New power, New Hope

Kalem's heart raced as the **pulse of energy inside him thrummed** with power. He could feel it—the weight of something immense, stirring within, his bloodline awakened by **Khonshu's** power. His senses were sharper, his body lighter, and there was an eerie pull in the air, like he was now attuned to a higher frequency. 

"Time to see what this can do..." he muttered under his breath, a grin spreading across his face. 

**The ceremony continued without delay.** As Kalem stepped aside into the waiting area, he couldn't help but look at the other candidates who were still nervously stepping forward. Some of them were **pale with fear**, others were flushed with excitement, and a few seemed to almost radiate with confidence—no doubt those from noble families or with solid bloodlines. 

One by one, the participants placed their hands on the **black crystal**. The orb flared with energy, and each kid's fate was sealed. Some walked away elated, their future clear. Others, their faces contorted in disbelief, walked away defeated. 

A **young boy**, barely older than Kalem, stepped up to the crystal, his hands trembling. The orb flared briefly but dimmed quickly, and Kalem saw the expression on his face fall—**his body stiffened in shock**. 

"No! No!" the boy shouted. "How could I not awaken? How could he?" 

He pointed towards Kalem, who was standing to the side. The boy's voice was **strained with disbelief and rage**. "**That trash** awakens, and I don't? What the hell is going on?!?" 

His words were barely out of his mouth before he was **tazed** by one of the officials standing nearby. The sound of the crackling electricity was sharp and sudden, followed by a heavy thud as the boy collapsed. 

Kalem's smile faltered slightly, but he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. The kid's reaction was almost comical—**it was the kind of outburst Kalem could imagine himself having if he didn't already know how ridiculous it all was.** 

The **officials wasted no time**—they lifted the boy's limp body and **dragged him out of the hall**, tossing him like a ragdoll. His pitiful cries echoed off the stone walls, but the crowd barely flinched. 

"Next!" the official called, **sighing** as they shook their heads, turning the orb back to its neutral state. 

Kalem looked at the others around him, and his **adrenaline surged**. He felt *alive*—*powerful.* The thought of what he could do with this newfound strength made his pulse race. 

As the next few candidates stepped up, Kalem's thoughts drifted back to the **moment with Shushu**. What had happened to him? His powers were still raw, untested, but now, standing here among these others, it was clear: **he was different.** And that difference would either get him to the top or get him killed. 

One of the candidates, a tall boy who looked like he'd come from a prestigious house, placed his hand on the orb, and after a tense moment, the crystal flared brightly. The boy's eyes widened, and a smile broke across his face. He raised his hand, as if testing it. 

"I knew it," he muttered to himself, smugly. "One star, no problem." 

Kalem watched with a mix of curiosity and **impressed awe**. The kid was definitely *someone*—his confidence practically oozed from him. 

The next to step up was a **girl with silvery-white hair**—she placed her palm delicately on the orb. A bright flash of light surrounded her, but it was quickly **snuffed out**, leaving behind a dim glow. She stared at it, disappointment flickering across her face. Kalem saw her shoulders slump, her hope fading instantly. 

"**Unlucky**," someone whispered from behind him. Kalem turned, but before he could respond, she was ushered away, her eyes downcast. 

"Next!" 

The cycle repeated. **Exhilaration and disappointment**, one after the other. Some walked out with their heads held high, while others stumbled out, **bitter tears in their eyes**. Kalem's fingers twitched, eager to feel his new power crackling beneath his skin. Would it be as glorious as he felt now? 

But before he could get lost in his thoughts, he noticed something. 

A young **girl with long, black hair** stepped up to the crystal, her face calm, almost serene. She placed her hand on the orb, and for a long moment, nothing happened. 

Kalem narrowed his eyes. **Nothing**. 

But then the orb flared to life. It **glowed like a supernova**, and the girl's face twisted in **utter terror**. She screamed, and Kalem saw her **form shake**, her body writhing as though something inside her was clawing its way out. 

"Help her!" someone cried from the crowd. "She's going to—" 

Before they could finish, the orb **exploded** with a crackle of divine energy. A surge of dark energy consumed the girl for a brief moment. 

The **officials immediately leaped into action**, but it was too late. The girl collapsed, unconscious. The energy left her body just as quickly as it came, and her fate remained unclear. 

One of the officials turned to Kalem, **frowning**, before gesturing toward the side. "Next!" 

Kalem flinched, a sudden **chill crawling down his spine**. This ceremony wasn't just about gaining power—it was **dangerous**. There was a real cost to awakening. 

The atmosphere in the room was thick with anticipation as the **mayor called the next name**.

"**Kimiko Kage**."

