Chapter 2: The Lord Awakening Ceremony
George woke up before sunrise.
The moment he opened his eyes, he remembered what day it was.
Today was the Lord Awakening Ceremony.
The day that would determine whether he gained the opportunity to enter the Hidden Realm.
The day that could potentially change the course of his entire life.
For a few moments, George remained lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Despite his calm appearance, he couldn't deny the excitement bubbling beneath the surface.
After all, this was not something that happened every day.
Even in a world where the Hidden Realm was common knowledge, becoming a Lord remained a rare privilege.
Millions applied every year.
Not everyone succeeded.
Many awakened ordinary talents.
Some failed to awaken altogether.
Only a small percentage possessed the potential to become truly powerful Lords.
George exhaled slowly and sat up.
"Whatever happens, happens."
There was no point stressing over things he couldn't control.
The awakening would be determined soon enough.
After washing up and changing into clean clothes, George headed downstairs.
His parents were already awake.
The dining table was filled with food.
Far more than usual.
George laughed.
"Is this a celebration already?"
His mother rolled her eyes.
"It's not a celebration."
"It might become one later."
His father chuckled.
"Your mother barely slept."
"I did too."
His mother immediately glared at him.
George smiled and sat down.
The atmosphere was warm.
Comfortable.
Yet there was also a hint of tension lingering beneath the surface.
Everyone understood the significance of today.
After breakfast, George's father stood up and walked toward a cabinet.
A moment later, he returned carrying a small black box.
George looked at it curiously.
"What's that?"
His father placed the box on the table and opened it.
Inside rested a silver ring.
The ring appeared simple and elegant.
Nothing flashy.
Yet George immediately recognized what it was.
A storage ring.
His eyes widened slightly.
Storage equipment was valuable.
Extremely valuable.
Even the cheapest versions cost a considerable amount of money.
His father pushed the box toward him.
"Take it."
George hesitated.
"This isn't cheap."
His father shrugged.
"It was purchased for this day."
His mother smiled.
"We've been saving for years."
George looked at the ring silently.
Even though they weren't his biological parents from Earth, he could feel the sincerity behind their actions.
This wasn't something bought on a whim.
They had planned for this.
Prepared for this.
Hoped for this.
For years.
George carefully picked up the ring.
"Thank you."
His father nodded.
"Use it well."
George placed the ring on his finger.
The metal felt cool against his skin.
A warm feeling spread through his chest.
Whatever happened today, he would remember this moment.
---
At nine o'clock in the morning, George arrived at Azure City No. 3 High School.
The campus looked completely different from usual.
Thousands of students had gathered throughout the grounds.
Some were chatting excitedly.
Others appeared nervous.
A few looked outright terrified.
Banners hung from nearby buildings.
Large holographic displays floated above the central plaza.
The entire atmosphere felt like a festival.
A once-in-a-lifetime event.
Which, in many ways, it was.
As George walked through the crowd, he overheard countless conversations.
"I heard someone from Azure City No. 1 High School awakened an A-Rank Talent last year."
"My cousin became a Lord three years ago."
"What kind of talent are you hoping for?"
"I don't care as long as I awaken."
Many students shared similar thoughts.
The opportunity itself was already valuable.
A powerful talent would simply be a bonus.
George eventually reached the massive central plaza.
The sight before him caused him to pause.
At the center stood a gigantic crystal nearly twenty meters tall.
The crystal radiated a faint golden glow.
Even from a distance, it felt majestic.
Ancient.
Powerful.
This was the Awakening Crystal.
The object responsible for connecting potential Lords with the Hidden Realm.
Thousands of seats surrounded the crystal.
Students gradually filled them.
Teachers moved throughout the area, maintaining order.
Government officials occupied a special section near the front.
George found his assigned seat and sat down.
A few minutes later, a familiar voice spoke nearby.
"George."
He turned his head.
A young man with short brown hair approached.
The inherited memories quickly identified him.
Daniel Harper.
One of George's classmates.
"Morning."
Daniel sat beside him.
"You seem calm."
George laughed.
"Should I be panicking instead?"
Daniel shrugged.
"Maybe."
"I'm definitely nervous."
George smiled.
"That's normal."
Daniel lowered his voice slightly.
"I heard the city government is sending representatives today."
George raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
Daniel nodded.
"Apparently there are rumors this year's graduates have unusually high compatibility ratings."
George wasn't sure whether to believe that.
Rumors spread quickly around awakening season.
Still, it wouldn't be surprising if government officials monitored the ceremony.
Powerful Lords were valuable assets.
Every nation wanted talented individuals.
Before George could respond, a loud bell echoed across the plaza.
The conversations gradually stopped.
Everyone turned toward the front.
An elderly man stepped onto a raised platform.
The principal.
His presence immediately commanded attention.
The plaza became silent.
The principal smiled.
"Students."
"Today marks one of the most important days of your lives."
His voice carried clearly throughout the area.
"Some of you will awaken powerful talents."
"Some of you will awaken ordinary talents."
"Some may not awaken at all."
A few nervous expressions appeared among the students.
