A heavy silence fell over the plaza.
Another offer.
The words hung in the air, filling the space with crushing tension.
The guild master of the Golden Eagle Guild… had made another offer to Leonardo Spades.
A ripple of shock passed through the crowd.
Everyone in Springvale knew what the Golden Eagle Guild represented. The strongest guild in the city. Influence, wealth, authority. Just becoming a member was enough to elevate one's status overnight.
And the guild master?
He was a true powerhouse. A man whose influence extended far beyond Springvale itself. A figure who could shape the city's future with a single decision.
For someone like that to make an offer once was already shocking.
To make one twice… after being rejected?
"What could be the reason?"
"He must really feel guilty…"
Whispers spread among the crowd, filled with sympathy and speculation. Several people nodded, their expressions softening, as if moved by the guild master's supposed sincerity.
Leo's nails dug into his palms.
Guilty?
He stared at the platform, eyes burning.
He didn't know what the Golden Eagle Guild was scheming this time, but he wasn't foolish enough to believe this was kindness. Still… even he couldn't deny a flicker of curiosity.
Vice Guild Master Ian observed the crowd's reaction with calm satisfaction before continuing.
"The guild master," he said solemnly, "was deeply saddened to see the son of a hero fail his awakening twice."
"He has decided to extend a helping hand."
Ian's gaze fell upon Leo.
"Leonardo Spades is invited to join the Golden Eagle Guild today."
A pause.
"Whether he awakens or not."
Another pause. This one felt somehow heavier.
"He will work for the guild, with an annual salary of one million credits."
Then… the plaza exploded.
"What?!"
"A million?!"
"That's insane!"
The shock was absolute.
In Springvale City, most families struggled to earn even one hundred thousand credits a year. A household earning half that amount was already considered above average.
One million credits annually?
That was the salary reserved for elite awakeners. Not just any awakeners, but the very best.
Even the youth who had awakened the rare Paladin class today would likely receive a similar offer.
And Leo?
Someone who had already failed twice?
Someone who didn't even need to awaken to receive it?
"This is absurd!"
Someone shouted from the crowd, their voice filled with too many emotions.
"Vice Guild Master Ian, can your guild consider killing my father too? He's a useless drunk— I mean, a great hero!"
No one laughed.
Because many of them were thinking the same thing.
One million credits was enough to place someone among Springvale's elite for life.
Everyone stared at Leo with envy, disbelief, and barely concealed greed.
Everyone except Leo himself harbored those desires.
His teeth clenched as his eyes glowed with cold fury.
Such a devious method.
Now he understood.
Ian's earlier speech. The praise. The grief. The public performance.
It was all preparation.
A trap.
To the crowd, it looked like generosity.
To Leo, it was a noose.
If he accepted, the Golden Eagle Guild would become saints. The guild master would be remembered as a man burdened by guilt who did everything to atone. The last stains from nineteen years ago would vanish completely.
If he refused?
Then Leo would be the villain. The ungrateful son, still clinging to hatred despite sincere apologies and goodwill.
Either choice benefited the guild.
They wouldn't leave him or his mother alone.
They intended to squeeze every last drop of value from his father's death.
Leo smiled.
Then the smile cracked.
Laughter burst from his lips.
The sound echoed across the silent plaza.
Confusion spread through the crowd. Vice Guild Master Ian froze, shock flashing across his face.
What was funny?
Leo kept laughing.
All his life, he had lived beneath a shadow. His father's name. Other people's expectations. A hero's son was supposed to be this. Supposed to be that.
At that moment, something snapped.
When Leo finally stopped, his laughter died instantly.
He looked up.
His gaze was cold.
Ian composed himself quickly, forcing a smile.
"So," he asked smoothly, "what do you think of my offer?"
"It's generous, isn't it?"
Leo answered without hesitation.
"No thanks."
His voice was calm. Flat.
"I'd rather work in an actual trash yard than in one disguised as a guild."
The words struck like thunder.
The crowd reeled.
Even Ian's expression cracked. Something dark flashed behind his eyes before he suppressed it.
Before he could speak, Leo had already turned away.
He walked toward the center of the platform.
