Machete of Awakening

What they were witnessing now was nothing short of a ritual, one drenched in blood and sacrifice.

The horrifying sight sent a wave of terror through the thousands of students, their whispers turning into panicked cries.

Fear took hold of them as they struggled against the unseen force that bound them in place.

Their bodies trembled, their breath hitched, but no matter how much they fought, they couldn't move.

Even Kevin and Alex had been separated from Ariase the moment they entered the gate.

He could no longer see them.

Instead, he saw the students beside him, some sobbing uncontrollably, others screaming that they had been deceived.

"D-damn it! This isn't what we signed up for!"

"This is a scam! No one told us this was supposed to happen!"

"Let me go! I don't want this anymore! I just want to go home!"

"..."

More than a few of them were now wishing they had never been chosen at all.

They would rather remain Mundane than endure whatever twisted ordeal this was.

Ariase swallowed hard. He would be lying if he said he wasn't afraid.

His hands clenched into tight fists as he shut his eyes, forcing himself to suppress the rising fear clawing at his chest.

Then, an image surfaced in his mind, his uncle, radiating a divine glow, wielding the mystical power of the Healing.

Ariase recalled how such an element could conjure purification so profound it could bestow a talent itself.

He had seen firsthand how his uncle's body transformed into a being akin to an angel, how his flutter talent summoned beings from another realm.

Such power... was enviable.

Ariase craved it, a power that transcended human limits!

He didn't care what element he awakened, as long as it provided a stepping stone.

With a slow, steady breath, he forced himself to watch.

Meanwhile, the boy lying on the altar was writhing in agony, his cries turning into furious curses.

The blood that had spilled from his body continued to flow along the carved symbols, pulsing as though it had a life of its own.

And then, it happened.

The ancient engravings ignited with a violent fiery glow.

The ritual was complete.

The machete that had impaled him suddenly vanished, dissolving into embers.

A moment later, a single flicker of flame emerged from the boy's glabella.

His screams of pain turned into something else, a roar of anger and defiance.

His body lifted into the air, his eyes burning a brilliant, flaming red.

Fire erupted from his form, consuming him, yet he did not burn.

His hair turned the color of molten embers, the intensity of the transformation making the very air ripple with heat.

And then, the sky changed.

A fiery red star descended upon the altar, streaking across the heavens like a meteor.

The temperature soared.

Ariase's breath caught in his throat as a figure emerged, a towering Elder Spirit of Fire.

It was cloaked in an infernal robe, its face nothing more than a void of darkness, save for the two crimson eyes staring down at the boy.

With an eerie grace, it extended a blazing hand and touched him.

The moment its fingers met his skin—

The two vanished.

A shockwave of heat burst outward, sending embers spiraling into the sky.

For a second, there was nothing but silence.

"..."

"Holy crap..." someone whispered, "Did he really succeed... and awaken a natural element?!"

Murmurs spread like wildfire.

"H-he survived. He actually survived!"

"So... we only have to go through that just to awaken?"

Beside Ariase, another student exhaled, a nervous smile forming on his sweat-covered face, "That guy really made it… If it means I get to awaken and become cool, then such pain is nothing!"

Ariase barely reacted. He simply shook his head.

He wasn't sure whether to admire their determination or pity their ignorance.

His gaze shifted back to the altar, where another boy was now being pulled forward, his number next in line.

This time, as the second student lay upon the altar, the ground trembled.

The moment the machete plunged into his chest, a cry of pain echoed through the air.

But unlike the first boy, there was no flame.

Instead, sand erupted from his body, swirling like a storm.

The altar rumbled as a brown star descended, an Elder Spirit of Earth wrapped in a flowing, sandy veil.

Grains of glowing earth fell like dust upon its arrival, filling the space with an ancient, grounded energy.

It stretched out a hand, mirroring the previous ritual.

And in an instant, the boy and the spirit vanished.

A burst of golden-brown energy rippled outward.

The tension in the air grew heavier.

Ariase exhaled and coughed as the sand gushed, 'This awakening process is really fascinating and different from those fantasy novels from my past life...'

'Well, except for that machete part. That was just terrifying. I mean, who in their right mind would force a 12-year-old to go through such a nightmare?'

It was beyond cruel.

And yet, the gods had deemed this necessary. But why?

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the next student being dragged forward.

This time, it was a girl.

And unlike the others, she struggled.

She fought against the invisible force pulling her forward, her nails digging into the stone floor as she desperately resisted.

"N-no! No, please! Someone... help me!"

Tears streamed down her face as her body was forcibly laid onto the altar.

She thrashed, sobbing hysterically, her voice raw with terror.

"I don't want to awaken anymore! I don't want this! Please, somebody, help me!"

But no one could move.

And then—

The blood-red machete materialized above her.

Her screams turned into a heart-wrenching shriek as the blade pierced her chest.

"AAAAARGH!"

