15 Second Awakening ceremony part-3
After Aleister Blood's awakening ceremony, all other awakenings of the branch families of their respective clans looked dull.
None of them were able to awake either a set Arcana or the number of glowing runes crossed 60.
The second best is from a branch family member of Garcia, who awakened a healing tome like the predecessors, lighting up a fifty-eight number of runes on the awakening stone.
Out of 29 candidates, 20 eight-year-olds were able to awaken their Arcana while the remaining left the place in disappointment.
Now, only 16 twelve-year-olds are left in the Arena, waiting for their turn.
Elder Truman glanced at them and spoke, "You will do the same thing as them. After the ceremony is finished, you will then release your Arcana and make them touch the relic. That way, their strength will be enhanced."
Everyone nodded in response.
"Okay, who wants to try first?"
While everyone hesitated to come forward and let the Elder pick one of them randomly like how he did with newbies, a hand was raised nearby Azrael.
"Here, let me go first." A cheerful voice was echoed in Azzy ears that were right next to her.
Barbara volunteered to be the first one and the Elder accepted it and told her to proceed.
She stepped on to the platform and walked towards the relic.
She stops before the relic and bowed towards the clan head and others.
"Barbara Crescent greets the clan head." After she greeted the clan head first, she collectively greeted the clan leaders and then Death Clan Elders.
As she pressed her palms onto the slab, runes lit up one by one. In a few seconds, more than 80 runes lit up before halting at 84, which is higher than her first awakening by 12.
That means, Arcana purification/acknowledgment increased her potential by almost 15% and she has the potential to be Eight-star Arcana Master.
If she can awake the second Arcana and go through the second purification, increasing her potential further, she would be destined to be a rank 9.
Or else she can only depend on things like treasures to increase her potential.
Crescent Clan leader, grandfather of Barbara tightened his fists, anticipating the moment his granddaughter successfully awakens the Arcana from her father's side.
But, in the end, the second soul card isn't born and the runes dimmed as she backed off her hands in disappointment.
The clan leader shook his head in disappointment. Still after seeing she has the potential to be an eight-rank; Kylan thought he should talk with his eldest daughter to let her train at Violet pavilion instead of clan training grounds.
Meanwhile, Barbara summoned her soul card.
Azzy saw it was bright blue, indicating her soul power is a bit higher than his.
"Come out, Neko."
A blazing red-furred cat with a tail and ears made of fire appeared on her shoulders.
No one thought the Arcana is weak judging on its size. On the contrary, feeling the intensity that cat was emitting, everyone, especially the disciples who were above rank-3 were amazed.
Meanwhile, Azzy was also amazed, although for a different reason, "She told that her Arcana is of purple grade like my Arcana weapons. Is this how a purple grade will give? This is feebly comparing to master's twin-daggers.
Does that mean they are above purple, the gold grade? I wonder what's mine… If it's a deity, it should be no less than gold, right? Or maybe, who knows, it might be the legendary platinum grade..."
Right then, a shout filling with excitement came from the direction of the platform, "Look cousin, I received a soul skill…"
As Azzy returned from his thoughts, he saw Barbara was jumping with a wide smile and waving her hands towards him while her cat reciprocates with its owner's feelings and breathes out a streak of fire towards the sky.
Azzy felt embarrassed and moved to the side a little bit and looked away, pretending to not know who this cousin is…
*Ahem*
At the same time, someone else is also embarrassed a little bit.
Kylan Crescent cleared his throat, reminding her to maintain the dignity of the clan.
She quickly apologized with a bow and scurried towards the waiting hall after realizing it.
Since it is well known that the crescent family highborn usually faces difficulty to keep their emotions in check, no one minded her behavior and continued to watch.
After her, one by one, the disciples went to the relic and tried their luck for a second awakening but the result is the same.
With only 5-6 of the disciples left, now, everyone's eyes are on Azzy as he was now visible.
He shivered for a second, feeling gazes from everyone. While some are filled with anticipation, others are filled with mockery, pity, rage, etc…
Qridus frowned a bit but he didn't do anything about it and silently stared at his descendant.
He already knew that Azzy won't awaken a second Arcana because he was confident that the Grim Reaper cannot coexist with the second Arcana spirit.
The only thing he wishes to see is his potential, whether he can light up 100 runes or not.
If he was able to do that, then, this old man wouldn't have any worries about the future of the clan.
Meanwhile, Azzy felt that this is the right time for him to go forward.
He raised his hand, "I'll go."
Those that were about to raise their hand immediately put their hands down and stayed silent.
Elder Truman gestured him to go and he pointed the relic with his hand.
Under the gazes of clan head, seven clan elders, six clan leaders, and thousand clan members, Azzy stepped onto the platform and walked towards the relic.
"Azrael Garcia greets the ancestor and Elders." His unusual greeting shocked the audience but none of them dares to point it out. So, they watched in silence.
It brought a frown on the clan leaders as Azzy just addressed them as Elders, implying for him, they were just someone who is older than him.
"Elder Night, your student doesn't seem like he wants to respect our positions," Francis quickly complained about Azzy, trying to get back at his old friend who criticized his daughter, earlier.
"He's the future clan head. He doesn't need to do that… Does he?" Qridus answered him in a cold tone, reminding him that even if they are friends, he should know his position.
Francis narrowed his eyes and stayed silent. The same goes for everyone. Meanwhile, Avia was surprised, seeing the attitude of the clan head. She can't help but think, 'I can see they are feeling suppressed. Is this why these clans are having secret meetings? I bet they will strike after they breakthrough to rank-9.'
She's in her own world, thinking of various conspiracy theories the five clans might plan to do…
Feeling the tension around, Evelyn then spoke, "Azzy told me that he was brought here without asking his opinion. It might be the reason why he has difficulty to accept the clan even though it's been 4 years."
Night clan's leader then replied, "It's not about opinion. Everyone has their own destiny to fulfill." His answer not only made Evelyn speechless, but even the other clan leaders also received the hidden message inside it.
Qridus didn't pay attention to the rest and focused on his successor, who put his palms on the relic.
He quickly stood up in shock.
Meanwhile, Azzy's surroundings changed and he ended up at the same place, on the edge of a cliff.
Except that the Grim Reaper and the corpses on the field were nowhere to be seen.
Instead, there's only rumbling in the sky and a countless number of black bolts of lightning are striking everywhere.
'Is this perhaps, my second Arcana?' A thought came into his mind and he raised his hand.
An infinite number of black lightning bolts gathered at the spot and formed a figure, a mirror image of himself who spoke, "Descendant of Aelius Crescent, receive my power."
The thunder echoed in response and his vision was blacked out.
Returning to his senses, Azzy found the runes on the stone slab are glowing brightly while there's a soul card hovering before his hands.
He felt something like a ball in his hand.
As he turned his head, Azzy saw a pitch-black orb made of lightning energy in his right hand, making the sounds of electricity.
He gripped it in reflex.
It was absorbed into his hand and sparks generating from all of his body. Intending to test its power, he raised his hand towards the sky and a lightning bolt literally shot out of his hand.
With a thought, it returned to a lightning orb.
Catching the soul card, he mumbled, "Vajra."
Crescent clan leader can't help but curse, feeling as if his world turned upside down, "Damn… it's the black lightning Arcana of Aelius Crescent. Can't believe it fell into this kid's hands of all the descendants."
The other clan leaders asked at the same time, "That Aelius?"
