A man sat outside, his face tense.
A woman nearby noticed and asked softly, "Jorad, what happened?"
Jorad exhaled slowly. "Today is the awakening ceremony… at the Awakening Hall. All three of my children are attending."
"Oh…" she said gently. "Then it's natural for you to worry."
Jorad nodded. "I never had the chance to awaken a spirit… but their mother did. So I believe Roni, Toni, and Moni will succeed."
He looked toward the distant hall and whispered, "Do your best, my children."
Not everyone in the world was able to awaken the power of spirits.
—
At the Awakening Hall.
A deep voice echoed through the chamber.
"All candidates, step forward."
Three hundred children stepped forward and formed straight lines.
A low murmur spread through the hall.
"Silence."
The host's deep voice echoed across the chamber, and the whispers died instantly.
"All candidates, proceed to your allotted spaces and attempt to call your spirit."
The students began moving.
"Stop."
They froze.
"If you fail to awaken a spirit, you will be disqualified."
Tension filled the air.
"Now go. Each platform holds five candidates. Stand in your assigned positions. Close your eyes and focus your mind. The stronger your will, the stronger the spirit that answers. Call your spirit aloud."
The three siblings walked toward the fifth platform. Two others joined them — a boy with green eyes and black hair, well built for his age, and a girl with blue eyes, silky hair, and a slender frame. They looked about sixteen and fifteen.
Roni, the eldest, stepped forward and extended his hand.
"I'm Roni. These are my younger brother Toni and my little sister Moni."
The boy shook his hand. "I'm Kale. And this is my sister, Lyra."
Lyra gave a quiet nod.
The three siblings stood together.
Roni was tall for his age, his posture straight and steady.
Beside him stood Toni, slightly shorter, his sharp eyes observing everything around him, his body already strong.
Moni, the youngest, looked smaller than the others, but quiet determination shone in her eyes.
Kale smiled faintly. "Good luck."
"You too," the siblings replied.
Soon, everyone stood in their assigned places. They closed their eyes and began trying to summon their spirit animals.
All the instructors watched the children closely.
Suddenly—
A blinding red light burst across the hall.
The instructors raised their arms, unable to keep their eyes open.
"What is that light?!"
At the center platform stood a girl, shining like a star. Her natural white hair glowed beneath the crimson radiance as flames gathered above her, twisting and rising into form.
Gasps spread through the chamber.
A magnificent spirit appeared.
A Phoenix.
"Legendary spirit…" an instructor whispered in shock. "One of the Eight."
Another instructor quickly turned toward the president.
"Sir… your granddaughter is incredibly talented."
The president frowned. "Granddaughter? Whose granddaughter is she?" Then he laughed softly. "Hah. I may not possess spirit power, but her parents were awakened ones. Perhaps it runs in the blood."
Suddenly, the instructor's expression changed.
"…President."
His voice trembled.
"There's another one."
The president's smile faded. "What?"
The instructor slowly pointed toward the fifth platform.
Light began gathering again.
This time—
It was Roni.
A deep tremor spread through the air as another overwhelming presence descended.
"He's been chosen…" an instructor whispered, his voice shaking.
This time, it was not just a powerful spirit.
It was one of the most dominant beings among the Zodiac.
A Dragon.
A massive golden aura filled the sky above the fifth platform. The pressure was so intense that several candidates collapsed to their knees.
"Oh my God… it's the Spirit of the Dragon!" an instructor exclaimed.
The president slowly rose from his seat.
"So… the time has finally come."
His eyes widened slightly.
"The leader of the Zodiac Spirits has chosen its master."
Roni stood still at the center of the platform. The air around him grew heavy. His eyes slowly opened—
They glowed gold.
Silence filled the hall.
Then suddenly—
On the same fifth platform, two more lights burst forth.
Moni's body shimmered with a swift silver glow as the Spirit of the Rabbit manifested behind her, light and agile.
At the same time, a gentle green aura surrounded Lyra. The Spirit of the Goat appeared, calm and steady, radiating warmth.
Before the astonishment could fade, another surge of energy exploded from the same platform.
A fierce wind spiraled outward.
Kale's head snapped up.
A deep growl vibrated through the air.
Golden streaks of light slashed across the space behind him, forming the outline of a massive beast.
Claws struck the ground with a heavy echo.
A Tiger.
Its sharp eyes gleamed with predatory intensity as it stood behind Kale like a warrior's shadow.
Another Zodiac spirit had chosen its master.
Gasps erupted across the hall.
The president exhaled slowly.
"This… is incredible."
But the surprises were not over.
Across the hall, more lights began to appear.
On another platform, the Zodiac Spirit of the Ox descended and chose a broad-shouldered boy, its sturdy form standing like an unshakable mountain behind him. Not far away, a fierce Lion spirit manifested beside another candidate, its mane blazing with authority.
One after another, spirits continued to awaken — wolves, hawks, serpents, deer, and many more — each selecting their rightful partner.
By the time the light finally faded, a total of seventy-one candidates had successfully awakened their spirit animals.
The rest stood silently, the platforms beneath them dark.
Among those sixty were several rare spirits… and many ordinary ones.
For now, no one paid them much attention.
But among them were names that the world would one day remember.
On the fifth platform, Toni stood frozen.
He couldn't believe it.
He had failed to call a spirit.
His eyes remained wide open, staring up at the sky as if searching for an answer.
Why…?
Why had nothing come to him?
Tension filled his chest, tightening like a knot he couldn't loosen.
Roni noticed immediately.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and pulled his younger brother into a firm embrace.
"Don't worry," Roni said softly.
Toni's shoulders trembled.
Tears gathered in his eyes.
"I… I couldn't do it," he whispered.