Register As An Awakened [2]

Noah, still processing the strange encounter with the man, blinked in surprise, his mind racing. 

'Did that just happen?' 

The rich aroma of spilled coffee clung to the air, but Noah's attention was elsewhere. 

His pulse thundered in his ears, and for a brief moment, he felt utterly lost. 

'How did I even get here?' His eyes dropped to the puddle of coffee, the warm liquid reflecting the light above, its smell oddly comforting and out of place in the tense moment.

Slowly, he lifted his gaze to meet the man's angry stare. The stranger's expression was twisted in fury, his lips curled into a snarl, but Noah barely registered the details. 

Something inside him stirred—a quiet but undeniable shift in his core. He had felt it before, but each time it emerged, it seemed to take on a life of its own.

As Noah's eyes met the man's, his expression hardened. His pupils dilated, and the blue of his irises deepened, swirling like a dark ocean in a storm. 

A faint, eerie light flickered in his eyes—something not entirely human. 

It wasn't deliberate, and yet, it was enough. The man's angry tirade stumbled to a halt, as though the very air had been sucked out of his lungs. 

His face drained of color, and the room seemed to still, the noise of the lobby fading into the background.

Noah didn't move. He didn't say a word, but his presence grew heavy, almost oppressive. 

There was a chill in the air, one that the man could feel deep in his bones. It wasn't the coffee or the bump that unnerved him—it was Noah.

The man's bravado, which had moments earlier been filled with indignation and arrogance, crumbled like dry leaves in the wind. 

"N-No… never mind," he muttered, his voice shaking. "I'll just… get another one. No problem. Really." 

His eyes darted around as if looking for an escape route, but it was clear—he wanted to be anywhere but near Noah.

Without waiting for a response, the man turned and bolted toward the exit, his steps uneven, nearly tripping over his own feet in his haste. 

The echoes of his hurried footsteps rang out in the otherwise calm building, and then, just like that, he was gone.

Noah stood still, the blue glow in his eyes flickering before fading completely. He blinked, the world returning to normal. 

His expression softened, but a strange heaviness remained in his chest. 

He hadn't meant to scare the man, but clearly, something about him had shifted—something he didn't fully control. 

'Is this what it's going to be like from now on?'

A sigh escaped his lips as he shook his head, trying to shake off the lingering unease. It was all too new, too raw, this power inside him. 

There was no manual for how to handle these things. He barely understood his own abilities, and now, he had to figure out how to live with them. 

'Great!', he thought dryly. 'I'm a walking mood swing with a side of light show.'

Turning on his heel, Noah moved toward the unmanned machine in the corner of the lobby, pulling out his ID card. 

The machine blinked to life, humming softly as it processed his details. 

'Please, don't glow again!', he silently willed his eyes, half-joking to himself. The last thing he needed was to accidentally freak out a machine.

The small slip of paper with the number 427 printed on it slid out. He picked it up, glancing around the room. The waiting area wasn't busy, but there were a few other Awakened scattered across the rows of seats. Some looked as nervous as he felt, others seemed completely at ease, either scrolling through their phones or chatting quietly with companions. The presence of higher-ranked Hunters was palpable. Their energy seemed to subtly ripple through the air, making the atmosphere heavier. 

Noah had never seen so many of them in one place before, and now that he was on the cusp of joining their ranks, the weight of it all started to press down on him.

'One day', he thought, casting a glance toward one of the more seasoned-looking Hunters. 

The man sat with an air of calm authority, his sharp eyes taking in the surroundings with quiet confidence. 

Noah couldn't help but wonder—Will I ever look like that? Or will I just be the guy scaring people off with unintentional death stares?

His thoughts were cut short when his number flashed on the overhead screen: 427. 

'My turn!'

Standing up, Noah straightened his jacket, trying to shake off his nerves. 

He made his way toward the reception room, his thoughts a mess of excitement, fear, and anticipation. "This is it", he told himself. "The first real step."

The reception room was small but brightly lit, and the warm chatter of the two women inside filled the space. Their conversation was light, casual—so different from the intensity swirling in Noah's head.

"Are you coming to the restaurant with us later?" one of the women asked with a playful smile, her tone relaxed as if the fate of people's lives wasn't decided in this very room.

The other woman, seated behind the desk, shook her head with a faint chuckle. "I wish, but I'm really not feeling up to it today. Next time for sure."

 'Must be nice!', Noah thought. 'Imagine having such normal problems.'

The woman who was standing gave her colleague a teasing pout before leaving the room, leaving the receptionist to turn her attention toward Noah.

"Good afternoon," she greeted him, her smile bright and professional, though there was still a hint of friendliness behind it. "How can I help you today?"

Noah felt a momentary lapse in his usual confidence. He had practiced this, rehearsed it in his mind a dozen times, but now that he was here, actually registering as an Awakened… it felt bigger, heavier. 

"I'm here to register… as an Awakened," he said, his voice coming out steady, but with a slight awkward edge.

Her eyes brightened at his words, a flicker of excitement crossing her face. 

"Ah, congratulations on your awakening! We'll get everything sorted for you right away," she said, her fingers already tapping away at the keyboard. 

"If you could just provide your ID and a few details, we'll have you officially registered in no time."

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