Within the inner confines of the clan building, a feminine voice echoed down the long stone hallway.
"Ren."
A pause.
"Rennn."
Footsteps halted somewhere beyond the walls.
"What are you doing in there?" she called, impatience threading her tone. "It's almost time. Let's go!"
"Be right there!"
The young male voice that answered was calm and steady, carrying an undertone far older than his years—like someone who had already felt the weight of life's turning tides.
"Ren!"
"I'm coming!"
The door slid open, and a young boy with dark brown hair with streaks of white crowning his head burst into the hallway. He looked no more than sixteen or seventeen, his movements quick and unrestrained as he sprinted after a slender feminine figure already walking ahead.
"Erin!"
"Erin, wait!"
"I'm right behind you!"
She didn't slow. Her steps remained unhurried, almost deliberately so. Ren kept calling until he finally caught up, breath coming in short gasps as he draped his right arm loosely around her shoulders.
"I was calling you," he said, still catching his breath.
"I didn't hear you," Erin replied, her voice tinged with a slight pout.
"Don't be angry," Ren said quickly, offering a sheepish smile. "I was just changing out of the sweaty clothes I wore while sparring."
"You do know today is the Awakening Ceremony," Erin said, her tone light, a teasing smile woven into her words. "You're not supposed to show up late."
"Hm, I was—"
Before he could finish, Erin cut him off mid-sentence.
"Jeez, you're always so serious," she said, waving a hand dismissively. "Relax. I'm joking."
They continued down the stone hallway as they spoke, their footsteps echoing softly against the ancient walls. Torches set into the stone cast flickering shadows that stretched and twisted along their path. Minutes later, they stopped before a massive set of double doors, each reinforced with dark iron. At the center of the doors was a smaller compartment—still slightly larger than an average human—clearly crafted with non-humans in mind.
At first glance, the castle appeared ancient, but beneath its age-worn stone pulsed an undercurrent of advanced technology.
They pushed the doors open and stepped outside.
The air shifted.
Waiting just beyond the threshold stood another figure—one who bore a striking resemblance to Erin. His name was Eric, her twin brother. Where Erin carried playful sharpness, Eric radiated calm steadiness. Within the clan, the twins had always been Ren's closest friends. When others targeted him—when whispers turned into ridicule and ridicule into open bullying—they were the ones who stood their ground, defending him and fighting beside him without hesitation.
"You guys are running late," Eric said.
"Let's move."
Together, they headed toward the clan's teleportation station, a massive structure built around a central teleporter. As they entered, the space opened into a wide chamber already filled with people. A low hum vibrated through the floor, subtle yet ever-present.
The crowd was made up of the clan's new generation—those preparing to step onto the Ascension Pathway—along with elders, family members, and supporters who had come to witness the moment.
The Ascension Pathway was where beginners awakened their class—the essential requirement needed to traverse the world and begin the climb toward true strength.
Ten minutes later, two women entered the station.
The one in front carried herself with quiet authority, her brown, tightly curled hair framing a confident expression. The woman behind her had long, straight brown hair that fell neatly down her back, her gaze sharp and observant.
They ascended a slightly raised platform.
The leading woman clapped her hands once.
The sound echoed through the station.
Silence fell instantly.
Composing herself, she spoke clearly.
"The Awakening Procedure begins now."
"Let us proceed."
The woman beside her stepped forward and handed her a sleek digital tablet, its surface glowing faintly. It contained the names of the beginners scheduled for awakening.
The official glanced down at the screen.
"Number one," she announced. "Ben."
From within the gathered crowd, a short, broad-shouldered boy stepped forward. He appeared to be sixteen years old, his frame already thick with muscle, dark hair falling messily over his forehead as anticipation and nerves flickered across his face.
His supporters cheered as he stepped onto the teleporter.
Light flared—
and in a blink, he was gone.
"Number two, Mia."
A girl stepped forward, shoulders tense.
"Number three, Renna. Number four—"
Off to the side, Erin, Eric, and Ren stood together, watching quietly.
"What do you think his class will be?" Erin asked.
Ren scoffed. "Obviously the clan's class—the wolf class. He's a direct descendant of the Fifth Castle. That alone gives him a ninety-nine percent chance of awakening a wolf transformation.
"That's not what I meant," Erin said, rolling her eyes. "I mean—do you think he'll awaken a Full Wolf transformation?"
Ren frowned slightly, eyes narrowing in thought. "Based on the current analysis from the Cybers… he has about a twenty to thirty percent chance."
"Only twenty percent?" Erin protested. "That's way too low. I thought it'd be closer to forty or fifty."
"His father and grandfather never awakened a True transformation," Ren replied calmly. "That alone drags the odds down."
"But eight of his twelve blood brothers awakened as Trues," Erin pressed. "That should raise his chances, right?"
"That's why I said twenty to thirty percent," Ren said. "And besides—not everyone's like you two, awakening special classes that perfectly complement each other and—"
"Shhh."
Eric cut him off sharply, pressing a finger to his lips.
"You're about to be called."
The announcements continued.
"Number forty-two, Mishak.
Number forty-five, Ronnie.
Number forty-six, Alex."
A pause.
"Number forty-seven… Ren."
Finally.
Ren took a slow breath and stepped forward.
As he ascended the stairway toward the teleportation gateway, his thoughts churned.
I have a sixty percent chance of awakening a wolf-type class, thanks to the Mark of the Third Elder…
But a transformation class? That's harder. Maybe one in ten.
And a true wolf transformation class… that should be—
"Number forty-seven," a cold voice snapped from the side. "You have three seconds to step in, or you will be asked to stand aside until the rest are through."
Ren blinked, shaken from his thoughts.
He stepped forward—
—but before he could enter, the teleportation gateway hummed.
Light rippled across its surface, energy surging outward as the chamber fell silent.
Someone was arriving.
The air warped.
A figure emerged.
First—a foot.
Then a shadow, blurred and flickering within the glow.
As the light stabilized, the shape solidified into something both human and not.
Ren froze.
Stepping fully out of the gateway was a figure that stunned the entire hall.
"Huh…?"
"A… a Full Wolf transformation?"
A single voice whispered it.
Then the crowd erupted.
Before them stood a towering wolfish form, muscles rolling beneath thick gray fur. Every movement was fluid—controlled, predatory. The creature lifted its head, icy-yellow eyes glowing with sharp intelligence as they swept across the chamber, piercing through the crowd like shards of frozen light.
Its long snout parted slightly, revealing gleaming fangs. Pointed ears twitched, catching every whisper, every breath. Hands tipped with retractable claws flexed slowly, nails scraping faintly against the stone floor. Powerful legs carried the beast forward with effortless, unnerving grace.
Someone murmured, barely audible—
"The fourth Mansion… just gained a future powerhouse."
As the figure walked toward a waiting group, its form began to shift. Fur receded. Bones realigned. In moments, the towering beast became a tall, handsome boy, standing calmly as though nothing extraordinary had happened.
The whispers intensified—
until clap.
The sharp sound cut through the hall.
"Silence."
The station master—the woman overseeing the awakening—lowered her hands, her gaze stern.
Immediately, Ren moved.
This gateway wasn't just awakening a class.
It was deciding who he would become.
Ren stepped forward, eyes steady. I'll be the one who decides.
Heart pounding, he stepped into the teleportation gateway.
"Let's pray," Erin said quietly, her expression uncharacteristically serious, "that he awakens a wolf-type class… preferably a transformation."
Eric exhaled slowly. "With his physique, a werewolf transformation will be difficult. His awakened class is more likely to fall under the summoner branch."
The gateway flared.
And Ren was gone.