The Kiyotaka estate had been awake long before sunrise.
Servants moved through the corridors carrying ceremonial robes and carefully prepared food.
Relatives who lived in distant parts of the clan territory had arrived during the night, and the normally quiet estate had become crowded with voices.
Today was different from every other day.
It was Awakening Day.
It was also the ninth birthday of the five Kiyotaka children.
Nagisa opened her eyes before anyone came to wake her.
For a few moments, she remained beneath the blanket, staring at the ceiling.
Today.
After years of waiting, today had finally arrived.
She slowly sat up and looked toward the mirror.
Her blue hair had become longer over the years, falling around her face.
Her deep blue eyes stared back at her beneath a pair of fox ears that twitched whenever she became nervous.
Nagisa touched one of them.
“So it’s really happening.”
Her stomach growled.
She paused.
“…Right. I should probably eat before becoming powerful.”
She climbed out of bed.
Whatever happened at the ceremony, she didn’t intend to face it hungry.
The dining hall was already crowded when Nagisa arrived.
Sato was arguing with Hirata over something that appeared to be completely unimportant.
Ren was eating quietly.
Airi was sitting beside Celeste, listening to the adults talk.
Nagisa stopped at the doorway.
“What’s happening?”
Sato turned toward her.
“You’re finally awake!”
Hirata glanced over.
“She was probably nervous.”
Nagisa walked to her seat.
“I’m not nervous.”
Hirata smiled.
“You’ve been awake since before sunrise.”
“That’s because I couldn’t sleep.”
“That’s called being nervous.”
Nagisa looked at him.
“Do you want to test how nervous I am by getting hit?”
Hirata immediately looked back at his food.
“No.”
Celeste laughed softly.
“Come and eat. All of you.”
Nagisa sat beside her siblings.
A large meal had been prepared for them.
It wasn’t only Nagisa’s birthday.
All five children had been born on the same day, and the family had always treated the date as something special.
Five birthdays.
One family.
And now, one Awakening ceremony.
Celeste looked at each of them.
“Happy birthday.”
The five children smiled.
“Thank you, Mother.”
Seraphine entered carrying several small gifts.
She placed them on the table.
“Your aunt has something for all of you.”
Sato’s eyes widened.
“All of us?”
“Yes.”
The children gathered around.
Nagisa opened hers first and found a small silver bracelet decorated with a fox-shaped charm.
“It’s beautiful.”
Seraphine smiled.
“I thought you could keep it as a reminder of today.”
Nagisa put it around her wrist.
“Thank you.”
Her siblings opened their gifts as well.
Sato received a small pendant.
Hirata received a wooden training charm.
Ren received a simple red stone.
Airi received a tiny silver bell.
For a few minutes, the Awakening Ceremony seemed distant.
They were simply five children celebrating their birthday with their family.
Then a servant entered.
“Lady Celeste, the elders are ready.”
The room quieted.
Celeste stood.
“Then it is time.”
Nagisa looked at her siblings.
Sato took a deep breath.
Hirata tried to look confident.
Ren remained calm.
Airi reached for Celeste’s hand.
Nagisa smiled at them.
“Let’s go.”
The Ancestral Awakening Hall stood deep within the Kiyotaka clan grounds.
Nagisa had visited the ancestral shrine before, but never this part of it.
The hall was enormous.
Ancient pillars supported the high ceiling, each one carved with scenes of foxfolk ancestors.
At the far end stood a massive stone statue of a nine-tailed fox.
The floor beneath it had been covered with intricate formations.
Elyra flowed through the markings like faint streams of light.
Hundreds of clan members had gathered around the hall.
The nine-year-old children stood together with their families.
Nagisa recognized Kaito, Yuna, Daichi, Mei, and Rina among them.
She also noticed someone she hadn’t expected.
A familiar woman stood near the elders.
Mira Hoshino.
Nagisa knew her well enough to recognize her immediately.
Mira had been present during the family’s earliest years and had helped care for the five cubs when they were born.
Mira noticed Nagisa looking at her.
She smiled.
“Happy birthday, Nagisa.”
Nagisa smiled back.