The awakening array flared to life beneath his feet.
Light surged upward.
Something invaded his body.
It wasn't painful.
Just… wrong.
Like a foreign presence forcing its way inside.
Leo recognized the feeling immediately.
Awakening.
He wasn't surprised.
Would he awaken this time?
Honestly, he didn't care anymore.
Even if he did awaken, it would probably be some low-level class.
He would rather not awaken at all than receive trash.
As the thought crossed his mind, his consciousness suddenly faded.
Darkness swallowed him.
When awareness returned, he found himself floating in a vast void.
No ground. No sky.
Only darkness.
And one object.
A book.
It hovered before him, glowing softly, covered in countless intricate runes.
"What… is this?"
Leo stared, heart pounding.
He had never heard of anything like this happening during an awakening.
Was this his consciousness?
The void offered no answers.
---
Meanwhile, back within the plaza.
The awakening array suddenly erupted.
A violent surge of energy blasted outward from the platform, invisible yet overwhelming. The air screamed as a roaring pressure wave exploded in all directions.
Youths closest to the platform were thrown backward, bodies skidding across the stone plaza. Robes snapped wildly, hair whipped into chaos.
The runes carved into the platform blazed, their light rising in erratic pulses as the energy continued to swell.
Vice Guild Master Ian's expression sharpened.
Without hesitation, mana surged from his body. A translucent barrier snapped into existence around him, stabilizing his footing as the raging wind crashed against it. Yet he remained unmoved, eyes locked onto the platform.
"This aura…" he muttered.
Cold shock flickered through his gaze.
The pressure was too much for a simple awakening.
As the wind continued to howl, Ian narrowed his eyes, a chilling thought forming in his mind.
Is he about to awaken a legendary class?
Not just Vice Guild Master Ian, but all the youths thought the same thing.
---
Meanwhile, back in the void.
Leo recovered from the shock as he began to wonder how to leave.
There was nothing in the void, only the floating book, so he deduced that his answers lay there.
But how was he supposed to go about it?
In the endless void, there was nothing solid to step on, no way to move.
But just as he wondered, his body suddenly drifted forward, as if responding to his intent.
He moved toward the book.
The closer he got, the warmer the glow felt. Comforting… yet ancient. As if standing before something far older than the world itself.
He reached out.
The instant his fingers touched it—
Runes exploded into motion.
They surged into his body like a flood.
Pain erupted.
His entire being screamed as if his essence were being torn apart.
Just as his consciousness began to shatter, a force blasted out from the book.
He was hurled backward.
The void shattered.
Leo snapped back into his body.
Pain exploded through his head.
He cried out, clutching his skull as he collapsed onto the platform.
Silence gripped the plaza.
No one spoke.
Finally, someone whispered, "Is that… it?"
Normally, an awakening came with phenomena. Projections. Manifestations. Symbols of power and potential.
Even trash classes produced something.
But Leo's awakening ended abruptly.
There was only the initial surge.
Nothing more.
Vice Guild Master Ian stared at the platform.
He already knew the answer.
A slow smile crept onto his face as he announced, his voice tinged with triumph—
"Leonardo Spades."
"Awakened."
"Class—Arcane Scholar."
-----
[Authors Note: Dear reader, this is your author, Eclipse Scriber.
First, thank you for giving this story a chance. And to everyone who leaves comments or drops power stones, I see you. I appreciate you more than you know.
I also want to talk briefly about the first few chapters. Some of you may feel the opening is a bit slow, and that is fair. The pacing was slower than I initially planned. But it was rather intentional. Those chapters were meant to set the tone and give you a clearer sense of the main character, his mindset, and why he makes the choices he does later on. My hope is that this foundation makes the coming chapters hit harder and feel more meaningful.
That said, I would genuinely love to hear what you think. Did the slow start work for you, or did it drag? Drop your thoughts in the comments. I read them all.
With that being said, if you have made it this far, please consider adding the book to your library. And if you are enjoying the story, power stones, comments, and reviews go a long way in supporting it. Your feedback helps me refine the story and make it better for you.
Alright✌️. (Activates my escape skill and vanish in a cloud of dramatic smoke.)]