Chapter 79: — Awakening (3)

Nothing particularly noteworthy happened after Kira’s awakening.

One participant after another stepped forward, awakened their mana, received their results, and quietly returned to the line.

Kael patiently waited for Kyro’s turn.

After nearly half an hour of similar awakenings, Eric finally called his cousin’s name.

Kyro took a deep breath before stepping toward the crystal.

Placing both hands upon it, he waited until one of the Royal Court elders gave a nod.

“You may begin.”

Kyro closed his eyes and concentrated.

A gentle breeze gradually formed around him.

Within moments, streams of emerald-green mana circled his body before transforming into countless ribbons of wind that danced around him.

The spectacle lasted for eight full minutes.

Finally, the wind gathered into the crystal.

A brilliant light flashed.

Mana Reserves: ★★★☆☆

Cultivation: ★★★☆☆

An impressive result.

Even Kyro stared at the crystal in disbelief.

“I… I actually did it…”

The three Royal Court elders smiled approvingly.

“Congratulations.”

“A Wind affinity.”

“Three stars in both Mana Reserves and Cultivation is an excellent beginning.”

“You have a bright future ahead of you.”

Kyro bowed respectfully before returning to the line.

Kael noticed his aunt excitedly waving toward her son from the audience.

Her eyes were already glistening with tears of joy.

A score of three stars in both categories was considered outstanding for someone from Korua.

She couldn’t have been prouder.

The next participant…

Was Jake.

Unlike everyone before him, anticipation was written all over his face.

The moment he reached the crystal, he placed both hands upon it.

Before the elder even finished speaking…

Jake had already entered meditation.

One of the elders merely smiled helplessly.

“A rather eager young man…”

Only a few moments later…

Brilliant crimson mana erupted around Jake.

The flames of mana deepened in color.

Then—

Whoosh!

Actual fire ignited around his body.

The blazing flames swirled around him without causing the slightest injury.

Kael couldn’t help but stare.

That… actually looks incredibly cool.

If I had the choice…

I’d honestly rather awaken fire than the ability to control plants.

Unfortunately…

From what he had learned, although it wasn’t impossible to awaken additional abilities later in life…

Such cases were unimaginably rare.

Watching real flames obey someone’s will still felt surreal to him.

That’s actual fire…

Even after everything he had experienced since arriving in this world…

Part of him still struggled to accept that magic like this truly existed.

Manipulating wind or water was already astonishing enough.

But controlling something as violent and destructive as fire…

That was on an entirely different level.

Perhaps it was simply because of the common sense carried over from his previous life.

The crowd had already begun murmuring in amazement.

Yet their astonishment only grew once the crystal revealed Jake’s results.

Mana Reserves: ★★★★☆

Cultivation: ★★★★★

Silence.

Complete silence.

Jake had achieved the highest score of the day.

Four stars in Mana Reserves…

And a perfect five stars in Cultivation.

He had already reached the peak of the Mortal Mage Realm.

If his growth continued at this pace…

He would likely break into the Junior Mage Realm within a month.

The elders nodded with unconcealed satisfaction.

“Outstanding.”

“Excellent talent.”

Jake merely grinned.

Without waiting for further praise, he hurried back toward his friends.

“Haha!”

He spread his arms proudly.

“What do you think?”

Kyro stared at him before letting out a dramatic sigh.

“You couldn’t even let me enjoy my moment for five minutes?”

Jake blinked innocently.

“What?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

Kyro pointed accusingly at the crystal.

“You go and awaken Fire.”

“Then you score four and five stars.”

“How am I supposed to compete with that?”

Jake scratched his cheek sheepishly.

“Haha…”

“If I’m not this strong…”

“How am I supposed to protect my brothers?”

Kael couldn’t help but smile.

Despite possessing talent that surpassed everyone present…

Jake remained exactly the same.

There wasn’t even the slightest hint of arrogance in him.

The success hadn’t changed him at all.

Kael silently admired the friendships his younger self had built.

They were genuine.

Meanwhile, from the viewing pavilion, Eric let out a quiet sigh.

“So even a branch family of House Roose still surpasses all of Korua’s local talents…”

As someone who had risen from a common background himself…

He had secretly hoped a child from the village would claim the highest results.

But reality was often disappointing.

Just then…

Jake turned toward Kael and flashed him a confident grin.

