Awakening

The figure before them appeared undeniably human, yet an aura of mystery surrounded him.

His dark skin contrasted sharply with his eyes, which gleamed with a striking golden hue, seemingly capable of perceiving the depths of the souls before him.

Slowly, the enigmatic stranger broke the silence, his commanding voice effortlessly piercing the walls.

"Congratulations, inhabitants of Earth," he proclaimed, each word reverberating through the air. "Your planet has finally surpassed the Awakening, becoming part of the vast tapestry of civilizations that spread throughout the universe."

The weight of his statement hung in the air, granting the bewildered audience a moment to absorb the profound implications that carried his words.

Struggling to process the enormity of the revelation, Kayden remained dumbfounded, and those around him were no different.

After all, life existed beyond their own blue planet, and not only that, but countless other worlds teemed with sentient beings. It shook the foundations of knowledge Earth's scientists had diligently built over generations.

As everyone was still stunned, Kayden's gaze shifted toward the entrance of the building. One expression stood out amidst the crowd.

With a calm smile on his face, Sergeant Lee observed the figure in the sky, his serenity puzzling Kayden as the current situation was far from calm.

At that moment, the figure's voice resonated once again, commanding everyone's attention. "I am Thasal, the representative of The World Tree Order in this galaxy, in charge of overseeing various events throughout the universe, including the Awakening of new planets."

He made a deliberate pause as his words hung in the air.

"According to the Star Law, your planet shall become a subsidiary of the Pilux Kingdom, the reigning power in this area. I have provided your governments with the necessary tools to adapt to the new situation."

This revelation surprised and unsettled the populace, who were already harboring resentment toward their respective governments for withholding the truth.

Amidst the commotion, Kayden found Thasal's decision rather logical. Whether it sounded better or worse, chaos would have been the only outcome if the governments had not taken control of the situation.

"Furthermore, although you may not yet comprehend the reasoning behind it, you should be aware that personal power reigns supreme in the world you are about to enter," Representative Thasal explained, his words striking a chord of anticipation within the crowd.

"Every minute, countless beings from diverse backgrounds continuously strive to augment their strength as they seek resources, an indispensable part of their path to power."

His serene voice conveyed a sense of coldness as he watched the growing excitement of the citizens.

"Hence, Trials were created, challenges where winners can earn unimaginable rewards and attain fame throughout the universe."

"In two weeks, those who want to will be able to participate in a Trial. Those who win will get rewards that will help them pave their future path. However, while those who die will not actually die since the first Trial is used as a test, I strongly advise you not to participate if you are not ready."

Observing the crowd, Kayden noticed that the vast majority were showing excited looks, heedless of the representative's warnings.

"I will now convey to you the method that will allow you to perceive the mana and forge the foundation of your future." He said, at the same time some words appeared in the minds of the earthlings.

Just when Kayden was about to begin reading, the figure spoke again. "In the next few days, a portal will appear on your planet that will connect it to Yggdrasil, also known as The World Tree, the most important place in the whole universe, used as a means of transportation due to the speed provided by the portals, as well as having great importance for trade or politics."

"Finally, I will give you, citizens of Earth, some advice. Adapt and you will live, do not adapt and you will die. The choice is yours." He concluded in a gravelly voice as he disappeared from the sky, erasing much of Kayden's enthusiasm when he realized that things were surely much more complicated than the representative had explained.

Unlike what he had thought before, after all the seemingly impossible things that had happened since the earthquakes, Kayden was certain that the mysterious ruined palace he had come across in the desolate wasteland couldn't just be a dream.

Putting aside his questions about the palace since he had no way of discovering the answers, his mind focused on the words that somehow the representative Thasal had made appear in his mind.

As he read, his amazement increased steadily as he learned more details about the use of mana, which seemed to be known as 'mana cultivation', which consisted of increasing power by absorbing mana.

'This is it. This is what I was looking for. The way to regain everything I lost and more.' He thought, determined to hold on to this new option, which, almost certainly, was the last one he had left.

The method taught by the representative was known as Introduction to the Art of Mana Use. It consisted of four parts, three laying the groundwork for the use of mana and a final one briefly explaining that each individual can use mana from one or more elements.

Of the three parts, Kayden read in his mind carefully the first one, which taught how to perceive mana for the first time. With the people around him still talking excitedly about the shocking news Representative Thasal had mentioned, he sat down on his bed, closed his eyes, and let his mind go blank while he concentrated on sensing his surroundings.

He began to breathe as the text indicated, still with his eyes closed.

Gradually, he began to notice a gentle tingling, reminiscent of a light breeze. First in his fingers, then in his hands, and so on until his whole body was surrounded by the tingling.

At that moment, he opened his eyes and was amazed by the sight in front of him.

Vibrant white and green ripples ran through the room, creating a harmonious landscape as they moved from one side to the other as if they wanted to fill every gap present.

After a few seconds, they disappeared from his sight as if they had never been there. However, instead of calming down Kayden was increasingly shocked as he remembered what he put in the last part of the Introduction to the Art of Mana Use.

In this, it briefly explained that there were six elements, consisting of fire, water, wind, earth, light, and darkness, the last two being rather less frequent, but having greater combat power.

On the other hand, it was explained that the body of each person could use mana from one of the elements, with exceptional cases in which the individual could use different elements.

In the text, it indicated that an individual could discover his elements based on the colors present when first perceiving mana.

Although the reasons were not explained, it stated that those users with the ability to use multiple elements had a much greater chance of going far in mana cultivation. And yet, Kayden not only had two elements, but one of them was light.

Kayden began to laugh out loud as he imagined a future full of glory. Furthermore, although there seemed to be plenty of factions in this new world, based on the way Representative Thasal spoke, it seemed that someone with enough strength could live with peace of mind.

'When it comes down to it, it looks like the universe is smiling at me. I'll be sure to do my best not to waste this opportunity, and never know the word misery again.'

As Kayden hurried to quickly begin the next phase of mana cultivation, an authoritative voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Anyone who can unlock their first mana core in the next half hour will be rewarded by the army, with a place in the new mana-oriented department! In addition, the higher ranks will grant great benefits to those who show the most talent, making it easier for them to progress!" Sergeant Lee shouted with a smile, causing everyone in the room to turn to him.