“Thank you, Mira.”
Mira looked at the five siblings.
“All grown up already.”
Hirata puffed out his chest.
“I’m going to become really strong.”
Mira laughed.
“I have no doubt.”
Nagisa glanced toward the enormous formation.
“So this is where it happens?”
Mira nodded.
“The Ancestral Awakening Hall has been used by the clan for generations.”
Nagisa looked at the stone fox statue.
“Does the hall actually affect the Awakening?”
“It helps stabilize the process,” Mira explained.
“The ancestral formations respond to bloodline energy, but the Awakening itself comes from within the child.” This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Nagisa nodded.
That made sense.
She looked around again.
There were children everywhere.
Some looked excited.
Others were clearly terrified.
Nagisa understood the second group.
She was beginning to feel that way herself.
The eldest elder stepped forward.
His staff struck the stone floor once.
The hall fell silent.
“Today, the children of the Kiyotaka Clan who have reached the age of nine will undergo their Awakening.”
His gaze passed over the children.
“The Awakening reveals the spiritual root and affinity that will form the foundation of your cultivation. Do not allow today’s result to define your worth.”
Nagisa listened carefully.
She had heard similar words before.
Still, hearing them here felt different.
The elder continued.
“Those who possess great talent must learn humility. Those who possess ordinary talent must learn perseverance. Your future will be determined by more than the number revealed today.”
He turned toward the first child.
“Begin.”
The ceremony continued one child at a time.
Some awakened fire.
Others awakened water, earth, wind, or lightning.
Some possessed ordinary spiritual roots.
Others had high-grade roots.
Each result brought a different reaction from the families watching.
Kaito eventually stepped onto the formation.
He placed his hand against the Awakening Crystal.
Lightning immediately flashed through the formation.
The official examined the result.
“Lightning affinity. High-grade spiritual root.”
Kaito’s face lit up.
He turned toward his cousins.
“I told you.”
Yuna laughed.
“You’ve been saying that for three years.”
Kaito ignored her.
Nagisa smiled.
He hadn’t changed at all.
Yuna’s own Awakening followed, then Daichi’s and Mei’s.
Rina awakened a healing affinity.
Nagisa watched each of them carefully.
Every Awakening made the atmosphere heavier.
Soon, only the five Kiyotaka siblings remained.
“Sato Kiyotaka.”
Sato stepped forward.
She placed her hand against the crystal.
Blue light spread through the formation.
The official examined the result.
“Water affinity. High-grade spiritual root.”
Sato smiled and hurried back.
Nagisa gave her a small nod.
“Well done.”
Sato grinned.
“Hirata Kiyotaka.”
Hirata stepped forward.
Lightning crackled through the formation.
The official looked impressed.
“Lightning affinity. High-grade spiritual root.”
Hirata returned to the others with a proud smile.
Sato whispered,
“Don’t start bragging.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“You were.”
Hirata opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Ren stepped forward.
His Awakening produced a deep red glow.
“Fire affinity. High-grade spiritual root.”
Ren nodded calmly.
Airi was next.
She placed her paw against the crystal.
The light changed.
A deep crimson radiance spread through the formation.
The official’s expression became serious.
“Blood affinity.”
He studied the crystal again.
“Rare affinity.”
Airi returned to her siblings.
Nagisa smiled.
“That’s incredible.”
Airi smiled back.
Then the official looked toward the final child.
“Nagisa Kiyotaka.”
The hall became quiet.
Nagisa felt every eye turn toward her.
She walked toward the formation.
Each step seemed louder than the last.
When she reached the center, she looked toward Celeste.
Her mother smiled.
“You’ve got this.”
Nagisa nodded.
She turned toward the crystal.
For one brief moment, the fear from the previous night returned.
What if I don’t awaken?
What if Bai really did forget me?
What if nothing is there?
Nagisa slowly raised her paw.
Then she placed it against the crystal.
Nothing happened.
A second passed.
Then another.
The Awakening official frowned.
Nagisa’s heart tightened.
No. She could hear people beginning to whisper.
Then—
The crystal trembled.
Nagisa’s eyes widened.
