Enhanced understanding of metallurgy and smithing Weapon Aptitude (Passive) Lvl 1: Basic proficiency with all weapons
[SPECIAL ABILITIES]
None Currently Available (Unlock through level progression)
Bron's heart raced as he read the information. It was real. He had Awakened—and not just as any class, but as an SSS-rank, something most people couldn't even dream of.
He dismissed the panel with a thought just as a nurse entered to check his vitals.
"You're recovering well," she said cheerfully. "Doctor says you should be released tomorrow if all goes well."
"Great," Bron replied, mind racing with implications. "That's... really great news."
As the nurse left, Bron stared out the window at the city skyline, the massive containment wall visible in the distance. His life had just changed irrevocably.
He needed a plan.