Her body convulsed violently, her hands clawing at the air, reaching for anyone who could save her.

But there was no mercy.

The symbols beneath her glowed once more, surging to life with a cerulean luminescence.

It left no room for doubt, the girl had awakened the Water Element.

But unlike the previous awakenings, this one was different.

A gentle ripple spread through the air as a Water Elder Spirit descended from the sky, its form shimmering like liquid moonlight.

Unlike the indifferent or imposing spirits before it, this one radiated warmth, its presence soothing rather than overwhelming.

With an almost maternal grace, the spirit reached down and lifted the trembling girl into its arms.

Instead of vanishing instantly like the others, the girl remained cradled in the spirit's embrace.

Her sobs quieted. Her breathing steadied.

The pain and terror that had consumed her moments ago faded as she drifted into unconsciousness, her face now peaceful, as if she were merely sleeping.

A stunned silence filled the space.

For the first time since the ritual began, there was something other than fear, it was hope.

The students paralyzed with dread just moments ago now exchanged whispers.

"If I get something like that, maybe... it won't be so bad..."

"..."

An hour immediately passed.

Hundreds of students had undergone the ritual, each awakening different elements:

Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Blaze, Gust, Brine

The sheer variety of awakenings painted the sky with ever-shifting hues, but the blood-soaked altar remained unchanged.

Throughout the process, Ariase found himself learning more from the students beside him.

All of them were also from the island of Cebu.

Some came from public schools, others from private academies, yet all had been brought here under the same fate.

"I see... If I'm not wrong, then this grand altar has a server-like structure, and the servers are the islands. Considering this number, I guess there are more than 10,000 of us here. This is quite concerning for the economy and national strength, given that so few were chosen this year," he suddenly realized.

It was also during these quiet conversations that Ariase discovered something else, the awakening order wasn't alphabetical.

It was arranged by birthdate.

...

Another hour dragged by.

Ariase shifted uncomfortably, rolling his stiff shoulders as he exhaled in frustration.

His bum and legs were slightly numb from sitting for so long.

He glanced at the glowing number above the altar: [0405]

A sigh escaped his lips.

'Are they for real? This process is so damn slow… There are thousands of us here, and yet, they're only at the four-hundreds?'

So far, no one had awakened an advanced element, but there had been a few who unlocked unnatural elements, Voice and Bestiality.

One student awakened Voice, their very cries resonating like a siren's song, an eerie melody that sent chills down everyone's spine.

Another underwent a Bestial Awakening, their body warping mid-transformation as black fur sprouted along their arms, their eyes gleaming with a primal light.

...

Hours continued to pass, and the thousandth awakening finally arrived.

By now, exhaustion dulled the students' fear.

The once-terrifying ritual had become repetitive. Their horror had faded into numb and bored anticipation.

Until—

[1302]

Ariase, who had been fighting off sleep, snapped awake at the familiar voice.

His gaze sharpened as the next student was lifted into the air, his friend, Kevin.

Ariase straightened immediately.

His drowsiness vanished in an instant as he locked onto his friend's expression.

Unlike the countless others before him, Kevin wasn't scared.

Ariase saw the way Kevin's lips curled into a grin, his eyes brimming with excitement rather than terror.

Ariase let out a small chuckle under his breath, 'That guy… he really is insane as always. Even now, in the face of pain and near-death, he was excited?'

'Now I wonder… what element will he awaken?'

Then—

The machete struck.

Kevin's body convulsed as the blade plunged into him. His teeth clenched, his muscles tensed as he screamed from pain.

A few agonizing seconds later—

The altar flared white.

A monstrous roar echoed through the air.

Illusions flickered into existence: a winged tiger, a fiery eagle, a shadowy serpent.

Their forms loomed from Kevin, their presence filling the space with an undeniable, primal force.

Ariase's breath hitched, 'What the hell is that element…?'

Murmurs broke out in the crowd, confusion rippling through the students.

Then, a voice shouted from behind him—

"Dude! That's the Beast Taming Element!"

The realization sent waves of excitement through the spectators.

"Tsk, that lucky bastard… Isn't that a rare unnatural element?"

Ariase's brows rose in intrigue before he smirked and thought, 'Beast taming, huh? That lunatic had really struck gold this time.'

Ariase let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head, "Lucky bastard… I hope my element is just as good."

In an instant, a six-winged wyrm descended from the starry sky.

The entire space brightened as the Elder Spirit of Beast Taming emerged, riding the divine beast with an aura so overwhelming that even the previously bored students snapped to attention.

Gasps erupted from the crowd.

"A semi-divine beast…!"

"Ha! He seriously hit the jackpot…"

And just like that, Kevin and the Elder Spirit vanished.

Excitement lingered for a while, but as the hours stretched on, boredom returned.

Hundreds of more awakenings passed, their results blending into repetition.

The two-thousandth student finally awakened.

Ariase inhaled sharply as he straightened his back.

It was almost his turn.