Chapter 36: MAKING HISTORY

His thoughts shifted as he recalled the earlier assessments.

His gaze drifted towards Kelly, who was also watching him. Unlike the others, however, she wore a rather bored expression, as though the entire spectacle had little to do with her.

The orb glowed black when that blue-haired girl touched it, indicating a Fifth-Dimensional Nature.

Aaron’s eyes narrowed slightly.

If Fifth-Dimensional Nature is the highest level the orb can detect, then there’s a possibility it simply can’t react to a Sixth-Dimensional talent.

The possibility struck him like a sudden revelation.

Could that be it?

Before he could explore the thought any further, he realized the Butler had already begun pulling him away.

But Aaron refused to budge.

With every passing second, he tightened his grip even further, stubbornly holding on to the orb as though his entire future depended on it.

As the Butler attempted to pull him away with greater force, something unexpected happened.

He felt resistance.

Not the stubborn resistance of a boy desperately clinging to something he didn’t want to let go of.

It was something else entirely.

Aaron was stronger.

Much stronger than he had been moments ago. Much stronger than he had been before stepping onto the podium and touching the orb.

The Butler’s eyes widened.

Impossible...

Aaron, however, was equally stunned.

This could only mean one thing.

I’ve Awakened.

His eyes narrowed as he stared at the orb.

Then, a memory suddenly resurfaced.

He remembered the rules of the game he and his friends had played before his reincarnation.

Zagadat Sorcery.

One of its mechanics had always stood out to him. A player could suppress their strength by limiting the amount of intent they projected.

In other words, the strength they displayed wasn’t always the full extent of their actual abilities. By deliberately restricting their intent, they could conceal their true power.

That’s it!

Without wasting another second, Aaron loosened his grip on the orb considerably.

He relaxed his body, suppressed his determination and deliberately reduced the intensity of his desire to become Awakened.

He even tried to appear nonchalant.

And then...

It happened.

The orb glowed.

A faint cream-coloured light spread across its surface.

The Butler gasped, his grip on Aaron’s shoulder loosening almost immediately.

"How is that possible?"

But Aaron wasn’t finished.

He had finally figured out the source of his problem.

Initially, he had been giving the orb everything he had without considering its limitations.

The orb could only register up to a Fifth-Dimensional Nature.

Yet he had been channeling the intent and energy of a Sixth-Dimensional ability into it.

It was no wonder the damn thing hadn’t reacted!

In fact, he was beginning to suspect that the orb was lucky it hadn’t exploded under the pressure.

So that’s how it works.

Aaron took a deep breath.

This time, he tried to become slightly more enthusiastic. He gradually increased his determination, allowing his intent and strength to rise alongside it.

The cream-coloured glow slowly changed.

Silver.

The Butler’s hand jerked away from Aaron’s shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Aaron barely acknowledged him.

A faint smile crept across his face as he slowly exhaled.

I’ve gotten the hang of it.

He increased his determination once more.

The silver glow intensified before gradually transforming into a brilliant white.

The Butler’s entire body trembled.

He raised a shaky hand and pointed at Aaron, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"You’re... You’re..."

He struggled to find the right words.

"What the hell are you?!"

By now, the students had completely abandoned their positions.

One after another, they rushed towards the podium, desperate to get a closer look at the unbelievable spectacle unfolding before them.

Gasps erupted from every direction.

Whispers turned into loud murmurs, while a few students couldn’t contain their excitement and screamed outright.

Even the Butler, who had been responsible for maintaining order throughout the ceremony, seemed to have forgotten his duties.

He simply stood there, frozen, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and utter disbelief.

Aaron took another deep breath.

A faint smile remained on his face.

Why don’t I go all in?

He increased his intent once more.

Gradually, the brilliant white glow began to change.

Its brightness dimmed.

Then, before the eyes of everyone present, the orb turned black.

A deafening uproar swept across the entire field.

Students shouted. Others gasped in disbelief. Some could only stare, unable to comprehend what they were witnessing.

But Aaron paid them no attention.

The moment the orb turned black, a sharp wave of pain shot through his body.

His teeth clenched.

Maintaining such an extraordinary level of strength while deliberately controlling its output was proving far more difficult than he had anticipated.

He had already been pushing himself to his limits.

Still, he endured.

He held the orb in its blackened state for a few more seconds before finally releasing it.

His hand dropped away.

Aaron staggered slightly, breathing heavily as he tried to regain his composure.

Meanwhile, the Butler...

The Butler dropped to his knees.

His round, single-lens spectacles slipped from his face and fell gracelessly onto the ground.

He barely noticed.

His eyes remained fixed on Aaron, his lips trembling as he struggled to process what had just happened.

For several seconds, he couldn’t utter a word.

Then, with a voice filled with disbelief, he stammered:

"His... History has just been made."

***

After being officially recognized as an Awakened, Aaron was finally permitted to join the other Awakened individuals standing on the podium.

However, he quickly realized that his presence had become something of an attraction.

He could feel the constant glances directed at him from every corner. Some students stared openly, while others tried to sneak occasional looks in his direction. Yet, despite their obvious curiosity, none dared to approach him.

Even Kelly, the blue-haired girl, had been stealing glances at him from time to time without making any attempt to start a conversation.

It was understandable.

Just like her, Aaron had been declared a Fifth-Dimensional ability user. And considering what had happened during his assessment, it was hardly surprising that he had attracted so much attention.

Surprisingly, Natasha had also started avoiding him for some reason.

That, however, concerned Aaron.

He didn’t particularly want to babysit her, but that didn’t mean he wanted her avoiding him either.

Feeling rather conflicted, he decided to play along and pretend not to notice.

Damien, on the other hand, made no effort to conceal his displeasure. His gaze remained fixed on Aaron, practically shooting daggers at him.