The morning came too fast. My body still ached from last night's "training." Every muscle screamed like it had been broken, reset, and hammered back together.
A knock came at my door. Three precise taps. No hesitation.
"Enter," I said, half-dressed and fully miserable.
The door opened, and in stepped Victoria—my personal maid.
She bowed lightly. "Young Master Augustus, your mother sends her regards. She wishes she could attend personally but has been called to the northern region because of a sudden epidemic."
Of course. Mother's busy as always. Well, maybe that's the consequence of being the Scarlet Doctor.
I nodded. "Tell her I understand."
A small smile flickered across Victoria's face. "She said you would say that. She also said, and I quote, 'He'd better not faint again like during his medicinal baths.'"
I groaned. "That was— I just fell asleep, I didn't faint, you know!"
"Yes," she said dryly. "So she says."
I muttered something about maternal betrayal as Victoria handed me a folded set of ceremonial clothes—pure white trimmed with black and a silver insignia, the Ironcreed formals.
"Your father awaits in the Awakening Hall. The ceremony begins within the hour."
I exhaled and straightened my coat. "Let's get this over with."
...
The Awakening Hall was enormous—half temple, half banquet hall. The air itself felt thick, vibrating faintly with restrained energy. Pillars of obsidian rose toward a domed ceiling carved with constellations of long-dead heroes.
Dozens of youths stood in the center, each wearing their family's ceremonial dress, each trying—and failing—to look calm.
At the far end stood the Awakening Artifact—a monolith of crystal, etched with shifting runes that pulsed like a heartbeat. It was one of the foundational artifacts of the Great House of Ironcreed, and one of the few S-rank artifacts in existence.
Its purpose was simple: to assess every candidate's aptitude, bloodline, affinity, and potential, then reveal the best classes and skills compatible with each of them. The candidates would then make their choices—guided or doomed by instinct.
I took my place among the others. Some I knew by name, others were distant cousins or lesser heirs. And, of course, the family head's second daughter was here too—great, more pressure.
Whispers filled the air—who would get a rare class, who would awaken a worthless one. The usual noble gossip, sharpened by nerves.
A figure in ceremonial armor stepped forward—the family's officiator. His voice carried easily through the hall.
"Descendants of Ironcreed, by blood or by oath—you stand before the Monument of Valor. Once awakened, your class will guide your path. Remember: every choice shapes not just your fate, but our legacy."
The Artifact flared, flooding the hall with silver light.
My breath caught. The light wasn't just bright—it was alive. My thoughts slowed, my body stopped obeying, and then… I wasn't there anymore.
The world dissolved into silver mist.
The floor, the crowd, even the air—gone. In their place stretched an endless expanse of light. My body felt weightless, yet my heartbeat thundered like it wanted to break free from my chest.
Then—
---
> INITIATING SYSTEM SYNCHRONIZATION
AWAKENING SOULFORCE...
ANALYZING BLOODLINE, MIND, AND BODY...
---
The hall was gone. I stood in a formless void, suspended between pulse and breath. Runes drifted through the air like stars forming constellations. Each rune hummed with ancient authority, resonating through my chest—like invisible fingers rifling through my memories.
The runes pulsed once, twice—then coalesced into a sigil that branded itself into the void before me.
---
> ANALYZING HOST... COMPLETE.
PROJECTING ATTRIBUTE ASSESSMENT...
---
Lines of shimmering light assembled into numbers, carved into the space before my eyes.
---
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES
(10 marks the human limit)
STR: 7
AGI: 5
INT: 10
METAPHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES
(50 marks the mortal limit)
Charm: 30
Luck: 8
---
Still smarter and stronger than average, looks are just above average, and unlucky enough to die twice. Checks out.
The symbols flickered. The void trembled. A pressure like a thousand unseen eyes pressed down on my soul.
---
> ASSESSING SOUL INTEGRITY...
MANIFESTING EDICT...
---
A sphere of blinding light formed above me, and within it, an ancient voice—not quite male or female—echoed directly in my mind.
---
> "Bearer of obscured soul. System's Authority is insufficient to analyze your Soul. Your path resists definition."
SOUL ONE'S EDICT: ACTIVATED.
• Soul Obscurity — All soul aspects hidden from external appraisal.
• Amplified Soulforce — Mental fortitude and soulforce purity enhanced.
• Enhanced Intelligence — Cognitive potential increased by 50%.
---
I blinked.
Looks like that smug bastard who sent me here didn't just curse me into silence—he tossed in a parting gift too.