The city had never looked so alive.
Even before sunrise, New Haven’s streets were overflowing with people.
Families filled the sidewalks dressed in their best clothes, while local businesses had taken advantage of the occasion by hanging banners outside their stores.
HAPPY AWAKENING DAY!
FUTURE HUNTERS OF HUMANITY!
The entire city celebrated Awakening Day as if it were a national holiday.
In many ways, it was.
For some, today would be the beginning of a legend.
For others, it would be the end of a dream.
Aiden stood in front of the cracked mirror in his apartment and adjusted the collar of his only formal shirt.
It had originally belonged to one of the older boys from Saint Aurora Orphanage.
Mrs.
Palmer had spent three hours fixing it after discovering the sleeves were too long.
“You look handsome.” He nearly jumped.
Mrs.
Palmer’s face smiled back at him from his phone screen.
“When did you become my mother?” “When you forgot to eat breakfast.” “…I ate breakfast.” “Aiden.” He looked toward the half-empty loaf of bread on his counter.
“Fine.
I’m eating breakfast now.” “I thought so.” He couldn’t help but laugh.
Mrs.
Palmer had insisted on video calling him before he left.
“Are you nervous?” she asked.
“A little.” “Good.” “Good?” “Anyone who isn’t nervous before their life changes forever is either lying or incredibly foolish.” He considered that while taking a bite of toast.
“I keep thinking about what Class I’ll get.” “And?” “And I can’t decide.” She smiled knowingly.
“Then let fate decide for you.” Easy for her to say.
He had spent the better part of the last decade imagining this moment.
As a child, he had wanted to become a Dragon Knight.
At thirteen, he’d gone through a phase where becoming a Shadow Assassin seemed incredibly cool.
At sixteen, he’d settled on the reasonable conclusion that any Class capable of paying rent would be acceptable.
He checked the time.
7:32 AM.
The ceremony started at nine.
“I should get going.” Mrs.
Palmer’s expression softened.
“No matter what happens today, don’t forget who you are.” “That’s becoming everyone’s favorite line.” “Maybe because you need to hear it.” He smiled.
“I’ll visit afterward.” “I’ll hold you to that.” The call ended, leaving the apartment quieter than before.
Aiden grabbed his jacket and stepped outside.
The weather had finally decided to cooperate.
For the first time in nearly a week, the sky was clear.
It felt appropriate somehow.
By the time he reached the train station, every seat had been taken.
Groups of teenagers crowded together discussing what Classes they hoped to receive.
“I’m definitely awakening as a Mage.” “You said that last year.” “That was before I realized how cool magic circles are.” Aiden found himself smiling.
There was something infectious about today.
For once, everyone shared the same dream.
The train passed through the heart of the city, giving him a clear view of New Haven Arena.
His stomach immediately sank.
The arena could hold over fifty thousand people.
And somehow, it looked full.
“Oh.” That was significantly more people than he’d expected.
The moment he stepped off the train, he understood.
News crews.
Guild representatives.
Sponsors.
Recruiters.
For powerful awakenings, today wasn’t merely a ceremony.
It was an opportunity.
Large holographic displays floated above the entrance listing notable Hunters who had awakened in New Haven over the years.
Arthur Blackwood.
Saint Helena.
Marcus Vale.
Every name had changed history in some way.
Aiden suddenly felt very small.
“You look terrified.” He turned to find a girl around his age standing beside him.
Short black hair.
Blue eyes.
Confident smile.
“I’m trying to decide whether this counts as terrified or existential dread.” “Fair.” She laughed.
“First Awakening?” He stared at her.
“Is there another kind?” “Good point.” She offered her hand.
“Elena Frost.” He shook it.
“Aiden Cross.” “Nice to meet you, Aiden.
Any predictions?” “I’ll consider myself successful if I don’t trip on stage.” “Low standards.” “Realistic standards.” She laughed again.
For some reason, talking to her made things easier.
They found their assigned section shortly afterward.
Thousands of seats surrounded a massive platform at the center of the arena.
Suspended above it floated the Awakening Crystal—a translucent sphere nearly ten meters tall that pulsed with blue light.
It was beautiful.
And intimidating.
A voice suddenly echoed throughout the arena.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to New Haven City’s Annual Awakening Ceremony!” The crowd erupted into applause.
The mayor stepped onto the stage alongside several Hunters, including Marcus Vale himself.
The Guild Master of Eclipse Guild looked exactly as he did on television.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Terrifying.
“You stand at the threshold of your future,” the mayor continued.
“Today, each of you will take your first step into adulthood.” Aiden barely heard the rest.
His attention remained fixed on the Awakening Crystal.
This was it.
The moment he’d waited eighteen years for.
One by one, names began appearing on the massive screens.
“Sarah Whitmore!” The young woman approached the crystal nervously.
Blue light erupted throughout the arena.