“Good luck, brother.”

Kyro smiled as well.

“You’ve got this.”

Kael nodded.

“Thanks.”

Taking a slow breath, he stepped forward toward the crystal.

Each step echoed softly across the silent platform.

At the front of the platform, the three Royal Court elders respectfully stepped aside, leaving the awakening pedestal completely vacant.

Emily slowly rose from her seat.

Her graceful footsteps echoed through the silent square as she descended toward the stage.

Every eye followed her movements.

No one spoke.

No one dared.

The Kingdom’s Archmage herself…

…was about to personally conduct Kael’s awakening.

Kael stood before the crystal and placed both hands upon its smooth surface.

Emily walked behind him.

A gentle smile appeared on her face before she rested one hand lightly on his back.

“You may begin.”

Kael took a slow breath.

Closing his eyes, he focused his mind.

—

The next moment…

His consciousness was pulled into an endless sea of darkness.

Then…

A single point of emerald light appeared.

It rapidly expanded until Kael found himself standing before an unimaginably enormous tree.

The World Tree.

Or at least…

That was the only name his mind could give it.

The colossal tree appeared to be formed entirely from pure mana.

Its trunk stretched endlessly into the heavens, while countless branches disappeared beyond the clouds.

Compared to it…

Kael felt no larger than a tiny ant standing before a mountain.

Remembering the Dragoness’ instructions, Kael calmed his breathing.

“Focus on it.”

“Hold your concentration for as long as possible.”

Without hesitation, he did exactly that.

Almost immediately, his consciousness began ascending the tree.

At first…

The ascent was slow.

Steady.

Each passing moment brought him only slightly higher.

Then…

After what felt like seven minutes…

Everything changed.

His consciousness suddenly accelerated.

He shot upward through the endless branches at astonishing speed.

Kael instinctively tightened his focus.

Somehow…

He understood.

The moment his concentration wavered…

He would be thrown out.

So he endured.

He ignored everything else.

He simply continued climbing.

By his estimation…

Ten minutes had already passed.

Yet the tree still seemed endless.

—

Outside…

Reality told an entirely different story.

Thirty minutes had passed.

Kael remained completely motionless before the crystal.

Unlike every participant before him…

Not even the faintest trace of mana had appeared around his body.

The three Royal Court elders exchanged uneasy glances.

One of them finally stepped closer to Emily and spoke quietly.

“Lady Emily…”

“Should we interrupt the awakening?”

Emily’s expression remained calm as she observed her grandson.

“No.”

“We will wait a little longer.”

“If there is still no response…”

“I will personally bring him out.”

The elder respectfully bowed.

“As you command.”

Even they had never witnessed an awakening like this before.

It wasn’t just the elders.

Every person in the plaza had become anxious.

The spectators whispered among themselves.

The nobles frowned.

The children waiting their turn stared nervously.

Only two people appeared completely unconcerned.

The elderly dairy farmer watched with her usual gentle smile.

And Jake…

Jake stood with his arms folded, grinning confidently.

Kyro looked at him in confusion.

“Jake…”

“Is Kael really going to be okay?”

Jake nodded without the slightest hesitation.

“Of course.”

“Believe in him.”

“I know he’ll be fine.”

Kyro looked back at Kael before silently nodding.

“…Yeah.”

“He’ll be okay.”

Among everyone present…

Amber was undoubtedly the most worried.

She had already taken several anxious steps toward the stage before Suna gently grabbed her hand.

“Suna…”

“It’s already been half an hour.”

“Will he really be alright?”

Suna herself was beginning to worry.

Even so…

She forced a reassuring smile.

“He will.”

“Otherwise Mother would have already stopped the ceremony.”

“If she hasn’t acted yet…”

“That means Kael isn’t in any danger.”

Amber slowly took a deep breath.

“…You’re right.”

Lyla, standing beside them, nodded in agreement.

“Suna is correct.”

“Trust Lady Emily.”

“She is Kael’s grandmother.”

“If anyone in this kingdom can protect him…”

“It is her.”

Amber finally calmed down a little.

Lyla, however, hid the unease within her own heart.

Truthfully…

She was just as worried as everyone else.

But if she showed even the slightest sign of panic…

Amber’s anxiety would only become worse.

So she remained composed.

And together with everyone else…

They continued waiting for Kael to awaken.