The final bell rang.
For a moment, the entire classroom fell silent.
Then chaos erupted.
Students shot out of their seats. Some laughed nervously. Others immediately started discussing their future worlds. A few sat frozen in place, trying to calm themselves.
Today wasn't an ordinary day.
Today was Awakening Day.
The day every citizen of the Federation awakened their Origin Sphere.
The day their future truly began.
Ethan remained seated by the window.
Outside, sunlight flooded the academy grounds. Thousands of students were already moving toward the central courtyard.
His heart was beating faster than usual.
Not because he was afraid.
Because he was curious.
For eighteen years, everyone dreamed about this day.
What path would they awaken?
What civilization would they build?
How far could they go?
Nobody knew until they touched the Awakening Crystal.
"Ethan."
A classmate stopped beside his desk.
"You coming?"
Ethan stood.
"Yeah."
The two joined the crowd heading outside.
The academy's central courtyard was packed.
Thousands of graduating students stood in neat rows.
Teachers lined the edges of the square.
At the very center stood a massive crystal nearly three meters tall.
The Awakening Crystal.
Golden light flowed through its interior like liquid sunlight.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on it.
A moment later, the principal stepped onto the platform.
The noise gradually died down.
His gaze swept across the gathered students.
"Today marks the end of your lives as students."
The courtyard became completely silent.
"You have completed your education."
"You have completed your examinations."
"And today, you will awaken your worlds."
The words carried immense weight.
Every student stood a little straighter.
"Some of you will walk the Elemental Path."
"Some will walk the Technological Path."
"Some will walk the Mystical Path."
"And some will walk the Cultivation Path."
His voice echoed throughout the square.
"But remember this."
"The world you awaken determines where your journey begins."
"It does not determine where it ends."
Many students nodded.
They had heard those words countless times.
Yet today felt different.
Because now it mattered.
The principal stepped aside.
Several teachers approached the crystal.
Golden light immediately spread throughout the courtyard.
The Awakening Ceremony had begun.
"Close your eyes."
A teacher's voice echoed through the square.
"Focus on the crystal."
"Do not resist the connection."
Ethan obeyed.
The moment he closed his eyes, warmth spread through his body.
Something deep within him stirred.
The feeling became stronger.
And stronger.
Until suddenly—
Everything disappeared.
Silence.
Darkness.
Endless darkness.
Floating within that darkness was a sphere.
A world.
His world.
The moment Ethan touched it, brilliant light exploded outward.
His consciousness was dragged inside.
A vast forest stretched before him.
Countless ancient trees covered the land.
At the center of the world lay a spring overflowing with clear water.
The spring radiated a gentle energy that spread throughout the forest.
And surrounding it were tiny creatures.
Ninety-nine of them.
Small.
Translucent.
Featureless.
The creatures wandered around the spring without purpose.
Some sat by the water.
Others rolled across the grass.
A few chased one another between the trees.
Then one of them suddenly looked upward.
Directly at Ethan.
A second sprite followed.
Then a third.
Within moments, all ninety-nine sprites were staring at him.
For some reason, Ethan smiled.
The feeling was strange.
He had never seen these creatures before.
Yet they felt familiar.
Connected.
Like a part of himself.
Then information appeared before his eyes.
[[ Origin System ] [ Synthesis ]
Name: Ethan Reed
Stage: 1, Novice Creator
World Type: Elemental
Origin Energy: 1,000
Origin Credits: 1,200 CR
System Points: 100 SP
Units: 99
Elementless Sprite ×99 [Common]
XP: 0 / 1,000]
Ethan froze.
His gaze landed on the second tab.
Synthesis.
He had never heard of it before.
Every Creator possessed an Origin System.
That was common knowledge.
But Synthesis?
That was new.
Before he could investigate further, his vision blurred.
The forest vanished.
The spring disappeared.
The sprites faded away.
Ethan opened his eyes.
The courtyard returned.
All around him, students were reacting to their awakenings.
Some were cheering.
Some looked disappointed.
Others were already discussing their worlds excitedly.
The Awakening Crystal's light gradually dimmed.
The ceremony was over.
A teacher stepped forward holding a tablet.
Students immediately began receiving their evaluations.
Ranks.
The academy's estimate of their future potential.
One by one, names were called.
"D Rank."
"C Rank."
"A Rank."
"F Rank."
The reactions varied wildly.
Some students celebrated.
Others looked devastated.
Eventually
"Ethan Reed."
Ethan looked up.
The teacher glanced at the screen.
"B Rank."
Several nearby students nodded.
A respectable result.
The teacher continued reading.
"Elemental World."
A few students looked surprised.
Elemental Worlds were one of the four major paths.
Not a bad awakening at all.
Unfortunately, their curiosity ended there.
Detailed information about another Creator's world was private.
Nobody could see Ethan's units.
Nobody could see his system.
And nobody could see the second tab.
After the rankings were distributed, the principal returned.
"You now have one month before the University Recruitment Competition."
Excitement instantly swept through the crowd.
The competition.
The event that would determine which universities became interested in them.
Representatives from the Big Four would attend.
For many students, this was the true beginning of their careers.
"Use your time wisely."
"Develop your civilizations."
"Become stronger."
The principal smiled.
"And congratulations."
"You are now Creators."
The ceremony officially ended.
Students immediately began leaving in groups.
Some were discussing future plans.
Others were already immersed in their worlds.
Ethan stood quietly among the departing crowd.
His thoughts remained fixed on a single thing.
Not his rank.
Not the competition.
Not even his Elemental World.
Only the strange second tab.
Synthesis.
A tab that should not exist.
And somehow...
it belonged to him.