Chapter 3: The Awakening Ceremony – Part 1
When I woke up, I was no longer in my old world. No blaring alarms. No white hospital walls. Just silence… and something unfamiliar.
Laid neatly beside me were:
A pouch of 100 gold coins
A set of clean clothes
A small key and housing certificate
An ID document
And a letter, sealed with a crest I didn't recognize
I slowly opened the letter. My name was written inside:
Name: Rael Ashborne
"Elegant, powerful, and symbolic of his rebirth by fire."
Not bad. Kinda cool, actually. I could live with that.
The letter continued:
"At age fifteen, all children across the continent must attend the Awakening Ceremony at the central academy, where their clan affinity will be revealed."
So, it's real. This world the god mentioned… it's not a dream. It's a card-based RPG world. A mix of leveling, deck-building, and clan dynamics.
But what caught my eye most was the world map section…
The Known World – One Continent, Four Kingdoms
While other continents may exist, no one has returned to speak of them. For now, civilization thrives within this single, mighty landmass.
1. Valeria – The Crowned Light (My homeland)
Theme: Order, honor, radiant cities, magic, and law
Dominant Clans: Holy, Knight, Hero
Capital: Solgard
Symbol: A winged sun over a sword
Vibe: Paladin kingdoms, angelic architecture, proud nobility
Personality: Righteous, formal, and bound by justice and tradition
2. Draeven – The Iron Frontier
Theme: Harsh wilderness, survival, raw independence
Dominant Clans: Warrior, Hunter, Blacksmith
Capital: Braxten Hold
Symbol: A roaring lion behind a mountain
Vibe: Viking resilience meets nomadic strength
Personality: Rugged, loyal, strength-above-all
3. Nocterris – The Veiled Domain
Theme: Shadows, secrets, rebellion, forbidden arts
Dominant Clans: Dark, Chaos, Assassin
Capital: Tenebris Hollow
Symbol: A moon eclipsed by a dagger
Vibe: Gothic towers, cursed runes, midnight power
Personality: Calculating, cold, driven by ambition
4. Elarion – The Dreaming Isles
Theme: Knowledge, arcane wisdom, harmony
Dominant Clans: Magician, Enchanter, Healer
Capital: Miralas
Symbol: A crystal tree sprouting from an open book
Vibe: Floating cities, enchanted nature, scholarly peace
Personality: Diplomatic, wise, silently powerful
🏛️ Nexus Arcanum – The Central Academy
"The heart of all paths. The forge of the next legends."
A floating island—literally hovering at the center of the continent. The academy is neutral territory, accepting all nations and clans.
Purpose:
Awakening Ceremonies
Deck testing & skill simulations
High-level card forges and fusion altars
Global tournaments and duels
Dungeon raids & inter-clan trials
It's divided into Houses by clan type, but discrimination is banned—on the surface, anyway.
Rumor has it... buried deep within the academy lies the Original Deck Code, the very law that governs all cards, duels, and reality itself.
As I reached the end of the letter, it ignited in silver flames—not hot, but divine. A streak of light shot from the ashes straight into my eyes.
Suddenly, everything shifted.
A soft humming echoed in my mind, and a glowing screen appeared in the corner of my vision:
Skill Acquired: Identification Spell
Level 1 – You can detect alignment (Friendly / Hostile)
(More info unlocked through leveling.)
So this is my first ability... kind of like a system interface.
It was then I caught a glimpse of my reflection in a glass panel nearby.
Silver-white hair. Bright blue eyes. A sharp jawline.
"…I really do look like Gojo Satoru," I muttered.
Just no Six Eyes. Still—damn, I look good.
Next Stop: Nexus Arcanum.
The Ceremony awaits... and so does destiny.
End of chapter 2