The crowd fell silent as a **strong, dark wind** began to swirl around the girl stepping forward. Her **black cloak fluttered dramatically**, and with every step, the air grew heavier, almost suffocating. Her **expression was resolute**, her eyes steely, like a warrior prepared for battle.

Kalem watched her closely. He'd seen her around before, and there was something **intense** about her presence—like she was **more than just a noble name**.

Kimiko walked with a calm grace that belied the storm swirling in her wake. As she approached the orb, her **dark hair** whipped around her face like an ethereal cloak of shadows. With a single motion, she placed her hand on the crystal.

The room held its breath.

The moment her hand made contact, a **strong wind exploded outward**, whipping through the hall with incredible force. The once still air became a violent **gust of energy**, pulling at the fabric of the room and causing the flames in the torches to flicker wildly. Her hair, already dark and ethereal, seemed to gain a life of its own, flowing with the powerful wind that surrounded her.

The crowd gasped, some staggering back from the sheer intensity of the energy that seemed to **radiate from her**. It wasn't the blinding light of divine power—they had all seen that before. No, this was something more primal, more elemental. It felt like **the winds themselves had chosen her**.

Kimiko stood in the center of the storm, utterly unaffected. Her eyes closed for just a moment, as though she were **listening** to the wind itself. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the wind began to die down, retreating back into the orb, leaving behind a lingering **sense of awe** in the air.

Kimiko pulled her hand away from the orb and turned, her expression as calm as ever. There was no sign of the **turbulent energy** that had just surrounded her. She walked back to the waiting area with a quiet, commanding presence. As she passed Kalem, she gave him a fleeting glance—her eyes **sharp**, but without malice.

Kalem had never seen anything like that. **Her awakening was like a storm**, something wild and untamed that had briefly been set free in the room.

After Kimiko left, there was a **moment of stunned silence**. The crowd seemed to collectively exhale, as if they had all been holding their breath during her display.

Next, the **mayor called another name**.

"Ignacia Stallone."

Kalem watched, intrigued. Ignacia had already made a **strong impression** on him from their brief encounter.

With a **cocky smile**, Ignacia strutted forward, not a hint of hesitation in her movements. She approached the crystal, her eyes gleaming with amusement. She seemed to enjoy the attention—the power that was about to be hers.

As she touched the orb, a **flash of fiery red** erupted around her, followed by an explosive surge of **flames** that bathed her body in **intense fire**. The heat radiated from her in waves, and Kalem had to squint against the **blinding light**.

The room was filled with gasps of shock and awe. **Flames consumed Ignacia's body**—not just normal fire, but **divine flames** that twisted and turned in mesmerizing patterns. It felt like the entire room was being set ablaze by her presence.

She stepped away from the orb with an elegant motion, brushing her fiery hair out of her face as she strutted back to the waiting area, **completely unfazed by the heat** that still lingered in the air. The flames flickered and faded away with her, but the room had been left **burned into everyone's memories**.

As she walked past Kalem, he couldn't help but mutter, "**That's one way to make an entrance.**"

Ignacia turned her head and shot him a **playful wink**, clearly pleased by the attention her awakening had drawn. Her **haughty attitude** was unmistakable as she strode off to join the other successful candidates, confident in her victory.

Next, the **mayor called up the Bieber twins**—**Justin and Hailey Bieber**—who had been quietly whispering to each other in the background, no doubt excited to show off the power their family had likely paid handsomely for.

They both stepped forward together, the twin heirs of the **Bieber family**, each exuding an air of entitlement. The crowd watched in expectation as they placed their hands on the orb—ready for another spectacle.

But when the crystal glowed, it was not with **brilliant light** or **overwhelming energy**. Instead, it was a **lackluster flicker**, dim and unremarkable. The twins pulled their hands away, their faces filled with both **relief and disappointment**.

Justin's lips curled into a faint **smirk**, while Hailey's eyes narrowed, trying to hide her frustration. They exchanged a brief look—a wordless conversation—before walking back toward the waiting area.

"**I guess luck wasn't on our side this time, huh?**" Justin muttered under his breath, though his voice carried just enough for everyone around to hear.

Hailey nodded, her expression more **neutral** than anything. She didn't look angry, but Kalem could see that the **lack of attention** bothered them. After all, in their eyes, they were **meant to stand out**, not blend in with the crowd.

As the mayor called up the next name, Kalem couldn't help but feel **a sense of power shifting** in the air. His own awakening had already set him apart, but the strange thing was, he couldn't shake the feeling that the others were **still sizing him up**—some out of **fear**, others out of **curiosity**.

Whatever happened next in the ceremony, it was clear: Kalem's path had already begun to diverge from the rest. And **the others**? They would have to find their own way to stand out in the shadow of what he'd just awakened.