CLASS: HEALER RANK: C The audience applauded.
More names followed.
Swordsman.
Tank.
Archer.
Summoner.
Most were ordinary.
A few were exceptional.
Halfway through the ceremony, the arena exploded with excitement.
“JULIAN BLACKWOOD!” Aiden immediately recognized the surname.
Arthur Blackwood’s younger brother.
The eighteen-year-old approached the crystal with the confidence of someone who had never known failure.
Golden light filled the arena.
CLASS: FLAME KNIGHT RANK: A The crowd lost its mind.
Reporters practically trampled one another.
Aiden leaned back in his seat.
“Well, that’s going to be difficult to follow.” Elena nodded.
“I suddenly feel significantly less special.” Hours passed.
The arena gradually emptied as newly awakened Hunters departed with their families.
Eventually, only a few hundred remained.
Aiden checked the screen.
Oh no.
He was near the end.
Why was he near the end?
People near the end either awakened as something incredible or incredibly disappointing.
Neither option appealed to him.
“Aiden Cross.” He froze.
“Oh.” Elena grinned.
“Good luck.” His legs felt strangely heavy as he walked toward the stage.
Fifty thousand people.
Why were there fifty thousand people?
Who had approved this?
He resisted the urge to turn around and leave.
One step.
Then another.
The Awakening Crystal stood before him, humming softly.
The ceremony official smiled politely.
“Place your hand on the crystal.” Easy enough.
Aiden took a deep breath and pressed his palm against its surface.
Nothing happened.
The arena grew quiet.
That wasn’t normal.
Usually, results appeared immediately.
Five seconds passed.
Then ten.
Whispers spread throughout the audience.
“What’s happening?” “Is the crystal malfunctioning?” Aiden frowned.
“Um…” Suddenly, the crystal began shaking.
Blue light shifted into gold.
Then red.
Then black.
Gasps echoed throughout the arena.
The officials immediately stood.
Marcus Vale’s expression changed for the first time all day.
“What?” Cracks spread across the crystal’s surface.
The pressure in the air became suffocating.
Aiden felt something deep within himself respond.
Not mana.
Something else.
Something warm.
Something ancient.
Far beyond the city, in a place untouched by time, countless eyes opened simultaneously.
FOUND YOU.
The voice did not belong to him.
The thought did not belong to him.
Yet somehow, he heard it.
The Awakening Crystal exploded.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Fifty thousand people stared in disbelief as fragments of crystal rained across the stage.
Aiden blinked.
“…I don’t think that’s supposed to happen.” No one laughed.
The ceremony officials hurried forward while Hunters surrounded the platform.
“What happened?” “Was that an attack?” “Is he a new Class?” A replacement device was brought onto the stage moments later.
The official’s hands visibly trembled.
“P-Please place your hand on the identification tablet.” Aiden complied.
The tablet flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then words appeared on the massive screens above the arena.
NAME: AIDEN CROSS CLASS: NONE RANK: NONE The silence somehow became louder.
Aiden stared at the screen.
“…Oh.” The word left his mouth before he could stop it.
CLASS: NONE RANK: NONE He read it again.
And again.
That wasn’t possible.
Everyone had a Class.
Even non-Hunters possessed one.
Chef.
Teacher.
Mechanic.
Something.
The crowd erupted.
“Classless?!” “That’s impossible!” “I’ve never heard of that before!” “A defective awakening?” The whispers quickly became laughter.
Of course they did.
Because life apparently possessed a sense of humor.
Aiden stood alone at the center of the stage as fifty thousand people stared at him like he was a mistake.
He laughed quietly.
Not because it was funny.
Because if he didn’t laugh, he wasn’t entirely sure what he’d do instead.
Marcus Vale stepped forward, his expression unreadable.
“In forty years…
I’ve never seen this.” That somehow made it worse.
Even the Guild Master looked confused.
Aiden looked up at the massive screen one final time.
CLASS: NONE.
For eighteen years, he’d wondered who he would become.
Today, the world had finally answered.
No one.
He wasn’t angry.
Not yet.
Mostly, he just felt tired.
As he walked off the stage, he caught sight of Elena standing near the stairs.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then she smiled.
“A little disappointing.” He stared at her.
“A little?” “Okay, extremely disappointing.” Despite everything, he laughed.
“Thanks.” “You’re still buying me lunch someday.” “Bold of you to assume I can afford lunch.” Behind them, the ceremony continued.
But Aiden barely heard it.
Somewhere far beyond human understanding, the Primordial Chimera watched in silence.
It had spent thousands of years searching for the perfect vessel.
And now, after an eternity of waiting, it had finally found one.
The world saw a boy without a Class.
The ancient monster saw something entirely different.
For the first time in its long existence, the Primordial Chimera smiled.
And for the first time in his life, Aiden Cross began to wonder if fate had ever intended to be kind to him at all.