Fin tried his best to ignore the quiet sobs and muffled cries of his classmates echoing throughout the hall.
Failing to awaken in this world wasn't like flunking a college exam back on Earth. There, you could try again, pivot to a new career, or stumble your way into something stable. Here, failure meant the door to a better life slammed shut—for good.
It was like watching someone take their one shot at a miracle—like a desperate man placing his last few coins on lottery tickets, hoping to save his sick parents and keep his younger sibling in school—only to come up empty.
Who wouldn't cry in that kind of situation?
And that was exactly what surrounded Fin now.
Velin Public School No. 5 was known for its working-class and impoverished students. For most of them, this ceremony was their final roll of the dice—a chance to become an Awakener and lift their families out of poverty.
Awakening wasn't just about power or prestige. For kids like these, it was salvation.
To fail at that… It was no wonder some couldn't hold back their despair.
Still, Fin fought to stay calm, trying not to let the heavy atmosphere suffocate him.
His situation wasn't any better—if anything, it might've been worse. The body's original owner had lived with a widowed mother and a younger sister, scraping by on the meager wages his mother earned from odd jobs and part-time work.
For Fin, awakening wasn't a dream. It was a necessity. A single moment that would decide not just his future, but his family's survival.
But the odds were stacked against him. After failing three previous awakening tests, his chances were now below 10%. He knew that.
Still, the bitter thoughts crept in.
'I got another chance at life… but what's the point if I can't do anything with it?'
He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay grounded.
There were only 95 students in the hall, and his turn was coming up fast. The teacher wasn't calling names in any specific order, which meant Fin could be chosen at any time.
And then—
"Fin Voss!"
His heart skipped a beat.
"Yes, sir!"
He stepped forward, his legs moving before his brain could catch up.
No one cheered. No friends shouted encouragement. The former Fin had been quiet, unremarkable—someone who blended into the background.
Now, all eyes were on him.
He reached the podium, feigning a calm he didn't feel. At the teacher's nod, he stepped up to the orb and slowly raised his hands.
They were slick with sweat.
Still, he pressed them against the surface, closing his eyes and silently hoping.
'Please… just let this be different.'
Seconds ticked by. The only sound was the pounding of his own heartbeat.
Each student had only one minute to resonate with the Awakening Orb. Any longer, and it was pointless—years of tradition had shown that if it didn't react within sixty seconds, it never would.
Ten seconds. Twenty. Forty. Fifty-five...
The teacher shifted, already raising his hand to dismiss him.
Fin's chest tightened. He felt the sting of failure rising in his throat again, bitter and sharp.
Then—
Fwoom!
The orb flared with eerie, radiant light.
A warm current surged through his body, like a second heartbeat echoing through his nerves. His mind cleared, sharpened, and something deep inside him stirred.
Smoky black energy erupted around him, wrapping his limbs like a shadowy cloak. Then came the manifestation—brief, but unforgettable.
A dark red scythe appeared in his hand, the blade curved like a crescent moon and dripping shadow—before vanishing a moment later into nothingness.
The stunned silence in the hall was broken by the teacher's voice.
"Fin Voss has successfully awakened… Class: Reaper!"
Gasps followed.
"What? Another one?!"
"Reaper, huh? Sounds strong... and maybe cursed?"
"Forget 'maybe.' That's straight-up evil energy, bro."
"Evil or not, if awakening meant crawling out of a demon's stomach, I'd still do it."
"Just say you're desperate and move on."
"Better than you saying you'd sell your body, freak."
A few laughs followed, but the tension remained. With over eighty students tested and only two awakenings so far—including Fin's—no one was in the mood to celebrate.
Still, the teacher couldn't hide his pleased expression. Two awakenings in one ceremony was far better than none—especially in a school like this.
"Fin, go stand next to Jenny."
"Yes."
Fin stepped down from the podium, still in a daze. Jenny—the first Awakener—gave him a small smile. He returned it, distracted.
His classmates whispered, but Fin barely noticed.
[Class Awakening Detected.]
Class Assigned: REAPER
Initializing soul-link… complete.
Race: Human (Adept – Level 1)
Unique Trait Gained: Soulbound Evolution.