The principal continued.
"Regardless of the outcome, remember this."
"Talent influences your future."
"It does not define your worth."
George noticed several teachers nodding.
This speech was likely delivered every year.
Yet the words still carried meaning.
The principal looked around the plaza.
"The Hidden Realm offers opportunities unlike any other."
"It has created heroes."
"Kings."
"Explorers."
"Scholars."
"It has also claimed countless lives."
His expression became serious.
"If you are fortunate enough to awaken, never underestimate the dangers that await you."
The plaza remained silent.
Nobody dared interrupt.
Finally, the principal smiled once more.
"Now."
"Let the Lord Awakening Ceremony begin."
The moment his words ended, the massive crystal erupted with golden light.
Gasps spread throughout the crowd.
The crystal's brilliance illuminated the entire plaza.
Several government officials activated devices and began recording data.
Then the first student was called forward.
"Emily Carter."
A young woman stepped onto the platform.
The crystal responded immediately.
Golden light surrounded her body.
Several seconds later, a notification appeared above the crystal.
Talent Grade: E
Talent: Improved Agriculture
Polite applause followed.
The girl smiled despite the relatively ordinary result.
An agricultural talent wasn't glamorous.
But it was useful.
Especially within the Hidden Realm.
One by one, students continued stepping forward.
The results varied considerably.
Talent: Enhanced Mining
Talent: Swift Construction
Talent: Improved Archery
Talent: Beast Affinity
Occasionally, someone awakened a higher-grade talent.
Whenever that happened, the crowd became noticeably more excited.
An hour passed.
Then another.
The ceremony continued steadily.
George watched quietly.
Many talents seemed useful.
Others appeared situational.
Some were clearly superior to others.
Yet none seemed overwhelmingly powerful.
At least not yet.
Suddenly, loud cheers erupted from the crowd.
George looked toward the platform.
A young man stood within a pillar of golden light.
Above him, glowing text appeared.
Talent Grade: B
Talent: Iron Legion
The plaza exploded with excitement.
"A B-Rank!"
"That's incredible!"
"Iron Legion?"
"That sounds amazing!"
Even the government officials appeared interested.
George studied the talent description displayed nearby.
Iron Legion
Increases troop defense by 30%.
A powerful military talent.
Especially for someone planning to build an army-focused territory.
The young man stepped off the platform looking ecstatic.
Understandably so.
A B-Rank talent already placed him among the top awakeners of the year.
Time continued passing.
More names were called.
More talents appeared.
Then eventually...
"George Quinton."
The sound of his name echoed throughout the plaza.
Instantly, George felt countless eyes turn toward him.
His classmates.
The teachers.
The officials.
Everyone was watching.
George slowly stood.
A strange calm settled over him.
This was it.
The moment he had been waiting for.
Without hesitation, he walked toward the awakening platform.
Each step seemed unusually loud.
The closer he approached the crystal, the stronger its presence felt.
Ancient.
Mysterious.
Powerful.
George climbed the platform and placed his hand against the crystal's surface.
It felt warm.
For a brief moment, nothing happened.
Then—
BOOM!
Golden light exploded outward.
The entire crystal erupted with brilliance.
The intensity immediately surpassed every previous awakening.
Gasps echoed across the plaza.
Students shielded their eyes.
Several officials abruptly stood up.
"What?"
"What's happening?"
The crystal continued glowing brighter.
And brighter.
And brighter.
George felt warmth spread throughout his body.
Then suddenly, a mechanical voice echoed within his mind.
---
[Detecting Compatible Host...]
---
George froze.
His pupils contracted.
The voice had not come from outside.
It came from inside his head.
---
[Host Identified.]
---
The golden light intensified.
The crowd could only stare in shock.
Meanwhile, additional messages appeared before George's eyes.
---
[Conditions Met.]
[Beginning System Integration.]
---
George's heartbeat accelerated.
System?
A system?
Was this...
---
[1%...]
[10%...]
[25%...]
---
The process continued.
George forced himself to remain calm.
Nobody else seemed capable of seeing the messages.
That was a relief.
Several seconds later—
---
[100% Complete.]
---
The voice returned.
This time, it sounded clearer.
More distinct.
More powerful.
---
[Congratulations.]
[God-Level Multiplication System Successfully Bound.]
---
George nearly stopped breathing.
A system.
An actual system.
Just as he had imagined in countless novels during his previous life.
Before he could investigate further, another notification appeared.
---
[System Functions Locked.]
[Activation Conditions Pending.]
[Please Enter the Hidden Realm to Unlock Full Functionality.]
---
George blinked.
Locked?
That was disappointing.
Still, it made sense.
The awakening ceremony probably wasn't the appropriate place for system experimentation.
The golden light gradually faded.
The crystal finally stabilized.
Silence filled the plaza.
Everyone stared toward the giant display above the platform.
Waiting.
Anticipating.
Then the results appeared.
The crowd collectively held its breath.
---
Talent Grade: ???
Potential Evaluation: SSS
---
The plaza exploded.
[End of Chapter 2]