A pulse of Elyra erupted from the formation.
The floor shook.
The ancient carvings on the walls lit up.
The crystal cracked.
Then it shattered.
Nagisa was thrown backward.
“Nagisa!”
Celeste rushed forward and caught her.
Nagisa landed against her mother’s chest.
Her ears rang.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
The broken crystal lay scattered across the formation.
The elders stared at it.
Mira’s expression had changed completely.
Even she looked stunned.
Nagisa slowly lifted her head.
“What happened?”
No one answered.
Then the ancestral statue behind the formation began to glow.
A massive illusion appeared above the hall.
A fox.
Nine tails stretched across the air behind it.
The creature was enormous, its presence filling the entire hall.
The whispers began almost immediately.
“The Nine-Tailed Divine Fox…”
“That’s the legendary bloodline.”
“Impossible.”
“Look at her!”
Nagisa stared upward.
She couldn’t move.
The illusionary fox looked down over the hall with ancient dignity.
Then Nagisa felt something change behind her.
Two tails appeared.
They were real.
They emerged from her body and curled behind her, glowing faintly with Elyra.
The hall became completely silent.
Someone whispered,
“Two tails…”
Another voice answered,
“At nine years old.”
“The legendary bloodline really appeared.”
“Her future is already set.”
Nagisa heard everything.
The Awakening official stared at her in disbelief.
Then his expression changed to excitement.
He immediately turned toward a nearby clan guard.
“Report this to the clan leader.”
The guard bowed.
“Immediately.”
He hurried out of the hall.
The official looked back at Nagisa.
“I have never seen anything like this.”
Nagisa didn’t know what to say.
She looked at her two tails.
Then at Celeste.
Her mother wasn’t looking at the tails.
She was looking at Nagisa.
Relief filled her eyes.
Nagisa smiled.
Then she heard something.
A voice that did not belong to anyone in the hall.
A pale window appeared before her eyes.
[Awakening condition fulfilled.]
Nagisa froze.
Another line appeared.
[Restricted System unlocking.]
Her heart stopped.
[Host identity confirmed: Nagisa Kiyotaka.]
Nagisa stared.
Another message appeared.
[Previous identity: Chen Lu.]
Her breath caught.
Nobody else reacted.
They couldn’t see it.
The System was speaking directly to her.
[Memory continuity: stable.]
Nagisa’s eyes widened.
Then the final message appeared.
[System initialization complete.]
The violet mark appeared in the center of her palm.
Nagisa stared at it.
For nine years, she had wondered whether Bai Yuexian had forgotten her.
For nine years, she had wondered whether the strange orb had been nothing more than a false promise.
Now she knew better.
Something had been waiting inside her.
Something that had finally awakened.
A final notification appeared.
[Welcome, Host.]
Nagisa’s eyes became wet.
You’re real.
For a moment, there was no response.
Then another message appeared.
[Affirmative.]
Nagisa almost laughed.
After all these years, that was the answer she got?
She looked toward the broken crystal.
Then at her mother.
Then at her siblings.
Sato was staring at her tails.
Hirata looked as though he had forgotten how to speak.
Ren was studying the illusion above them.
Airi simply smiled.
Nagisa touched one of her new tails.
Soft.
Warm.
Real.
The Nine-Tailed Divine Fox illusion slowly began to disappear.
But the System remained.
And Nagisa knew that this was only the beginning.
Somewhere far beyond the mortal world, Bai Yuexian watched the scene through a celestial mirror.
She smiled.
“So you finally woke up.”
Her eyes remained fixed on Nagisa.
“Let’s see what you do with it.”
Back inside the Ancestral Awakening Hall, the elders were still trying to understand what they had witnessed.
The clan leader had already been notified.
Nagisa had awakened a legendary bloodline.
She had manifested two tails.
Her spiritual root had reached its perfect potential.
And somewhere within her soul, the System had finally opened its eyes.
The birthday celebration would have to wait.
For now, the entire Kiyotaka Clan had something far more important to talk about.
Nagisa Kiyotaka had awakened.
Yeah Cubs got to eat, if they wanna grow