Welcome, Fin Voss. Your path begins now.
He gasped, breath catching in his throat. The air felt cold—not winter cold, but grave-cold. He looked at his hands. Still human. Still him. But something had changed. He was sure of it.
A pulsing sensation built behind his eyes, pulling his awareness inward.
And then—
Status Window Unlocked.
It flickered into view—not on a screen or projected into the air, but embedded in his mind, like a memory he hadn't made.
[STATUS: Fin Voss – Level 1]Name: Fin Voss
Race: Human (Adept – Level 1)
Class: Reaper (Tier 1 – Soulbound Path)
XP: 0 / 100
Core Attributes:
Strength: 1.0
Your basic physical strength. Affects melee attacks and carry capacity.
Dexterity: 1.4
Determines agility, balance, and reflexes. Important for dodging and quick movement.
Constitution: 1.0
Governs stamina and physical resilience.
Intelligence: 1.2
Influences skill mastery and magical learning speed.
Mental Energy: 1.5
A rare spiritual stat. Enhances soul control, resistance to corruption, and your bond with the dead.
Reaper Class Stats:
Soul Pool: 2
The number of souls you can hold at once. Souls fuel class abilities.
Control Power: 1.0
Determines how strong or complex your skills can be.
Soul Resistance: 0.5
Your defense against spiritual damage and soul interference.
Mana / Soul Energy: 5.0
Energy used to activate soul-based skills.
Skills Unlocked:
Soul Snatch (Active): Harvests a recently fallen soul. +1 to Soul Pool or restore soul energy. Range: 10 ft.
Animate Shard (Active): Spend 1 soul to animate a small object and control it. Limit: 1.
Spectral Grasp (Active): Slows a target and marks them to drop a soul on death.
Whisper of the Grave (Passive): Mana regeneration faster near the dead. Consuming a soul to restore health.
Fin's eyes scanned the display, but none of it truly registered.
There was only one thought echoing in his mind:
He had awakened.
The knot in his chest unraveled. His shoulders dropped. He let out a quiet sigh—one of relief, disbelief, and wonder.
This wasn't the end.
This was the beginning.
He was no longer one of the countless "normals." He was an Awakener now. A new future had opened before him.
And with that realization came another:
He had awakened the Reaper class.
It sounded ominous. Dangerous. Powerful.
Yet he didn't know what it truly meant.
Beyond the basics taught in school, Fin had little knowledge of classes. Most of what he knew came from gossip and vague lectures. The curriculum here was shallow—probably because no one expected them to awaken in the first place.
He knew there were three main class types: Combat, Support, and Utility. His seemed like a hybrid—half-combat, half-something else.
He'd heard of Warriors and Mages, the poster children of the Awakener world. But Reaper? That was unfamiliar.
It couldn't be common.
One thing the teachers always emphasized echoed in his mind:
There are no weak classes. Only weak Awakeners.
Every class, no matter how strange or obscure, had the potential for greatness.
Still, Fin wasn't naïve. From his past life's experience with RPGs and systems, he knew some classes were rarer than others—some with hidden skills, unique traits, even legendary paths.
And his panel showed something special:
Passive Trait – Soulbond Evolution:
You gain one evolution point every 5 levels. These points allow you to mutate skills, unlock unique soul-based transformations, or integrate the memories and powers of consumed souls. Use them wisely—some souls bite back.
It sounded absurd. Maybe even overpowered.
But before he could process it further, Fin's eyes drifted to the back of his left hand, where a faint heat pulsed beneath his skin. A black-red tattoo shimmered into view, its twisting lines forming symbols that resembled ancient runes. It hadn't been there before—but the moment he awakened, it appeared.
As he focused on it, knowledge surfaced in his mind—unbidden yet familiar.
The Nexus Mark.
They'd learned about it in school. Every true Awakener bore this mark. It wasn't just decoration—it was proof. A universal symbol recognized across nations, confirming that the bearer had linked their soul to a higher realm.
The Nexus.
A parallel universe overflowing with danger, power, and the kind of rewards that could rewrite a person's fate. While Earth had limits, Nexus offered none. Time flowed differently there. People have several chances after death that come with restrictions. But the opportunities? Limitless.