Chapter 36 | Registering As An Awakener [1]
As Alicar stepped through the massive glass doors of the Awakener Association, he was immediately struck by the sheer scale of the interior.
It was a vast open space that stretched upward for several stories, with polished marble floors gleaming under the soft glow of chandeliers that hung from the ceiling.
The main lobby was bustling with activity, awakeners of all ages and backgrounds moving through the space with purpose.
Their equipment and attire ranged from simple street clothes to full combat gear that seemed to hum with magical energy.
There were counters lining the walls on both sides, each one staffed by receptionists who were busy assisting the steady stream of visitors, their voices creating a low, constant hum of conversation.
Massive screens displayed information about upcoming events, trading opportunities, and association announcements, their bright colors casting shifting patterns across the floor.
The atmosphere was one of organized chaos, a place where power was bought and sold, where alliances were formed and broken, and where the future of the world’s strongest individuals was shaped.
Alicar made his way through the crowd, his backpack slung over his shoulder, his eyes scanning for the registration desk among the many counters that lined the lobby.
He eventually found it, a sleek desk with a young man sitting behind it, his uniform crisp and professional, a warm smile on his face as he greeted each new arrival.
"Welcome to the Awakener Association, sir," the young man smiled warmly, his voice carrying a practiced politeness. "How may I help you today?"
"Came to register as a new awakener," Alicar replied, his voice steady and calm. "And also to sell a core."
"Very well," the man nodded as he typed on his computer, his fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. "May I know your name?"
"Alicar Soulveil."
The young man seemed to look through the database for any sign of this Alicar Soulveil, his brow furrowing as he scrolled through page after page, but there seemed to be nothing.
"Huh..." the receptionist scratched the back of his head, his confusion evident. "The only thing it says was that you failed your awakening... is this a joke?"
Alicar understood why the man was skeptical, the system clearly marked him as a failure, someone who should never have been able to enter the Initial Stage.
But he simply sighed and opened his palm as a response, summoning a small flame on top of it.
"I awakened during the summoning as an Elemental Mage, and from there I tried as hard as I could to survive," Alicar explained, his voice calm.
"Around two weeks then," the receptionist nodded, his expression thoughtful. "That’s kind of slow... but such a rare thing happening is beyond my level of judgment."
The receptionist called out to a higher-authority figure through his headset, and after a few minutes, a man appeared before Alicar, his presence immediately commanding attention.
Normally one couldn’t see any information without [Appraisal], but fortunately, Alicar’s class still allowed him to see a bit of insight into the man’s soul.
[Name: Godrick Vane]
[Level: 54]
[Race: Human]
[Potential: Meh...]
Even though the man was much stronger than Alicar, someone that could access the Third Layer and thus defeat impossibly powerful monsters that most could only dream of, Alicar was still able to see all the information clearly.
This made him wonder even more on how the shadow-robed figure he saw in the Sun Temple managed to bypass that, completely shielding herself from his perception.
"So what’s the issue?" Godrick asked, his voice deep and authoritative, he was a fairly muscular man with a sword at his side and wearing a professional suit that seemed out of place with his rugged appearance.
"Irregular summoning," the receptionist replied, his voice carrying a hint of nervousness.
Godrick’s eyes glinted as he heard that, and he simply nodded, his expression unreadable. "Alright, I’ll take it from there."
An irregular summoning was way beyond rare, but it wasn’t unheard of, when the awakener orb simply didn’t detect a class in someone, but the person still somehow being transported to the Initial Stage against all odds.
Such situations happen so rarely that the Awakener Association didn’t even consider a proper procedure for them yet, leaving each case to be handled individually.
And yet before Godrick stood one of these "anomalies", a living contradiction to everything they thought they knew about the awakening process.
Alicar followed the man deeper into the Awakener Association’s building, entering the administrative section where the hallways were quieter and more private.
Godrick seemed to be fairly respected as the many workers at the association greeted him and bowed at him, their deference obvious and practiced.
"This is what power gives you," Godrick said simply as they entered his office, his voice carrying a hint of smugness. "This is what having potential as great as mine can do, kid."
As he heard that, Alicar turned his gaze back at the panel he could see from the man’s soul, the one that revealed his true nature.
[Potential: Meh...]
He tried as hard as he could not to chuckle, since he felt Godrick had a low temperament and would not take kindly to being mocked.
Godrick’s office was surprisingly modest for someone of his rank, with a large wooden desk dominating the center of the room, a computer monitor glowing on its surface, a comfortable leather chair behind it, and cabinets lining the walls, each one stuffed with paperwork and official documents.
"Alright," the man opened one of the cabinets and pulled out an Awakener Orb from it, the familiar glass sphere glinting in the light. "We’ll be able to know your class from this, just place your hand on the orb like you did in the ceremony."
Alicar didn’t hesitate, doing as he was told, placing his palm flat against the cool surface of the orb.
But as expected, it didn’t work, the orb remained dark and silent, completely unresponsive to his presence.
The awakener orb quite literally couldn’t detect him, as if he didn’t exist. Or more like, as if he didn’t have a SOUL.